Lighten Up

You’ve seen how FLOR tiles have rocked our world.  In a less-than-spacious abode, they’re the perfect solution for small, sturdy rugs in the bedroom.  We prefer their tough as nails durability over a flimsier, cotton 3×5 store bought variety.  However, I’m not saying that we’re FLOR exclusive.  As much as we love the freedom in the variety of designs and colors, we wanted a cushy, comfy thick wool area rug in the living room.

So back in September, 2007, you can imagine my excitement when I scored a simple-but-classy black border rug from Pier 1.  At the time, I was so sure I had hit the jackpot – the beauty was on sale for a mere 80 bones.  Not bad, eh?  I whipped out the trusty credit card and snapped it up instantly.  We were just a few weeks away from moving into our now-home, and every new purchase to posh our soon-to-be-pad was cause for celebration.  I could hardly wait to unroll the bad guy into place and start livin’.

Our old apartment was rented to a friend as the total package – complete with most of our unwanted furniture.  By finding a new tenant for our landlord, we were able to break the lease a month early, and it was our own sneaky way of finding someone who liked our decor taste and loved our ol’ vibrant wall colors.  As a result, we didn’t have to re-paint the place white, and we only had to worry about moving our bed, clothes, and feline companions.  The best part was starting fresh and finding our own new, grown-up, first-place style.  Immediately, we scoured big retailers, little shops, and of course, our best friend, craig.

Fast forward two years later.  Why did we purchase a black table with a black rug? Why did we pick a leather ottoman with clawed kitties? We still love our tiny art deco chair, and we can’t imagine parting ways with our sleek, beige-fits-all couch.  The coffee table houses our DVD collection, and it’s thin enough for a small room, but wide enough for everyone to set down their frosty drinks.  Hmm.  Time for a mini makeover.  After approval from Scott, he agreed – with some hesitation – that I could propose a few ideas.  I eagerly hit the ground running, and ultimately decided that what we really needed was to lighten up.  Our earlier decor choices felt so heavy, so…well, dark.  With a few switcheroos and less than $150 later, we soon found ourselves in a room that felt airy and bright.  The once hesitant husband was happy again.

How did it all break down?  By stealing a cheery pillow from the bedroom, we gained a sunny burst of color for free.  The super soft rug (oh, how great it feels on the toes!) and ottoman were found online at Target, and a few promo codes later (retail-me-not, anyone?), I had clicked my way to retail heaven.  The oversized, fluffy giraffe pillow was a $20 score also from Target, bought on the always perfect gift idea, a Target gift card.

So now that our living room has lost all that new-homebuyers-baby-weight, what’s next? On to the next project, of course.