“I was made to notice God’s goodness and reflect His glory. Sometimes, that happens at my keyboard.”
-Shannan Martin
Thank y’all for the sweet comments you left me on yesterday’s post…I promise I wasn’t fishing for encouragement!!
Those tips really did have me scratching my head. So good to know they’re not all “musts” for everyone. And what a relief to discover that I’m not allergic to every niche- I just didn’t realize there was one called NONBLOGGING– ha! Thank you for commenting about that category Beverly, Shannan and Amber! I feel right at home there.
So, hmmm…what can I nonblog about today? Let’s go random!
My friend Rachel sent me this cute little tin sugar container recently…
I had my eyes on it at a local flea market a couple of years ago, but decided I just didn’t needneedneed it. A few days after I saw it, I was so surprised to see it pop up in Rachel’s Instagram feed! I left her a comment telling her I had seen it and was smitten with it too. She decided I had to have it last month. Sweet, sweet girl. 🙂
I think my in-law’s builder is going to break ground in our backyard next week.
Key word: think. Rain and jam-packed subcontractor schedules have delayed the project for months, but I feel like next week might be the one. My mom gave us the ceramic barnhouse for Christmas. I just love it. We use it as a nightlight on the chest of drawers at the top of the stairs.
Kit-Cat is looking out the window that will soon become the doorway into my in-laws kitchen and living room:
Don’t worry, I’ll create another place for him to birdwatch. 🙂
Still need to paint the planks on the left side of the fireplace (that’s still just primer on them), but here’s a shot of both sliding shutters:
I think we’ll work on putting some shelves inside the built-in cabinet on the right next. I’m thinking three in each cabinet. After that, I’ll dream up ideas for the doors. I go back and forth between shaker style (to match our kitchen cabinets) and ones with vertical grooves in them, like this:
Love those strappy hinges, too!
Eventually, when time and finances permit, we’ll tackle the (matching) cabinet on the left. It’ll be a little trickier because the doors will have to operate differently because of the TV, but Brian the Carpenter is confident we can find the right hardware to make it work. I want to doors to look the same as the ones on the cabinet on the right, but I want them to fold back and into the cabinet so they won’t obstruct our view of the TV.
No rush though. Besides, who knows- maybe the living room will serve as a (temporary) master bedroom one day. ? I mean, just think of how many kiddos we could fit in the master bedroom upstairs! 😀
I asked my friend Shannan recently, “can a living room be a master bedroom…especially if your in-laws are building another living room in your house?” and “what about our piano that has its own sunroom? Surely that room can work in a different/better way too?”. She agreed. *grin*
Guess I better ask my in-laws those questions before I start moving our bed. 😉
#KiddingNotKidding #DreamersGonnaDream
Wait. Did I miss a post or something recently? You are having an addition built by your in-laws?
I know right? I am totally confused too lol 😛
Here ya go, Angie! 😀
https://theletteredcottage.net/our-family-of-five-vlog/
Thanks Layla! 😀 How did I miss this lol!? How wonderful to be able to do this for them. All the best to you all. Amazing news this morning reading about Steevenson. …what a cute little angel!! So happy for y’all!
Yep! Here’s a link to my post about it:
https://theletteredcottage.net/our-family-of-five-vlog/
Love your dreams! Yes, move your living room to the sunroom, bedroom to living room (with a fireplace!!), and fill the upstairs with babies!!!! That’s MY vote! I bet Gma and Gpa would love that too!;) ~Kim
Layla, I had to laugh when I read the previous post about blogging ” rules” who knew life needed more rules? I’m totally with you and your style. Every printed book I’ve read had an authors bio with info about where they live and family, and I’ve read them and enjoy feeling the personal connection! Stay true to YOUR style! That ceramic barn house is so perfect! Renovations provide many opportunities to get creative with the spaces you have, helps you push boundaries and look at rooms as empty spaces and figure how they could work differently. What a fun adventure you will have!
My grandparents had their bed in the living room the entire time I was growing up! With three children, they gave the two bedrooms to the kids, and Grandma and Grandpa “made do.” Then once all the kids were grown, they were so used to their bed being in the living room, they just left it there! Another set of grandparents had a bed in their living room because they had to care for an ailing brother for years, and having the bed in the living room made medical care easier than up the stairs. Thanks for reminding me of those special and loving (and fun) memories from my childhood! You do what you need to do for love!
Where can I get the saying above the fireplace? Love the sliding shutters.
I love you. Your heart shines through every single post. Yes, more babies so you can non-blog about them. 😉 I just want to live in that living room–even if it becomes a bedroom.
We turned our living room into a master bedroom/sitting room 7 years ago, and it’s been the best use ever of a living room that no one ever sat in! And the dining room became our piano room.
I read only a few blogs now. I used to read many. Here I thought I was the one that changed. You’ve brought it to my attention it’s not me that changed is blogs that changed. The…hey let’s chat and also see my realistic home and life….has been replaced with very professional blogs that I can’t or I’m just to lazy to relate to. Too many rules. I know whatever changes you make in your home will be lovely. You’ll continue to make adjustments until you get that Yep, this works moment.
Better proofing is a rule I really DO need to follow!!
Oooooh vertical grooooves…. ❤️❤️❤️
Or you could trade bedrooms? Make Sweet P’s room the master bedroom (it fits at least a double bed) and make the master bedroom into two bedrooms.
You may find once your in-laws move in, no matter how wonderful they are, and no matter how much you love each other, you may need two living rooms. Seniors have different wants/needs than a young family.
Food for thought…
Yeah, I’m mostly just daydreaming, Maryjane…for now anyway. 😉
Wait, what?! I missed that nonblog about your inlaws as well. It sounds like Sweet P will have plenty of people around to love on him though!
1. Maybe construction was delayed so that Sweet P could catch most of it?
2. Is it easier to adopt a second time from Haiti now that you’ve gone through this first round of approvals?
3. Is there some sort of sly announcement that someone else is coming here – or at least on their way to being applied for?
All the very best as you move forward on all fronts!
I love that you are looking ahead to more littles around! 😉
I like those vertical doors too.
Finally, I’m in the same boat regarding construction. We started the process of building our dream home back in November. Thought it would be simple, since we were building the same house we just sold. We have still not broken ground due to finding a contractor mostly, but also many tiny things that can make you crazy. Luckily, we have been thru building twice before, but never a custom build. The others were in subdivisions, and that is so much easier! Our goal was to be in by June, but now it may be July. Meanwhile, we are stuck in an apartment, and haven’t done THAT since the ’70’s, so not fun at all!
Good luck with the build, and looking forward to seeing Sweet P”s little face fill these pages!
It’s encouraging that I’m not the only one doing reno in “stages.” I love the vertical plank doors, but I would like shakers in that location with the shiplap so the lines don’t compete for attention.
Cit-Kat always gets my vote! 🙂
Love the house/barn nightlight! Perfect for your new adventure with the in-laws:)
I also want to say thanks for showing your TV in your photos. TV’s seem to be MIA in a lot of design photos and realistically, people watch television! I much prefer to see how they are designed around.
Love this idea!!! Absolutely nothing better than having a wonderful family for your kid(s) right on site – Given your fantastic sense of style and your ingenuity I am sure it will be a fabulous space!
Curious about the design of the barn – why have the bathroom at the end, instead of in the middle area – looks like visitors will have to walk through bedroom to get to bathroom? If bathroom were in the center of the house (where the WIC is – maybe add a window), it would facilitate guest use – may not matter that much in the immediate future, I am just thinking down the line for long term use of the space … Curious about your thought process etc,
Good luck!!!!!
Our living room was our Master Bedroom for over a year. It wasn’t nearly as pretty as yours is going to be but it worked out ok. Go ahead and fill up the house with babies 🙂
It will be great when the in-laws place is built and all is peaceful!
I spy a Max reflection in the TV! 🙂
You can sleep anywhere! I like to think of the book “The Day the Relatives Came.” They’re draped over every surface of the house for sleeping and they’re TOGETHER! And Layla, you can make any design work. My favorite space you’ve ever done was the little sleeping nook. Go for it!!! Pack that house full of people and love!
Love your blogging/non blogging! (Whatever the correct term is) 🙂 Yours is the only one I make time to read.
The windows with the sliders turned out perfect! Very innovative & charming. Keep up the good work!
Enjoy your blog/non-blog so much, too, and it’s nice that it isn’t too formulaic. The personal accounts and sharing are what give it spirit and soul. Also noticed how nicely the window sliders match the color of the brick surrounding the fireplace. Such a comfy, beautiful room! Thanks for sharing!
I missed the post about blogging! I’ll have to go read that one. 🙂 I saw this living room today, and it reminded me of yours. http://thedivinelivingspaceblog.blogspot.com/2016/03/a-lovely-home-tour.html
I’m starting to have a thing for fireplaces with built-ins on either side and small-ish windows above. I might have to include that in my imaginary dream home design. 😉
Love the shutters in the sunroom, when did they happen. I’m an adoptive parent, very excited for you! Just wondered if you are going to post before and after shots of your current house.
Kindest regards
Sandra
Thank you, Sandra! Always so fun to hear from another adoptive parent!
The shutters happened in 2012…here’s a link to that post: https://theletteredcottage.net/white-shutters/
And, yes, I always post before and afters throughout the year. I don’t really have a dedicated page to them right now…maybe I’ll do that sometime?
I love that little barn house, so very sweet. You know, many years ago when I was 7, our family was going through hard times. We lived in a one bedroom apartment with 5 kids, and another baby was on the way. My parents slept in the living room, and the 5 of us shared a room. As a kid, those close knit walls were some of my favorite moments and memories. We eventually upgraded to a 2 bedroom, but still got to share our room, and my parents got to have their own space- and waaaaay in the future after my oldest sisters had moved out and many moves later, I had my own room. But my younger sister- who had been my bedroom buddy most of the years, always seemed to make her way back into my bedroom 🙂 I say, wherever God is leading your heart, follow him! Kids need love and not much else. There are no house rules or blog rules that we reaalllly need to stick to 😉
I am glad that you blog is in the category of a nonblog. I just love this space you have, seeing pictures of your home and how you do things along with your journey in life as a family and an individual. So often after reading some other blogs I find myself feeling rather incompetant because of the perfection that is shown. So keep up the good work.
Also I like your ottoman/ coffee table, did you make it?
We used our living room as our master bedroom in our old farmhouse and I LOVE it! Our 4 kids are in the rooms upstairs, and we are on the main floor (with the fireplace and dreamy view). Totally doable 🙂