The real mystery was making them longer. These only hung as long as the window ledge, and I like curtains that barely puddle on the floor.

And then my Free Stylin’ brain started turning…I own sand colored curtains – they were in my living room in Florida:

I know, I know. There would be sewing involved. And if you know me even a little, you know I’m not very good at sewing. (I blame it on my sewing machine. It’s certifiably psycho.) BUT!!! No need to fear – my in-laws were coming to town, and my mother-in-law is a crazy good quilter and seamstress. And she’s always up for a fun project. (Check out these cool projects she made for my cute little J’s room here.) So one afternoon we set out to Edward Scissorhands my curtains for the greater good…super cute horizontal panels.

The panels are hung with upholstery tacks I had on hand. I think I found them at Wal-mart for about a dollar or two.

I love the softness and bit of sophistication that they bring to the room. The masculine horizontal stripes keep the office from being too girly for The Hubs, but the silk-like fabric reminds him I use the space, too.

And, the price is right! Only $3 for these custom curtain panels.

A special thanks to my MIL who is always willing to try some of the crazy projects I come up with. It was a really fun afternoon spending time together and creating special touches for this home. I wish you lived closer!!

I’m linking up to Sarah!  

and Allison!

and Michelle!

Our office was a cluttered catch-all room for boxes of books, crafts, and holiday decor. Not to mention the usual suspects: a laptop, printer, and file cabinet. Toys optional, of course.  

I was shopping at the G-Dub (Goodwill) with my friend Allison. (By the way, she has a fun little blog you may have heard of – House of Hepworths. You should check it out.) Anyway, I found this great curtain panel brand new from Target for $2.99. (They are still in Target now but cost $19.99 a panel.)

The other serendipitous thing that happened was seeing this inspirational picture from Pottery Barn:

Seriously Pottery Barn, you never cease to amaze me with the cool things you come up with. We are such huge fans of the beach, and since we’d been living in Florida for the last three years, it was so obvious to make this room into a soft and cozy beach inspired space.

But not a “plastic pail and flip flops” beach space. Not kitsch. I want a bit of sophistication while still being comfortable. I’m thinking a soft sand and sky color scheme with white, black and pink accents.

We’ve collected so many shells and bottles of sand, and I would love to make some artwork out of both – similar to the Pottery Barn photo.

I mentioned in my last post that the armoire has been moved into this space for storage. I think I’d like to paint it maybe an heirloom white and distress it a little bit. Maybe black knobs?

I’d also love a loveseat for hanging out and reading. The other day I saw a loveseat just like this one from West Elm at the thrift store for $80. I am still kicking myself for not snatching it right up. I’m on the lookout for another one.


A soft rug would warm up the wood floors. I love this Chevron Knot Rug, also from West Elm, because it looks like a cross between jute or sisal and hammock rope.

Scatter a few black and white photos of my cute family at the beach, and I think we have ourselves a great his-and-hers office!

So that’s my plan for now. I’ve already gotten started on a few projects – including cutting up the curtains I mentioned above (!), so be on the lookout for some office updates.

And, tune in to say good-bye to Michael on Thursday night (if your a fan!).

See all the great storage options? Bookcase? Check. Linen closet? Check. Crafting supplies? Check!!

Moving on…

We have a file cabinet that has generally just been used for it’s intended purpose…hiding our innermost secrets we chose to print on paper. Ha! Not really. I keep extra school supplies in one drawer, and continuing education info, note cards, and envelopes in the other.

In Florida, we changed things up a bit and used the file cabinet for The Hubs’s nightstand. After throwing a coordinating table cloth and lamp on it, the cabinet blended right in with our room.

This time around, the file cabinet will go in the office and eventually hold the printer and paper…because….

The Hubs is using this side table as a night stand.

Recognize it from our former living room?

I don’t think I’ve shown this Pier 1 mirror on the blog yet. It has had former lives in the kitchen and a powder room. This time I decided to place it on a shelf in the master closet. Now we can check if an outfit is a “no” or a “go” without having to leave the closet. It’s actually weird how much time it’s saved!

So my encouragement today is to take a look at what you’ve got with different eyes. Are you tired of your living room? Is there a piece of furniture in your house (say, your bedroom or the dining room) that would liven things up a bit if it was moved into the living room? Would the curtains in your family room spruce up the guest bedroom? Or do you want to make a small change – like trading the lamps on your nightstands with two unmatched lamps (watch out!) around your house?

immediate. 

Hello! Happy Tuesday! (Tuesday, Gromit!) I’m slowly getting back in the swing of things around here, blogging included. The Internet was finally installed yesterday, so I can get to gettin’ on Free Stylin’ again!

Although the unpacking is going well, I don’t feel like it is quite blog-worthy…yet. But I have been doing some FREE/no cost decorating that I’d like to show you:

One of the BEST things about this move is being near family again. See this little Cutie Pie Sweet Cheeks?

This is my beautiful niece Gracie, and she just turned 3. We were able go to her fun birthday party over the weekend – hooray for living close to family again!!

The walls were also bare – no artwork or pictures. Although my sister had some cute items, she was afraid to hang them because she didn’t like the furniture placement.

Gracie’s bedspread was cute, but a little busy. When adding colorful toys and dolls to the mix, it could make an otherwise straightened room look messy.

I LOVE the dresser – what a great find. However, the trinkets on top needed just a bit of tweaking so Grace’s treasures wouldn’t get lost among themselves.

This bookcase is a family heirloom. However, it’s placement in a hidden corner, and the unorganized shelves, kept it from appearing as loved as it really is.

I asked my sister what her goal was for the room. “I want a sweet and precious little girl’s room,” she said. “But also one that Grace will love.”  

I placed the bed under the pretty window to give it a little more “Wow” when you walk in the room. The tall window gives some height, creating another layer of “head board.” When the sun shines through the pink curtains, it gives the room a soft glow. Both my sisters went, “Awww!” when they walked in to see the new room – the placement of the bed, and the soft glow from the window, makes the room feel peaceful and sweet.

The reverse side of Gracie’s comforter was a pretty purple polka-dot – a little less busy, so I turned it over and then turned down a third of the spread so a little fun peeks through. My sweet niece loves dogs, so I added one of her faves to the bed.

Decorating with what you love is always so important. My brother-in-law inherited this sweet bookcase from his grandparents. His grandma used it when she was a child. My sister was thrilled to be able to use a family piece in the room.

I moved the bookcase from the side of the dresser (hidden from view) to the other side of the bed. Now you can see it right as you walk in the room. The books were straightened, and smaller ones were placed together. A few Gracie toys were interspersed between the books.

Mirrored stars hung over Grace’s crib, so I added them to the long wall. It’s great to find pieces and accessories, like these stars, that can grow with, and be incorporated in, your child’s room as they get older.

The long storage/bookcase was placed on the wall where the bed used to be. Stuffed animals were edited out (put in a few of the pink bins), and books and puzzles were organized. Cinderella’s Castle now has a special place up off the floor. I folded a few favorite blankets for quick access in the event of an impromptu tea party or teddy bear picnic.

Above the bookcase hangs a print my sister made. She painted a canvas dark purple and added a vinyl “G” with a crown she created through an online vinyl company. My sister likes the canvas option because she wanted the image to be semi-permanent but still be able to move it around.

The top of the dresser just needed a little rearranging. This spot is for Gracies’ special treasures, so I removed anything that didn’t fall under that category.

I grouped like items together to make more of an impact. My sister has collected these Dreamsicle angels since high school. Scattered around the dresser made them look a little lost. Grouped together, you can now see they are part of a collection.

There is a azalea bush near my brother-in-law’s work, so he brings these sweet flowers home for Gracie. She likes to keep them in a bowl in her room so she can look at them.

So, using only items my sister had on hand, we were able to create a special room for a very special little girl. Sometimes it’s not the “stuff” you need to create a room – it’s just the way you place it that can make all the difference.

So again -                                 Before:

 

(Aunt) 

I’m linking up!