So how has the romancing your home been going?
Are you rekindling any flames or heading for divorce court?
😉
I am shaking things up and am rediscovering some of what I first loved about our house
and the style I imagined it would be.
And something I have noticed…
I have been falling in love with quiet beauty over and over.
Not that don’t always love quiet beauty… I do.
But something has changed and I am feeling much more drawn to it.
Maybe it is that I am looking for more simplicity in design and my surroundings.
From crisp backdrops to pretty colors to that whole ‘less is more’ thing.
Or maybe it is that I have found my heart pulling me more in one direction design wise than another.
To be honest, it is definitely one of those things I struggle with sometimes.
I started bold and beautiful in some rooms and loved it… for years…
but have found that I am craving quiet simple beauty more.
I have always been a mix of French Country and shabby cottage style-
hence my blog French Country Cottage.
And I definitely do lean in both ways in the house.
Our living room is very for a lack of a better word- white.
White slipcovered sofas, a rustic worn and weathered bench and pretty touches of gilding.
In the bedroom- it has been more bold and beautiful with dark woods and a pop of pattern and color on the settee and curtains.
But what do you do when your style heartstrings start pulling you in a new direction?
Do you toss out the old and bring in the new and start completely fresh?
Get rid of those sofas? Or start fresh in that stale feeling guest bedroom
toss the vintage furniture or bring in more vintage furniture?
Maybe…
or maybe you can get away with tweaking things a bit.
I have found that one thing that has worked for me is bringing in
a single new piece of something.
Be it a piece of furniture.
A new old treasure.
Or something like a rug to add a new flavor to your room.
First up- can we talk about this sweet little 4 lb girl who follows me everywhere
gives kisses for days and loves to go on walks?
I will be sharing all about her and how she came to join our family soon.
I have been in search of a soft, faded, floral rug for quite awhile now.
And you know- I have found a ton of them- but for one reason or another they were not ‘just right’.
Either too bold in color. Too expensive. Too worn. Too small. Too big. You name it.
But on a recent trip-
I lucked out and found one that was perfect in the local classified ads.
I lucked out and found one that was perfect in the local classified ads.
I am one of those people who checks craigslist and the local listings when traveling
and then finds things that I have no idea how I am going to get home.
And so I start googling local UPS stores and rationalizing the good price that is now the not so great price with shipping added.
And so then you do something crazy like loading up a carry on suitcase with a collection of
vintage green books found on the Worlds Longest Yard Sale trip with GMC.
They were only $5- for ALL of them…
We won’t talk about the price the physical therapy for my shoulder.
😉
But hey- you just never know what you might find if you look, right?
And when I saw this rug, at first glance- I knew it was a keeper.
A soft faded cream, barely blushing floral
and with just a touch of blue ribbon perfection.
and with just a touch of blue ribbon perfection.
It had a classic aubusson pattern- flower baskets and bouquets
and it was in near perfect used condition.
And the price was one that could not be beat-
at merely a fraction of what they normally would sell for.
But even better-
I knew it was a perfect thing to spark and refuel that romantic feeling with my home
and avoid divorce papers being served.
My love affair with floral prints and fabrics is not new by far.
I have pillows, duvets
and even those vintage ticking stripe curtains
and even those vintage ticking stripe curtains
and I seem to keep feeding the passion…
like that new bedding I shared a peek of recently.
like that new bedding I shared a peek of recently.
And so this rug definitely fits right in
AND it might be going into that newly refreshed room that I am making over currently.
But before the big reveal and vow renewals-
are there any in the know all about rug readers out there?
I want to get this rug sanitized/cleaned before bringing it inside and enjoying it.
Does anyone know the correct way to clean a wool needlepoint rug by chance?
Since the only photo I was able to get of the overall is not loading while I am traveling
I apologize- the sneak peeks will have to do for now.
I apologize- the sneak peeks will have to do for now.
I can hardly wait to share the room reveal in a few weeks.
And there might be one big thing that has changed
and that changed the entire look.
I am on the road again
and on the way to Florida for a fun and inspiring trip
Follow along on instagram to see what I am up to
and I may even do a periscope or 2.
Happy Wednesday everyone!!
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I, for one, love your rug and applaud your purchase!
The beautiful rug is so you! And yes, the little ones like to shadow their people. Have fun in Florida, Kathleen in Az
Your little puppy is just so precious! I cannot wait to hear about her arrival story!
There are cleaners that do area rugs as well as sell them. I used Atiyeh's in Portland, OR, but you could search for your area. Ok, don't laugh, because it's a thought. A designer once recommended that if we had a concrete slanted driveway that we scrubbed first (it would have to be a driveway in good shape), and if we have a few really sunny days (for drying) ~ lay out the rug on the driveway, hose down, with bucket of water with a little dish detergent, scrub with clean push broom or a big brush, rinse with hose, then use Downy diluted in water bucket and apply, rinse clean, allow to dry. I don't know if I'd be brave enough to do this with your pretty and delicate looking rug, but I might with some other that I would buy used and maybe not so large. The designer said it's like hand-washing a giant wool sweater!!
That rug is amazingly beautiful! So worth whatever contrivances you had to go through to get it home, IMO!
Call your oriental rug sellers in your area – most reputable ones have cleaning available as well. That's what I do with all my fine wool vintage rugs.
Looks great, can't wait to see the reveal – soft feminine and romantic is always in style! : – )
Highly recommend Talisman Oriental Rug Cleaning in Santa Cruz.
Next trip try shopping Greyhound bus. Way less than UPS store. I have shipped items from NOLA and Florida home to me in California. My bus Depot is in Claremont. Go on line and you'll see where your local one is at. Then when out picking, you can stop at any one where your at. Most it has taken to arrive is 3 days.
Using this method is can buy more 😉
Pretty. Adibs Persian Rug Company in Walnut Creek. I use to live in California, and several of my rugs came from there, and he also cleaned one of the ones I bought from him, because a pet accident occurred on it. They have been in business for years. In years past, I have even seen ads in AD for them. It may be worth the drive. xoxo Su
I always use a reputable persian carpet dealer. They always do it all by hand. Now share with me where i can find your perfect new bedding. LOVE IT!!! PLEASE???
I always use a reputable persian rug dealer and they always clean by hand with great care. Now PLEASE share where to find that beautiful new bedding. PLEASE!?!?
Your rug is gorgeous! I can't wait to see the rest of your updates!! Funny, you're coming to Florida and we'll be heading out on Sunday — there are lots of places to shop for gently used treasures 🙂 Your precious girl is adorable!
I have a similar aubusson rug I bought a few years back for my living room (which, by the way, can be best described as "white" also) and I absolutely love it! Gorgeous!!!
I have a similar aubusson rug I bought a few years back for my living room (which, by the way, can also be desscribed as "white"). Gorgeous!
Such a beautiful rug, Courtney!!! Worth the trouble and shipping! Great idea to check local Craigslist when you are traveling…..score!
Hugs, Catherine
http://ornatesplendor.blogspot.com/2016/03/spring-visit-from-ducks.html
Wow! What a find. I have never thought to search Craigslist while I was traveling, but now I will.
🙂
http://gwingal.blogspot.com/
That rug is gorgeous, Courtney. So you! And your tiny companion is adorable. Looking forward to hearing her story.
I met you at the DBC Atlanta. I live in Sarasota Florida, where are you headed??
Hi Janet! To Orlando and driving to Merritt Island with GMC to tour the HGTV Dream Home.
I have mine professionally cleaned. My Aubusson rug is similar to yours in color and design and manufacturing. I was happy with the result.
We have a big 9' x 12' wool rug my hubby brought back tucked into his berth on ship coming home from the Gulf War (1991), and because I absolutely had to clean it, I used our regular carpet cleaner. It came out fine! I made sure to really pick up the leftover soap and rinsed it several times, then blew fans over it (one on opposite diagonal corners, facing the middle of the carpet, then moved them around as areas got dry).
My sister-in-law used to buy thriftstore carpets and would clean hers this way, so that's where I got the idea.
Hope that helps,
Barb 🙂
There's nothing like the perfect rug! It makes the base for an amazing room. When you walk into the room it's finishes the experience! Fabulous find Courtney!
Blessings, Edie Marie
Your new rug looks absolutely charming in your home! It’s amazing how a simple addition like a rug can completely transform a space. Thanks for sharing a glimpse into your beautiful home decor journey!