Yes to All This Magic

1!  Let me start with an update:  I bought a Persian rug!  I'm very excited and it should be arriving any day now.  I have a few other new items slowly making their way in and I'm looking forward to giving you a living room update very soon 2! Instead of looking at my crib, I'm going to take you on a pictures-only - zing! - tour of a house that will always and forever be better than mine, no matter how many Persian rugs I buy.

Ok, so not totally word-free.  I do want to say that this room has spoken directly to my heart.  The message:  you and me were made for each other.  The hanging chair and the blue rug with the blue stones are working for me in every way.  Also, I think Erin wants the couch in the back corner.

You know you want it.

Ok, so the kids room is a little too country-sweet for me.  But the rest has stolen my soul.  Next time I redo my house I'm going to do it like this one.  Brick by brick.

Craigslist Is My (Not So Secret) Lover

Hello friends! First of all, I want to thank you SO MUCH for all of your helpful comments on my last post. After the debut of the big rug debacle, I know you're all wondering what the bleep I have decided to do. And the answer is... a lot of shopping. I have shopped for (more) rugs, and I have shopped for couches. I have shopped for end tables, and I have shopped for curtains, paint, and even sheets (oops). Obviously I am a very busy person. Unfortunately I have yet to make a single purchase, but I did spend a lot of time moving things around, making stupid mock ups on Olioboard, and drinking with Karly (aka, playing decorating party, aka tearing up my living room). The conclusion I came to was: that rug is too dark for my living room. But I be loving it in the dining room... Hooray!

I plan to snap some pics very shortly and show y'all what's happening now, but today I am too busy digesting BeerBQ to do anything that requires much any movement. Thus you shall be treated to the fruits of my obsessive compulsive shopping habits. Austinites, enjoy!

PAIR of brass and camel ultrasuede director's chairs for $75 here. Ummm, yeah... Hurry up before I change my mind and decide to replace the chesterfield with those beauties.

Ivory and chrome designer sofa for $300 here. I want this sofa sooooo badly. Sadly, it is completely incompatible with toddlers named Pig Pen.

Pair of red velvet and chrome chairs for $140 here. These would be so incredible flanking my tv and (ahem) new burlwood console table, but I have some dumb speakers to contend with (see picture here). How janky would it be if I put the speakers under the chairs??? Super janky? yeah. That's what I thought, too.

Awesome chrome Sciolari chandelier for $395 here. Do it.

Excellent black leather and chrome Design Within Reach sectional for $1750 here. If that's your style, the price is fantastic. Haggle.

Three Philippe Starck knock offs of Gio Ponti's famous Superleggera chair. Chrome and black wicker. These are so badass! $125 here.

Super cheap chrome and glass side table. $25 here.

In short, it seems that I am developing a chrome fixation. But know that I am holding back some goodies for my very own self because I am selfish like that.

Oh I also have some breaking news:

Alexis the couch slut and and her lovechild are now for sale. I'm not gonna lie -- I'm asking for a buttload of money. Like Ebay money. I feel crappy about this, but how else am I going to finance my living room redo??? So, if you are Mrs or Mr Moneybags and you want this set, let me know. I can't wait to get rid of it.

Toodles, buds. Back later with more updates.

Thanks again for all your help!!!

Help! Should I Keep My New Old Ebay Rug?!

So my Ebay rug came. When I unrolled it, I started to get the itchy eye... darker than I expected, condition not as evenly worn, and just generally less awesome than my fantasy porn projection of the real rug. Surprise surprise. My new rug has saggy boobs and stretch marks. But, maybe it's still good? Or maybe not? Karly votes a solid yes, Ben votes a solid no, and as always I cannot make any decisions about my own home (but I'm happy to tell you what to do with yours -- funny how that works). So, my tasteful friends, I ask you: should it stay or should it go? I have two days to decide whether to send it back so your comments are desperately needed.

Sorry about the AWFUL pictures -- it's pitch dark in here right now and the long exposures are throwing off the color and lighting. Anyway, there it is. I'll probably get a new end table, but for now everything else stays (although I want to burn that chair... maybe I will send it over to the in laws' new house?).

Another view with even more terrible lighting. So, the rug -- too dark? Too burgundy? Just right?

A reminder of what things did look like -- with much better lighting, a closer angle and some different furniture.

I'm at the point where I'm shopping for couches, rugs, pillows and end tables. In other words, I'm overwhelmed and I have too much stuff. I just need to decide about the rug because I don't have enough money to buy all that other stuff.

Help me pleez!