~decorating a room doesn't happen overnight~

When we first bought this house back in 1998, our living room had natural tongue and groove cedar walls and ceilings. I embraced this by decorating with a lodge feel using leather couches, pine furniture, deer heads and fish.

Then around the year 2008 I decided to paint the walls to lighten it up.

This change had me wanting more white so we bought a slipcovered couch from Ikea and I was on the hunt for the perfect coffee table.

I made some picture frames out of vintage chippy wood and hung a boat oar on the wall under them.

This picture just made a big debut on HGTV.

You can see the story here.

It got a ton of nasty comments.

Honestly, it bothered me at first, but in the end, I realize my house isn't for everyone.

How boring would it be if every house were the same?

Present day……

Today there is a bit more color in the room with the raspberry red pillows. I found a great $5 coffee table {trunk} at a garage sale that suits us just fine.

I hung rows of black and white photos of Crystal Lake {where we live} from the past, framed in Ikea Ribba frames.

We upgraded our sofa and now have one from Pottery Barn.

The lamps are a bit more substantial. A score from Home Goods.

I am a sucker for layers and a bit of animal print, so the jute rug and zebra rug are perfect.

Long story short, it takes time to create a comfortable look that represents you and your family.

If you pulled a room together overnight it would look like Pottery Barn page 127.

Who wants that?

Shop for the perfect accessories, and don't buy anything unless you love it.

If all you can afford at the present time is an Ikea couch, by all means, go for it!

There is nothing wrong with Ikea!

We live in this room.

Yes my carpet is a hideous brown that I'd rip up in a heartbeat and install hardwoods if I could, but money doesn't grow on trees and with 2 dogs and kids, it's perfect for where we are right now in life.

And for everyone afraid to get a white sofa, I can only say that you are missing out! They are the worlds easiest to keep clean! I cannot tell you how many spills we have had on this sofa and you just whip the cover off and throw it in the wash. So easy!

Good luck decorating the room of your dreams!

xoxo