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Wednesday, August 1, 2018

Change Takes Time



Anyone who has followed Art and Sand for very long knows that I love color.


But, over the last few years I have switched to a white background 


with colorful accents - primarily blue.


Change takes time and we are finally done (until I get a new idea) with the living room.


Lulu is modeling her favorite change in the living room - the jute rug from Rug USA which she thinks we bought just for her to roll on.


Most of our changes are designed to make rooms seem larger so instead of a regular sized sofa we went with the IKEA Ektorp love seat.


And as you can see from this "before" photo, we placed the love seat against a wall instead of beneath the window.


I tried having nothing in front of the sofa, but I like to put my feet up so an old tool box from my dad was brought down from the attic.


Striving for a less cluttered look, we removed a cabinet from the living room and replaced it with a tall candle stick I painted.


The SUN pillow and its mates SEA and SAND had been in the dining room and I found a fun blue and white floral to break up all the white.


An old cabinet from a local shop, Tattered Door, took the place of Old Faithful (Steve's leather chair that will NOT be shown) and we gained about 24" of space along this wall.


This wall is not finished, but I just don't have any ideas yet so it is "done for now".


 We replaced the BIG overstuffed chair that matched the old sofa with a smaller chair for me and another of my father's tool boxes gives me a place to put my feet.


We have always had a white mantel, but I usually avoided showing pics of the dull brown fireplace.


Painting the fireplace white has been on my list for a long time and a few weeks ago I finally grabbed the paint and started painting.


The way I feel about our living room has completely changed.


I love the crisp clean look


and it works well with another change we made.


We did not own a television until 2013 and I have always hated looking at it even though it's a small black box.


Steve nailed strips of wood together, I stenciled the quote and now all we need to do is set the sign on the floor when we want to watch a movie - the sign hasn't been removed for about 2 weeks.


With a jute rug, new furniture, a bit of white paint and


 a beautiful sailboat from Caron's Beach House.


we now love our living room.

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Shabby Art Boutique - Create, Bake, Grow & Gather

40 comments:

  1. I love it too! You always have such a cheerful look about your house. I'm glad you got your room finished, but wonder what's going to happen when fall hits soon.

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  2. I love the changes, especially the TV cover-up!

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  3. It is beautiful, Carol! The white background lets the colors shine! I love your TV cover-up and the fireplace turned out great, too!

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  4. Ah, a visit to your cottage is just really special. I love the white background you have now because it really does so well with your primary colors. The sign in front of the tv is fabulous! The Ektorp looks fantastic!

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  5. Oh boy does it all look so bright and cheery! I LOVE the white fireplace. That's what I want to do with ours? Did you spray paint or brush it on and what kind of paint? It's been on my to do list since we moved here 3 years ago!! Ours is a red kind of brick and ugly with a dark brown mantel which I also want a larger one in white. And the sign in front of your TV is ingenious! What a great idea. Our TV is too big but wish there was some way to disguise it too! I love it all with all the blues which makes it so cool and comfy and "beachy". I bet you feel really good about the extra room and the more airy feel! Hugs.. Marilyn

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  6. The fireplace looks like a new one now. Blue & white is so beach cottage. Your husband's paintings always draw my attention. Thanks!

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  7. I've been lightening up my homes colors and love it since its so much easier to decorate with. After seeing your fireplace i'm leaning to painting mine...but there's on hangup! I come from a masonry family and to paint brick is a SIN! So I'll take a little longer for those demons to completely leave. Love the look of your house and love how it looks. Whereever did you find that great smaller chair? Small scale furniture is to hard to find....

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  8. So much to see, so many lovely pieces with your white background. I will be visiting this post a few more times, what a calming home you have created.
    Joy

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  9. Good Morning
    I love all the changes you made to your already beautiful home. I love the fireplace painted white, looks so pretty.
    You have the happiest looking home***
    deezie

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  10. Oh yes...change takes time, and then surprises you by NEVER changing, but simply rearranging. At least, in our case over here! The shifts we've made have given us much joy, and we are constantly amazed at how the slightest to the biggest change can make us happy. Ruben recently put up a little chandelier for me in our deck area, and we can see the flicker lights from our great room. That little change brought about some HUGE smiles and possibilities for fall and even winter décor. Carol, your home is gorgeous.

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  11. Carol, I have to say I am loving the blues and whites. I was amazed at the fireplace, what a difference. I really like the way you hide the TV...I too hate seeing those black screens. Your husband's painting give you wonderful scenes of boats on the water. I love when you show his work in your posts. Blessings, xoxo, Susie

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  12. Watch out Lulu! She's got that paintbrush in hand!
    All kidding aside, that fireplace painted made a huge difference, and I love it, Carol. It all looks so good. How in the world did you convince Steve to get rid of his chair? Nothing seems to come between the chair, TV, and my Mr. I don't watch much TV, but he sure does.

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  13. Once again Carol, you have inspired me with your lovely sense of decorating. You've done another wonderful job. Enjoy ~ FlowerLady

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  14. It looks so calm and peaceful - love how you hide your TV!!

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  15. Good morning Carol. I’ve always loved your home and how colorful it was but this new look is even nicer. I’ve found as I get older I like a calmer palette in my house too. I’ve been thinking of painting our fireplace for a long time. Seeing how good yours looks makes me think I’ll just go ahead and do it.
    Hope you have a lovely day.

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  16. HI Carol....I loved seeing all the pretty changes in your living room with the new paint, furniture and decor. It is just sweet and a perfect look for a beach cottage. I love the fireplace painted white too! What a change. The idea of the sign to hide your tv is super. Enjoy your new space! Have a lovely day. Pam

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  17. Hi Carol, this is just lovely! I especially love the sign for the TV. I'm trying to think how I can do that nicely on a larger model but it might be very good for the little one!

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  18. What a beautiful transformation. It looks so compfy and inviting. There are so many things I love about your living room.

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  19. Oh Carol I am swooning through all your pictures. Your sweet cottage is gorgeous. What a big difference painting the fireplace made in the room. So bright and clean looking. Love all your blue items in each room. Little Lulu needs some white highlights put in her fur to match lol!!!! Love it all!
    Hugs,
    Kris

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  20. OOO, that fireplace...*drool.....just adorable.
    Every time I visit, you inspire me in some way. In this post, I spied your hand on one of your walls...I jumped up, went out to the patio and brought MY hand inside...never thought to use it inside...you are so amazing and your living room is about to make me have a hissy fit to get MINE looking more adorable.

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  21. It looks so fresh and pretty! And I love how Lulu looks like she's smiling. xox

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  22. Beautiful! Carol you have a fabulous eye.

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  23. I also love your living room. Everything looks great. Have a blessed day. Madeline

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  24. I love the white background and the pops of color. The love seat is a great idea instead of a full size sofa!

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  25. I love love love your white walls. Everything really pops now. It took me years to get to all white and I know I'll never go back. I love how you have the sign in front of the TV. Our TV is huge... I wish I could think of some way to hide it. I love your photos/videos on IG too.. So fun to see and hear what you're up to. Happy Thursday!

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  26. Oh the fire place was a wonderful improvement, it just needed to be white for your lovely white house
    It all is picture perfect and so is LuLu

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  27. It is always fun to make changes and you are an expert at detail. Every inch always looks perfect :)

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  28. Boy Carol, I'm loving your cottage. There's always something new to enjoy. I love the fact that you have toolboxes that were your dad's. Nice pieces to have and they add character.

    Changing the fireplace made a huge impact. You, Steve and lulu live in beauty

    Cindy

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  29. Hi Carol!
    Your living room is beautiful! I love the white fireplace! Now I know why you get so much accomplished - you don't watch TV. I was just talking to a friend about how turning the TV on just stops getting anything accomplished.
    Terry

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  30. The fireplace looks SO much better! I love all your changes.
    Brenda

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  31. Good changes in your living room--it does look more spacious and I love what you did to your fireplace.

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  32. Beautiful changes my friend. Not only do your pops of colors ... Pop... but so does all your art work!
    Job well done!!

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  33. I am in love with all the changes like the Jute Rug, white fireplace and little white sofa and chair. That sailboat is great. We painted the sunroom blue and a high floating shelf is now blue and white that I used to have a sailboat on so I love your home for inspiration too.

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  34. Wonderful blog! I just found you and I am enjoying looking over past posts :) The typeset you use for your wording is just lovely and so calming on my old eyes! What is it called? Lisa

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  35. Carol, I loved your home before and I love it now! The white is so crisp and clean. I do not love our rock fireplace. It feels dated to me, but hubby would die if I painted it. You have such a knack for making everything look fabulous!
    hugs,
    Jann

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  36. The fireplace in white makes all the difference......WOW! And I love all of your special touches.....I need to freshen things up around here! hugs

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  37. I was always been attracted to your bright cheerful colours in your home,although I have more blue and white in our home so I have also enjoyed seeing the transformations you have made over time. The fireplace looks so different and it is lovely to give your Dad's tool box a new use. Sarah x

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  38. The fireplace looks amazing. Great job. Everything looks so fresh and fun. I wish we'd give up the T.V. I don't watch a lot but I do watch more that I'd like. I love the sailboat. Too cute.

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  39. How clever you are to cover up your TV that way Carol. Love all the changes you've made to the cottage and especially love Lulu.
    Thank you for sharing at Create, Bake, Grow & Gather this week carol. I'm delighted to be featuring your home at tonight's party and pinning too!
    Hugs,
    Kerryanne

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  40. Carol, I am enthralled with your living room. I always seem to end up with a colored or wallpaperd wall but when I see colors especially rw&b against the white, I just can't imagine doing it any other way. It looks so pretty and all the pretty decor that you have stands out perfectly. Everything looks so soft and charming. I didn't think you had a place for me to sign up for e-mails. That seems to be the best way for me to follow along with anyone. I forget otherwise. Now, I see the sweet spot so I won't miss any of your posts in the future..Happy Weekend..xxoJudy

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