I found this china hutch at an unfinished wood furniture store.  When I first saw it, I knew right away that it would be perfect for my casual dining room.  My dining room is technically adjacent to my kitchen but since my husband took down the cabinets overhanging the kitchen  peninsula, I think of it as one big room and have decorated it as such.  I have a ways to go before I can say I’m finished (new flooring, backsplash, lighting, table, and chairs) but at least I can cross the china hutch off the to do list.

     Our old sofa had to go.  Rips, stains, sagging-yuck.  The only good thing about it was I didn’t worry about the kids ruining it.  Besides it being past it’s prime it was too big.  (I swear it didn’t look that big in the showroom.)  This time I measured my space then took a tape measure with me shopping.  I looked at hundreds of sofas.  I just couldn’t make a decision because I knew I would get sick of the color, the pattern, or the whatever.  One day it dawned  on me “slipcovers”.  I bought a new sofa with a red and a white slipcover.  The pillows have slipcovers too.  Now, I can have a completely different look in a matter of minutes.  And a great bonus is the wash-ability.  I don’t have to have haul out my steam cleaner every time the kids spill something.  All I have to do now is throw everything in the wash.  Ahhh, that sigh is the sound of my life just getting a lot easier. 

     Sometimes the only way to furnish a room is with others hand-me-downs.   I gained a formal living room in my new house, and the decorator in me could not stand to let it sit empty.  But, with a new mortgage and moving costs – there is no money for new stuff.  I especially  don’t want to be stretched too thin in this economy. 

     My Mom generously let me go shopping in her basement.  I picked up a sofa, two wing chairs, two end tables, and a coffee table.  It is a matched set from about twenty five years ago.  It is good quality furniture and in good shape after all these years – just not exactly my taste.  Since beggars can’t be choosers, I am reworking things to my liking.  I made some pillows for the couch and I am in the process of making slipcovers for the wing chairs.  I like everything much better now, but the tables are still too matchy for my eclectic tendencies.   I am thinking of changing them out with a mix of glass or metal, wicker and maybe a re-purposing an antique woodworking table.  I have been combing estate sales, consignment stores and even an architectural salvage shop to find just the right pieces.  No luck so far but the search is most of the fun.  Here is what I have so far.