Living Room in Blue

My initial vision of our living room was to decorate in all grey tone-on-tone with a bright splash of daring red. We bought most of our furnishings from Ashley HomeStore and got some gorgeous things. (My favorite is the thick shag rug!) However, once everything was delivered I felt like I was being smothered in a grey fog. 

We found some beautiful red curtains and I bought red throw pillows to match. As the living room is open to the kitchen we had also bought some red accessories for the kitchen. I was very happy with the results. I wish now I had photos of it. 

I'm not sure what made us decide to redecorate. The red was beautiful but bold. Perhaps we're not the bold type?  We had chosen a pale aqua to use in the master bathroom and I was in love with it. It was easy to pull pieces into the living room. We found a new set of curtains in a french velvet the exact shade of pale aqua. I find the look overall very stylish and elegant. 

This is our living room now:

I hope you will join us next week as I share my Master Bedroom. Ask yourself, is there a way you can use pink AND keep it masculine? Make sure you don't miss it! I'm already thinking about redecorating in Purple and Royal Blue.

<Update Nov. 13th>

So, I forgot my favorite part of the blog! I forgot to post last week's Fabulous Find. I'm going to look at this as an opportunity. I'm going to post my pick for this week and one I picked up a month ago that is awesome to this day. 

This Week's Fabulous Find

I found this Unicorn Incense Holder at Five Below. What you should know before you go: they have all kinds of cool stuff (I was worried we'd never leave) and it's all under $5. Basically, if you've got a little money to blow, and nowhere really to go, then go park your keister and enjoy the feast-err that can only be Five Below. 

Plus, enjoy a Bonus Fabulous Find!

I picked this up while standing in line at HomeGoods. I mean, how could I not?? First, it's a pearlescent glittery hand wash labeled "Unicorn Tears". Second, it smells like bubblegum and Spring. It's amazing! 

You never know what you'll find if you look.

Three Months In...

Russ and I moved out of Gail's house in June. We had been caring for Russ's mother until she passed. We stayed for eight months after until it became clear that moving was the best thing for everybody. Of course, most everything in the house was Gail's and one of our goals was a fresh start. We moved out with just our television, our bed, the wardrobe from her room, some sheets and towels, and our fondest memories. 

Let me say, the old axiom "You don't know what you have 'til it's gone" was probably referring to silverware. It also applies to soup bowls, saucepans, and small appliances. I once decided I wanted a tuna fish sandwich, which off-hand does not seem difficult or exorbitant. You go into the pantry and pull out a couple of cans of tuna, fish out the mayo, and grab a few eggs to boil. Then you realize that you have no can opener, no pan to boil eggs, and no mixing bowl to put it all together in. It makes a man appreciate his Mama & Daddy.

So, for the last three months, Russ and I have shopped. We've bought silverware and dinnerware and cookware. We've bought furniture, rugs, lamps, and artwork. We have almost completely furnished a two-bedroom apartment and are every proud of it. I have some incredibly talented, stylish friends and I want to share all of it and geth feedback, opinions, and advice. Hence, this blog. 

First off I'll tell you that we moved to The Parks at Hoover apartments. We chose the Juniper floorplan: 
All of the rooms are pretty spacious. The walls are Agreeable Grey. The carpet is (boooo!) beige. The kitchen and bathrooms have a cool wood laminate that looks like barn plank. The light is pretty good but, because it's an apartment, all the windows are on the south walls.

By the way - the apartment complex has horrible reviews on Google but we've loved it hear. So far, it has been quiet and no problems. (A little apartment hunting advice: 1: Visit at night - see how hard it is to park, how dark the property is, etc. 2: Visit during a workday - how crowded is the parking lot, how many of the cars are nice/not running/pimped out. and 3: Find the closes convenience store and watch the people going in and out - these will be your neighbors.)

I'll probably post a lot at first. We have a lot of catching up to do! I'm excited about sharing and look forward to hearing from my friends. I hope you'll share your style and pics of your home. I'll close with what promises to be my favorite part of the blog - 

This Week's Fabulous Find

We bought this lamp today at Pier 1. It was on Clearance - 50% Off! I couldn't believe it! Russ wanted a floor lamp for the dining room. I personally hate overheard lighting but hadn't seen anything I liked. The finish a chrome and the drum shade is off-white so it's fairly neutral. I like the clean lines and the dangling shells that disperse the light. What do you think? Would you recommend something else?