elements of tables

Here's the thing.
I started talking about my mini living room redo quite a while ago.

And I actually have done quite a bit of it.

But I haven't taken or posted pictures of it for a very stupid reason.

We have three large windows that face the front of the house.
And when the sun shines through the windows the living room has such a warm glow...it's cozy and comfy and I love it.

But do you know when the sun shines through those three windows?
When it's rising.

As in: first thing in the morning.
As in: when googiemomma is still in bed.


Ahem.


Well, today I decided enough was enough. So I set my alarm and got up with the early birds to take stunning photos. Uh, no. I just took the pictures with the available light and put my mad photoshop skillz to work.
Actually, they didn't come out too bad...


So, without further ado, I present {part} of the mini living room makeover!


Here's where we started. And these photos? Well, you know those "loose 10 pounds in 2 days" ads you see where the "before" picture is someone deliberately making themself look as bad as they possibly can--pushing out their stomach, wearing a too-tight bikini, sad sack face?

Yeah, it's kind of like that.

Except with kids, toys, bad flash photography, general mayhem and foolishness.








I wanted to brighten and modernize, but without painting the walls. And the sofa, loveseat and chair are staying for now.
I was sick of the rugs. They went, courtesy of Craigslist, and added $40 to my budget :0). I want to get something simpler, maybe just a sisal rug...but I'm still searching. The layout of the room also needs help. It's a long narrow room and I've always had trouble with it. (Read: I move the furniture around on a regular basis)

But there are good things here: I do like the paint color, and I love my floors. The windows are big and bright, and the big thick trim is custom googiedaddy stuff. I also like the mirrors & picture over the sofa. I have fought with that area and probably tried 10 different things and combos of things without loving anything. This is the closest I've gotten to completely happy, and I'm not looking to change it right now.

Anyway, today I'm going to cover the three tables in the living room and the changes I made to them.

Remember this lamp? It's from part one: gathering stuff and spray painting it white.




I gave it a coat of white paint and recovered the shade in the same white fabric I've been using everywhere. It's sitting on the black end table next to the sofa.
And I LOVE it.





I added a white bowl I got at the thrift shop, an old book {that I got to try my hand at one of those "paper wreaths" that are everywhere, but decided I liked the book sitting on the table better} and the "LOVE" I got at a yard sale. (I actually grabbed that because I had some ideas for a photoshoot with it, but the kids sat it there and I think it looks cute!)





Googiedaddy loves lamps. (I know, weird, but we've discussed that before) So to make him happy I'm adding them wherever I can. And the soft glow of this one makes us quite happy.


And that bowl? An impulse buy on my mad quest for "white" stuff. But can I tell you how much I love this bowl? It was $1!!




For the other side of the room, I took some black and chrome nesting tables from Ikea and (surprise!) painted them white. I neglected to take a before picture, but trust me--they're much better now. They're home to the blue rooster lamp.



And apparently these tables also function wonderfully as a chair and desk combo for LittleBear. Who knew?

This table needs some help. I keep trying different combos of things on it, but have yet to strike paydirt. I think the rooster stands alone.

The final table in the room is actually an ottoman that is our coffee table. It's a soft leather tufted ottoman that googiedaddy made.







The wooden tray was $6 at Ross (LOVE that store). The milk glass bowl was a $1.99 snag at the thrift shop at the same time as the feather bowl on the other table. The candle holder/moss rock holder I redid and posted about here.

And the white obelisk thingy? Also a thrift shop purchase for $1.99. It started life like this:

 

Yuck! So much better in white!

Ooohhh...are you trying to get a look at those pillows in the background?

I knew it! Well, you'll have to come back tomorrow for the big pillow reveal!!

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I Heart Naptime Sunday Scoop