I Listened to You and Went Back for Them!

Okay, this is all y'all's fault! Ha! Since so many of you left comments and emailed saying I needed to go back for the vintage birdie prints I saw while antiquing a few days ago, I decided to take your advice and go back and get 'em. I was shocked by how heavy they were when I removed them from the wall in the antique shop to take them up to the register. I noticed that the frames were real wood, I could … [Read more...]




Musical Lamps

Welcome to the 657th Metamorphosis Monday! Did you ever play the game, Musical Chairs, when you were little? Well, it's been like musical lamps around here lately. lol I may end up with one odd lamp out in the end, not sure at this point. Last week I shared a new lamp I had purchased to use in my home office. It turned out to be much larger than I had expected so not a good fit for the office. Lesson … [Read more...]




Sometimes Small Changes Can Make Your Heart Happy

A few weeks ago I shared a little addition to my office space. If you look closely, you can just see it there to the side of my left monitor.   I'm not sure how, but I came across this clear tissue holder online and loved it. I liked how modern it looked, which is surprising since I normally don't care for modern decor pieces. I liked that it didn't fight the other patterns/colors in the … [Read more...]




Loved This Lamp So Much, I Bought It Twice!

If you've been reading Between Naps On The Porch for a while, you know I'm a crazy lamp lady. I don't remember when my love of lamps started, but at some point many years ago, I discovered how much prettier, cozier and better the rooms in my home looked by lamplight--the more lamplight, the better! Overhead lighting can make a beautiful room feel cold and sterile--pretty much the opposite of cozy. For … [Read more...]




It Took a Year to Get It Right, But Finally This Makeover Is Complete

Welcome to the 497th Metamorphosis Monday! Thanks so much for all your wonderful comments on Saturday's post. It was so heartwarming and encouraging to read your comments and stories! You shared so many of the same thoughts I have and I truly appreciate each and every comment. I was so surprised by how many of you had actually had the opportunity to visit A Classy Flea in person! I know a lot of folks … [Read more...]




A Gazillion Little Tweaks

Welcome to the 449th Metamorphosis Monday! I really didn't know what to name today's post because I've been like a frantic little bee ever since returning from Ireland. I've been buzzing all over this house, working to tie lots of little loose ends together. You would think it was spring...this urgency to get things spiffied up around here. Maybe it's the early morning waking hours that has me so … [Read more...]




I’m Steaming! Steaming Happy, That Is!

Welcome to the 373rd Metamorphosis Monday! Several years ago my sister gave me a My Little Steamer, steamer. She had a very generous and loving nature and often when she saw something advertised on TV that she thought I could use, she would buy it and surprise me with it on my next visit to her home. At the time she gave me the steamer, I wasn't sure how I would use it, but I thanked her and tucked it … [Read more...]




Velvet Drapes for a Paneled, English Country-Style Living Room

Welcome to the 367th Metamorphosis Monday! Do you sometimes find yourself putting off a DIY job, even though it seems like a small project? Maybe you're waiting until the mood hits or you're finally ready mentally to tackle it. That's kind of where I've been with hanging my drapes here in the living room. I was thinking about this on Saturday, about why I've been putting it off, and I think I know … [Read more...]




Sewing Velvet: Are My Curtains Sewn Backwards?

Greetings! How was your day today? Hope it was a great one! Today has been a pretty productive day around here. I have a little update for you about the velvet drapes I recently purchased for the living room. I also have a question for you! You may remember last week I draped the velvet panels I purchased over the tops of the shutters in the living room to give you a little idea how they might look … [Read more...]




Velvet Drapery Update & A Little Preview

I'm back with a curtain update, I couldn't leave you hanging the whole weekend. Thanks so much for all your suggestions, including your tips on dealing with wrinkles in velvet fabric that's been folded and creased. You are awesome and I always appreciate hearing your excellent ideas and suggestions! This morning I headed off to the Ballard Designs Outlet. The BD outlets here in the Atlanta area are known … [Read more...]




Velvet Drapes for the Living Room

For many years I had curtains in my living room. They were never really what I wanted here and always felt a bit too formal for the room.   Back in October, 2012 (wow, has it been that long!) I removed them because I decided I'd rather look at windows with just plantation shutters than look at curtains that I didn't like and didn't suit the room.   After I removed the old … [Read more...]




A Christmas Tree at Last

Several folks have asked when I was going to share my Christmas tree for this year. Well, I finally called "uncle." Where does that phrase come from anyway? lol   After spending 3 hours one night changing a million fuses, two hours another night examining a million bulbs, and an hour a third night fiddling and fussing, I finally gave up (for this year) on trying to get the lights to work on … [Read more...]




Decking the Halls…and the Beds…and the Sofas

I've always loved pillows, have them all throughout my house. The last few years I've started collecting Christmas pillow and oh. my. gosh...there are some really cute ones out there. The "Love" pillow I purchased one year after Christmas is actually a Christmas pillow, but I think it's perfect to pull out again in February for Valentine's Day.   The Love pillow is currently on sale with free … [Read more...]




My Living Room Is Hiding A Secret

My living room is hiding a secret. It's just a little secret, nothing earth shattering.   See that area behind the seating group, the one with the built-in cabinetry and bookshelves? The secret is underneath the tall lamp I have there. Can you guess what it is?   It's this! Did you guess you would find a sink under there? The sink still works, I ran a little water in it again … [Read more...]




Decorate Your Mantel For Fall and Thanksgiving

Welcome to the 302nd Metamorphosis Monday! This weekend I decided it was time to give the living room mantel a little makeover for fall and Thanksgiving. This can be a fun room to spruce up for autumn because the warms tones in the judges paneling and the jewel tone colors of the fabrics always make a great backdrop for fall decorating.   Normally the mantel has a few books and … [Read more...]




Pickiest Lamp Person In The World

Welcome to the 283rd Metamorphosis Monday! I love lamps, but I guess you kind of knew that when you saw this picture of my screened-in porch. I mean, who has a porch added to the back of their home and doesn't have a single overhead light installed? In the immortal words of Jim Carrey in the movie, Liar, Liar, "It was meeeeee! " ;)   I do love lamp lighting in a room because it's gentle on … [Read more...]




An Autumn Mantel and Fire Screen

It's been a while since I've posted a fall mantel, the last time was late September 2011. I only have one fireplace, thus one mantel in my home and it's in the den, a room with honey-colored judges paneling. (Picture below from last year, just after Christmas.)   Photography is always a bit of a challenge, even with a tripod. The walls just soak up all the light.   This is how … [Read more...]




Contemplating New Window Treatments for the Family Room

For many, many years my family room looked like this.  About ten months ago I nixed all the faux greenery on that end of the room.  It was all looking pretty faded and tired, so it was time for a change.   I haven't missed the greenery at all.  The de-fauxing took place right after Christmastime last year so my tree was still up.   See those cascades/jabots.  They have been hanging … [Read more...]




Reforming My Faux Ways

I've shared this view of my family room many times.  Many, many, many years ago, when I put this room together, I seriously believed I needed something reallllly big over behind the burgundy wingback to balance the height of the armoire (which houses the TV) on the left.  A nice, tall tree seemed just the answer.  Not only would it provide the height I needed, it would add some much needed "greenery" to the … [Read more...]




Hiding Ugly Scratches on Furniture

Monday, I was playing with the mantel in the family room, creating a fall mantel seen here: Fall Mantel.   I looked over and noticed a few scratches on the armoire in the corner.   Do you see the little dents/scratches in this pic below?   Over the years, this armoire has accumulated small scratches from everyday use.   I thought I'd share a few products I've … [Read more...]




A Fall Mantel for the Family Room

While we're enjoying all the wonderful "before and afters" from yesterday's Met Monday, I thought I'd share another little metamorphosis I've been working on this week in my family room.  (Update: This living room looks very different now. See the changes in these two posts: Reforming My Faux Ways and Velvet Drapes for an English Country Living Room)   BEFORE: The coffee table looks so bare … [Read more...]




Decorating English Country Style

Welcome to the 36th Metamorphosis Monday! To start this Met Monday off, I just want to say thank-you to everyone who left a comment yesterday. And, thanks so much for all the fabulous suggestions on how to fix my poor champagne bucket. I can't wait to try some of your suggestions...keep your fingers crossed! When I was looking for furniture for my family room many years ago, I just bought what I liked … [Read more...]




Design a Room You Love

Welcome to the 27th Metamorphosis Monday! My Metamorphosis Monday post is a little different this week. I don't have an exciting metamorphosis to share; instead, I thought I'd share some ideas or tips I've learned decorating my own home over these many years. These "lessons learned" are responsible for the changes that were made to the rooms in my home, so in some ways this post is indeed all about … [Read more...]




Make a Lamp from Something You Love

Welcome to the 11th Metamorphosis Monday! Several years ago I was out antiquing and I came across this cute doggie. Ummm, the wheels started turning, and I thought he just might be the perfect size to... ...have made into a lamp. I'd been shopping for a small lamp to go on this table in my family room for some time. The room had/has a bit of a hunt/canine theme going on, so this little guy fit … [Read more...]




Feels like Home

Do you remember the day when you first stepped through the door of your home? Maybe you had just spent days trekking through house after house. Or perhaps it was the first home your realtor showed you. Either way, I bet as soon as you crossed the threshold, your heart said this is it--this is home. And sometimes there's a room that really seals the deal. I vividly remember the day I walked through … [Read more...]