Saturday, July 9, 2011

The Big Reveal or How a Little Paint Can Make a Big Difference

If you're here looking for a dramatic change......
well......
I don't think you'll find it here.
However.....
if you want to see how just a few gallons of paint and a little editing of furniture and accessories can really change the look of a room, then this post's for you!

Before......

Yellow walls.....
 Look how intense that yellow looks.  It did look a bit better in person, but......
it didn't make me smile anymore.  It felt really dated.

We painted the walls yellow before we added the skylight.

Dark green paint on the library bookcases.......
It felt cozy, but it was dark.  Really dark.
We moved some furniture too.  You can see that in a bit.

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So last week I convinced Worker Bee it was time.  Time to move out all those books, stuff, and furniture.

And this is the result......

C'mon in!

And no, that's not your imagination - our ceilings are blue!   That part's not new.
I love how much more open it feels now.
Love these frames!  But I haven't updated them since Baby Bee was about two years old.  I told her it was time to put in some new pictures and she protested.  I have a sentimental little Baby Bee.

Do you see the fish bowl?
That's Greg, Marcia, Peter, Jan, Bobby, and Cindy.
They are some goldfish that Baby Bee won at the school carnival 
(drum roll please) 
2 1/2 years ago!  
Do we do anything special to keep them alive?
Absolutely NOT!
They are just in one of those huge glass general store type jars.  

They really want to live.  They are survivors. Worker Bee even brought one of them back from the brink.
We call him the Fish Whisperer.
As you continue in we had this open space and it just didn't look quite right. 
Sewing Bee suggested filling it in with the two chairs.  She was right.  (But don't tell her I said that - I don't want it to go to her head.) 
I think I need to look for a little table - some sort of pedestal - to go between the two chairs.  For now, the red boxes will do.  (Yep, that's another "That's Good Enough.")
 Look to your right and there's our piano......
 and game cabinet.  These two guys switched places.  We're still getting used to it, but I think they'll stay exactly where they are. 
 And remember these great aqua floral pictures that I couldn't decide if I should keep?  Well they now have a permanent home.  I love how they look with the red candlesticks, the little aqua bird and the red gingham lined basket that holds some of our music. (Baby Bee and I both play the piano and Worker Bee plays the guitar.)
 And how absolutely perfectly they all go with this adorable summer time banner that Joyce from Scrap for Joy made for a swap we were in.  Don't you love it?  She is uber-talented!  I need to show you some of the other things she made. 

Now.....come sit down - let's chat for a bit.  Let me go and make you an iced latte......
Ahhhh.......better.  Love those vanilla iced lattes.

We didn't change a lot in this area.  We did shift the entertainment armoire and bookcases towards the sunroom window.  This really opened up the area between the piano and the loveseat. 
It still feels warm and cozy to me, but just so much brighter!
Now look at the library!  The only change here was that we repainted the back of the bookcases.  From the original dark green to this gorgeous blue. 
Yes, you can look a little closer.
The blue brightens it up so much.
These READ letters are one of my favorite things.  I picked them up on vacation in Wisconsin - Fond du Lac to be precise - although the vacation was actually at Green Lake.  We were in a Target and I found these.  Worker Bee said, "C'mon.  We can get that back home.  Why do you want to haul that halfway across the country?"  Well I persisted and it flew back with us to California and good thing because (I bet you can guess this one) I never ever found these letters at any Target in my part of California.  Lesson learned - READ is always worth hauling from WI to CA.
Up on top?  Those are the Grandma Bowls.  You can read more about them here.
C'mon - sit down.  Finish that latte now that you've seen most of the changes.  You know how it is - there will be a little bit of tweaking and changes until I'm completely happy with it.   
And now you know why I haven't posted much lately.  Been a bit busy taking my whole living room apart and then putting it back together!  

Well thank you so much for buzzing by!  
Can you believe how much brighter and lighter it all looks now?
I knew it would be better, but I had no idea it would be SO MUCH better.

And if you're curious....the walls are painted Antique White (Behr from Home Depot) and the back of the bookcases are Sunken Pool (Martha Stewart from Home Depot).

And please don't forget to come back for my 500 follower giveaway.  Apparently I'm still being a tease about it......
Yep!  That's another sneak peek of the giveaway!  Yes, I am a terrible tease.  But won't you forgive me?

With lots of honey,

I'm linking this post up to
Met Monday
at Between Naps on the Porch
and

at The House in the Roses.

Thank you ladies for hosting such fun linky parties!

36 comments:

  1. Nice changes -- it feels good to completely change like that doesn't it?

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  2. I love the redo! Nice work! How about for B.Bee you let her mod podge her own letters and frame some of her art work and have a museum splash wall for her? That way you can change the frames and not the pics., and add newer pics. I mod podged a letter for my blog-latest blog of mine ;). She might like it! ;)Alyssa

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  3. Your 'new' room is lovely! I love how white just makes any space so clean and bright.

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  4. Loe the redo your right you have been busy!
    Cathy

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  5. I really like the re-do of the room. I am so glad you found a place for those Aqua pics...they look wonderful there next to the piano. The colors all pop off the white walls. Great job. hugs Linda

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  6. Your home is adorable! Love the new paint, really love your library reading nook!! For the wall by the 2 chairs, how about a large painted barn star or a vintage glass window, maybe with some fabric behind it? Or collection of cute mirrors? I have the same issue at home on a wall.
    Hope you had a sweet weekend!!

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  7. You have been a very busy bee. I think your new room arrangement and color change is great..it makes you just want to sit a while and relax. I think your idea of the plate collage would look awesome. Great job Janelle...it was a big job I know (especially moving all of the books to paint!) but the results are terrific.
    Have a great Sunday...a day of rest I hope.
    xoxo
    Joyce
    (The banner looks so cute on the piano :)

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  8. You have been very busy and it all is worth it. Your home is beautiful, Char

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  9. I love the transformation. Then again I always love shots of your house. Those prints are perfect in there and I love the little summertime banner. Too cute!! You have been a busy girl!!

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  10. That's really pretty! Still cozy but brighter, just like you said....
    I love the painted backs of the bookcases - I'll have to try that!

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  11. It looks fabulous! And that piano... I'd have that in my house and we don't even play! It's beautiful...

    I love the new lighter look everywhere... and thanks for letting us know the colors. That "sunken pool" color is one of the colors on my "list" for a project I have coming up. I can't decide between 6 different colors from the Martha line... this may have made up my mind for me!

    ~Chris

    PS Oooooh and a upcoming giveway! How fun.... that wire looks a bit Martha Stewartish too :)

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  12. Your room really looks nice Janelle. I love the blue paint in the book cases! Drive up to Clovis and give me some ideas to cozy up my house!

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  13. I am not a big fan of white, but this looks so clean and fresh!
    Your pictures look perfect beside the piano-got me thinking about putting some by mine now.
    How about an old screen door behind your chairs. Their big!

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  15. Absolutely super! I'm so happy for you and, you know, it's so fun to share what others have done in their homes - to see - to rejoice - to be inspired - to encourage. Well! It looks very fresh and clean and I do congratulate you!=]

    I got the box!!!!=D Thank you SO much!!! Not only was it exciting to have another piece of china (I'm pitiful that way, I'm afraid) but all of the sweet thoughts (and scents) that were enclosed were, well....heady! It was an act of kindness for sure - thank you, sweet, sweet bee!

    Love, Katy xo

    P.S. Also,....don't you just LOVE getting a package in the mail?!

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  16. Oh, and I am sure that I'll be getting around to posting why I've been so long in posting on my blog, too. Something wonderful and adorable has been CONSUMING my time!=]

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  17. Hi Sweet Bee ~ I am so happy that you found me. what a great blog you have.
    I love the redo.. I'm all about changing colors. Sometimes when I look back at some old disaster paint jobs I cringe. lol. I am crazy over your globe collection. My husband would love that! ... hmmmmm ~~ thinking ~~
    I look forward to more visits.
    Now, I've got to go check out that christmas link.
    Have a great day.

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  18. WOW!
    Your home is so cozy and fun!!!! I need lessons....my LR is just so blah......I need some slip covers and such! I only have three walls and one is the TV cabinet ( my husband has a 65" TV....silly, I know), and one is 80% a patio door, so that leaves the other one and it has a big couch on it....see my problem???? I wish I had rooms like yours, they are so inviting.....GREAT job! Sandy

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  19. Sweet Bee,
    You have been a busy bee! Love the new look. It looks so cozy and inviting! I wish I could sit in one of those chairs and read a book from the shelves! Can I? :) Aren't pianos so much fun to move ... ugh!
    Love it all!
    Hugs,
    Donna

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  20. The new color is much better, more cozy. I love the back of the bookcase color.
    Dropping by from Met Monday. I'll hope you'll come see the nursery I helped create for my first grandchild.

    Allison
    Atticmag

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  21. Your new neutral color looks great! I love the blue on the back of your bookcase, as well! Stopping by from Met Monday!

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  22. Yes, your are right. It is amazing what a little bit of paint can do. I love the blue in the back of your bookcase. Everything looks fresh and bright now. I hope you are enjoying your summer and not working too much!
    Jane

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  23. what a nice, cozy room. I love all the books!

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  24. Yes, what a difference paint makes! Your updates are wonderful. I love those aqua floral prints, and that banner, too! And the blue ceiling is awesome:) What a fun and unexpected surprise!

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  25. Nice change! Love the blue. I love to see bookcases filled with books. It makes a home feel so cozy. Thanks so much for the latte and I hope you will stop by for my summer giveaway!

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  26. I like the change that the lighter paint on the walls and blue on the bookcases made. I also love all of the vintage touches in your room.

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  27. I love the new look...there is something so fresh about white walls. You could consider putting a graphic quilt on the empty wall, or like Susan did at Between Naps on the Porch, make one of those wooden flags.

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  28. The redo is fabulous... so amazing what a coat of paint and rearranging furniture can make. I think a cute old small cabinet door coat rack would be cute above the wicker chair. You could put old door knobs for the hooks. Or perhaps a cute chalkboard to write love messages to folks. The wire cakerack....I adore,, just sayin.

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  29. I love how small changes can make such a big difference. The room looks so much brighter and more open. Thanks for sharing.

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  30. What changes a little paint can do in a space!! Great job on your room

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  31. So pretty! It looks so bright and airy now. It is truly amazing what a difference a gallon of paint will make!

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  32. It really does seem like a totally different space. So light and airy now. The blue inside the bookcases looks really nice. And I love those Bauer bowls up on top!

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  33. Great re-do! little changes make a big difference, don't they? And I'm still madly in love with your slipped wingback chair in your library. So cute!

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  34. What a nice, FRESH change. Especially the blue ceiling! Been considering painting my sunroom ceiling blue ~ think you've just convinced me it's the right color:)

    ~Cindy

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  35. So nice to get over and meet you! I love so much, the library especially and I've been thinking of painting the back of my book shelves so this motivates me. I will click on the follow button. I am not with bloger and so I don't have one of those. You can click subscribe and get an email update if you wish. I will put you on my blogroll and look forward to more visits and lattes!
    Gayle from Behind the Gate

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  36. Hello Dear Friend! This looks great! I chuckled - when we were looking at paint chips I had cowslip - our yellow turned out to be more gold toned - I too have blue ceilings - love painted ceilings! The new color is perfect and everything does come together quite nicely - love that you can place your paintings and their contrast with the red candlesticks - lovely!
    Hope you have a great day,
    Kathy

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