Over-Propped with Pillows

The next time you look at a pretty picture showing a sofa (or bench or loveseat or chair) with a lovely grouping of pillows, ask yourself, "Where would you sit?"   What I am finding is that most of these sofas have so many pillows on them that the message seems to be don't sit here at all.

It looks pretty in the photo.  But it's not real life.  The only reason I can think of to put that many pillows on a sofa is if you truly didn't want anyone to sit on it.  Maybe to try to keep the kids or dogs off...  That wouldn't work at my house.  The dogs know how to push the pillows off.

The funny thing is, many of these pretty photos are not from magazines.  They are from the homes of bloggers.  We all seem to be showing off our homes.  Don't get me wrong, I love reading blogs.  I spend way too much time looking at home photos on Pinterest.  But lately, I've been taking a closer look at these beautiful spaces and NOT liking what they say about us.

We are OVER-PROPPING our homes.  That's my new favorite term.  I came across it here in a New York Times article.  Another great term they use in this article was design porn.  I've heard that one before, but had forgotten it.    Mr. Andersen likened the flood of online design porn to that of actual porn in its potential to influence behavior: “People see pictures of stylishness and say, ‘Oh, I’m going to try that.’ ”

Back to pillows.  Pillows are just one way many of us are over-propping.   I am just as guilty as the next person.  I can give many examples of over-propping right in my own home.  I can even point to examples using pillows.  I plan to start taking a look at that.  Starting with pillows.   

Think about over-propping as you look at these photos.  And, for the record, I LOVE these photos.  They are beautiful.  They are saved on my Pinterest page.  But, when I think about actually being in these rooms, I know the pillows would end up on the floor.

This room wouldn't be nearly as pretty and colorful without those pillows, but really... Where would you sit?  I couldn't get comfortable without major pillow re-arranging.  

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Perhaps this one is a display in a shop selling pillows?

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Are you kidding me?  Those two front pillows might as well have an embroidered sign saying, "Don't Sit Here!"

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This one breaks my heart, because I really LOVE it.  But truly, only a cat could get comfortable with all those pillows.

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Here's another room I love.  And if you took away the pillows, the room wouldn't look nearly as pretty.  Can't we figure out a better way to get color in the room without all those pillows?

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I'm thinking for most sofas, two pillows is all that's needed.

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And if you think you need more color, add a throw...

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- or a quilt.

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Tacky Blue Chair Gets a Makeover

Yahoo!  Another finished project!  Back in June, I bought a very homely ladderback armchair at a yard sale for $5.  I shouldn't have paid even that much, but I felt compelled to rescue this little sweetie. I'm sure some people could have made her even more glorious, but still, I'm pleased with the end result.  This was a thrifty re-do in terms of money spent.  It did, however, require a bit of time - more than should be spent on a piece that ultimately won't have a very high price tag.  Let's just say it was a labor of love.

It's hard to show just how sad she was when I bought her.  The webbing was gross, the foam cushion worse, and the ugly upholstery fabric that was stapled down with all the staples showing was hideous!

 I cleaned her up, got her painted.  She looks so much better in this off white color, but I was just a little too heavy handed with the sanding.  I apologize for that. Then, I began the foufing up phase.  Spell check is clearly not up on decorator technical terms.  It doesn't understand that fouf (or foof? or phouf?) is a word. 

First up - new webbing.  I tried my staple gun. It didn't do well at all.  Then I used tack nails til I ran out. Then, my wonderful hubby, who is the Mac Daddy of Tools, introduced me to his little friend - the air compressor staple gun.  Oooohhhhhh!  I'm in love.  It would have been so much better if I'd only used that for the webbing.  Oh well.  Next time. I forgot to take a photo of the webbing after I finished, but it looked very nice!!!  That was my first experience with webbing.  Even though it was ridiculously easy, I am ridiculously proud of myself.

And then, the crowning glory - the slipcover.  I seldom redo anything in a way that is not washable.  Since our house is raining cats and dogs, slipcovers are the best thing for maintaining at least a moderate level of cleanliness. 

I didn't get all hung up on perfectionism.  I chanted Nester's philosophy that it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful. A non-sewer would be highly impressed with my work.  A professional seamstress would turn up her nose. But I must say, it's not to shabby - even the underside looks nice. The fabric was from a really nice curtain panel I had picked up at a yard sale.  I loved the fabric and knew that one day I'd be able to make use of it.  By the way, the fabric doesn't match anything at all in my house, but why get hung up on inconsequential details like that.

I love the tie details at each corner and the ruffle adds such a sweet touch.   Before making these ruffles, I had been entertaining the thought of making a drop cloth ruffle bedskirt for the king sized bed in the master bedroom like the one I featured on this post.  Hmmm.   I don't know if I'm up to facing that challenge just now.

I added a few accessories.  The chair begs for a pillow.  This little chenille pillow is the best I could do with what I have on hand.  It clearly isn't a great choice on this chair so don't judge my decorating skills by it!  I'm picturing a wonderful little needlepoint pillow.  I'm heading out later today for an auction.  Who knows.  Maybe a lovely little pillow (or needlepoint picture I can turn into a pillow) is waiting on me there!  

The books are my effort to keep this chair from becoming a fancy cat bed.  So far, it's working.  I'm not taking any bets about the ribbon staying in place.  Our little darling kitty, Sissy, really knows how to entertain herself with ribbons and bows!

The chair is now the sweetest little thing.  It really belongs in a little girl's room, but I just can't give it up yet.  It is replacing another chair in my room that is in need of a redo.  I'll make do with this little chair til something a little more adult looking comes along.  Meanwhile, I'm going to enjoy it for a while. This is a wonderful job perk of being a booth renter at an antique mall!!!

 

Be sure to check out the latest RE- Party!

We RE-do, RE-decorate, RE-organize, RE-pair,  RE-upholster,
RE-member, RE-finish, RE-purpose, and of course, we love to RE-lax!   

This party celebrates ALL the RE-'s in our lives!  

I'm linking this post with  -

• Saturday Nite Special at Funky Junk Interiors 
• Weekend Wrap Up Party at Tatertots and Jello  
• Saturday Soiree at A Little Lovely
• Show and Tell Saturday at Be Different Act Normal 
• Check Me Out Saturdays at I Am Only One Woman 
• Power of Paint at Mural Makers and More 
• Boring to Better at Savvy Southern Style 
  

REpurposing - A Sweatshirt Becomes a Pillow

Years ago, in the midst of my life as a teacher, I acquired quite a collection of holiday sweatshirts.  What can I say? It was elementary school. Elementary school teachers lose their minds early on and then begin dressing strangely.  Surely, you've noticed.

At one point, I tried to get crafty with my sweatshirts and made a few that, for whatever reason, I hung onto.  I no longer wear them.  I have no desire to wear them.  I don't foresee ever changing my mind on that, so why have I hung onto them?  I had them packed up with my holiday stuff, and instead of looking at them and then packing them back up, I decided to turn a few of them into Christmas pillows.

Here's the result of my first sweatshirt RE-Purpose:

I pulled out an old pillow, a few bits of fabric to consider incorporating and the sweatshirt.

 The appliqued Santa was still in good shape after many washings, but a little1980's country-ish, which, by the way, is about when he was probably created.

I cut out a rectangle from the sweatshirt and zig-zagged it onto canvas painter's drop cloth fabric.  The canvas had been washed and prepared for use ages ago.

I decided to use green and cream toile left over from a previous project for the piping.

For the back of the fabric I used leftover bits of the sweatshirt.  I made it so that it overlapped in back, like a bed pillow sham. I cut the sweatshirt fabric in such a way that the stretchy bottom of the sweatshirt (I know there's a name for that and I can't think of it right now) was on the overlap edges.  That turned out pretty nice - no hemming, plus the stretchy bit keeps everything in place well.  DO take note of the bits of fur on the green sweatshirt.  I had sewing assistance from some of my four legged friends.

For now, it's on a family room chair, but I am thinking about moving it to the porch.  

If I were starting a Christmas pillow from scratch today, I'd no doubt make something very different.  This one is not really my style, but I feel pretty good about giving my old sweatshirt a new life. I do love RE-purposing!  I am also enjoying looking at my handiwork from years ago.  

Headboard Bench Gets a Makeover

Months ago, I bought a bench at a yardsale.  It was obviously made from a headboard.  The lady who sold it to me said it was an incomplete project that she got tired of looking at.  She just wanted it gone.  I was happy to help her out. 

Thanks to her unfinished project, 

I now have a wonderful bench in my coat room, 

but it was a long time coming.

It sat at our house waiting for attention for ages.  I began to wonder if one day, I too, would just want it gone.  It was already partially painted.  It was as if someone had been putting on the first coat and was interrupted and then never got back to it.  Or maybe they were going to do some sort of two toned finish.  I don't know.

I got started on it last week.  Knowing I would be distressing it, I didn't even prime it.  I wish I had read Barb Blair's great article (Design Sponge) on subtle crackle finish last week.  I would have used a bit of crackle here and there.  I also would have made my first coat of paint something other than black.

I bought some one inch thick foam and put four pieces of it together to form a cushion.  I would have preferred to have one nice four inch thick piece, but Hobby Lobby didn't have it and I didn't have the patience to wait.  As the Nester says, "It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful."  I find myself using that quote often these days.  It's a wonderful phrase to help you feel better about not being a perfectionist.  


I made "underwear" for the cushion - a cover for the foam to go under the real slipcover.  I made it from a painter's dropcloth.  I love dropcloth slipcovers for the real slipcover, but in this case, I had something else in mind. I haven't had time to make the real slipcover, so this project isn't officially finished.  I plan to pipe the real slipcover and make it look a little bit snazzy.  

With Thanksgiving cooking to do, I didn't have time to finish.  The bench cushion would have to settle for underwear for a few days.  But then, all my furry friends came to investigate. Ugh oh. I decided to give it a temporary cover out of a fabric similar in color to the one I'll be making. I just wrapped a few yards of fabric around the cushion and tucked it here and there.  Why bother?  Because, I swear, if I didn't , one of the kitties would barf on the dropcloth cover and it was incredibly hard to pull over the foam.  I hope not to have to wash the "bench underwear" very often. So... better safe than sorry.

I had fun playing with pillows. I don't think I have the right look yet. All of these pillows came from yard sales, and I love them, but I believe I need some a little smaller.  I recently found some pillows at a yard sale that would have been great on this bench.  I put them in my booth and they sold.  Dang!  (or , if you speak French, ^%$#@!)  


Once I finish the real slipcover, I'll feature it in another post.  Meanwhile, I'm happy with it.
 

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Be sure to check out the latest RE- Party!

We RE-do, RE-decorate, RE-organize, RE-pair,  RE-upholster, 
RE-furbish, RE-finish, RE-purpose,  and of course, we love to RE-lax! 

This party celebrates the RE-'s in our lives! 

Take a look at these other wonderful link parties for more clever ideas.  

I'm linking this post with them!

• Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays at Coastal Charm
• Themed Linkups - Headboards - at Funky Junk Interiors
• Make It Yours Day at My Backyard Eden
• Show and Tell at Blue Cricket Designs
• Look What I Made at Creations by Kara
• Power of Paint at Domestically Speaking 
• Show Us What You're Workin' With at Me and My Bucket
• We're Organized Wednesday at Organize and Decorate Everything
• Piece of Work Wednesday at Primitive and Proper 
• Creative Share Wednesday at Trendy Treehouse