Family room part 2

So this is the current state of the family room. An adult space for chatting and reading and entertaining... so nice :) It still needs some accessorizing but it is a work in progress.

I need baskets for the shelves under the bench. Something that fits the space well and isn't too casual or too formal. I am open to suggestions if anyone has any!

I love this carpet!!! It is soft and silky and the colors are perfect. I wasn't so sure in the store but my husband convinced me that I love it- since I went back to look at it 5 times! Thank goodness he is so patient with me lol.

Ahhh, my fireplace... found on Kijiji for $250!!! When I first spotted it at Home Depot it was almost $1000. I am most happy when I get a deal :)

Same fireplace, different angle.

I still need lumbar style pillows for the couch but have not had any luck. The search will continue.

These end tables were also a steal. Found them at a big box store for under $100 a piece. Not too shabby from my perspective :) Oh and please don't mind the paint marks on the floor- my husband says I overloaded the roller so I need to starting scraping!

The ever changing look of our family room...

Our family room has gone from family room to dining room back to family room- with various functionalities. When our son was little, it was busy with toys, basic seating and a tv mounted on the wall. Then it evolved to a full home theater- which made my hubby very happy. I must admit, it was very nice as a home theater but as we finished the basement for more of an entertainment area, I really wanted to have an adult space where we could have friends and not be focused around the television. I don't have "full" before pics as I had had not really thought that far ahead when we were updating the place. I have attached some random shots that give you some idea though of the first time we added trim and painted.

The pics below show the full built in my husband designed and built to accommodate not only the 50 inch tv but a pull down screen and projector. The lower cubbies were designed for components.

The room is totally different now of course... will take pics of the most recent iteration and post shortly!

From Play room to Big Boy Room

As promised, I have uploaded some pics of the 99% finished room. The pics are not the best quality (darn blackberry) but I will update them once the room is totally finished and accessorized. For now, the bed is up beside the wall as it leaves my son room to play (and keeps him from rolling off in the middle of the night- he flips around the bed while he sleeps like his mom!) It makes me a little crazy that the bed is not centered under the flag (I need symmetry and balance) but as mentioned, he does need room to play :) I love the fact that even though he is 6, he still loves his stuffed animals. He sleeps with them all- and I mean all. He sometimes looks like he's being attacked by them in his sleep. I have pics of that somewhere... maybe I will add it when I find it :)

My husband thinks that the room is too boring for a 6 year old and wants to "funk" it up a bit. Pictures of what he would like to do are attached. I love the room he is suggesting but we just don't have a very big space in this house. You never know though, my mood to change things strikes often!!

The Play Room

One of the first major DIY projects we completed in this house was the play room for our son.  We wanted to surprise him for his 2nd birthday so my husband got the tools out and away we went.

Our little guys is very active and we needed a room that would not only stimulate his mind but allow him to burn off lots of energy.

The reality is that this brain child was 99.9% my hubby.  He didn't even draw up a plan- he saw it in his mind and then pulled out the tools.   The board beside the slide is actually the chalk board in progress... we were just getting ready to paint it.  We went with a slight military theme and although you can't tell from the pics, we have some very cool metal planes and camo mesh hanging from the ceiling.

My son was over the moon when he saw it... he was beyond excited.  He enjoyed it for many many years.  We did dismantle it this past summer as he is now almost 7.  It was a little sad actually :(
It did however give me an opportunity to give him a new room.

My husband thinks it is too grown up for a 7 year old so we may be making a change again LOL! Apparently we need to make it a little more fun!  Will post pics of the room shortly and will wait for feedback :)

Our home

I am trying to put these pics in some type of order so I am going to start with the exterior pics first.

We have been in this raised bungalow 6 years now.  It is much smaller than our first home so it was a big adjustment.  We use the space more efficiently since there are only 3 of us in our family. I must admit, I miss not having all that room to decorate.

We have changed our landscaping a little since this pic but I am not happy with how it turned out- we should have left it alone and just added plantings!  Sometimes I need to be patient and work slower because now we are going to have to spend quite some time 'undoing' and  making it just right!

We added the planter box and trimmed the entry door in black.  Lantern was customized into a hanging light fixture by the hubby.  I can't tell you how many items I have brought home and he has needed to customize into light fixtures.  Sometimes, you just can't find exactly what you need and you have to improvise :)

He custom built the fence and gates which have since been stained.  We are actually changing the colour this year to match a pergola he built last year.  The color, I believe, is called Driftwood.  Will post pics once done!

I really enjoy interior decorating but landscaping is not my forte.  I struggle with it quite a bit- especially on this pie shaped lot. I love symmetry but have a hard time with this property. I look forward to making some changes this spring and summer.  I have added some pics of landscapes I like and would like to incorporate to some degree or another.  Feedback welcome!

My first blog

This is my first blog and I am very excited to join the blogging community.  I love the exchange of ideas and look forward to figuring out this "new to me" creative outlet.

About me--- I am married, have one little boy and work in insurance.  Would prefer to work in design but for now, insurance will have to do :)  I really enjoy renovating our home with my very handy and handsome hubby! He indulges my constant need for change and for that I am thankful!

I figured I would start with some pics of the projects in our home.  I don't have too many before pics since I wasn't thinking about this blog at that time.  Hopefully you will enjoy the pics regardless!

I will try to organize the pics in some kind of order so check back soon!