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Last week's visit from a swallowtail butterfly prompted me to add some signs of Spring to my decor, starting with a new gallery wall in my living room.
I've been tweaking my living room for months trying to get it just right. When my workspace was featured in Where We Blog From back in November, my desk occupied the corner by the windows. To make the room more comfortable for my Thanksgiving guests, I rearranged and hung new art (as seen below).
It was an improvement, but the art looked stale and washed-out to me. Finally, last week I found the solution! The Ikea picture ledges allow me to layer frames for more impact, and their modern lines make my eclectic art collection look more graphic than granny. I also realized that I was using the wrong metallic- doesn't that antiqued gold look warm and rich against my mauvey-gray walls? I'm still waffling on adding more color to my decor, but for now, a little glimpse of blue sky goes a long way!
The cloud painting is a promo postcard from an art gallery, and my set of vintage butterfly prints ($5 on eBay years ago) acknowledge the season. The framed W (for WarLock, of course) is perhaps my cheapest and easiest DIY to date. I picked up the golden letter ornament for $1 at Restoration Hardware, mounted it directly onto the cardboard backer of the Ikea frame, and added a guinea feather for good measure. Under $20, under 20 minutes, and I love it. It ties the colors and textures of other pieces together, and the curved line of the feather balances the arrangement. It also happens to be a preview of the themes I'm using for the wedding... so I get a little "I-can't-wait" thrill every time I look at it!
The last and best addition to the living room is the industrial swing-arm wall lamp, a lucky $30 find at Jeremy's in Berkeley. I'd purchased it for my bedroom, but it did something amazing for this formerly unlit and unloved corner: it turned it into the coziest nook in the house.
I think I'm finally on to something. Anyone else redecorating this Spring?
4 Have Spoken.:
I love the little vingette you made up. I too am re-doing my living room. I started painting it a nice light brown yesterday and am waffling on whether I want chocolate brown accents or white. I already have a few white pieces of furniture in the room and they look pretty next to the walls. However, my couches are an off white, maybe linen type color, so I'm thinking the white might just clash. Plus I'd love to add an area rug on top of our wall to wall carpet and I'm thinking chocolate brown would really tie the room together. You have definetly given me inspiration to do a similar vinegette in my living room. Keep up the awesome work1
i want that cloud photo AND that frame SO BAD! they look absolutely perfect together!
PurpleIsMyPassion... Thank you! My couch is off-white too, actually a cream color that I've always hated. I plan on re-covering it in gray someday, but it actually doesn't look all that bad with my white accessories. Good luck with your redecorating!
Andrea... Ha, I love them too! It's like having a little porthole on my windowless wall :D
I REALLY like this. I'm a big advocate for mixing new and old pieces - it's easy to do all antique or all modern because it "matches" but it's SO much more interesting when there is a mix.
Love the swing-arm lamp too.
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