New House Living Room Inspiration Board

Last night I needed a diversion from packing. Can I admit I'm already tired of it and I've only scratched the surface? I've spent most of this week in my office/studio trying to make some sense out of all the crap,  junk, supplies, treasures,  stuff that I have. I may not be at my all time "best" through this move. It's a good thing my husband is patient and longsuffering... 

So I hopped on Polyvore once he went to bed and thought I'd put together an inspiration board for the Living Room. Our "soon-to-be" house is small, folks, so nothing is going over there that isn't functional and doubles as storage. Let's just say that most of my furniture and fun stuff is destined for a very large storage unit.

The new little house has a lot of  "wood", in the form of cabinets, woodwork, trim, etc. not my favorite "white". So I'm having to go with a more masculine vibe. Maybe I can translate that into a little of my favorite, "English Country". I can't paint the walls or anything else, and frankly we'll probably only be there a year, so I'm not going to totally "decorate", but I have to feel like I have a "home". (we'll just be leasing until our house sells, then buy something permanent or build) So hubbs and I came up with a plan and we pooled our pocket change and bought a Chesterfield Sofa and Loveseat. Believe me, there is some great looking furniture out there that doesn't break the bank, and I was determined I'd find it.

So we purchased the sofa and loveseat and a couple of new lamps in a bronze tone with linen shades. I have to decide what I'm going to sell, but for now I'm justifying this purchase because all the downstairs furniture will likely be sold. (And it was our anniversary present to ourselves.) I was secretly wanting to do something different downstairs anyway, so please... be careful what you wish for.

These examples of furniture from Polyvore are just representative of what we're using. I have an old cedar chest that had a horrible finish that I painted a Country Gray, which I'm going to use as a coffee table. It's pretty rustic and not at all what you'd find in my current living room, but hey, I'm making the most of this and using or repurposing what I have. 

I have a beautiful black area rug that hopefully will work

 under the coffee table/trunk. If not I have my taupe-y one.

Then, I'm hoping to use some stacked suitcases and a few decorative tole trays and wooden boxes for end tables. I also have a really wonderful very old school desk from Atlanta that's like a tea table. It's been hidden downstairs the whole time we've lived here; I think that will work with a lamp for an end table.

Hubbs has a great leather recliner that we'll use 

and I have another chair that hopefully will fit.

I love me some leopard/cheetah print so I'm going to try to find some throw pillows, cause the pillows that came with the loveseat and sofa are not what I'm going for. 

Love that chair above, but like I said, just "representative" of what I'll be using, something that I already have. How many of you bought the "required" massive entertainment center when big screen tvs first came out? Oh yeah, we bought a doozy, but it's still pretty, and we have one large wall that needs to be filled, plus we need the storage, so we'll be using that puppy.

Every time I feel overwhelmed I take a few deep breaths and try to remember why we're doing this. Let's see...do I remember why? Oh yeah, we're downsizing so we'll be ready for retirement and whatever else that might bring. Actually, this house is adorable, and I'm super grateful that we found it. It will be perfect for us, I just need to get used to this downsizing business. 

you get the idea?

Hope you're having a great weekend, 

more snow in the forecast...brrrrrrr.

Joining in these parties this week:

 Dwellings
Mod Vintage Life
Cozy Little House
Confessions of a Plate Addict
A Stroll Thru Life
City Farmhouse
Savvy Southern Style
Craftberry Bush
Jennifer Rizzo

xoxo,

Today's Sponsors

Nostalgic Artifacts 

and 

Nostalgic Summer

Be Inspired #171 Link Up Your Top Posts of 2013

Hope 2014 is getting off to a good start at your house. We have a fresh blanket of snow which makes for such a pretty picture, but I'll be here packing my studio today. In case you've missed my last couple of posts, we have big changes coming with this New Year. We'll be downsizing and leasing a smaller house in order to do updates to this one before putting it on the market. We're planning to move within the next month or so. I'm hoping you'll be along for all the changes and craziness. I may need a hug and a "snap out of it" slap in the face occasionally. LOL!! 

I imagine a lot of you are getting back to "regular life" after the Holidays today, so if you have a few favorite posts or a Review Post hope you'll link up for a look back at 2013!

I wanted to share a few more Christmas posts that were linked last week;

if you haven't checked them out, you won't want to miss them.

Take a peek into a "Merry and Bright" Christmas

at Sylvia's Simple Life

Snuggle up on the Christmas Front Porch

from Barbara of 21 Rosemary Lane.

Love the Cardinals at the Christmas Tablescape

from Ann from the Corner of Plaid and Paisley.

Elizabeth from Just Following Jesus in My Real Life

shares her Homemade Snow Globes

and more wonderful home made snow globes from Miss Kopy Kat

thanks so much gals!

Party Guidelines

Please have an individual link back to Common Ground within your post. I'd love to feature you. This is just part of the Party Etiquette.

Please remember to turn off word verification. I've tried leaving comments that didn't go through. I'm sure others have tried also.

Please no direct links to Etsy or Advertising.

Link up to three of your Favorite posts or your Year in Review.

Take a minute to visit a few of the other links.

Please be a follower of Common Ground.

Thank you to all of you who come over each week to link up to the party, I may not get to leave a comment, but I try to visit each of your posts. You are a never ending source of inspiration to me and others, so just know how much I appreciate each one of you!

OK, let's get the party started!

Today's Sponsor

Sweet Magnolias Farm

Looking forward...

If you happened to read my post "2013: The Year in Review", you know I had some news about what's coming early in the New Year. If you didn't catch it then, here goes...

One thing I've learned in my Spiritual walk is not to spend too much time revisiting the past. God keeps us continually growing and moving. Maybe not always in the physical sense, but allowing Him to change and challenge us, is part of His plan for our life. He always has a plan that is for the "good"; sometimes it's hard to see exactly how that works, especially if we are hanging on too tightly to the past. So I'm looking forward, and not focusing on the past, except to take some wonderful memories, and times of blessing with me.

My husband and I have known for at least two years that there would come a day when we would need to downsize and be in a more manageable home. We live in a wooded area and have a pool, both of which need to have a young family to take care of the maintenance. My husband is thinking about retirement and this is not the place to do that. 

So after months of prayer and waiting we've taken the first step toward our goals and have leased a smaller house so that we can move in and get settled, then take the time to have some updates made to this house before we put it on the market. We need to lighten up and thin out our load of "stuff". I'm actually excited to be in a place where I don't have to yell at my husband to find him, and that I don't have to spend all day watering flowers and shrubs in the heat of the summer.

(Aren't these plaid tea towels adorable?

 My mom made these for me for Christmas with her new Monogram machine.) 

Now comes the part that I don't like even a little bit,

and that's the sorting and purging and packing.

(I mentioned earlier that I ordered 80 Paperwhite bulbs this year, so it's kind of a sea of Paperwhites around here. The ones below are planted in recycled candle jars. This is one of my problems...I hate to throw perfectly good "things" away, when there might be a way to reuse them later.)

This year will be a year of change, and right now we are heading for the first move. Hopefully, after this house sells we'll be able to start thinking about buying another home or building one. As much as I love the character of an older home, my husband and I both know we want and need new construction. I grew up in a 1840's farmhouse and it was cold and hot and unpredictable at best. 

We can't see the "big picture" here, except to know that God has called us out of this place and is asking us to be ready to move forward with whatever he asks us to do. Being "available" to God is what I've always been about. I don't want to miss out on the good plan for our future in any way. If it looks a little scary and overwhelming, then I'm trusting God to give us daily direction and wisdom. He sees the big picture so to speak, when I can only see what's right in front of me.

I'm still planning on blogging, but it may change up just a little. I had to crop out boxes and packing materials just to get these photos today. I'll keep you updated on how things are going, and you may even see some of the day-to-day work going on around here. Can you stand wading through cabinets filled with vintage decor and sorting my stash of magazines? My posts may be shorter, but you'll be with me through it all. As I said in the Review post, I consider this more of a "lifestyle" blog than a decor blog. It may not be all pretty pictures, but it will be "real life"...and right now I need to stay connected with you all through this blog. Hope you'll stick with me while we take on this new year of change, and blessing. 

sharing at:

French Country Cottage

Rooted in Thyme

Shabby Art Boutique

The Charm of Home

Wishing all of you a wonderful New Year.

love y'all bunches,

Today's Sponsor

Elliott-Heath Designs

The Marketplace: Etsy and Boutique Showcase

Hi Everyone,

 and Welcome to The Marketplace!

Thanks so much to all of you who have made The Marketplace a weekly stop this year! This has been a great year as we have so many new vendors and lot's of new shoppers. Vintage and Handmade, one-of-a-kind decor and clothing accessories...we have such a wonderful variety of links. Here are just a few of the links from last week. 

Gizmo and HooHa

Vintage Sugar Bowl Trophy

Old World Candlesticks

D.D.'s Cottage and Design

NanNas Things

Vintage Picnic Basket

Vintage Assemblage Necklace

Ete Nostolgique Deluxe

And Today's Sponsor is

Marionberry Cottage

Be sure and catch the Year End Clearance going on now!

Party Guidelines:

This is a linky party that is for items that are FOR SALE only. You don't have to have a blog to link up. If you have a blog post about your items that's great too, but they need to be available to purchase. Please try to link to the individual item that you are selling if possible. Please be a follower of Common Ground and if you have a blog it would be so nice for you to grab the image below to share somewhere on your blog. (not mandatory, just nice). Remember the link is up all week, so please stop back by to check out new items being listed.

Time to link up,
and if you missed last week's Marketplace,
 then you can check it out HERE.

I want to take this time to wish you a 

Happy and Blessed New Year.

 Thanks so much for being a part of The Marketplace.

2013: The Year in Review

Like so many of you, I wanted to take a minute to look back on 2013. It's not been an easy year for my husband or myself healthwise, but sharing some of the highlights with these posts make it all the more precious. There are so many major changes coming just after the New Year, but I'll be sharing them in depth later next week. We have a move (or two) on the horizon. After eleven years, we know it's time to sell and find a home that's easier to maintain. We've been praying about this for over 2 years, but things fell into place quickly once we stepped out in faith. We're in good spirits and feel confident this is the right direction, but it doesn't mean it will be easy. Tears have been shed, and many memories were revisited this last week, as our kiddos know they won't be here for any more Christmases or Holidays...more on this later; for now enjoy a few posts from my last year.

New Year's Tree

I've shared my New Year's Tree several years in a row, each year a little different and a little more sentimental.

Pantone's Color of the Year
Everything you ever wanted to know about "Green" in decor.

What I Would Have Missed

I debated whether to just jump in the middle of it, but I decided there must be too many wonderful moments to miss. I'm so glad I took the time to watch. This post is my 2 Season's Catch -up of Downton Abbey.

Spring in the Entry
This is one of my most visited posts.

Fairytale Inspiration for Spring
The Jeanne d"Arc Spring publication gave me some wonderful vintage inspiration.

Make Your Own Vintage Seedbox

I love and have several antique seed boxes, but I got to thinking about how you could make your own for just a few dollars. Many of you tried your own, and created some beauties.

Garden Wheelbarrow Tablescape

I had Spring fever and thought I'd try my hand at a tablescape inspired by the Spring Garden.

Painting a Tabletop with ASCP

Most Visited Post

I finally had had enough of my manufacturer's yucky tabletop finish on the kitchen table. So ASCP came to the rescue.

Patriotic Sunporch

Each season brings so much fun in redecorating the Sunporch.
Look for a feature on my Patriotic Sunporch in a new publication coming in 2014.

Easy at 1-2-3 Custom Look Wreath

I love seasonal wreaths, here's my secret to lush, full, natural looking ones.

Dining Room Dressed for Autumn

Autumn is my favorite time of the year,
and I love to use my windowboxes for some of nature's inspiration.

Pumpkin Filled Goatcart
Full of Fall Yumminess!

Nature Inspired Thanksgiving Tablescape

I went all out for this, and had so much fun creating a vintage tablescape.

Thank You Artful Blogging

Featured in the Winter Issue

Christmas Home Tour

I loved showing you the house decorated in Tartan Plaids.

Christmas on the Sunporch

My cozied up Sunporch in warm plaid for the Season.

Thank you all for being such a constant support with your prayers and friendship this last year. You will never, ever know how much I love you all, and would like to meet each one of you personally and give you a big 'ol hug. I'll share more next week. I'll still be blogging, but things may change a little. I consider this blog a reflection of who I am and where I am in life, not just some pretty white decor. Stick with me, we have some changes coming,  but I'll still be here. Now excuse me while I find a kleenex...

sharing at these great parties:

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings

Year in Review at Unskinny Boppy

Top Posts at Southern Hospitality

Blog Hop at City Farmhouse

Under the Table and Dreaming

Mod Mix at Mod Vintage Life

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm

Inspire Me at A Stroll Thru Life

Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House

The Scoop at Cedar Hill Farmhouse

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

French Country Cottage

Rooted in Thyme

The Charm of Home

Shabby Art Boutique

My Romantic Home

xoxo,