plum tree place: The Living Room List

I still have a list of things to accomplish before I can declare the living room completed.

Here it is.

1. Complete a faux fireplace, or maybe even make an opening for an electric insert. I'd like to integrate some type of stone or brick but I don't have any on hand and am trying to use what I've got. I want a hearth that extends past the cabinets.

I really like these-

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And then above the fireplace mantle I want to stack these boards I used in my coat rack project. I found them in my shed and hope there is enough to go all the way to the ceiling. (which means taking out the ironstone pitcher shelf)

2. Find a way to connect the upper shelves to the lower cabinets so that it looks more united.

(Yes, we are watching Tom & Jerry)

I have some boards in the garage that I could use to do this. I would like to use the jig saw to cut a design in them instead of coming straight down. Kind of like a corbel.

Like this-

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This will mimic what I want to do in the kitchen (someday).

3. I want to organize the display of things on the shelves and make it look more pretty and purposeful.

Like this-

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I definitely need art. I've been on the lookout but haven't found what I wanted, or if I did it was too expensive for my teeny tiny budget.

4. I need a new piece of furniture for this corner.

I keep trying to find my diamond in the rough but without much luck. I found THE PERFECT piece at a cute little local shop but, alas, the price is too steep for my measly budget.

It looked like this, but even cuter.

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So this leaves me to keep trying thrift stores. I've even been desperate enough to look to online retail places. I found a cute one on target.com but without the loads of charm an old piece brings.

But for $120 it is tempting. That is half the price of my much desired piece. I don't want to settle. So I will keep looking.

5. This fan has got to go. I've seen some pretty good replacements at our local Restore. I'm still not sure if I want a white fan or stained wood. I like the idea of a white fan blending in with the ceiling. I'm also not sure if I want just a fan or a fan with a light. We do sometimes use this light when we are needing some extra in the room.

I would just like something that doesn't scream so loudly, "I'm from the 70's!!!".

6. I need to finish the baseboards and put down quarter round. I would say half the room has baseboards and the other half doesn't. None of it has quarter round. The baseboards that are done are not complete. They haven't had nail holes filled, been caulked nor painted.

Those were boring pictures. Sorry. This is boring stuff but necessary for a room to look complete.

7. I need some sort of art or shelf to fill this space. It is what I will see every time I come down the stairs in the morning. So it needs to be uplifting and happy. Still pondering this one.

8. Paint touch-ups around the windows. This was something disastrous that occurred while we were in the midst of major renovations. I don't even want to relive the memory. But I do need to deal with the consequences. (I also need to remove paint from my hardware!)