FOCAL POINT STYLING: March 2016

Once again, the (new) year seems to be flying by! It feels like just yesterday I peeked out the windows to see winter grey, and today, the view is filled with blue skies, green buds, birds, bees, butterflies, and flowers! I truly love this time of year, and especially now living in a place where you can really see, feel, and appreciate the change of seasons. And with the change of seasons, comes a few in home changes over the past three months, including:

January - Winter Paint Projects (objects)

- Mirror Makeovers
- Trunk Revamp to Stripes
- Ebonized Dining Table
- Chandelier Update
- Emerald Buffet Makeover

I'd like to add ribbon trim to the shade, but in the meantime, the white candlesticks are painted antique gold.

February - Spring Cleaning Began

- Window Cleaning

- Window panel updates (DR, MBR, LR)

- Wall Decor updates - Created an Abstract Painting

- Changed air filters

- Kitchen & Bathrooms deep cleaning

- Closet purge = donations + consignment

- Closet organizing

- Home Office purge & cleaning

March - Pre-Spring Projects

- Outdoor wicker cleaned & painted

- Phase 1 outdoor living spaces - after winter clean-up

- Front Door Re-Painted (black gloss)

- Interior black door & white moldings (+fireplace) repainted
- Finished basement primed & painted

- Layering of Spring florals + greens (both faux and real)

- Guest Den Refresh - New daybed refinished

- Sheets & Towels renewed

- Brass & Silver polished

- Created New Spring Tablescapes

The satin black door was already fading - refreshed with two coats of (Glidden) high gloss.

The key to a crisp edge paint job is an angled brush.

The finished basement & bathroom were blah-builder-beige (since 2005!!) Easily updated with Behr Gentle Rain - same color we used in our Master Bed / Bath and Guest bathrooms - keeps house cohesive, updated neutral, and still light enough for a basically windowless space.

The metal Daybed I ordered was Oil Rubbed Brown - it wasn't available in black (but I really liked its style being vintage-like) - I built some sections, painted them, and I finished building bed inside, in the upstairs guest space.

HomeGoods gift cards came in handy to replenish guest towels, along with create a welcoming Spa Tray in the Guest Room.

The daybed is actually a trundle bed, but rather than build the low trundle, the space came in handy for guest luggage storage. The arm-less sofa bed is being consigned.

Fresh flowers last so much longer here in NC than they did in AZ - and houseplants have been a great means of fresh greens all year long...

Good 'ol toothpaste works like a charm to polish silver I've collected over time (mostly from thrifting!)

I'll post a few other tablescapes next - this was just a quick Spring - Easter brunch alfresco set outside on the deck - The table I refinished last year.The black wicker chairs I thrifted in AZ.

Hope you enjoyed a happy Easter weekend!

Along with these projects, all done within a small budget - reusing & refinishing existing items paired with a few new additions, we've also had guests over for a get-together in February, my family visited (just last week), taking in Spring around town, Jeff's family too will be coming this Summer - and we're going to have neighbors over for grilling season - plus also get the neighborhood together to have a Summer block party. Although I don't go out thrifting as much here as I did when I lived in Florida or Arizona, I've still managed to keep turning Harmon House into a home with a few shifts plus reselling items no longer in use via two local consignment shops.

My mom & aunt visiting for the week.

Chef Jeff preparing our good Friday fish meal...

Since I've taken a little break from blogging, most of my sharing has been with project updates via Facebook, Instagram, and Flickr (just quicker to still keep in touch). I need to share more details about some of the makeovers & paint projects here on the blog - but I really just needed a break from blogging. Of all the social media channels I share on (FB, TW, IG, G+, Houzz, Flickr, Pinterest), blogging by far takes the most time, has changed so much since Pinterest, and I was seeing the least return for the time invested. After spending so much time online, I started to get, RSI - Repetitive Strain Injury (hand, forearm, neck), and weight gain from not moving around as much as I used to. After being 115lbs. for most of my life, I shot up to 144lbs. Thankfully, now I've dropped down to 133, but being only 5'2", for me - that's still too high - not to mention, my blood pressure was some ridiculous sky-high numbers). I'm sure moving (to AZ and now to NC) has also placed on strain on motivation (major life change), but after now living back east for a little over a year, I'm starting to feel more settled & grounded again.

Sitting IS the new smoking - GET UP and move around.

With Spring in full swing and April just around the corner, I'm so looking forward to getting back to being and living outdoors - especially gardening (hubs is too!) and taking walks after dinner. There are also several flea, antique and the furniture markets coming up to get out and explore - plus I made a list of local parks to experience on the weekends. Regardless of my back not being quite the same as it used to be, and as fun as blogging was when I started (back in late '09) - I can't stand sitting still anymore.