Bring on the New Year-My Modani Living Room

It's the last day of 2014!  How did the year go so fast?  I hope all had amazing holidays and I hope this last one is no exception!

I've been away from the blog-o-sphere far too long lately, but there have been major changes in my life and the focus on family and a new job have been first and foremost.  However, I love blogging and have missed it, so along with a healthier diet and hitting the gym more often, (yeah right,) I resolve to get back to it!  (I'm pretty certain blogging will be the easiest of any of these!)

So let's get on with it!

Susan Miller of astrologyzone.com says that as a virgo, my main focus for the next 3 years will be my home.  I LOVE my home!  And decorating it!  (I don't always talk about it, but home decor is probably my first love, yes, even over clothes!)  I would rearrange the furniture every six months if it didn't require the hubby to rewire all the electronics!

Modani has the best collection of modern sofas and home furnishings and I'm obsessed!  (I'll take one of each please!)  I could furnish my entire home with just this place!  

         My Modani Living Room by joyce-k featuring a cow hide rug 

This would be my ideal living room, clean and modern, all of these pieces would fit in perfectly into my open concept living/dining room...Let's start with the sofa, shall we?

  I have wanted a white sofa for years but the fact that I had pets made it very impractical.  Well, I'm down to just one fur baby now and he is perhaps the messiest of all of them.  But since the Bristol 3 Seater Sofa is leatherette, clean up would be so much easier!  (And it's current price of $990 makes it that much more accessible!)  The Gabriela "Home" Pillow ($30) is jute and I love the natural texture of it against the smooth sofa.

The Zebra Print Cow Hide Rug is the perfect amount of pattern yet comes off as neutral.  I could put this in any room in my home!  ($540)

The Kemi Lounge Chairs ($490 each) along with 2 New Tuco White Floor Lamps ($340 each) sitting opposite the sofa would really open up the space heading into my dining room, making for great flow between the two.  And I love how luxe one big lamp per chair feels!

So instead of coffee and side tables (which I always seem to be bruised from,) I'm opting for 2 Tedo Stools ($160 each) which keep the space open and add more seating but are practical as side tables as well...you gotta put your drink on something!

I know it's a whole lot of neutral, but I have plenty of colorful art that would be the perfect pop to this set!

Happy and Safe New Year to everyone!  Now I'm off to beg the hubby for new furniture...
J.

I Love This Sofa

I was flipping through the new Urban Outfitters catalog and came across this darling sleeper sofa, the Ava...

And the price is incredible! For only $699 (plus shipping,) you get quite a bit of good design for your dollar! Even though I would love it in white, (which it's not offered in but white is a really bad choice for me with pets anyway,) this is the perfect shade of green. It also comes in plum and grey. Here's a better look...

It doesn't work in my house at all but she's so pretty!

Anyway, you can see/order it here...
J.

Homework-New Chandelier

Those of you who have followed me for a little while know that not only do I love fashion, but I also am a bit obsessed with home decor as well. When I rented, I used to rearrange my furniture at least once a month and was also constantly painting things like bookshelves or sewing something like pillows and curtains. Creating my own custom living space out of a cookie cutter apartment or old house was very important too me.

Now that I'm no longer renting, this has become even more important. The house I live in now has been a work in progress in some way or another since moving in 4 years ago. The carpet has been pulled up, the powder room completely renovated, tons of painting and more. Last year the kitchen was remodeled and while I am in love with the outcome, the process was really not so much fun. So instead of becoming overwhelmed with more big projects, I've stuck to some easier things, such as reupholstering kitchen chairs, as seen here, replacing brass door knobs with silver and adding new/more shelves in my closets. My latest labor of love was installing a new chandelier in my dining room. Sadly, it's been on my to do list for a year and I just really never got around to it until this weekend. But I am thrilled with how it looks and thought I'd share it with you...

So this is what has been hanging in the dining room since we moved in and probably since the house was built in the 80's. It's much uglier in person. I was a little surprised that it wasn't upgraded when it went on the market for selling reasons but the house was previously owned by a bachelor who clearly wasn't so concerned with it. (Nor was he concerned about the carpeted bathroom...gross.)

Here's what it was replaced with. I can usually do something like this within an hour or so but the directions had NO WORDS! Just pictures. It didn't even label the pieces, so it became a guessing game as to how to attach everything and it took me a good part of the morning. Oh well.
Originally I thought I wanted a pendant light but this works out so much better because I think a pendant would have blocked the art on the wall...

This is just one of the many paintings my bf did. I had this one framed for him as a gift and we originally had it hanging in the living room but we recently acquired some new art and sort of did a complete flip of everything. I was surprised that it looks as lovely as it does on it's new blue wall, it's actually better than it's previous home.

This is how my dining room looks now. Well, from this angle anyway. (I now have a deep appreciation for those who photograph rooms for a living...it was hard!) The rug used to be in the same room as the painting but it just made much more sense to pull it into the dining room as well. To the left there is a counter/bar that you can see into the kitchen from and to the right are the sliding glass doors that lead to the porch and backyard.

The doors let in tons of beautiful light but it's also on the list of things that need to be replaced...which will sort of be a big project and it's out of my expertise. As is replacing the porch and landscaping the backyard...All on the to do list!

Ok, now I'm off to donate the old chandelier...I'm certain there's a bachelor out there who'd just love this in his home! (Not only do I shop at Goodwill but I also donate to them as well. It's a give/take relationship.)

J.

Dinner For Two

I remember my grandma sitting in these chairs at her kitchen window whistling at the cardinals in the winter. She did it for so long that they actually answered back...she was good! They had been in my grandparents house for years and when the time came for them to be passed to a new household, they landed in my sister's possession.

She replaced the vinyl on one of the chairs with blue fabric, the brown on the right is the original. I have told her for the last 5 years that when she was ready to get rid of them to let me know. I had a vision...

And even though I've reupholstered an entire sofa before, these were more difficult than I had expected...working with vinyl is completely different than working with fabric! I finally figured out that heating it with my hair dryer made it much easier.

I found this tag on the bottom of the original. I can't believe they turn 34 years old this month! They've held up well since 1976!

But in white vinyl, they're beautiful and perfect for my kitchen! They are exactly as I'd imagined, maybe even better!

They look a little 80's, all I need is a Lucite table...I wish! Actually, they are just the right touch for the rest of my kitchen which is quite contemporary. We have been remodeling it since August and I have one last project before it's finally complete, a little plumbing. But that's for tomorrow.

J.

Found In My Closet - Old Elle Decor

I was enjoying an old Elle Decor when I came across these fun pictures...




(All photos above from Elle Decor October 1999)

Fashion and home decor! Two of my most favorite topics in one place! Maybe fun and inspiring but not very realistic...until I found this in the most current issue of W magazine...

(Photo from W magazine October 2009)

Check out that necklace and bracelet from Lanvin! These I think I would wear.

J.