We survived hosting a baby shower over the weekend, and even have the house back in order! (That is, except the basement. It seems we threw a bunch of things down there in the days before the party. So much for the progress we previously made.) With the main level so clean, I wanted to share our living room and dining room. You know, before the toys creep back in. They’re stealthy like that.

Foyer

Unless you look back at our kitchen demo, it’s really hard to believe that there was once a coat closet blocking this entryway. After hosting the party last weekend and seeing how many people crowd in the foyer upon arrival, I can’t imagine hosting a party with the foyer that confined. That was a terrible spot for a coat closet!

Though this level of the house is not decorated to the full extent that we would like, at least the major construction part is done. The walls are Ben Moore Chantilly Lace, we’ve repainted the ceiling, and the baseboards are new.

Living Room

That corner beside the piano is usually occupied with toys, but we needed the space for baby shower paraphernalia. Seeing it empty is kind of weird, but that will only last about a day.

On the list of things “to do” in this room, the biggest goal is to put something on this big empty wall. There isn’t quite enough room for any furniture over there, or at least anything I already own.

We used to have this wine rack situated there, but it was all kinds of wrong. (Style doesn’t match, size is weird for the wall width, plus it was just crowded behind the chair.) I sent it back with Mary Grace when they came to visit and it has a happy new home.

We sure don’t miss those green baseboards! Back to how it looks today. The other major thing that we would like to have in this space is a rug. I would really like a nice one, but would also be okay waiting until we are done with potty training two kids before making that investment.

Oh, and the foyer light fixture is also has its days numbered. We’re coming for you!

The desk beside the sofa was a wedding present from my mom. It is actually a game table that unfolds to seat 6. We pull it out at dinner parties, cover it with a protective cloth, and use it as a kids table. It is often also my work space.

If you remember the “book challenge” I set for myself in regards to the guest room, well, mission accomplished. We purged about 100 books at the yard sale and I managed to condense two bookcases into one. And it’s not even overly crowded! 👏🏼

Dining Room

Installing the board and batten was a major project from last summer, and the only change we have had to make was the wall color. The previous color (Pencil Sketch by Behr) clashed with the color of the cabinets, so we chose Hale Navy by Ben Moore. I love it!

The goal is to decorate the entire wall with plates and create an asymmetrical design through various sizes and patterns. So far, though, the collection is rather small.

Pat is really proud of how much work we have accomplished on this part of the house. Considering it is the only part many people see, and an area we spend a significant amount of time, this was time well spent. Not to mention, this is what it looked like right after we moved in, a mere 14 months ago:

So much better now!