Here we are. This is what you see when you first come in my house. Have I mentioned there is no foyer? You can see our fireplace. Love having a fireplace. But, do you notice something? NO MANTLE!! Isn't that weird? Please tell me all of your great ideas for this issue!
We have one of those fancy holes in the walls like the rich types have. See how I make it all real nice like just by hanging my plastic shutters on big ugly nails?
I like this little wall. We are able to sneak some extra seating in with the ottoman being under the desk/sofa table.
And you know I love a good clearance find. Twice clearanced--score!
Clearance. TJMaxx.
Hello lover. Have you met my toile sofa yet?
See how much seating I was able to sneak into this tiny room? If even only 4 on the sofa, 1 in the red chair, 1 in the plaid chair 1 in the wooden chair next to the white dresser and 1 on the ottoman, that's 8 and we can really seat 5 on the sofa and still have an extra ottoman! That's 8-10 people in a tiny living room!
Now, here's something worth talking about. This dresser is pretty much the first piece I bought with forethought and a clear mind. You know how you have to buy a few things like a bed and sofa when you first get married and you make a crazy choice? This was not one of them.
When I was pregnant with my oldest we had nothing for him and I'm sure my parents or my in laws gave us some cash to get a few things. I got the cheapest crib I could find, and a piece of furniture that we could use forever. Hence, the white dresser. Ordered from the most reliable store I knew, JCPenney. We southerners are on a more friendly basis and just call it plain old Penney's.
This dresser has been used in each of my boys rooms, a kitchen, a foyer, as a sofa table, changing table and sideboard. I heart this dresser. The possibilities are endless and even though it's 10 years old and counting, I could find uses for two more of them.
This is how I know that I invested well in a piece of furniture.
I like pieces that are versitle. Blank canvases. They serve faithfully for a long time and are much loved.
Stay tuned tomorrow for the master bedroom. And that will complete my living room tour turned ode to the white dresser.
The Room Where We Live.
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67 comments:
Tell me I am not the first to say Bee-yoo-tee-full!!! I love me some Nester design. Can't wait to see more!
Love the dresser!
And that is FABULOUS how you hid the utilitarian but not-so-pretty-to-look-at hole in the wall with the shutters! Genius again! But of course you knew that didn't you?!!!! :)
I am up late and was hoping that you had post-delayed...but now I have nothing new in the morning when I wake up. :(
That's some awesome furniture arranging in your living room.
Mr. J.C. Penney would be proud of you and your dresser.
Love your painting in its new home.
Going to bed now. I tell myself everyday, this is the day I'm going to bed on time. Sigh.
I love that dresser, too! Heck, I love all of it. Wanted to tell you that I did a hot glue project that would make you proud. "BN" or "Before Nester", I would have fussed and fussed over sewing it. No more! Bring on the hot glue gun!
LOVE LOVE LOVE what you did with the shutters...honestly rich or not, i can't stand those big o' holes above a mantel...just don't like em'.
(don't judge me)
and don't you love it when you find a piece of furniture that is so versatile? makes it way worth it!
I love your ideas! The shutters are GREAT! We've lived in a home years ago without a mantel...who builds like that?
Anyway, we found a beautiful mahogany, freestanding mantelpiece that we leaned against the wall from a second hand store.
We had a similar "fireplace" issue in our last home. It was a free standing "electric" fireplace, so there obviously was no mantle, and a huge blank wall above where the fireplace sat, with built in shelves on either side. So we made a long shelf to go the entire length of the wall between the built in shelves and hung a huge mirror (also in the house) above the "mantle"(using clips) and then false framed it with more painted
2x4s. It turned out wonderful...here is the link to see it on Flikr.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21470269@N03/2627302988/
Love your blog!!!
Love, love, love the shutters. You don't need no stinkin' mantle. Come Christmas, just hang the stockings from the genius shutters!
And now I know the story of the toile couch. Life makes sense again. I can breathe. One of my goals for the next 6-12 months: get me some awesome toile (or something equally loved) couch.
Hung my first window mistreatment today -- looks pretty good, I think. Pictures tomorrow. Thanks, Nester!
Cate
Good ole Penneys - we are on baby #3 using a sweet white nursery set from them - and it still looks new as the day we bought it.
Fireplaces without mantles seem naked to me, what about a nice big white shelf across the top? If it's a rental would you be able to do that, or put up some molding around fireplace surround somehow?
oh man! oh man! can't believe I've been missing out on the house tour!
Holes in the wall for televisions--now you KNOW that was a man's idea!!! I rather like your fireplace un-mantled, but there has to be some way to semi-permanently attach your shutters to the wall on the sides, then split them down the middle so that they open like doors. I'm sure if you go talk to the friendly guys at Home Depot they could give you fancy screws and wall anchors---and we all know you're not afraid of holes in the wall! I just feel bad for the million times a day you're probably hanging and un-hanging those things!
And I must say that I {heart} that dresser too! A versatile piece is soooo....versatile :)!
It is looking so homey:) Can't wait for tomorrow's post!!
Home Depot men could give you HINGES and wall anchors---that's what I meant to say! And by some chain mail while you're there too :)!
My dad built me a mantle out of a piece of large crown-moulding and a 1"x6" piece of wood painted white. It was fabulous and only cost a few bucks! Would be happy to send you a pic if you'd like.
Everything looks just lovely, thanks for sharing. Love all the seating... that's my current design dilemma! Thanks for the inspiration.
found your blog on tipjunkie, love it! i have a piece of furniture like that from my mom-wedding gift that's been so versitile. love your style-red is all over my house too! xo-Lolly Jane
Your home oozes charm and is so sweet!! I love the pics and the BEST part are the clearance tags~ Rock on GIRLFRIEND! :)
You are so talented! I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings.
Have a great day
Michelle
Hmmm, what to do, what to do, what to do about a mantel...OH I got it! Go to Hobby Lobby & buy a gorgeous pressed tin shelf to put over it, be sure Wall Decor is 50% off that week and tell them you have a very good friend who works there as well and could you please use their discount? LOL Well that last bit probably won't work unless you're at my store.. I'm so loving the new house! Love it, love it, love it... Can't wait till tomorrow...
I totally heart your home. I think you have such incredible taste. I am in love with your couch!!
Thanks for sharing I love reading your blog.
I just love your family room. It's so comfy & cozy.
My favorites are the sofa, the drapes, and the dresser. Oh wait....also love the shutters, pictures, and the urn on the table.
I could go on and on.
Thanks for the pictures.
Love, love, love it as always.
Can't wait to see more. Your ode to the white dresser is so appropriate. It deserves some recognition and respect for being so flexible. :-)
What a beautiful room. Beautiful, comfy, cozy and I could go on and on and on...... Anyway, want to come to my house and give me The Nester look? Please, Please....Can't wait to see more.
Your home is lovely and you have wonderful taste. I love the sofa. That would be my dream--to have a sofa like that. It is ideal for several reasons, one being that two can lie down at the same time, and I am one who can't be totally comfortable unless lying down. I am very impressed at the number of folks you can seat in that room. Rock on!
Your home is absolutely beautiful! I love it! I can't wait to see the next part of the tour. I can't believe you just moved in a month ago. I give you a lot of credit! I love your sofa too! Thanks so much for opening your home to all of us and sharing all your decorating inspiration!
Your home looks so inviting. I love your porch, and your couch!?!?! I am drooling!! :)
You are a tease, Nester. A tease, I tell you. Giving us only a room a day. WE WANT MORE! Now that I've gotten that out of my system, I'm going back to look at the post about your toile sofa. But maybe a room a day is all we need anyway? Yep that's it. You are doing it for our own good. So much Nester, so little time...
i knew it recognized that dresser...i have used it in all of my daughter's rooms. i did not get it from Penney's. didn't even know they carried it. i love what you've done with your family room! you've done such a great job, i didn't even notice there wasn't a mantle.
Ahhh.... I'm all relaxed and cozy just LOOKING at your living room!
I can't tell you how excited I was to get up this morning to another Nester room! I agree with Jennifer P. Split, hinge and hang those shutters. I, too, was thinking that a mantle would be pretty easy to make from some trim... but those tin shelves at Hobby Lobby would be a great way to go and no construction needed! Bonus!
You really give me the kick in the pants I needed to get busy and work on my house. Which I REALLY appreciate... no really. Well... I will once it's done and I'm enjoying the fruits of my Nester inspired labor.
I also really like the fleur de lis on your curtain rod and how the pole stretches past at different lengths to make room for how ever much fabric you need for the space. Such a great custom fit!Genius.
(and what's a room without a little Sponge Bob? He goes with everything!)
I love the shutters over the tv hole! Very creative...very Nester!
I find it very odd that they did not include a mantle over the fireplace. What if you took an interesting old bed headboard and somehow rigged it over the fireplace? That might work.
Or you could even made a chain with your tassles or with your cloth remnants and hang it over the top. I can't wait to see what you come up with!
Ok, you're living room is beautiful too. And now I'm envious. Thanks. I want a dresser like that. In that color. By the way, I am soooooooo in love with your old, old living room, that room is absolute perfection. I'm missing that house for you now!
Julie
PS--I know you're in SC, can you possibly email me & send me some thoughts on a girls antiquing/flea marketing weekend?
Dang! I meant your. YOUR living room. Hate that.
Julie
Love it! I'm so glad you made enough room for me, the hubster and the kiddos when we come to visit. Kidding! Sorta.
Let's see...a mantel...If you had a big budget you could put up one of those crown molding shelf thingies right under The Hole. But it would have to be a big one and those are spendy.
What if you just got a couple of shelf brackets like these...
http://www.thehardwarehut.com/catalog-product.php?p_ref=13339
But way cheaper, of course. I got some from Home Depot a while back.
Then get yourself a piece of wood, paint it and lay it across the shelf brackets. You could always fancy it up with some trim pieces.
Haha! Something as trivial as moving cannot keep me from checking out your tour de rental 2008 (tm). It is gorgeous. But you knew that didn't you? ;) I so heart your sofa. It makes me want to weep at its sheer beauty. Can't wait for tomorrow.
Also, TV holes in the wall? Gah! I do NOT heart them. Clever solution with the shutters.
Gorgeous! But, of course, I wouldn't expect anything less from you.
I heart TJ Maxx clearance. Did you see my $3 vanity mirror project on my blog?
I have a fireplace with no mantle, too!! Why would a builder do this?! I do not know.
The living room rocks! You did a great job of getting all that seating in there.
~Heather
Looks beautiful as usual Nester!
We too have a very small living room. I think maybe smaller than yours. However, you have some great furniture placement going on there. It looks wonderful.
As for Penney's, it's the first store my grandmother took me to. I don't think I ever heard her put the JC in it.LOL It's funny how stores like that bring up such great memories.
Blessings,
Trixi
I love your love of your white dresser! hee hee I have a piece of furniture that I love like that too. My corner cabinet I bought from... are you ready... MONTGOMERY WARD! Or as we friendly southerners call it... Wards. ha ha Or callED it. It's now defunct. Anyway. I recently made a paint faux pas all over the poor cabinet. I can't look him in the eye anymore.
LOVE your living room. Looks wonderful. Why am I not shocked? ;O)
Another post dripping with inspiration and great ideas that I actually can do! You're a good friend to invite us IN! :-) I can't want to see the rest. If the couch and the dresser suddenly go missing, don't come to PA looking for them. I could just move right into your nest and be right at home. Love it love it love it!! Happy Tuesday!
Homey, Comfy, and beautiful. Love it.
Love the look of the living room. You always manage to place things in just the right spot. I agree that you should split the shutters down the middle and hinge them to the wall. It will make it easier when wanting to watch tv. As for the mantle, I love the pressed tin idea. You could also go to hobby lobby and buy a couple of those outdoor rod iron scroll brackets and put a thicker piece of wood on top to create the mantle. A black mantle with black scroll brackets would look great in there. You could even get the hollow core shelves if you have an Ikea near you.
Thanks for getting me back into the decorating mode. Your front porch was a huge inspiration.
Ah, I have made some stupid purchases like you were saying. I think pregnancy made me do some STUPID things. I bought a stupidly expensive, plain white, huge bookcase from Pier 1 Kids. I really wish I had those several hundred dollars now!
Your living room is so cozy and cute. My aunt bought a really cool OLD chippy mantle and just put it on the wall with no fireplace. Why couldn't you do that WITH a fireplace??
You're really making me think outside the box and I love it! Beautiful home!
Nester.....love your new living room!!!!! No mantle....that's just crazy...why do builders do that???? Go to your nearest and dearest flea market or antique store and buy an old mantle.....You won't be disappointed! then you can take it with you and use it as a shelf or headboard later!!!!!
I love that toile sofa!!!!!
Your place looks amazing and so put together already! We have no foyer either and it's the one thing I wish we had, but you make do with what you got ;) Beautiful job! Jen R
Lovely, lovely - not that I would expect anything else!! I have a piece like your dresser - it moves with us wherever we go, and looks perfectly wherever.
Man! I sure hope you get a new computer. Maybe we could take up a love offering?
So beautiful and welcoming. I hope your computer is back up soon!
Love it all!
Many Blessings,
M.
OK. No fair. You've lived there all of a month or so and your house looks so much better than mine (which I've lived in for 10 YEARS!!!)
I'm loving the home tour! We are all so nosey aren't we! Looks absolutely beautiful...wouldn't have expected anything less :)
Make a shelf/mantle. Super easy. Spray paint a couple of those scrolly type brackets and a board and lay the board across after you've attached said brackets to walk above fireplace. Easy.
Loving the tour!! Can not wait until you get a new computer and we get to see more of it. :)
Please come decorate my house! We've been in it for four years and I still don't have anything on the walls and little furniture because I'm afraid of making the wrong choices.
My dad had a similar mantle-less fireplace at their house - he aded a solid board across the shelf, then used inexpensive white foam molding pieces to create the rest of the mantle. Not sure of the exact cost - but maybe something like that would be possible.
By the way, does this count as a window mistreatment?
http://knockout13.blogspot.com/2008/06/unexpected.html
I love it. Your home is so warm and inviting. I love the white dresser. I love the mistreatments. I love the shutters. So excited for the rest!!!
Where did you get your shutters? I just love them and I have one of those tv holes and would love to cover it up. Thanks
Love the shutters over the tv hole. You may even forget the tv is there at all. I too have a fireplace with no mantle. What is up with that? Because HELLO where are you supposed to hang your stockings? I compromised by making an awesome stocking hanger that mounts above the fireplace, but finding a mantel for your fireplace could be your next treasure hunt.
i love it! knowing you, you'll find a mantle soon.
WOW! That looks AWESOME! you are so very talented!
I have wanted your sofa since I first started stalking your blog!!lol. I LOVE it and actually picture it in my living room. Your home is amazing..Love it, Love it, Love it!! The shutter over the fireplace - GREAT idea. As far as the mantle - How about a vintage shabby mantle front - attach it where you can take it when you leave. My friend has one mounted on her wall - no fireplace - just her beautiful mantel. Whatever you decide it will rock - can't wait to see.
I would totally add a cute shelf under the shutters. Maybe even something like an old drawer fascia with knobs (you could even add extra knobs) for hanging things...like stockings @ Christmas.
Such a cozy and inviting room!
Your son looks just like mine when SpongeBob Squarepants is on the TV!!
The Tour de Rental is beautiful so far! I can't wait till your computer is fixed and you can show us the rest.
For your fireplace, have you thought of hanging a large shelf there to act as a mantle? Ballard Designs sells a Cafe Shelf that would be perfect. (I have this shelf in my laundry room....it is very sturdy.) It comes in 10" deep & 12" deep sizes...the black would be lovely in your room. The beauty of this shelf is that you hang the bracket parts seperately and then place the shelf on top. You could space the brackets perfectly around your fireplace. It's a little pricey since it's Ballards.....you could sell some more swag kits to cover the cost! Or knowing you, you could just find some steal of a deal on a junkin' trip to replicate the look.
Here's the link:
www.ballarddesigns.com/Furniture/Wall-Shelves/Cafe-Shelving-12-Deep/p/2128?path=1%2C2%2C1443%2C1491&iProductID=2128
Oops, I didn't know it was a rental. I was going to suggest going to Lowes and buying a "mantle kit" and installing it. That's what we did to our old townhouse. Not having a mantle drove me nuts. I agree that you should install a shelf over your fireplace to mimic a mantle.
Your home is lovely, you have arranged it so beautifully and cozy.
looks divine - esp the toile couch ;)
and i've been saving your tobacco road tip for months and finally got to use it in the basement. it's like a coffee colored cocoon.
thanks!
I can't take it anymore, get up here and nest up my house. Pretty please? I know your computer is broken and you are working hard to pay for a new one, but I have needs too Nester.
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