You’ve seen the salon wall with the gold table underneath. Several of you said I must get rid of that table, that it just wasn’t big enough. But, you know what? I like it a lot and think it fits that wall just perfectly.
I can’t have anything really wide in this walk-way, there’s just not enough room. And this piece is just enough for me. It’s a yardsale find from a couple years ago, I think I paid $20 for it and it has a sticker under it from Illuminations (whatever that is) for $175.00, so I did get a great deal. I love the shape of it and like how it anchors the wall of pictures. So, sorry I’m not moving it!
In reality, it looks great on the wall and that’s what counts to me. So, I got out some left over paint. When we moved in here, the former owners had painted the master bedroom teal and when I came in, I changed all the colors around here and that one was a must to change. It really was very dark in the master bedroom and besides, teal wasn’t what I was going for in there. But, there was a whole left over gallon of paint in the garage, so I tested it out to see how it would work for my furniture makeover. I couldn’t quite remember what shade it was. 
And guess what?? It’s perfect! I didn’t want a whole room in this, but it’s perfect for some furniture painting.
Several of you asked the color, so here you go. It was mixed at Lowes and the color is Green Water. Looks like the label is from Valspar paints, but it was mixed in Olympic. It’s an eggshell finish. How lucky for me that this leftover gallon of paint that’s been sitting in our garage for 4 years was the PERFECT color for furniture refresh! 
This is what that little table looks like now. I sanded it back and the gold peeks out from underneath, just what I wanted, with even a little darker red coming through too. Perfectly distressed. 
Moved it back in place under my salon wall. And you know what was perfect on top? Those yardsale books that I scored for 25 cents each! 
I love the little grouping on that table and love how the table pops with its new aqua/teal paint. I’m going to have to paint out those wall plates under the table to match the wall. They are old cable hookups. 
Cute, cute, now the table serves a purpose and further anchors the salon wall and gives that pop of color over there. 
You’ll notice I moved the books around after I took this pic. I meant to put the gold Bible book in the middle to divide them up visually. Those fleur de lis book ends were a yardsale find from long ago, so I was happy to drag them back out for use. The bunny vase I picked up here in Birmingham and it is by Peter’s Pottery, out of Mississippi. And of course, that aqua color really comes alive now with this grouping. 
I was so happy to find a spot for those recent books I found and I love it all together!
That bunny vase is one of my favorite pieces, not a yardsale find, although I did get it on sale. This table is a beautiful spot to me now with the books and special pottery piece.
So, these are some of the changes I had in mind for the living room. I added in an aqua throw, also from a yardsale to this chair and I’m loving the mix of golds and aquas. This pair of pillows was a giveaway win last year from my friend, Kelee, at the Katillac Shack. What a great prize that was and they match my living room perfectly. Thank you, Kelee! I will have to be sure she takes a peek at them in my living room. 
These leather chairs have been with me for a few years. Some of you girls in Georgia may remember Furniture Craftsmen, a great old established furniture store that was around for about 50 years in Marietta/Kennesaw. It went out of business a few years ago (sadly) and I scored these chairs and the multi-fabric chair in here at their sale. I still love all 3 of them.
The oil painting (also scored at a yardsale last year for $25) moved over the mantel. I already had the frame and just switched it out to the new painting.
You can see the new jute rug and how simple, but elegant it is. I am really enjoying the more serene feel to the room, without the pattern of the floral needlepoint rug and the big tapestry. It just feels really calm now. All I’ve purchased new (besides the 2 lamps earlier this year) is a new jute rug and 3 pillows. The rest of the additions are all yardsale finds.
$25 for an original oil like this is a real steal, as you know. And do you remember the iron sconces up there that I found last year at a Mountain Brook yardsale for $20 for the pair? When I look around and see all the great stuff I’ve scored thrifting, it just keeps the excitement going. How could I NOT shop like this??
Here’s the vase I just picked up and I think this might be a new collection in the making. I love these old pottery pieces and this color is one of my faves.
Know what these are? Old telephone pole insulators (thanks Kim, for the correct word). They are glass and many of them came in this pretty aqua color. I’ve found a couple of them before and found these 3 last weekend, all for $3, a great deal. They may not stay here, but I’ll be working on the mantel with some other ideas, this is just a start. 
The tapestry has come down from this wall and until I find the perfect thing, it will remain empty. I had thought about getting a mirror. I’ll probably look for some sort of old architectural piece for this wall. Something BIG! The pretty aqua piece of pottery that I got from the pottery studio sits here on the coffee table. I’m loving this color in here.
I picked up these 3 pillows at TJ Maxx and love the colors too. This long aqua pillow with birds is a nice little accent in here. 
You can see in the pics how the aqua just draws your eye around the room. It’s been easy to add this color in with my existing things. 
And really ironic that I found this pretty little aqua and gold Italian box last year yardsaling too. Now it fits right in with my new color addition.
Looking into the kitchen.
Remember that old rickety plantstand I found a few weeks ago? It got a coat of the aqua paint too and that color really livens up this corner. I found that bamboo chair a year or so ago for $5 and that pillow also came from a yardsale, I think for $1. This is my whole yardsale corner here. The tree planter even came from a yardsale. I have officially gotten rid of all my fake trees and since I love palms so much, I bought 2 real ones for the living room. Hope they do well, but they were only $10 each from Walmart, so that’s cheap enough to change out occasionally. This one has already lost a few fronds, so I’m hoping it will survive. Any tips on indoor palms from any of you plant lovers?
I love real plants and have always had some in my house. I’ll do another post too about real plants. 
The palm in the far right corner is also real. I get enough light that these should do pretty well in here (fingers crossed). 
Real plants do add so much to a room. 
And I hear they are good for the air. And yes, in case you spied it, that is a real piece of cotton off a cotton plant there in that vase. We do indeed grow cotton here in Alabama. 
My beautiful clay pears have moved to the top of the antique mirror, coming upstairs from the foyer and I think they fit nicely up here.
Just for fun, here’s a BEFORE of the living room before the de-formalizing began:
Doesn’t it feel lighter and airier already? It’s gone through a lot of changes just since I’ve been blogging and getting rid of the fake plants (those were already gone before the above BEFORE pic) in here helped a bunch to lighten it up. See, I’m growing as a decorator too, along with all of you!
So, that’s my tweaking in the living room for now. I really don’t have much more that I’ll do in here, besides looking for something fabulous for that wall where the tapestry was. I’m really, really enjoying the more casual feel in the room now.
Hope you got some ideas for yourself! And as always, thanks for stopping by. I love that you do! Homes are ever changing, aren’t they?
Do you have a room you’d like to tweak?
Tell me about it.
And I like to tell you about a fun happening at my friend Sandy’s, at Reluctant Entertainer, her new linky party, called “Home is”. Every Wednesday she is sharing a new topic and this week is wearing aprons, so if you’d like to join in the fun and link up, go on over and visit Sandy.
I love that instead of what others thought you should do or shouldn’t do, you did what YOU wanted to do!! I think it looks GREAT! I can’t believe how the left-over paint in your garage worked so well. You are so resourceful and I really admire that!
You’re so creative and I’m sure thankful you share your ideas with us 🙂
OOPS…forgot to leave my blog address in my last post…sorry!
Love the table redo Rhoda! Great color! Illuminations was an awesome candle store that went out of business I think abt two years ago maybe less. The cool thing about it was that the only light in the store was their candles! Not sure how much insurance cost for them but none he less it was a really cool store. I use to order their pomegranate candles and they were super yummy!
Hi Rho!
The wall and room looks great. I really like the new color/finish on the table and what the books and greens did for the whole wall.
It adds a soft depth to it and looks so good with the red/warm/gold tones. The pillow does work!!!!!!! GREATTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!
love ya!
kelee
Good morning Rhoda –
Love your room! Where are you using your aqua shutters?
They would go beautifully in here mayby behind the sofa,
with 2-3 graduated black shelves (as in Ballard) between them.
Another great white dish area perhaps???
I received the “piece” – whew – love it to pieces.
Thanks so much.
Patti
hey Rhoda!
Love the table in it’s new pretty color…. just totally livens up your whole wall, and the bunny vase is too wonderful there….. lovely colors all around, the yellow sunny backdrop, and the contrasts of complementary colors…..of your chairs, and the added greenish blues seen in the soft throw, and other accessories…. the oil over the mantel is so restful… love that… and the summery rug balances it all coolly…. looks wonderful… A-plus girl!
Good morning Rhoda,
Good for you to sticking with what you like and the table looks great that color. I see you have your pottery piece on the table and that just makes such a nice addition.
WOW! Rhoda the precious table is perfect! I just love the new blue color and the way you arranged it. You have the designer touch sweet friend. The entire wall is really eye catching and interesting to see.
Many blessings to you. ~Melissa 🙂
What a pretty color, the table looks great !
Hi Rhoda,
It’s amazing what a few little, but thoughtful changes can make to a room. Thank you again for the inspiration! (I must find me a jute rug!)
Also, I have a demilune type table much like yours (also in a walkway) that was, coincidentally, gold as well. Recently I painted it black since a b/w photo arrangement hangs on the wall above. On my table top are old books, too (all in blues), but I used beach bottles in wicker holders (maybe you’ve seen them around) for bookends. Also, I have two small-scale buffet lamps, which do much to highlight the artwork and flank the table. Like yours, the underneath area of my table had outlets to hide so I put a thrifted beach bag/purse filled with decorating magazines, but any basket would look wonderful and maybe a couple of pillows inside could cover your cable holes. -Not that I’m here to make suggestions to YOU! – I just couldn’t believe the similarities between our vignettes. As well, I have a thrifted wooden ladder back w/ rush chair set to one side of the table (for a break up of too much symmetry) that I painted AQUA! Yum! (I’ve been collecting aqua mccoy pottery for about 10 years now, and it is displayed in an adjacent built-in niche.) I stacked a few books on the chair and hung a beach hat (new with tags from thrift store!) on the corner post of the chair. Just like your home, it says, Relax here awhile…
Perhaps, I’ll email you a picture…
Happy Thrifting, Girl! Can’t wait to hear about your next treasure hunt!
Cheers,
Angie
Lovely room, as always, Rhoda! I love that little table and the new color you painted it! Tables like that are such a great size to fit in where you need a little something.
Really pretty changes, Rhoda. I love the new art over the mantel. I need to get out there and thrift some new art for myself. The aqua is a great addition in this space and, for the record, I think your little demilune is perfect under your salon wall. It’s just big enough to visually support the weight of those frames in the center. Anything larger would add too much bulk. Love its new paint job too!
Loooovvvvveee the color of the table! I’m getting ready to paint an old chest I bought in 1964 that has been residing in our garage for over 10 years holding my garden junk. Your table is the perfect color and I think that’s what I’ll use. If it turns out looking purdy it’s going in my dining room. Love your treasure-trove wall.
Rhoda,
your room is looking so beautiful!! It’s amazing what a few changes can do. I am trying to add more real plants in my home too. I just don’t have much of a green thumb. Hope you are doing well! 🙂
Rhoda, I really love the table. You did a fantastic job accessorizing it. When I saw the “before” shot, with the gold table and without the accessories, I thought the gallery wall looked a little “top heavy” above it. But now that you have tweaked it, it looks really good. I was going to suggest that you put something tall and skinny on one side of the table (the left side) to add balance – I was thinking a tall vase of twigs or a skinny topiary, something like Ballard Designs Santos figures, maybe. It’s hard to tell how much walkway you have in front of the table. The accessories added visual weight to the table and helped balance the gallery items above it. I wish I had your expertise with painting furniture and other items!
Love what you’re doing! You have me rethinking several decorating approaches lately. Been shopping local flea markets for oil paintings.
When I get ready to redo my living room, I’ll be contacting you for an online consult for sure! I bought an old frame this past weekend that appears very similar to the one on your salon wall. Stole it for $4.00.
The table was pretty before but NOW it is absolutely stunning in that wonderful yummy color!!!! I can’t believe you even had a can of paint that color just waiting for a project!!!!!!
~Des
What a transformation ! The rooms looks very tranquil and serene, and can’t wait to see what you put up on that wall.
I loved the way the table turned out, love the color and the gold peaking out. BEAUTIFUL.
Hey Rhoda,
I like your table there and wouldn’t change anything about it. If you ever decide to move it, a bench would look lovely there too. A great place to take off your shoes at the end of the day, but honestly I LOVE that table right where it is. I like the paint color too…a nice little pop of color right as you come in the door. 🙂 Lovely.
I stopped in to 1. read your blog and 2. invite you over to my very first giveaway. I’m SO excited! I have a choice of three items for the person that wins….kinda like shopping for your own prize. 🙂 hee hee hee Just thought you might like to take a gander. Feel free to spread the word…I like to share! 🙂
Have a VERY blessed day
Melissa
Hi…
Looking good! Everything looks like a designer has touched it 😉
Lindsay
A Design Story