Some Girly Touches

I finally got some decorating done around the main living area in our house.  It was looking pretty masculine with our dark leather couch, big screen TV, and boring decorations.  Just a few small (and inexpensive) things fixed that quickly and I'm really happy with how it looks now.  Obviously there are still some things I'd like to do in the space, but toddler-proofing limits alot of decorating... and I'm just fine with that.  I don't have a professional camera, so the pictures don't quite turn out like I'd like them to, but it gives you an idea at least of what it looks like now.

First girly touch: Curtains!  While Tate was out of town for work I hung curtains.  He doesn't like curtains so I figured I'd "surprise" him.  ;)  Nothing like the feel of a power drill in my hand and some pretty floral curtains to get me excited!  I had been searching high and low at fabric stores for a fabric that went with the wall color of this rental house, but also tied in other colors and would be something I would like in a future house as well, since we may be upgrading next January when our lease is up... who knows.  Anyways... I couldn't find fabric anywhere that matched what I had in my head.  Then one day I was at World Market (love that store!) and saw these panels hanging... and on sale, it was meant to be. 

Way too bright... scroll down for a close up.

This is a more true to life picture of the color and pattern.

The panels were marked down to $23, so they were actually cheaper than making my own.  After that, I headed over to Ross to get a discount curtain rod.  Long curtain rods usually run about $40 at Target, so I was happy to find one at Ross for $15.  While I was in the curtain aisle I came across some panels for our dining room that were marked down to $4 (love love love their prices!).  I wasn't planning on buying new curtains for in there right away, but I couldn't pass up that deal.  Not only did the red ones we had in there clash with the new floral curtains but they were see through.  I didn't really realize how see through they were until a few weeks earlier when I was out back after dark and realized you can see our kitchen perfectly through them.  Kinda creepy considering I spend most of my time after dark half naked with my head in the fridge.  (haha... I'm only sort of kidding.)

Hey Jace!  Cheapo dining room curtains from Ross

While I was at World Market I saw they had drawer knobs on sale for $1.50 so I grabbed a couple of simple green ones.  I was thinking of doing something a little more funky, but decided I didn't want them to stick out that much unless I've re-painted or stained our large wooden shelf... which eventually I'd like to do when we're in a more permanent house.  I also grabbed a set for our laundry closet knobs.  Both the closet and the drawers had just plan round wooden knobs before that were always loose, these ones are much sturdier.  It only took about 30 seconds per knob to switch them... very easy way to make a pretty little difference.

Green knobs from World Market

I'm still thinking about what to decorate the shelves
with because I don't like it now... but that will come
together eventually too.

Laundry closet knobs

I also picked up a couple things to put on top of our cupboards to make it look less bare.  I didn't want it to get too cluttered so I just grabbed some white fake flower stems from World Market and used a simple glass vase we already had.  I don't remember exactly how much the flower stems were but I think they were about $7.  I also put a brown textured vase up there that I found at Ross for about $5.  Now the picture I had up there before doesn't look so bare on the tall vaulted ceiling. 

I'd already posted about the mirror with ribbon I'd put up above the fireplace, along with the spray painted candle holders and "Family" cut out that added a girly touch to the mantel... but the temporary chair that was sitting next to it was bothering me because it didn't match anything in the room.  I found a simple (and necessary) solution when I found a cotton knit blanket at Target in the exact same color for $10.  I just leave it hanging over the couch to make the leather look a little less manly, and also because we use it everytime we're sitting there watching a movie at night.  Now the chair is a little less of an eye sore... I think.

So that was my inexpensive solution to making our main living areas look a little more cohesive and a little bit more us "me".  Not bad when you think back to what it looked like 2 months and $100 ago... right?



Before... back when the wall was still red, and it
still looked like a man cave.