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Lighten Up

You’ve seen how FLOR tiles have rocked our world.  In a less-than-spacious abode, they’re the perfect solution for small, sturdy rugs in the bedroom.  We prefer their tough as nails durability over a flimsier, cotton 3×5 store bought variety.  However, I’m not saying that we’re FLOR exclusive.  As much as we love the freedom in the variety of designs and colors, we wanted a cushy, comfy thick wool area rug in the living room.

So back in September, 2007, you can imagine my excitement when I scored a simple-but-classy black border rug from Pier 1.  At the time, I was so sure I had hit the jackpot – the beauty was on sale for a mere 80 bones.  Not bad, eh?  I whipped out the trusty credit card and snapped it up instantly.  We were just a few weeks away from moving into our now-home, and every new purchase to posh our soon-to-be-pad was cause for celebration.  I could hardly wait to unroll the bad guy into place and start livin’.

dark_rug1Our old apartment was rented to a friend as the total package – complete with most of our unwanted furniture.  By finding a new tenant for our landlord, we were able to break the lease a month early, and it was our own sneaky way of finding someone who liked our decor taste and loved our ol’ vibrant wall colors.  As a result, we didn’t have to re-paint the place white, and we only had to worry about moving our bed, clothes, and feline companions.  The best part was starting fresh and finding our own new, grown-up, first-place style.  Immediately, we scoured big retailers, little shops, and of course, our best friend, craig.

Fast forward two years later.  Why did we purchase a black table with a black rug? Why did we pick a leather ottoman with clawed kitties? We still love our tiny art deco chair, and we can’t imagine parting ways with our sleek, beige-fits-all couch.  The coffee table houses our DVD collection, and it’s thin enough for a small room, but wide enough for everyone to set down their frosty drinks.  Hmm.  Time for a mini makeover.  After approval from Scott, he agreed – with some hesitation – that I could propose a few ideas.  I eagerly hit the ground running, and ultimately decided that what we really needed was to lighten up.  Our earlier decor choices felt so heavy, so…well, dark.  With a few switcheroos and less than $150 later, we soon found ourselves in a room that felt airy and bright.  The once hesitant husband was happy again.

light_rug1How did it all break down?  By stealing a cheery pillow from the bedroom, we gained a sunny burst of color for free.  The super soft rug (oh, how great it feels on the toes!) and ottoman were found online at Target, and a few promo codes later (retail-me-not, anyone?), I had clicked my way to retail heaven.  The oversized, fluffy giraffe pillow was a $20 score also from Target, bought on the always perfect gift idea, a Target gift card.

So now that our living room has lost all that new-homebuyers-baby-weight, what’s next? On to the next project, of course.

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  • Kelly7.9.09 - 12:20 PM

    Wow the new arrangement looks awesome!! Love the rug :)ReplyCancel

  • Jessica Joubert7.9.09 - 4:02 PM

    Love your blog and love your place! I will definately keep up with your blog and probably steal some of your ideas!ReplyCancel

  • Jillian7.10.09 - 1:23 PM

    man i totally feel the same way about the rug we bought back in sept of ’06 when we got our house. you guys have lived in your new place just as long as us? that can’t be right! maybe you just typed the wrong numero.

    eric finished grouting the backsplash and it looks so awesome! no more dark cracks – we settled on the whitest sand grout available.

    and leo’s room will be silvery gray with soft-color (like yellow and blue) accents. can’t wait!ReplyCancel

    • Kim7.10.09 - 3:06 PM

      Jillian, man, you have a good eye! I’ve updated the post to two years ago! Leo’s room sounds perfect – I love, love, love gray with yellow.ReplyCancel

  • Scott7.10.09 - 1:58 PM

    What living room is complete without a copy of Aerosmith’s “Rocks” on vinyl?ReplyCancel

  • Thanks – awesome content here. You may want to see my blog #http://thebestfoodstoeattoloseweight.blogspot.com# about #fat loss#ReplyCancel

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We’re Kim + Scott, Chicago based content creators behind the Home + Lifestyle brand Yellow Brick Home.

Join us as we renovate and nurture vintage homes across Chicago + SW Michigan!

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