Living Room Tour - Summer 2014

Our town's school children went back Wednesday, poor dears.

It is all just is too soon! 

 I am shocked! 

There is absolutely NO rush to greet autumn just yet!

I started then thinking about how autumn is around the corner

 and realized I hadn't even shared my living room with its

neutral and calming summertime decor.

I have been very much enjoying outdoors on these

 absolutely perfect days of summer!

It's been totally awesome weather this week, very rare for Ohio!

View from loft.

Sorry I am so short.
 With this pic I should have been standing on a chair
 for a better effect...so you weren't subject to seeing the backs of these tall chairs, ah well.

I like design but I am not a very experienced photographer.

When if I grow up I should very much like to become one, though!

In this room you will find a family heirloom cedar chest,
 and a few precious pieces of my mom's collection

from her Englewood Beach, Florida days.

(To this very day I still can't look at a shell without thinking of that sweet angel of a lady!)

I keep a candle safely inside that big stoneware mug with
it's neat braided/twisted handle with matching tray.

It hides the ugly candle, and keeps it just a little more protected
should the glass candle break.

My sister had that happen once and it caught the wooden table on fire.

So it DOES happen, so I like to be extra careful.

Oh, here's a little bit of Mom's white coral collection, too.
She had an entire huge basket full of them from over the years.

She spent her winters on that beach looking for treasures.



~~~~~*~~~~~

Do you see my subtle summertime nod to the beach theme here?

Nothing overdone, just bits of neutral

 that bring my heart such fond memories and joy.

since I am being uncommonly nostalgic today

I should point out on top of that large antique wooden closet is 

a piece of driftwood my Mom had for years -

she used it upright in a white urn with white rocks

at Easter-time as an egg tree.

I keep it out year round.

♥

Have I shown you my newish little wooden side table yet?

I'm not sure that I have.

It is the perfect size, and it has 4 pretty floral block carvings on it.

And it has a nice and pretty solid neutral marble top.

Below you see a glimpse of my new bronze lamp.

The glazed pottery one with the burlap shade is now resides 
in our master bedroom.

This is a neat floral arrangement: it has those little tiny
sticks that light up at the end at night for a bit of
ambient glow. 

It's the only floral arrangement in the house 
that I haven't designed myself.

The polished marble coasters were the very first thing
  my husband and I bought for our home together;
 purchased when we we travelling on our honeymoon cruise.

♥

This little white carved bird on my mantle, below
 is one of my very first "birdie" decor items.

 I've had it for years......it is a tealight holder.

I've used it outdoors under the veranda for years,
and I've used it as a little seed holder before too.

BEFORE/AFTER

This below is how I had this room last summer.
You can catch that tour again here.

It's completely different now. 
I hadn't realized how much till I put this post together!

*Curtains & rods, changed to more casual & lighter 

*Round white mantle mirror gave to daughter;
 swapped it for our big wall clock that was in our dining room.

*Painting changed to an old arch salvage piece.
(Still have it somewhere, wonder what I did with it?)

*Smaller green jug is now in dining room,
traded it for an antique wicker covered jug for some texture.

*Black/white/brown chair pillows gave to daughter,
 traded for our new Arhaus down pillows.

*Little metal folding table by window went upstairs
 to my reading nook,
traded for large Umbrella plant that was in the opposite corner.
(It likes the window in warm weather but can't take the cold
so will move in late fall.)

*Painted the big metal wall art to lighten it up 
and moved my 2 heavy terra cotta candle sconces from dining room.

*Moved all furniture to new spots except the big wooden closet.

*Bought new bench and little side table in late spring.

*Moved jug lamp to bedroom when I bought the new bronze one.

*A few moves of little decor items not a  big enough deal
to be mentioned specifically.  : - )

As always, thank you for your visit!

♥

~Michele

Linking:

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