Adventures in Decorating - Week 1

We are actually 3 weeks into the process now, but I'm going to split this up into several post, or else it would be HUGE!!!

Background:
We have been talking about redecorating the house for over a year. Exactly one year ago, Chris helped me strip all the wallpaper out of the house. Within that year, I replaced the TV stand and rearranged the living room (which I am very proud of BTW). It's not much showing for a year of planning... the walls are still unpainted, the sofa and loveseat still need replacing, and I haven't found window coverings or dining room chairs. I tried going to a sofa store, knew exactly what I wanted and was talked out of it TWICE by the sales women. I ended up more confused than when I started. It's all so frustrating! At this rate, there is no way that I'd finish before the family Christmas party!

Well, three weeks ago the lady down the street told me about the Ethan Allen design center. She said that the service is FREE and that she worked with a lady there who was wonderful! Her house is bright with contemporary coastal color, which is beautiful (light blue, sage green, white). So, Jim and I decided to go down to Ethan Allen. We met the designer, Caroline, and she's very nice. I told her that I didn't want my house exactly like our neighbors. Their house is a show piece with everything in it's place. They have a "show" room (a front formal living room that no one uses) with sea shells and drift wood... it really wasn't US. Our design needs to be more functional and comfortable.

She told us that was no problem and that she would put together something that we could live with and LOVE. She stopped by to look at the house THE NEXT DAY to look at the room and measure.

She likes the way I rearranged the living room. (YAY!) She asked us which pieces of furniture we wanted to keep. We told her that we are definitely keeping the computer table, the end table, Jim's mom's picture, and my crafting supplies. (Uh, excuse the mess... I'm in the middle of purging, which you will hear about later.)



I also gave her pictures of rooms that I liked.



Caroline took those and ran with it... more tomorrow :oD