Living Room Additions

Since we put down laminate flooring in the living room, we have been adding a few other items to that room. Some items we added were added because they didn't look right with the flooring. We also added an item we didn't think we wanted but are so happy we did. One of the additions is a new piece of furniture. We also finished a project we have talked about doing when we first moved into our home almost 10 years ago. 

The first items we added were decorative cast iron air registers. We didn't like the look of the standard tan metal air registers with the laminate flooring. We think the decorative cast iron ones blend in better. What do you think?

Our new air registers.

When we finished laying the floor we couldn't decide whether or not we wanted to put down some area rugs. After several weeks, we decided we didn't want any. However, an issue came up we didn't think about. Every time we sat down on our sofa it slide. Not to mention the fact that every time Miss Oakley jumped off the sofa she did a face plant. She got tried of that and soon we picking her up to put her down. We knew the only way to solve the problem was to put a rug underneath the sofa. So we started looking for one online. 

As we looked we started leaning toward a runner type rug in a geometric design in a green color. We looked on line and looked in stores. We found nothing that really appealed to us. As I studied the room more, I realized a green colored rug just wouldn't look right with our sofa which had a lot of blues in it. So we started looking for blues but nothing appealed to us. 

One day after having dropped DD off for an appointment, I went to Walmart to walk around until it was time to pick her up. On a whim, I went to look at the rugs. It was then I spotted a rug I hadn't seen before. It was a geometric design. It had blues and browns in it which would match the colors in our living room. It was an area rug instead of runner. I took a leap of faith and bought it. When I got home, DH helped me put it down and it was as if it was made for our home. We loved it! Let me know what you think? 

The perfect colors for the room.

I think it blends with the sofa and the floor so well.

I shared our new piece of furniture with you in the recap of our 4th of July week, a sewing machine from my grandmother's home. It has made the perfect anchor for the space behind our sofa. On the top of it is the lace doily my grandmother had on top of it in her home.  

When we put in the bookshelf in our living room the top of it was not finished. We talked for years about putting molding around the top to give it a finished look. After a lot of talk, I decided this was the year to finally finish it. We went to pick out the molding, then DH took over the rest of the project. We were very pleased with the final product. 

The unfinished top of the bookshelf.

A work in progress

All put up and ready for some paint.

The finished look.

The last thing we added were new valances. The valances we had up were from our old home and were about 15 years old. I wanted something new and I still wanted valances. I like valances because I like the openness of them. Besides that the views form our windows is to beautiful to block with heavy curtains, drapes, or shears. We do have lacy shears up now for privacy at night but, we eventually hope to replace them with some sort of Roman shade we can pull down at night for privacy, but that will have to wait awhile.

Not a great picture, but you can see the view we have. The valances are an ecru color. They have a cut out lacy design on the bottom.

We are so happy with all the work we have put into the living room. The flooring makes the room look bigger. The area rug under the sofa makes the room look cozier. It is truly a home sweet home!