Shopping the House

Things have been moving slowly around here. Aleena was sick all last week and didn't go to school. So I was more focused on taking care of her than trying to accomplish much in the living room.  I did make some progress though!

In the front corner under the windows is where our toy box has taken up residence. It was one my Mom picked up at Home Goods and it has served us well. However- it's gotten to be too small (We have an insane amount of stuff animals.) and it totally doesn't match (color-wise), or even work, with the direction we are going in the living room.

It is nice that is sits in the corner and doesn't stick out. It's also nice that the kids can use it as a window seat but when you still have toys all over the floor and it's already full then it's time to change it up. My only solution was to shop the house aka using what we already have. You already know that I love texture. I really wanted a wicker trunk but couldn't afford one. Then I remembered (serious brain fart) that we already own a wicker trunk AND it was already being used as a toy box... in Aleena's room. So I went to check it out. All the toys in her room were in it and it was still half empty. Total no-brainer to switch them! The bench even sort of matches Aleena's room (for now) since her room is painted teal. So our toy corner now...

 It does stick out past the fireplace a little bit but not too much.
 

You can't even tell that it got a little bit injured when we moved up from NC (the movers really did a number on quite a bit of our furniture that move.)

I am really happy with this decision- as is the Hubs who had to help me move it. That sucker is HEAVY! This was purchased from Pier 1 ages and ages ago (almost 10 years??) and was about $100 then. It has moved many times and I am so glad we kept it!

The other thing that gets a surprising amount of use in this corner is our blanket basket.

It's a vintage wicker laundry basket that doesn't quite hold all of the blankets. Granted we have a lot of blankets and I could probably get rid of a few but the kids like to snuggle up with them and we build a lot of forts. The kids are always trying to climb in it and I am afraid they are going to destroy it. I have been pondering this dilemma for a while. Home Goods had some really cool striped baskets (maybe they still do?)

source

I thought they would be perfect but were totally out of my price range. So again I went to the best free source I know- things we already own.

How about an olive bucket? I totally love the feel it gives in this corner!

 

 

 I have plans to make a liner for it so I won't be putting the blankets in it until then. Pottery Barn sells these right now for $135. Which means they are on sale because they were originally $169. I got mine almost a year ago from here. It was only $50 plus $5 shipping. They have them today 2/20 and I think they still have a few left if you go check it out. They sell one item a day and they have a limited amount- especially when it's a found item like this. Since I already owned it for this make-over it's going to count as free.  Nothing better than that!

One more thing I want to share with you... remember my wicker lamp shade?

It's one of the very few things I have bought recently without consulting the hubs first. (oops) But we were sitting in the living room the other day and he looked at me funny and said, "Is that lampshade new? I really like it." Score! I really try to get his input on things before I buy them, since we both have to live with them so knowing he likes it (although probably not even close to as much I do) is great news.

Anyone else shopping their house these days?