that's better

Finally got some new pics of our living room that I finally finished decorating. Taken with my "good" camera now that it's back from the shop (all is right with the world now. Phew.) :-)

Still a bit grainy because WOW my house is dark. But it's an old house, which I don't mind.. especially in these times of constant downpour and flooding in my city. I keep hearing of trees falling on houses and contractors saying "well, if you're house was newly built, you'd be toast"... isn't that nice? The newer your house, the crappier it's built. Sometimes it's really nice having a home built in the 60's. Well, there are LOTS of great things about old homes. :-) I love our's. It's not perfect. It's not luxurious. But it's quirky and homey and the place we've lived for 10 plus years now. I've never lived in a home that long.

It's home. :-)

Here are the pics... I love mixing new items with vintage. I love the hodge-podgyness. I love that nothing is matchy-matchy. I often don't put alot of forethought into how I'm going to decorate. I just throw it all in and see if it works. Sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it does.

The last time you saw photos of this wall was at Christmas Time last year. Here it is without the Christmas trees.

I found this lovely embroidered horse table linen on ebay. It has a sister (or brother?), but i liked this one the best. So I framed it in an old frame I found at an estate sale. I covered the background in vintage wallpaper (to cover up the print that was there). I then snipped some sewing pins in half and pinned the embroidered doily to the background... I made the pins smaller so that way if they went through the back of the frame (which they do) they wouldn't be so long to scratch the wall.

I added the prize ribbon (new) that I got from Little Pink Studio.

And speaking of prize ribbons, I've been collecting them for a while now (i think i've mentioned that), from various places and I finally hung them on the wall... I decided to hang them "inside" my wall decal that's been on the wall for a while now. I love the way they look hanging there!

Most of the ribbons are vintage except for the small orange one that I also purchased at the Little Pink Studio. :-) To adhere them to the wall, I just used that putty that you used to attach posters to your walls in your college dorm room, remember? It's yellow and you can get it at craft supply stores. It's nice not to put holes in the wall, and it has kept the ribbons up well!

Here's the vintage plastic doily diy project I did to frame this little vignette. The small cabinet, mirror, crewel piece, etc are framed by one doorway on the left and a closet on the right. I've been wanting to do something with these plastic doilies for a while now.

I cut them in half with a craft knife and adhered them to the wall with adhesive spray. On 2 of them I accidently used permanent adhesive, and on the others I used temporary adhesive because I was worried about them messing up the walls if I took them down. But after seeing them up for a while, the permanent would be fine on all (they come off just fine). I really love how they "frame" this little grouping of items. This is essentially what you see when you walk in the front door, so the doilies give it alot more presence.

I love this little antique Hawaiian mandolin that I found recently...

Curtains are from Pottery Barn Teen i think!

Thanks for taking a peek!

Comments

[alicia]

It all looks so sweet! I love your style, and I totally agree with mixing styles and no matchy matchy..I think it takes a lot more work (and therefore, is more gratifying) to put together a look rather than picking out matching sets from a home department store or catalog.

[caroline]

looks great! i love it!
do you remember what blue paint you used? i'd love to know! thanks!

[cerri]

Your living room looks fantastic! I love the comfortable mix of new and vintage items, it makes your room feel so welcome.
I also love the way you have displayed your prize ribbons and the vintage horse embroidery is fantastic!
(thank you for mentioning where you purchased your new prize ribbons!)
:)
Cerri

[Chelsea Ann]

oh Danielle! perfection I love every little detail. and want to steal ideas for sure. My living room is so matchy matchy and I have really been despising that lately. But I've been at odds with what to do with it. I love that each item is so special to you. You are so dang talented it hurts! I hope the rain clouds are missing your beautiful little home!

Hugs~Chelsea Ann

[Susan]

Your style is so delicious! I could pour over these photographs forever....the retro feel is so inviting. A little something for everyone. Is the frame from your collection the large or small frame?
All of these pictures need to be in a magazine for interior design.

[Leanne]

Wow, your house is to die for! You have so many beautiful details in every thing you do :)
I would love to see you do a house tour, room by room pictures :)
Just a quick question, where did you get them gorgeous butterflies? I would love to have some of them in my home. Any information would be greatly appreciated :)
I love your blog <3

[Emily]

Love all the little spots of color and fun in your rooms! I have a pile of ribbons from back when I rode horses a lot, maybe I should do something with them in my house???

[Pragya]

I LOVE it! Really like the well balanced randomness in the rooms!!

[Adrian]

I love the Hawaiian mandolin and the curtains are so dainty and sweet. Oh and the owls too...love them!

[melissa]

Where did you get that adorable afghan???!

[ArtsyMama]

Wow, Danielle. Everything looks fabulous! Love the colors and the overall feel. So vintage and fun. You have such attention to detail. Lovely!!
Kari

[Bekah]

WOW!!! Everything looks so spectacular! I just love what you have done with the prize ribbons, so cute! I love your eclectic mix and style. Your eye for color is truly amazing. I LOVE it all!!!
~Bekah(full of bliss)

[Annie@A View on Design]

You have such a beautiful style, very vintage, yet fresh! Love it!

[corine]

I've just experienced love at first sight! LOVE your home, your blog.. got to go and read ALL the archives

[Mandi]

Congrats on the feature at Decor 8! I was so proud when I saw it! hehe no lie.

[katherine]

i looooooooooove this, danielle! everything looks just perfect. great job!

[natalyn]

I just found your blog from Decor8, and I love your pictures. They are absolutely dreamy. Very inspiring. And I am swooning over your vintage camera collection. Everything just looks so lovely.

[Lauren]

gorgeous! I have that exact same owl needlework! Found it at an antique shop for $2.

[Holly]

I too have an older house that doesn't get great light. I have been trying to select a blue-gray that would suit but am afraid that it might look light a baby boy's room if I get the colour wrong! Might you be willing to share the name of the paint colour you have used? It is really lovely (I truly love your living room!).