That title comes from my hubby. In their business, custom architectural signage, they are always having WIP meetings. It really fits my life because I am a work in progress, ever changing, ever evolving in my personal, emotional and spiritual growth. And then there’s the house….definitely a WIP if there ever was one!
Here is the living room, not styled yet but almost finished!
The first piece of old furniture I bought and painted, 12 yrs ago
Above is a gorgeous medallion I bought in a mall store around the same time.
It has been over the fireplace since we moved in.
This is the fireplace now:
It’s a concrete fireplace which must have weighed 400 lbs. My hubby and I carried the pieces in and placed them all by ourselves…not easy!
We couldn’t afford the overmantel too so he framed it in and I painted it with stone paint to match.
I fell in love with this fireplace screen years ago and my hubby bought it for me…
.he’s so sweet.
I’ve dressed it quickly with two shabby baluster candlesticks from Bittersweet Primitives, a pretty angel I bought locally with a birthday gift certificate,
and some sprays of glittered white magnolia from Michaels.
It will do for now.
On the opposite wall is the new unit.
Still has not been styled and the doors are not on yet, but I wanted to show you because I won’t have time for another post before Thanksgiving.
Hubby is still building the drawers which will go in the base of each unit and under the seat.
There are lights inside each cabinet. Behind the two center doors is the TV!
They slide back so I don’t have to see it all the time.
Underneath the TV is all the electronic components and they will be covered by doors…
tonight!
The coffee table is one I had for sale but didn’t go.
I loved it and am so happy it has found a home.
The two chairs (yes, they are that dusty rose color….ick) were only $10 each at a yard sale. Great condition and soon to be slipcovered by yours truly.
The hooked rug was found at a thrift shop for $25.
Here’s another view. Don’t you love all the arched doorways?
I had to fight a bit for those when we were building but it is such a beautiful detail.
The floors are Brazilian cherry.
Here was my crazy project yesterday. We had moved all the mahogany furniture to the foyer so the living room could lighten up a bit.
But when it was all in there,
I realized that the pretty yellow walls were really looking unattractive with all that wood.
So, I painted the foyer yesterday.
Now I’m behind schedule, but the paint was there and all the ladders were in the house so
Why Not?
My hubby built that staircase….isn’t it gorgeous?
I laid all the marble tiles in the foyer.
While I was painting the other day, hubby was working on the electrical components and had a DVD in to test. it was Apollo 13.
One of my favorite movies.
I love movies where people triumph over odds.
It has been such a hallmark of my life that those kinds of movies always resonate with me.
I heard one of my favorite movie lines while I was working:
“Failure is not an option”
I think often of how far my hubby and I have come
and how we have striven to use the talents and abilities that God gave us.
Two kids married just out of high school
Baby on the way
Living in a 10 x 50 ft trailer
Building our first house (alone, no contractor) in our early 20’s
(we learned as we went along)
Moving away from family to pursue a better life
Working together in our own small contracting business
Climbing on roofs together, building together
Taking the babies with me while I painted rental homes for extra money
Riding my bike many miles to grocery shop with the 4yr old on the back
because we couldn’t afford a car.
Closing the contracting business to follow a good job opportunity for my hubby
(he’s been there 25+ yrs now and is a vice-president)
My college experience in my mid 30’s
with a goal to become a nurse practitioner by the time I was 40
Building our second home in our mid 40’s (with some contractor help)
Experiencing a great life change when God placed an important task before us
(see my very first post for details)
Through it all we managed to stay together (almost 39 yrs) and build a family
Failure is not an option
Have a blessed and wonderful day with your families
I'm Lorraine. I have a love for home & design and I enjoy sharing that passion with others. I'm so glad you're here to join me.
email: missflibbertigibbet@gmail.com
Loved this post. I like the decorating changes you have made. They look great!
Love the mantel. You have some beautiful pieces.
wow! everything looks really nice especially the fireplace