I'm Committed/LR Wall Makeover

I have commitment issues.  In fact I really can't believe I committed to marriage and children since I can't even commit to wall art!  I think it is a money thing.  I didn't have to purchase hubby or the kids (I mean I didn't have to pay for them upfront)!

So knowing this you can understand my excitement at finally committing to a bit of wall decor.  I mean it has only been 13 years that I've been "looking" for just the right thing! lol   For 13 years I had this sad undersized mirror and some random family pictures on this wall.  In the corner is an antique table I have had for year absolutely drowning in pictures. 

Sorry about the blurry shot...still working on the whole photography thing.  As you see I am addicted to family pictures.  I really have to create a schedule and rotate a display of them since at the moment they are on every available surface.  Not to mention that a sweet neighbor lady stopped in a while back and told me (in her very Queen of the Gardening Club Southern drawl) that there should only be only one portrait in the living room of a proper southern home and it should be of the lady of the house.  Well now that just isn't going to happen so I will simply have to learn to rotate my little 5 x 7's and 8 x 10's now won't I?  I feel sure I lost some points with the neighborhood bitty committee with this line of thinking.

This wall has been driving me crazy but I could never seem to decide what "art" was needed there.  I mean, should it be a floral?  A landscape maybe?  You see the problem now.  Then there is the whole I am extremely cheap frugality thing again.  Finally I decided that what I needed was a wall of bookcases or a really uniquely painted china cabinet/hutch.  Perfect for showing off all those photos and no commitment to art.  With the pressure to make a commitment off that decision made I had only to find the right furniture (the one area I can commit).   So I trolled Craigslist and the local Buy, Sell, Trade sites daily searching...reminding myself often that patience pays off.

I stopped in Kirkland's while shopping with my dad and mentioned I was looking for something for this wall.  Dad began to poke around and as much as I hate to admit it...he found these pictures.  I fell in love with them on the spot and when I flipped them over, I knew they were going home with me.  Clearance stickers rock!  The pictures were $22 each and they are huge.  Woo hoo...I was doing the happy giddy dance don't ya know.  When I got home with them Wonder Hubby was under impressed.  Doesn't it figure when I finally make a commitment he isn't on board.  "I didn't know we were looking for pictures for the that wall" he says.  Well, where has he been...for 13 yrs total and 2 since we redid the living room?  So I drag them out to show him (he is wearing the sour face) and his response is "why did you buy a picture of a town?  I don't know this town."  For real that is what he said!  Now I gotta tell ya, if I hated these pictures I would have still kept them on principal alone since Wonder Hubby is forever saying "I don't know why you just don't buy (X,Y,Z thing we are needing) instead of half finishing a project."   So I finally buy to "finish" the project and this is the reaction....plueeezzzzzzzzzzee. 
Well you can probably guess what happened next.  I pranced these babies to the living room and propped them against the couch to study (because even if they didn't match there were not going back).

 It is hard to see in this picture but the picture mat has some of the same design as my sofa cushions and the coloring is perfect.

While I am pondering Wonder Hubby comes in and  is totally annoying me frowns and paces and then....WAIT FOR IT.....says  "I guess they are perfect, you did good."  Boy, where is that tape recorder when I need it?    Yeah for me...just what I needed since I was already questioning my commitment!   I had also purchased this cool metal wall art/door topper that I hoped would work over the pictures.

The scale was just right for this wall.  I realized this only after they were up and saw just how, ah hmm....sadly dinky the old stuff I had up was!

I love how much better this looks.  I moved the antique table underneath (at least for now) and forced myself to pare down some of the pictures.  After I had been diddling with it for a bit it kind of looked familiar.  Then I remember this picture I had turned the page down on the fall Pottery Barn catalog.

Pottery Barn American Classic Entryway

I decided I would try an make my entry table area PB American Classicish.  Emphasis on the ish.

Remember, I said ish!

See how well I am doing...only 1 family picture!

Love the old keys...a goodie my Dad spotted while we were shopping, he has a good eye.

A little more dinking around....

And a little more...

I will probably be moving everything here another 10 times but I am so happy I made the commitment and changed this wall and table.....100% better.

Oh....did you notice....I have already crept back into my old ways?  Yes, there are now 3 pictures....and I can almost promise I won't stop there!  Thanks for stopping by.

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