Hi! Did you have a nice weekend? Ours was pretty quiet…well, except during that quadruple overtime at the end of the Auburn/Arkansas game. There was lots of noise around here then. ?
…and speaking of our living room: Can I run a few things by you from there today? I made a little video because I felt like it would be easier to chat with you “in person” on this one. Easier to show you what I’m thinking of doing in there. Not all at once, of course, but bit by bit over time, as time and budget allows. (Adoption-related fees will continue to trump “all at once” (or non-sponsored) home improvement projects til our Sweet P comes home!?)
But before you push “play”, read these next few sentences…they’ll help fill in some gaps while you’re watching the video:
- we painted because The Cottage Journal is coming to take some photos on Tuesday- aaaahhhh! ? #Fall2016
- there’s not much light at night on the fireplace side of the room.
- I would spray the (inexpensive) brass picture light oil-rubbed bronze. (I can do that, right?)
- “all the little things” also includes stuff like: craft supplies, magazines & books, paints & waxes, ink & stamps, office supplies, cards & stationary, “fauxliage”, etc, etc, etc.
…and here’s a suuuuuper duper slop-tastic mock up of what I’m thinking for the (currently unfinished) wall that separates the living room from the dining room & kitchen:
(I was standing in front of the chunk of wall on the right in the video.)
Since the living room will also act as our guest bedroom when we have overnight guests, I thought it might be cool to eat up the extra wall space next to the cabinets (around the doorway opening) with curtains so folks can pull them shut if they want a little privacy at bedtime.
What else…hmmm…oh! The (two) Billy bookcases we have upstairs look like this:
They have the same kind of doors and everything…glass on top, panels on the bottom.
And in case you aren’t familiar- here’s what the extension shelf looks like that you can add to the top:
Thoughts? Hold out for custom-built to take advantage of every square inch, or build around the Billys we already have? Thanks in advance for chiming in!
PS- Friendly reminder: BlogThreads.com is active ’til Tuesday morning at 8am CST if you are interested in placing an order before we close the shop ’til next time around! XO
Patti
Loved your video,scap the ready made bookcases,go with builtins ,love your blog much.
Sandra
I am a professional organizer. Wait and go with the extra storage. Money is tight now but later when it isn’t you will be sorry that, for a relatively small amount of money, (in the big picture) you closed up that wall and forfeited that space. Patience.
Becky Burk
So amazed by your patience. “I could wait a year”… wow… I obsess and want a result 5 minutes a go. Love all of the ideas. You really can’t go wrong in my opinion. I think you could make the bookcases look fabulous w/o having to be “customized”. I think that will be WAY cheaper (oops.. I mean cost effective) 🙂
Karen
Genius idea with the picture lights over the windows. I have a similar area that I have never been able to figure out how to add light to and that could really work.
LE
Please make more videos! I usually don’t like videos on blogs but your video was adorable and just as endearing and interesting (if not more) as your regular blog posts! I think a lot of us readers really related to your “obsessing” and thought process about your room.
Good luck with your room!
Meads Spencer
I loved the video. It was great to see how you guys go through the same brainstorming process as so many others! I’m not sure if someone else already suggested this but I think utilizing both of your ideas would be great. Use the depth of space to go towards shelves since it is already there, paint the back (planks) for visual interest. Remove the doors from billy shelves and customize them to use as your doors. The top glass sections would allow your back (planked) areas to visible. It’s a win win. Practical storage below glass and another spot behind glass to showcase pretties!! Good Luck and God Bless ?
kelly
You are too adorable! That is seriously how I talk about design, too…my hubby starts to get that glazed over look, so we would have a lot of fun chattin’ in real life! My vote is to hold out for the custom built ins. I feel like in the long run, you might be happier with the quality.
Lisa
First let me just say I LOVE your videos and think you should do it more often.
Second, while you were first talking in front of the unfinished wall….I kept thinking “why not paint what’s there and utilize the space?” So my vote would be built-ins. Also, what if you did a built-in with doors at the bottom and open shelving at the top? Just a thought.
No matter you do decide to do eventually there is no doubt it will be fantastic!
Annie
*sigh* Your gallery wall completes me! Perhaps in lieu of the curtain panels over the square windows, you could try decorative (yet functional) shutters. And those darn shutter dogs always make my heart go pitter-patter! https://www.pinterest.com/pin/335518240960564905/
http://www.allaboutshutters.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/shutter-dog-shutter-hardware.jpg
And of course the hoarder in me says Billy Bookcases all day long! =)
Abigail
Video was a great idea! I was nodding my head when you were describing some of your plans as if I were standing there pondering the space with you ;p
I think custom would be nice for the built-ins but if it were me, and I weren’t in a rush, I’d move the Billys you have to that space and live with it a little bit to see how it functions. You have the advantage of being able to try it with out any expense and that can teach you so much about what works and doesn’t for you!
beck campbell
I have bookcases galore but never have room to “style” them all nifty because I actually collect books. But my REAL reason for commenting…who is the Arkansas or Auburn fan. I living in NWA Arkansas and have ties to both teams…
beck campbell
I LIVE in…geez.
Peg
YOU. ARE. SIMPLY. ADORABLE. !!!
I love all of your ideas! I vote for
custom to utilize the space. : )
Peg
I love you and how your mind is always working! I also vote for custom…utilize as much of the space as you can.
Ashlea
Ok. Question. If you put the book cases on the planked wall, will you lose the depth beside the window to put curtain panels on that side? additionally… will you be able to open the doors with your couch there (perhaps it just looked tight because of where the couch was) I’m sure you thought of those things- wasn’t sure if the storage idea was separate from the curtain idea 😉
My thoughts on extra storage- because you will soon have your Sweet P- MORE STORAGE is always a bonus… toys, coloring books, games… that is what sits on our shelves at the moment. Would it be possible to push the billy’s back to the wall without planking, use the carcass, remove the backing, and customize shelves to fit inside the billy that go around the studs? And then, if there is open space on the outside of the billys you could just plank or trim around that area up to the side of the billy… does that make sense? Then it is semi custom, but perhaps cheaper then going fully custom- because you can use your existing carcass and only need to make shelves.
Kristin
oh my goodness, i loved this so much. i love to dream and ponder and obsess while waiting for my budget to keep up. i loved watching you do the same. please, please do more of these! this was so fun.
great idea about the lighting. i vote for the built ins, sounds unique and fun, plus when sweet P comes, the more space the better, no? =)
Kelly
Love your living room!
Jane
I think the two small windows should only have matching wood blinds like you have on the other Windows in the room. I feel like the space will be too cluttered with fabric. Keep that area simple and use your fabric on the larger Windows.
Debbie Delosreyes
I love the fun you can have with the bookcases but if you think the look with be too busy and compete with other things in the room then do the built-ins with a door. I loved the billy bookcase with the rustic ladder you had in a former post. That fireplace is so beautiful in this video. The pictures were great but in the video.. all i can say is WOW!!
Shari
You’ll never believe this, but I woke up remembering a dream about your room! In my dream you had small barn doors that could slide over the windows on each side of your fireplace instead of curtains.
I have curtains on the opening from my foyer to my living room and I love them. I often shut them part way to block the view into the living room from the front door, when I am home alone. Everyone loves the curtains. It is something you don’t see a lot. I would keep the curtains at the doorway.
I think I had a dream about your room, because the curtains next to the window, just felt like way too many curtains in your room, but I kind of liked the idea. At the time I had nothing else to suggest. Can’t wait to see your finished room.
Hayley
Loved this! Not normally a video lover, but this is exactly how I am! And it makes my husband crazy because he thinks I’M crazy!!! Love all of your thoughts, the only suggestion I have is the bookshelves. I’m all about more storage, but since you already have the Billys, why not just bring them down and live with them just against the wall for a while? Then if you’re feeling the need for more storage down the road, either build custom (when the budget is there) or just remove the backs of the Billy’s and add shelves into the wall to match the shelves in the bookcase. 😉
Layla
Because they’re working too hard upstairs in our bedroom right now- LOL! 😀 #BooksShoesCameraEquipmentJewelryEtcEtcEtc
Julie @ follow your heart woodworking
You are just TOO cute, and so is your little dog!
I vote for painting the back of your wall and looking for used doors or shutters. I like the idea someone had for leaving the top open for display.
Angie
I don’t have much to weigh in with but I wanted to say how much I loved your video. That was sooooooo entertaining. You are an absolute natural in front of the camera. I felt like I was in face time with my sister. Thanks for sharing with us.
Lacey
As with others I wanted to chime in and say I loved the video. Fun to get inside your head on what you’re thinking for the room, like we’re all right there planning with you! Great ideas, can’t wait to see you execute them.
Leslie
I loved the video as well. I vote for using the wall to gain extra storage depth instead of the Billys. Extra storage room is always a good idea.
Lauren Baxter
Love all of these ideas! The bookcase light sounds great above the custom built-ins and curtains. Great idea with the mirror and panels, that will probably save a lot on planking!
I think the custom built-in is kind of a neat and cool idea, and a great use of all your space. On the other hand it sounds like it might be more cost effective to do the Billy bookcases because you already have them. I think though the custom built-ins would be more your style and look awesome and tie all together especially with all the planking. If this is your forever home I say GO FOR IT! If its a home for right now maybe the Billy bookcases would be easier.
Lauren Baxter | Lovely Décor
xx