back from a break and some changes

i'm {apprehensively} back.  i loved that internet break!  i was surprised how much i didn't miss it, and surprised at how much time i was wasting.  i started reading BOOKS again.  and good timing, because i read this one, which kept me inspired. 

i've settled slowly back in, reducing the blogs i read by half (uh, because i think i was reading about 40) and not going on pinterest every day.  i think spending so much time on the internet was causing me to think for myself less and crossed the line from inspiration into loss of originality.

anyways, enough blabbing.  something else happened which i will tell more about soon, but the living room redecorating has to stop early.  so, i'm posting what got done so far, and since there are gaping holes on the wall and no curtains like i wanted, i'm posting before and afters so that the afters look more impressive!  (please keep in mind that several months or years lapsed between these pictures, so this is an evolution and not an overnight change).

before...

after!

and a closer look at after!

we were stuck on what to hang between the windows, and i have always wanted to display this beautiful frank lloyd wright scarf i got at a vintage shop in montreal.  the books and plant started to make it look too snooty, so i added a vintage hulk lunch box.  off to the right are a stack of vintage suitcases with art and craft supplies.

before...

after!

after we painted, we wanted to rearrange furniture, but had some limitations to work with.  finally i decided to think outside the box and put the couch off-center in front of the "mantle," rather than the more traditional display above.  the painting is of new york city, painted by my great-grandmother and the coffee table base is from a textile factory in fall river, ma, and dates from the early 1900's.

before (from a different angle)...

after! (from the opposite angle)

i didn't have a good before picture, but this actually ended up being one of my favorite parts of the new room.  it's like a quirky mini library, with more of my great-grandmother's paintings.

and while i was looking through before pictures i was struck by a couple contrasts of my kitchen (which has turned into a 3-part room).

before...

after!

 little busy, huh?  the kitchen had NO counters so we had to improvise, and now it is also an "office" and a "reading nook" (see below).  oh and a bike.  and typically, a drying rack full of clothes.

before-ish...

after!

after!  (the "reading nook")

i look at these and want to add more patterns!  that's going to be it for now though.  i wish the pictures were better.  no design*sponge sneak peak, but i like it.  this internet break made me re-think the whole blog thing, and i'll probably post slower again, but if you're thinking about an internet break, i highly recommend it!