Saturday, March 17, 2012

House Tour - Living Room

 Welcome to my living room.  Another room in my house I can blog about as we don't "live" in the living room so it is relatively clean.  So, I'm practical.  Plus, it's the weekend so there is no chance of getting and keeping a room clean while the kids are home from school.

My front door opens up directly into my living room.  We use the room for entertaining, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and walking through with guests so they have the impression that the house is clean before they get to the "real" part of the house.




A lot of my furniture we purchased in Charleston, SC where I am from.  It was cheaper to purchase there and have shipped to California than purchasing here.  Plus,  I figure I am 3/4 southern - as I lived there for 32 years.  I always say that you can take the girl out of the south,  but it's harder to take the south out of the girl. 

I have a lot of antique furniture..  Mostly because I believe it holds it's value.  European pieces from the late 1880's.  I figure if they have lasted this long there isn't much my kids can do to it to harm it now.




This is my favorite aubison rug in the house.  We have hand-distressed, walnut hardwood floors which were the best investment we made in the house.  Plus, it is fun to decorate the floor with rugs!  The coffee table is walnut - from Alsace.  I'm guessing you want to know these things?

There is a GREAT story about the urn.  When I bought a home in Atlanta it was a condo that had been converted from apartments.  The apartment below me hadn't been converted yet and the tenants were moving out.  The guy living there was a florist and had all these great urns and sold us two.  One is at my parent's house and I have the other one. Should I paint it?   The picture is one of the first things I bought as a young adult....  It has moved with me for many years!  



More about my post-Christmas mantle can be found here.





I love my bay window and sitting area.... These chairs are comfy!  It is a bit of a decorating challenge though - how to frame the items on the table with the items on the bay window behind..  Anyone have any ideas?  The sconces on the wall are antique and we love them too! They were originally in my kids' nursery. 


 I try to decorate with family photos whenever I can - My grandmother's wedding picture, my husband's mother and a picture of my husband and I when I was three months pregnant with my first daughter.






  We bought these photos during an art walk in downtown Charleston, SC - They are meaningful to us as we were married in the Charleston area.  When we look at these photos we think of the time we have spent together there.





What I love most about building a home is filling it with things that have meaning to you.  Whenever we travel we try to purchase something we can add to the home that will be special to us. 




This is on the wall directly opposite the fireplace - it is a swedish black birchwood cupboard.  I know - the camera flash stinks.  I'm too lazy to go take another picture now, download it, edit it and upload it.  I hope you'll understand. 






















There you go - my living room.  Oh -  I mean the room that we DON'T  live in.  ;)


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6 comments:

  1. You decorate beautifully. I take a similar approach of creating the equivalent of 'still life' groupings of furniture and accent pieces.
    My father is from Texas, so I understand your 'take the girl out the south' comment. In fact I wrote a song titled 'Longnecks and Chili' with a line that reads: take the boy out of Texas, teach him fine Eastern ways, but you'll find ol' Texas inside the boy stays. The recording is available from HERE or HERE

    Happy to have discovered your blog through the blog hop. I hope you enjoy living in CA. I grew up there, but now live in OR

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  2. I posted a YouTube video just so you could listen to Longnecks & Chili HERE

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  3. You have a lovely home! I found you from the blog hop! Just followed you via GFC. Would love to see you over at my place too!
    Love, Olga
    www.stardust-decorstyle.blogspot.com

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    1. Olga - Thanks so much for checking out my blog! I appreciate you touring the living room and hope you check out the whole house! Will come over and visit your blog also. Shannon

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  4. Shannon, so happy you got to link up on SweetTalkin' Sunday! Your living room is gorgeous! I love the walls and that door is awesome. Colors are so warm and inviting! You are an awesome decorator!

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    1. Lisa - I always love seeing your comments on the blog! hope your SweetTalkin'Sunday linky party is great this week - can't wait to see all the link ups! xoxo Shannon

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