We’ve slowly been chipping away at the list of things that might make the house more efficient and conducive to fellowship. I’ve not opened up my home to others in a while and it’s been weighing heavily on my heart. My hope is that these small changes not only make us feel more at home but our friends and family as well. If you follow along on Instagram you may have already seen these updates, but I thought it would be nice to do a post anyway. If nothing else it got me to pick up my camera, which doesn’t happen nearly enough these days.

The biggest new feature of the room is certainly the blue velvet ottoman we bought after I sold a couple of my collages. We’ve wanted a chase for our couch or ottoman for years but it never worked out until now. David has some vein issues that cause a lot of pain in his legs, so having a place for him to put his feet up is a big help. I tend to go for lighter neutrals when it comes to furniture, but I’m in love with this bold, rich hue. The ottoman is quite large for the space and nearly always covered in dog hair, but after living with it for several weeks, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

We also finally had these chairs reupholstered in the prettiest light gray fabric. David and I found the pair at a government surplus warehouse in South Carolina for barely any money at all. I spent an afternoon cleaning up the wood ages ago and then they sat for years just begging to have their hideous and institutional teal fabric and tufting removed. I’m very happy with how they turned out! Our former coffee table fits perfectly between them and is a great spot to display treasures or be a landing area for glasses and plates. Just having these two extra seats in the room makes it immensely more usable.

Other items I’ve added in: this brass incense holder, a patterned pillow and a few pieces of pottery I saved from our yardsale pile, and simple curtains and rods. As much as I appreciate a minimalist approach to design and color (my sister can tell you my wardrobe color palette certainly proves that), I’ve found that it just doesn’t work in my home. And I’m okay with that. I’ve got a few more plans for this room, but I love where it’s at right now.