DIY EMERGENCY

Friends...meet my beastly fireplace.  I know, I think I can hear your audible moan from here.  She's a real beauty, or I should say she'll be a beauty after 15 coats of white paint.

Boy, does this room have that just moved in feeling or what??? I have big plans for this room, although I had bigger ones before we moved in and realized that the sectional could only fit one way, and that way was in front of the beast.  Not the greatest flow I know, but it is what it is(that's the motto my husband suggested I adopt when we were selling our house-it's a pathetic one but works really well for occasions like this and when your kids are home for the summer). Anyways, consider this the before picture because I have the primer and tools ready to take make this beast a friendlier little monster. 

I also wanted to confess to you that I broke one of my big decorating rules and bought pillows from Pottery Barn.  Have you ever bought something for your house and thought it was exactly what you were looking for, your dreams had been answered, your house was going to come together no problem with this amazing purchase.  You rush home only to find that it doesn't look a thing like the rest of your house, it requires endless new things to make it work in the room and it was just too expensive to talk yourself into using.  I get super frustrated when that happens, I can't get to PB fast enough to return these. They are lovely, but not here.

 

And now I will leave you with one final shot.  What kind of slave labor camp am I running here?  Look at my poor father on his knees scrubbing my deck and Asher is just watching...I should be embarrassed...but it looks great.  Thanks dad :)