As we were spending the weekend at home (no black Friday or first-of-advent shopping madness for us), I had plenty of time to continue with the living room.
Guess what- the red cushions are still there, and they will probably stay, too. How that?
I mentioned that I had taken one of my red-cushioned easy chairs out of our living room. I had, at first, intended that to be just a test, to see what the effect would be. So, I was looking for a way to store it where the cushions wouldn´t get spoiled by moisture or such (we have a rather humid basement). And I had a sudden inspiration after DH told me he´d be sorry to see the red cushions go, because they look so friendly. I put that surplus cushion into Grandpa´s chair. It fits exactly, makes the sitting even more comfortable, and it brings that chair together with the others, optically. And I could put away the blanket I used to throw over the black chair, too. DH´s couch seat is now covered with a blanket in the same red, plus several throw pillows of the same color. What I put away were several blankets and pillows in yellow, blue and orange, which were actually left over from previous decorating schemes. The now cushionless chair frame I took apart ( thumbs up to collapsible IKEA furniture) and put it into the cellar.
The end result was a seating space that is pulled together by the same color being used on every chair and couch in it, and with enough room to move in. It looks a lot more airy, too, even though there´s just one piece of furniture less.
On the other side of the living room, besides my computer desk, there was the perennial hotspot in the shape of a side table that once was intended to serve as an extension to my desk, but which ended up being buried in paper clutter that hadn´t made it into my filing cabinet. Besides, it made the space next to the desk look and feel crowded. So, I put away everything that was on that table, and then discovered that it could easily be slipped under my kitchen table where it´s out of the way, but still accessible if I should need it (I sometimes put my sewing machine on there, too).
Again, that area looked a lot more spacious than before.
Just by removing two pieces of furniture and some cushions and blankets, I turned a room that felt stuffed and suffocating back into one that looks open and inviting. What surprises me, actually, is how few things I had to remove for that effect.
And, as the red blanket and pillows were already there, the whole remodel was practically free. Maybe I´ll pick up two or three more red pillowcases to replace the yellow ones, but that´s all.
Next stop, pictures. I have, for several years, been collecting the title pages of a wall calendar that has images of medieval book art, and each year´s title page is elaborately printed including the metallic effects that make old illuminated manuscripts so stunning. I also had bought several frames and matching frame mats for them, but somehow had gotten around to framing only three while the rest of frames and what was intended to go in there was languishing on top of our living room shelf. Yesterday, I finally went at framing the last ones and hanging them. The wall they hang on is now looking complete, and the stack of stuff on top our shelves is gone, leaving me wondering why the dickens I kept procrastinating about a job that took, all in all, less than an hour to do.
That out of the way, I did take out my minimalist Advent decorations and, after placing them, settled down with a good book, a lit candle, and a nice hot cup of tea.
Advent time just as I like it.
Julia
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