Living Room Update

I decided a few weeks ago that I want to bring some beachy-ness to my living room.  It's currently decorated with tropical accents, which I love, but I want to brighten it up and go coastal. 

I started with the easy stuff like updating the pillows on the couch.  I went to Joann Fabrics and found some indoor/outdoor fabric for half off in a pretty turquoise with a subtle stripe pattern.  Then I found some fabric called Sportswear Twill, also half off, in an off white.  I measured my existing tropical pillows and got to work.  I made a total of 4 pillowcases, 2 in the turquoise fabric and 2 in the off white fabric with some accents and bling (rhinestones).  Oh, how I love bling!  ;) 

While browsing the Internet, I found some really pretty turquoise coral pillows, but all the ones I wanted were over $50!  So rather than spend that much on pillows, I made pillowcase covers to go over my existing pillows.  I Googled a coral outline that would not be too difficult to cut out, copied/pasted it into Paint, printed it, then cut it out.  I pinned it to a scrap piece of turquoise fabric and cut it out.  After I cut it out, I used Fray Check around the edges.  It needed a little something extra, so I added the rhinestones to some tips of the coral.  I then used Liquid Stitch to adhere it to one of the off white pillows I made.  I wanted to add a real starfish to the other pillow (something I saw in another blog), but Hubs said he didn't want to lay on a starfish.  After I explained to him that they were not to be used (blank stare), I went ahead and cut a starfish out of the off white fabric and added some bling to it as well.  I used Liquid Stitch to adhere it to my turquoise and off white pillow. 

Before:

After:

I really love the way they turned out. 

Next, Hubs and I worked on creating some wall art.  Back sometime this summer, while spending countless hours looking through blogs, I came across an awesome piece of artwork that Kari from The Sunset Lane created using pallet wood and paint.

We wanted to make 2 of them, with the seahorses facing each other, which would go on both sides of the mirror over the couch.

I spotted some pallet wood outside a warehouse a few weeks back, but after reading some warnings on them, I decided to pass and go for some cheap pine planks from Home Depot.  I bought 4 planks, 4x8 feet long each for a little over $16.  I had Hubs cut them down to 3 feet each, use the remaining pieces for the backing, and put them together for me.  I used black stain that I had left over from the porch furniture.  I only used 1 coat to give it a somewhat aged look.  I copied and cut out the seahorse image that was on Kari's blog, but it was too small so I basically traced an inch or so outside the pattern using chalk.  For the second one, I traced the seahorse from the first one with tissue paper, flipped it around and made it a tad bigger, one to symbolize Hubs and the other myself.  ;)  I used left over paint from the garage for the seahorses, which is a light turquoise.  Hubs added some hooks and wire to the back and up they went!

Here is what it looked like before with the tropical wall art. 

Here is what it looks like now.

If you look in the mirror, you will see the existing mantle.  I'll be working on updating that next.