Monday, April 18, 2011

My house: The "Granny Chic" sunroom





The sunroom in my house has been the dining room for the last 8 years because it's actually closer to the kitchen than the dining room. I was looking for a change and got the idea to switch things around a little bit. In doing so, on a budget, I found out I have a little bit of a 'granny chic' thing going on. Not intentional, just a mish- mosh of the last 15 years of my life, and somehow in pulling things together from other rooms, this is what I came up with. What do you think?
I have some work to do, that chandalier is going to have to go. ( I really, really really want THIS ONE)

So honestly, I think the best rooms are the ones with items collected over the years. I call this an 'acquired look'. As much as I salivate over glossy magazine photos, oftentimes they lack life and believability. And so few of us can decorate that way anyway. Here's how I got this look:

I bought those crazy chartreuse velvet chairs at a flea market in Chicago several years ago for 80 bucks each. At the time, chartreuse was UNHEARD of so I basically stole them. They're antique.
This one is my Yorkie Oscar's favorite snorin' spot.
The rocking chair is a little scary to sit in, it's the original recliner I think, but it pretty much only reclines.

I got the black and white striped flat weave rug at BIG LOTS. Yes, BIG LOTS. For 9 bucks. Wonder how long until one of my little canine buddies barfs on it?

The black bench was on clearance at an unfinished furniture store that was going out of business. The pillows were just collected over the years. The most recent is the big foo- foo ball, from Pier 1, and the large black and white bolster was made by my mother and my daughter.
I hope to get a funky loveseat, but until then, this bench will have to do. I stole it from my front entryway, which is now looking a little sad. (Never fails)

The artwork above the fireplace is a unique mix of really- expensive- actual- authentic- art, and my daughter's first grade self portrait. The frame around the self portrait was found at a garage sale. If my house was burning down, I'd ditch the real art and keep the self portrait, just sayin'.


Another garage sale find is this Victorian table, which yes, I painted and distressed.Upon it, I have my collection of Shirley Kramer pottery (the robot head, etc..). Shirley is a local artist whose work I buy, one piece a year at our local art fair.
I also have a sweet collection given to me by my daughter Charlotte: heart shaped rocks that she has collected here and there and everywhere. It's God's little gift to her, as she finds them all the time!

I created this plate collage out of mostly mismatched odd bits I already had. The only thing I 'ran out and bought' was the green plate, which I got on clearance at TJs for 4 bucks. I highly recommend the plate hanging discs, over those awkward wire contraptions.


Every "Granny Chic" room needs a real Granny! That's my mom in her Senior portrait. She still looks just like this, minus the bouffant, lol! (sorry Mom).

I know you can't see this, it's too tiny, but there's a little frame I've carried around with me since 1989 and in it is a photo of a 19 year old me, and my "Gramma Fay". She tragically died 2 years ago and I miss her every day. She was just the coolest grandma and she is really the A #1 person in my life who encouraged me to be ME! Love you Gramma!

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