Ahem...

ok, this is going to be difficult...

1st because I'm a super-bad photographer,

2nd because it's very very difficult to speak about one's own home,

unless it's perfect...

& this one is not.

but, as promised, I'm sharing with you, my dearest, closest friends,

photos of our living room as it is today.

(oh yes, changes are coming).

view from entry, across gallery hallway into the living room

the brackets on the floor represent a DIY plexiglass dog barrier our houseman made many years ago.

we no longer have puppies, this is un-needed, however, there is a man in the house

who wants them there.

Bono, my Maltese, is watching everything.

the entire house is floored in these white tiles, except for the bedroom areas.

I cannot change this because it's about 4500 SF of tile floor.

so you see, very high ceilings, walls of glass...

a very open and beautiful room.

below, a view with fireplace in center,  to the left are 2 blue chairs

below, fireplace with a view to the right,

the antique piano I bought for my daughter when she was 11 years old,

ottoman in apricot/salmon color in front of coffee table

view across top of piano into living room 

showing the flame stitch sofa which sits behind the stone console table you see from the entry.

also 1 of the French chairs in apricot/salmon,

there is another exactly like this on the other side of the sofa

closer up you can see the fabric a bit better,

believe it or not this furniture was purchased about 1985 and has not

been recovered since then.  there is not 1 thing wrong with the fabrics, they are in

perfect condition, so let's say we got our money's worth out of all this.

remember, there is another chair to the left of the sofa, same chair, same fabric.

the room is really beautiful and no expense was spared when it was originally

completed, but in today's world it just looks a bit dated.  

the combination of colors being the main problem for me.

close-up of the border on the area rug

sofa fabric

walk-in wet bar immediately adjacent to entry and across gallery hallway from living room,

it's very functional & becomes the center of all entertaining...of course.

as you look to the right down the gallery hallway,

this big chest is sitting against the far wall of the breakfast room

breakfast room table, chairs, beautiful painting

dining room, which is also down gallery hallway, just before the breakfast room,

not a good photograph,

high coffered ceilings with cove lighting and recessed cans throughout the room

I'm only working on the living room for now.

the next project will be redoing the master bedroom.

OK, where to begin explaining.

1st the blue striped chairs are super comfortable so I would like to move

them into the bedroom, and out of the living room (where I think they look like

chairs in a beach house).

note:  the gentleman's mother helped him choose the decor in 1985.

anyway, we have 2 additional French chairs almost identical to the apricot/salmon

ones which would be recovered in this AMAZING fabric in a beige lizard-like print with

a certain sheen.  the piano gets turned a different direction and moved back about

2 feet which will allow me to place the new chairs opposite the apricot/salmon ones.

the ottoman is getting a drape cover in the same fabric as the chairs, with huge

tassels on each end, this will hang to the floor, covering the apricot color.

then 18" square down pillows in almost the same color as the tan/beige on

the sofa (the silk fabric just arrived) with braided cording the same color as the tassels,

 will be popped in on the apricot chairs & on the sofa, hoping

to make the room cohesive and more pulled together looking.

so the orange chairs stay, but get big pillows all done up in the same color

as the new chairs.

sofa stays, but gets the same pillows

ottoman stays, but gets the to-the-floor drape in the same fabric I use on the

2 new chairs.

the wood on all 4 chairs will be slightly changed so that it matches

more closely to the side tables, where the tables are more pewter,

the chairs have tended to the yellow tone.

I want so badly to have the border removed from the rug!

add candles to the amazing sconces on each side of the gilt mirror over fireplace

& beautiful tall plants & remove 2 of the little Chinese chests.

I think it is so much harder to do just a little to an existing room rather 

than begin with a totally empty room where one is choosing every 

element.

any thoughts or suggestions?

seriously, if I posted this right here in public it means I would love

to hear what you think now that you've seen the room.

&, you see, the master has to be next 'cause those blue striped chairs

are going in there and nothing will match them.

baby steps...