Now that we are in the midst of summertime, I felt like the living room needed to look summery too. I took my background of creamy whites and added a blooming garden of roses to the room with just a few touches in about 15 minutes.
The first step was taking down the Shabby Chic cream velvet curtains (from Target) and putting up these vintage curtains from a garage sale. They had pleats at the top, that I had un-stitched with a seam ripper last year, so that step was already done ahead of time.
These curtains are different lengths, but who will know it with the sofa sitting in front of them?
In the past, I had done this room with browns and had made this sofa cushion seat cover. I've got a few extra covers lurking in the back of the closet for when the mood strikes me. I don't cover the whole couch, just the seat and pillows. Making them is as easy as making a pillow case, and I am NOT much of a seamstress. I keep them simple, by not using zippers or buttons, I just sew ribbons to the back to tie the cover shut.
(I've also just wrapped the cushion in a pretty quilt before too- that works if you don't have teenagers around. Teens just kind of DO things to destroy a couch. They sit HARD)
I also keep a stash of pillows in the linen closet for trading out too. A floral pillow goes a long way towards brightening a room.
I added a dinner napkin (with roses) to the little table, and a retro kitchen table cloth to the side table, along with a plate, and a small botanical print.
When my son walked into the room, he told me that I had a "lot going on" there. Yea, I know. That is what I like about it! Its an explosion of lots of roses ranging from pale pink to cherry red.
The fastest way to add some color to my white room was to set out some fresh cut flowers from my garden.
And I already had a white millinery bloom tied to the lamp shade. I just slipped a pink rose in on top of it.
Over the years, I've had many colors on my walls, but I think they'll be like this for a while. I've washed them with layers of glazes in colors ranging from ivory to deep tan, with hints of gold and bronze. I feel like its a good background color to anything I add to the room.
Keeping the basics of the room neutral means that I can add splashes of color here and there and have a whole new look in a matter of moments.
On the TV cabinet, I draped another rose curtain and added two rose plates and a tray to what was already up there.
On the other side of the room, all I needed was a couple of throw pillows on the white chairs and 2 vases snitched from the guest room. Oh, and a table runner that matches the dinner napkin that I used on the little round table. I'm not a fan of matchiness, but this is what I had handy.
There are always hints of roses in every room of my house, like on the floor mat that I painted to set the dog dishes on, and the table and small hutch that the dog bed is under.
But even with some roses here and there, the room was predominately white and cream, and these pinks just became background until I added all the rose patterned textiles. Now, this stuff seems to stand out too.
The dog's bed is a lid to a Rubbermaid container that I put a pillow on. By sitting the pillow (in a washable sham) on the lid, it keeps it up off the ground in case the puppy pees on the floor, or Twinkle steps in the water bowl and spills it, or some other of the millions of ways that the dogs mess up the floor and would get their pillow wet. I look for shams on sale at TJMax, sometimes I can find them for under $3.
And by slipping the bedding under the table, the dogs feel like they have a cozy den to hide in, and I have a bit more space.
As much as I love my creamy whites, I just need an infusion of color now and then. Plus, I just enjoy a change of scenery. I have some old, powder blue toile curtains that are nicely aged and slightly yellowed that I want to try next. Especially if I find some pretty bark cloth rose material at garage sales this summer for making pillows.
Geez, I just redid the room today and am already thinking about the next one?
Yep, that is what makes it fun! The planning and creating and the thrill of the hunt for new bargains.
Maybe A Rosebud can teach Button about getting your picture taken- I have to take 20 of Button just to get one that isn’t a blur or actually shows his face.
I know just what you mean, Karla! I barely get one look finished when I’m thinking about another myself. I love the idea of things being washable. Our pets are too precious to keep off the silly furniture. As I type, my two little ones are on their washable beds underneath the desk.
Brenda
LOVE your redo Karla 🙂 Very summery
Love what you did with the room. I have roses & fruit (the pattern is called Queensland) on a brick red back round & it is very pretty. But, after 12 or 13 years of it I am tired of all the “BUSY” & long for cream slipcovers. Maybe next year… This year I think I will be paying hospital bills. 🙁 Oh well, another day Scarlett right? Can’t wait to see you in just 3 days! As for Lisa’s pretty transfers you said you wish to make… that is how I did my bottle for the bottle swap. If I have a spare I’ll bring you one but, it will be Mermaid themed. That is if you want one. HUGS! Charlene
Hi Karla!!Great job, your living room is absolutely beautiful:))
Hugs, Biljana
Hi Karla!
Of course I am loving those new/old curtains you put up! What gorgeous blooms on that fabric! Love the new look – perfect for summer!
Rochelle
Amazing re-do Karla. It does look all summery; I like to change the look of my main living rooms for the seasons too.
Hugs ~ Kerryanne
Absolutely wonderful. Amazing what changing drapes (something my southern mother and grandmother did seasonly) and tossing a few rosy pillows and a few cute puppies (sorry, couldn’t resist) around a room can do. Love it!
Best,
Bonnie
Love all of the roses. You amaze me Karla once again.
You are so right about teenagers. That is why I haven’t bought a new sofa yet. Hmmmmm….. I could look in that fabric stash though. Thanks for the ideas.
Debra
Love your new curtains. You have a knack for putting a room together. I love to change things around quite frequently. A new look is always fun.
Happy decorating!
-Danielle
Ohhh you’re right – that little bit of color made a huge difference. I love it and your inspiration! I started my bath project when you made you quick re-do and we’re still stuck on that project – fingers crossed that it will be done soon!
The “girls” look darling in all the photos!
Leann
I love your flowery redo. So beautiful!
I know just what you mean…sometimes a little change is good.
Lovely and so summery! I love florals! The table and hutch you hand painted are so beautiful! I’m like you- I’m redoing rooms in my head all the time, sometimes before I’m even finished with the current redo!
Michelle
I really like the rosy curtains! Cute!
Your dogs are just way too adorable!
Your Rose room is just divine! I had a loveseat many years ago in a similar fabric as that on your cushions. There is something about it that just draws me in.
Thanks for sharing…
Great job, love all the roses, your home is just beautiful. I will have to try the slipcover on the cushions thing like you do.
Love those pups, they are always soooo cute.
It all looks so pretty and cozy….I think the pups think so too. :o)
it looks wonderful! i love all the shots of the dogs too! I think that water bowl is really sweet…..I have an old chamber pot that I might have to steal your idea for!
I just passed up some really pretty barkcloth drapes with pink roses at the thrift store! Maybe I’ll run back and get them. You can have first dibs on them if they’re still there!
Oh I LOVE all the color!! And I love that you have a “a lot going on”..hee-hee, if your son thinks that of your place I wonder what’d he say ’bout MY house!! 😉
I’ve been known to wrap cushions in fabric and DUCT TAPE them closed!! 😀
It’s all just beautiful, Karla, and you’ve got me inspired to freshen up around my house!!
p.s. I’d SWEAR those dogs are smiling in the last pic!!
Blessings!
Myrna
Karla,
I love your new room…it looks just beautiful! I agree on the wall color. You can continue to have lots of fun.
Those dogs…they are so cute. Twinkle smiles!!! That’s not the first smile I have seen in a picture.
Also had to chuckle at your new sandals (darling) from Needless Markup. That’s what my friends and I call it, too. Must be that Midwestern Thrift Ethic!
Swoon! You’ve done a beautiful job with this room. Love the roses, so fresh and inviting, especially with the heat of summer looming just outside! ~ Angela
Love the room redo…it’s very summery! And that is SO true about teenagers…my daughter is fine, but the boys (hubby included 🙂 trash the furniture regularly. My latest couch has a higher back because they broke the last one…seriously…snapped it in half! It became a game for them that if someone was lying on the couch, (that floats in the middle of the room), another one would get a running start, hurdle it and land on the unsuspecting couch potato. Poor thing could only take so much! Eeek, boys!…gotta love ’em 🙂
Oh Karla, I do love your room after the redo.. now look so Summery with roses everywhere! this is my fave room.. even the plates are just lovely!
It looks like an English cottage.
~elaine~
I LOVE the “lots going on here” look. It’s wonderful, bright and cheery!! Did you ever see the movie with Julia Roberts, Mona Lisa Smile, where she walks into a room completely covered in wallpaper and flowers – ad nauseum – and says, “You can never have too much chintz.” ? Now THAT was a lot going on. Your room is just perfect me thinks. – Kathy
The fabric you used for slipcovering the sofa cushion is the same fabric I recently used to slipcover my sectional! Great minds! Love the way the pups get in every picture…I have this idea of Twink and Aggie Rose angling for space and then trying to outdo each other with posing. Your Friend, Bobbi
love it! Can’t go wrong with a dash of floral goodness :O) Love your shoes in previous post. Very ‘Gina’, and I want them!
xx
I love your redo and you are so right about teenagers sitting “hard”, I have 2 teens in my house and our sofa’s and chair are a mess!
Love that last pic of twinks and Agnes rose!
karen….
Looks very summer-y. 🙂 I like it. I am in the middle of a re-do myself… for my studio. Thanks to your handy instructions, I painted my first two furniture pieces. I like them… but still have some learning to do. tee-hee.
hugs, Joanna
Love your splashes of roses, Karla! I think once we hit this point in the summer everyone needs to do something inside {anything to just “make” it feel cooler, too}. Agnes Rosebud is looking adorable and I love seeing you put her in your posts. I am determined to have my own little Agnes Rosebud before I leave this earth!
Morning Karla….love it!!!love it!!!I decorate with lot`s of roses..I love your new look….I love how you can change things around…most of the time I keep every thing looking much the same…allthough, I love to bring home something different & find a place for it…Lorraine
15 minutes?! You go girl!
Karla girl,
I just LOVE all of your “got a lot going on in there”!!! haha
There can never be too much roses, right?
You are amazing girl…your creative mind NEVER stops. It’s like the energizer bunny and just keeps going and going, leaving a trail of beauty behind it!!!!!!
🙂
What a fun room Karla!!
and your precious puppies are sooo cute!!!
I am so excitied I won something? yippee!
I can’t wait to meet you in person~~~
just a few days away…I am soooo behind on getting everything ready for the getaway…hoping to get alot done tomorrow:)) work keeps getting in the way!
Hugs,
Kay
Lots of gorgeous roses there Karla. Certainly makes the room ‘pop’ with colour.
Love where the dogs are. Looks so cute under there
Alison
Karla,
I just love your little ‘Decorating Cents’ redos. Who needs Joan Steffend when you have Karla Nathan! I love the tip about using ties for the couch cushion. Zippers are my nemesis! I have 2 walls in my ‘very favorite wall of fame’ folder & one is your stair wall with the book pages. In fact I just saw it yesterday on T’s blog Time Worn Treasures. She was paying homage to it. That wall is timeless. (I also loved the staircase with the wallpaper on the front of the stairs, in fact my next house needs a second story so I can copy it) I use to love to do quick room changes, that was before kids, now they do quick changes to my room & for some reason Dora & Spider-man don’t do it for me like roses & bark cloth. Speaking of which, I have loads of bark cloth I’m putting in my blog shop. I’m sure you’ve got a closet full of it, but just in case……
Hope your still wallowing in happiness.
Fabulous, fabulous color and I LOVE the new look. So bright and happy! Great dog pix, too. Oh, just looking at this makes me feel great right now!
Absolutely gorgeous!! And so perfect for summer!