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Writer's pictureKathleen Anastasio

A little refresh to scratch the design itch


This last year has definitely made me get very nitpicky when it comes to our home. I always was particular, but sitting in the house all day every day has made me want to change and move every room around constantly. I can’t be the only one, right?! Please tell me you also ask your husband to reposition the dining room table on a daily basis as well...


No? Ok maybe I am alone...


If I am not, maybe my story will sound familiar to you. It started in September with fall décor. I couldn't get it up fast enough. Then came Christmas - as a friend of mine said “Jack Skellington wasn't even cold in the grave and people started putting up their tree.” Yup that was me, Nov. 1st. And believe it or not, Christmas came down as fast as it was up - packed away by December 27th.


In January I found there was no new holiday or specific season to decorate for and was going nuts not having the next thing to look forward to decorating wise. Is my home's everyday décor perfectly fine? YES. But as I find myself still at home often, it sure is making me feel better to switch up some staging and colors until our old “normal” comes to be again. I didn't want a big project. Nothing structural that would cost a fortune.


Our living room had always been a hodgepodge of things - making it the best place to start! Disclaimer: I am so new to this blogging, the only pictures I have to share of the before are holiday pictures...but gives you an idea. I'll get better, readers!


I am a big advocate of shopping your home when you can, first, and then shop what you can’t, second. And I did just that! First thing I needed to pick up was my holiday rug - that's right. I am COMMITTED (and a bit crazy!) I am so devoted to red during Christmas and can’t have any colors stand in its way - hence, the holiday rug which is really a regular rug I just bring out for 2 months.


When that came up, instead of putting down what I typically have - a jute rug/smaller shag rug layered look - I took a chance on my vintage coral and navy rug typically in my dining room and it was just the pop I needed. Especially with the recent facelift to our 1900s vintage ice chest!


This ice chest, people. IT IS MY FAVORITE. If there was a fire, it's the only “thing” that isn't living I’d want to save. My MIL is a gifted antiquer. She always laughs and jokes its junk but her finds are far from that- she has THE EYE and talent. This was hers and it has been ours now for about 9 years. It has transformed more than once. It was originally stained oak (picture below not my actual chest but one similar), then was a distressed gray for many, many years. Two coats of Valspar furniture paint (color: SW Naval) and it's now what a friend and I like to call “farmhouse chic.”

I also exchanged the gray accent chair I had near the window and brought down the matching beige chair from my office. With the new, bolder colors I felt I needed my furniture to “blend” together more and had a vision to make my accessories what stood out vs. the actual furniture itself.


Subtle changes from shopping my home meant some of the old did not work with the new. For instance, my beloved teal gate décor and green wreath you see in my before picture has been a fixture on the ice chest for years but had to go. Against all the navy it felt out of place. Here is where my online perusing and in-person shopping began. I love a wreath in a room and found this unique blueberry one at Maison Warehouse. I could not resist (and it was considered holiday so it was 50% off. Yes girl Yassssss!)


I also decided to give us a big pillow refresh. A girlfriend of mine, Lindsay, just started her Esty shop House of Jeniec and she made my room come to life! She helped me where I lacked good judgement - my pillow patterns. Every sample she sent was GORGEOUS and something I would have never picked out myself. The fabrics are durable, full of texture and are soft all at the same time. I could not be more pleased!

Last piece of the puzzle was adding a little KK original. I needed something that was personal to us in this space and all my other knickknacks had a good home already. I think something that connects you brings character to a space. And a lyric sign really can explain through art who lives there. We LOVE the Beatles. Our dog, Jude, is named after their hit and it's likely our next animal will be as well. This line from Blackbird was the perfect touch.

Our living room look is VERY different for me. I am used to cream, gray and another shade of cream in every corner. Occasional blue here and there. I used to think anything dark would make me feel closed in or anxious and I was wrong. I feel so good in this room. The patterns, colors and textures bring me JOY.


Now many if you are probably thinking what I know to be true: joy needs to come from within. And typically I also pull myself in that direction. This year though, I am giving myself grace and finding joy anywhere I can, and I hope you do the same in any area of your life. If you have been sick of sitting in the same space and want to mix it up even though you don’t have to - do it. If you don't care about your décor but do care about being around people more again - DO IT. Bring yourself joy this week (and always).


P.S. To all those who bought my gray chair, rug and misc. knickknacks on FB marketplace- thank you. Because of you I was able to do this refresh without Rob having a heart attack about spending a crazy amount of money we didn't have. Big or not, it all adds up!


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