Spring Around Junk Chic Cottage

Happy Wednesday!  Hope your week is going great.

Before I start my post on some of my Spring decor I want to say this.......

This sectional has been a big challenge for me as most of you saw in my last post.  I so miss my slipcovered sectional it was so much more my style.  Unfortunately it was not a good choice when it came to actually using my furniture.  I have a dog, granddaughter and family that actually lounge and enjoy this sectional.  That created a problem with the white slipcovers.  It was a pain to wash and try and keep that clean.  

So the leather is so much a better choice.  I picked this one after looking and trying out several leather sectionals.  There were many that had the cottage look with rolled arms etc. I just did not like how uncomfortable they were. So we decided on this one for the comfort.

 I think I was trying so hard to make this leather sectional something it is not ever going to be.  So the ruffle is going and I will leave the barn boards for now.  My hopes are to find maybe some cool salvage feet to put on to replace the modern feet.  That way I can remove the barn wood and just have the feet give the character and charm of the cottage look.

So I need to step away from this room and hopefully come back with a better vision with the way I want to marry pottery barn leather with cottage.  I appreciate all your wonderful input on my decor crazy with this sectional.

Now On to the Spring popping up around Junk Chic Cottage.

I found this great centerpiece last year at Home Goods.  It had a silver shinny base so I just painted it white and then hung my spring sign on it.  Gives some Spring to the dining room table.

My Love birds have new Spring decor added to their home.

A few painted clay pots, some blue eggs and flowers along with a vintage nest on an old bed spring give my love birds a cozy Spring home.

The sweet birds in the wreath on the french door going out to the deck.

Love these little birds with their button tails.  Their nest is ready for Spring.

Added this new chippy bird cage to the spring decor on my little dresser in the dining room.

Found a cute Spring bird and some dried hydrangea's for the inside of the cage.

Brought in some chippies from the garden outside to bring Spring to my coffee table.

This little white birdhouse and picket were out in the summer garden last year.  Thought it would add some Spring to this table.

Also brought in one of my chippy watering cans and added some spring flowers.

Added a spring flowering crab vine wreath and another watering can by the front door for Spring.

Thanks for viewing some of my touches of Spring coming into my home.  So happy we are turning the corner on winter and Spring is in the air.
Enjoy the rest of the week.
Come back on Saturday for Spotlight.  I have a sweet and dynamic couple for you to meet in Spotlight.
Kris
:)

Parties:
Mod Mix Monday
Amaze Me Monday
What's It Wednesday

Leather Sectional meets cottage???????

Here is an older pictures of when I had my slipcovered sectional in my living room. Oh how I loved that sectional. I miss her but she is living in a good home.  She was adopted by Jennifer from Town and Country Living for her pretty farmhouse.  So it is all good she has a wonderful new home to live in.  I have to tell you I do not miss washing those slipcovers because you know who loves to lounge on the sectional........

Enter new leather sectional!!!! Big challenge for me to make this work in my cottage decor. Since this it the only seating in our family room it was so much more practical with my family and dog that lounge on the sectional.

This is where Pottery Barn leather sectional and cottage have to learn to live with each other.  Big challenge!  My cushions on this sectional are attached and are not removable.  So I could not just order a slipcover to the outer part of the sectional and then just have the leather cushions exposed.  Nope that would have been an easy and great way to get leather and slipcover to meet.  So.......... Plan B

I had some old barn wood planks and Terry cut and attached them to the feet of the sectional.  This way the leather was not touched at all.

The barn wood planks gave a little of the chippy feel from the room to the sectional.

Then I wanted to add some softness for a more cottage feel so I had a table cloth with a ruffle and cut that and then used upholstery screws to attach the ruffle underneath the cushions.  So no damage was done to the front of the leather.  This way too if this look is not what I want I can take the ruffle off easily and the tiny holes will be underneath the cushions on the base.

I added a ruffle along the back of the sectional and attached it at the legs so not to put any marks or holes in the leather.

I am still working on different throws and pillows and I am not sure I am in love with this look.  I need to leave it and see if it grows on me.  This has been a huge challenge for me.
Maybe when I get the rest of the room decor done I will be in love with this look on the sectional.  Nice part is if it does not grow on me then I can easily remove the ruffles.

So I started with this.

Then did this with the old pieces of barn wood.

Now I have this.  Not sure I am in love with this yet.  I will give it a little time.  I am just wondering if I should go back and remove the ruffles and leave the exposed chippy barn wood planks or just try to find some chippy architectural feet to replace the modern feet and call it a day.
What do you think?
Working on the decor to the new brick wall in the living room still.  This room has been a real challenge for me.  I am determined to get pottery barn and chippy cottage to mingle!!!!!
Have a great week.  Please come back on Saturday for Spotlight I have a really neat dynamic duo couple for you to get to know.
Kris
:)

Entryway Update and New Treasure

Happy Sunday.  We are having the best weather.  I think Spring  is trying to appear.  I have been really enjoying these high 50's and 60 degree days.  That is above normal for us in Chicago land for this time of year.  Hoping this is a good sign Spring is coming.

My birthday is next month in April.  While Terry and I were out junkin last week end we came across one of these old vintage water bottles and crates.  I have always wanted one so Terry said he would get that for me as an early Birthday gift.

 I put it in the entry way for now.

Love this old embossed heavy water bottle and crate.

Living in the suburbs of Chicago, I love that it is from the Chicago based Hinkley and Schmidt water company that have been in business for many years.

Now they deliver those plastic blue and clear water bottles so to come across this beautiful old piece of history was a fabulous find.

I got the chalk boards made up in the old frames in the entry way.  I like that I can change up the sayings inside these for the different holidays etc.

Hope to have the Living room done this week to show you.  Have a wonderful start to the new week ahead.

Kris

:)

Parties:

Amaze Me Monday

Saturday Spotlight: Life Behind the Blogger

 Saturday Spotlight: Life Behind the Blogger is a feature done each Saturday that introduces you to a blogger you may already know or a new blogger for you to get to know. This feature gives you a peak into the personal life of the blogger.  Getting to know the special person behind the beautiful blog.

There is so much talent and inspiration in blogland so enjoy getting to know these talented bloggers each Saturday.

Mary from Orphans With Makeup

 Happy Saturday.  Love the week ends and Love that it is Saturday and time for  Spotlight.  This week I have Mary from Orphans With Makeup to feature.  Mary is one of our Northern neighbors and lives right outside Montreal.   Mary has a wonderful talented way with furniture reloves.   

So I am excited for you to meet and get to know Mary today.  Enjoy.

Hello new friends,

I’m so thrilled to be guest posting today.  Thank you so much Kris.

My name is Mary Vitullo.   I am a blogger at Orphans With Makeup in Saint-Hubert, Québec, a suburb of Montréal.  As the name implies, my furniture and thrifted finds are my little “Orphans” and my paint is the “Makeup”.  I have always been passionate about home decor and can never seem to quench my thirst for it.  My blog is mainly about repurposing vintage and antique furniture and styling the finished pieces to show them in their best light.

So, a little of where I live….. Saint-Hubert is a 25 minute drive from our beautiful City of Montréal.

Et oui!!  As you may or may not know, French is the official language here in Québec.  So if you were to come visit, French is the main language you would hear.  All of our public signs are in the French language.  Some parts of Montréal, like our Old Montreal, with its cobblestone streets, feels and looks like Old Europe.

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Downtown Montréal comes alive in the summer months with our numerous outdoor festivals.

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Our famous Montreal International Jazz Festival

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About me……..  I am a wife and mother to three (almost adult) boys.  

This family picture was actually taken about four years ago, so my boys are a little bit older.  It is so hard to schedule a family portrait!

I left my job as a Legal Assistant about 8 years ago to be a stay-at-home mom.  A few years ago i had an odd piece of furniture to sell.  I thought the only way I was ever going to sell that piece of furniture was to style it in the prettiest setting and take beautiful images of it.  That seemed to work and that odd piece sold on the first day of listing it.  That slowly started me thinking of re-purposing furniture and selling them.  At the same time, I wanted to share my passion for decorating on a budget with like-mind people and that’s how Orphans With MakeUp came to be.

One of my first scores was this Ikea sideboard I picked up for $60.00.  I was amazed at what just a little elbow grease and some paint could do.

Some more of my favorite furniture projects.

Pretty in Pink

Re-purposed media cabinet into an armoire.

Robin’s Egg Blue Dresser

Chippy vanity.

Restoration Hardware cane-back chairs.  This was my first commissioned contract.  My client had ordered 4 of these chairs and had them shipped to my home to have them painted White.  At that time, Restoration Hardware did not carry these famous Louis XVI chairs in White.  I like to think that they saw my White version and then decided to now carry them in their line.  Ha Ha Ha!

Creating a stain with vinegar and steel wool.

(A refreshed tea-cart.)

(An elegant grey sideboard.)

(Sometimes you have to get creative when it comes to photographing a plain white table, so why not in the SNOW!)

(My driftwood-look dresser.)

(A dresser now elegant in Black.)

…….and some DIY projects.

(Up-cycled rubber mat to look like antique scrollwork.  I am always inspired by Pinterest.)

(Thrifted serving trays into plate chargers.)

So that is a little glimpse of what I do.

Hope you will come by and visit my blog  Orphans With Makeup.  You can also find me on Facebook, Pinterest and Google+

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Thank you Mary for sharing a little about yourself with us.  Please take a few minutes and hop over to check out Mary's blog and Facebook page.  Have a wonderful rest of the week end.

Kris

:)