Forget Spring Cleaning ...

My husband and I have fallen in love with home stores -- Pottery Barn, West Elm, Restoration Hardware, Crate and Barrow, and of COURSE Ikea. (Don't tell him I said that, he'll deny it until he dies.) It doesn't really help that most of these stores are within 2 miles of our home ... le sigh. Since we have so many things around the house that need updating and so many other things that we just LIKE, we needed to start creating a list. Sooo, here it is. The List. (Or more accurately The [Evolving] List.)

1. First off, lamps. We need new lamps all over the house, especially since there is almost no overhead lighting. This will be a big purchase for two reasons: one, they're expensive and two, they're hard to find. Pretty lamps, within a reasonable budget, that a couple can agree almost don't exist.

2. Slipcovers. This is the next big step--mostly because I will probably have to pull out my sewing "skillz" in order to get what I want (for the price I want). I'll probably model them after these loose slipcovers from Pottery Barn. After I have our couches renovated, I can start with the littler (and cheaper!) details, like pillows! I have two crocheted squares that I can transform into pillow covers, but then I'd also like to add some edgier details like these pillows from Z gallerie or Pottery Barn. (DONE!)

3. Hooks (for keys and otherwise). Currently, we have three rather hideous nails in our entryway used to hang up our keys. Another summer project will be to create a pretty key hook. Real Simple gave me an excellent idea using an old picture frame! There is also NOTHING to hang pot holders/rags/etc. in our kitchen. I found this idea from Design Sponge! How adorable would are those? (DONE!)

4. TV Stand or a new China Cabinet. Currently, our poor (old) TV sits on an (older) microwave stand. We have two options: Buy a china cabinet to house our china and use the current hutch for it's proper use -- a TV stand. ORR, we could just buy a TV cupboard. **UPDATE: This has been somewhat accomplished?  We threw away the microwave stand, if that counts. 

5. Another project is to update our linens. All of them -- kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, dining room, etc. Lucky for me Kate, my mother-in-law, works at JC Penney's and get great deals on a lot of those. I highly recommend the Pure Perfection Towels from Penney's. They are made from clouds -- so soft and fluffy! (DONE!)

6. Dining Room Chairs. I'm thankful that we didn't have to pay for our table, and while it's not gorgeous, it is big. Besides, we have these wonderful things called table cloths. What we need is different chairs. I don't care if they match, I just want them to be cheap.

7. I'd also like to transform my porch into a welcoming and beautiful place. Right now, it is ridiculously utilitarian with NO greens. I'd like to put out a few brightly colored pots (like these ones from Anthropologie and Crate and Barrel) filled with plants that are very easy to maintain. My goal is to also have a small herb garden. (DONE!)


I have a long and empty summer ahead of me, so maybe I will be able to start transforming my home soon! I'm not sure if I'm more excited about the small detail like these adorable measuring cups or tackling the BIG projects. Either way, it's going to be a long, slow process that's never actually done!