got all the red out just in time for the holidays! How's that for timing?!

Sometimes projects get put on the "back burner". I know you all know what I mean! We finished renovating our kitchen last March, and in doing so changed the colors in the keeping room. My sofa went from red to green, the corner chair and ottoman went from red to blue. I've had fabric all this time to redo the chairs in the breakfast nook and my desk chair. So... six months or so later I finally got around to doing them! 

Here's the keeping room decked out for fall

I got to play with a gun for this project. 

An ordinary electric staple gun is no match for an air compressor!

Using it was just like on the DIY shows... all that power and simplicity!

I decided not to go with the Ralph Lauren floral fabric I had purchased for the dining chairs, but had enough Annie Selke in two different patterns to do 2 chairs in each. 
I'm really not a "floral" kind of gal.

Makes it more fun and modern don't you think?!

Here they are all together, with our Scrabble game on the table of course!

I did the desk chair in a blue and green bee pattern that ties in great with all the fabrics.

So, just in time for the winter holidays when we typically decorate in reds and greens, 
this part of my house is all blues and green. 
I'll just have to change my holiday decor up a bit too!

Big Reveal: a month of home improvements!

Our month of renovations started with a bang, a chisel and a lot of dust!

We ripped up the original marble foyer tile...

and replaced it with granite and travertine limestone.

Our 21 year old white kitchen was replaced with...

stained cabinets and granite counter tops,

black appliances turned to stainless steel,

we added new knobs and handles,

and a porcelain tile back splash.

Our 9 year old red sofa got a face lift...

and turned a soft sage green.

Our faded red striped chair and ottoman...

was reupholstered to a bright blue stripe.

The "new" keeping room!

I've got fabric to re-do my red kitchen chairs and desk chair too.

The white spindles and carpet were removed...

oak treads were installed and stained...

and wrought iron balusters added.

My desk alcove became...

an empty space, and then...

our new wine bar!

We also had the entire downstairs painted

"Tobacco Leaf" by Martha Stewart.

There were days I had 4 crews working at the same time. It was crowded, chaotic and dusty. Five weeks of contractors and mess... and we're finally done!

I love everything and feel like I'm living in a new house!

So yes... it was worth it!

linking to:

Metamorphosis Monday

Amaze me Monday

SavvySouthernStyle

TheGirlCreative

and Remodelaholics Anonymous

The house is ready for a busy weekend ahead!

Company is coming tomorrow...

The new wine bar is stocked! I love how it turned out!!!

The stairs are finished.

My dishes, pots and pans and everything else is back in the new kitchen.

It's 99% done, but we're still waiting on the trim for the toe kick. It will be here on Tuesday, but a week too late for my house guests to see it all complete. Oh well...

I filled the empty wall with my blue and white plates.

It's a nice transition to my keeping room...

Two new upholstered pieces along with the rug I bought a couple months back, and my color scheme has changed up a bit. Sage green replaced the red and ties it all in with the new granite and tile. And... it still all goes with my blue and white collection.

We're ready for the fun to begin!

fall projects in the making...

We've got a few projects in the works at home, all at the same time. Now, we just need to find the time to start and finish them!
We cut out all the white wood balusters and are replacing them with wrought iron. I have the new ones in the garage along with a new blade for the chop saw to cut metal, and the epoxy to set them in place. We're going to try the install ourselves, knowing that if we run into trouble I can call "the man" to do it.

don't fall through!

I sent this chair and ottoman below out to be reupholstered. I want a professional job and didn't want this to be my first attempt at re-upholstery! It should be back any day now, oh boy!

And... the best for last... we are going to re-do the kitchen! My cabinets are ~20 years old and a bit dysfunctional for today's modern cooking. I wrestle to get the pans in and out of the small door openings, and I could use more accessible storage. Because of this, we decided to go for new, modern, oh so functional cabinets. I'm choosing a warm stained finished to warm up the room with our limestone floors. We'll keep the same layout, and my appliances are all fairly new, so we won't replace those, just hopefully put a panel on the dishwasher.

And... for the corner where I currently have my desk, I think I want to add a wine bar!

It will add even more storage, give us a wine fridge, and also be a great feature for future resale value. I'm thinking something like the two photos on the right. Don't you just love it!
I'm most excited about transforming this space.
I'll keep you posted. Hopefully, we can start on the balusters soon.
I just have to stay off the golf course,
which is sooo hard with the beautiful fall weather we're having!