Oh, Dearest Mother, Sweetest Virgin of Altagracia, our Patroness. You are our Advocate and to you we recommend our needs. You are our Teacher and like disciples we come to learn from the example of your holy life. You are our Mother, and like children, we come to offer you all of the love of our hearts. Receive, dearest Mother, our offerings and listen attentively to our supplications. Amen.



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Subject Topic: Elegant Simplicity in the Living Area Post ReplyPost New Topic
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Cay Gibson
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Posted: July 15 2006 at 10:37am | IP Logged Quote Cay Gibson
As inspired by Donna Marie's Elegant Simplicity post let's discuss what "simple" things we can do in our living areas to make them "elegant".

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Kim F
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Posted: July 15 2006 at 6:08pm | IP Logged Quote Kim F
Ok I'll bite. For one thing, I must say while I LOVE the look of rooms you see in Real Simple mag and others like it, I do think there is a tendency towards looking sterile and impersonal. Much as I crave order and cleanliness it cannot come at the price of beauty and artful personality. I don't want it to look like a hotel. For me that means there will be art and unusual old things. <g>

I hate to dust and we have a lot of little hands knocking things over. My solution is to invest mainly in the walls for the elegant part. That would include framed art as well as black and white photos, old maps, iron scrollwork, dried flowers, old signs, and statues displayed on shelves or small pedestal type thingies. Window coverings are thoughtfully created as well and can be anything from lace to swags hanging from wrought iron or ornate plaster or interesting old branches.

The simple part comes in a few functional seating pieces and easy to clean flooring. I like fitted slipcovers and usually have pieces that can be re-slipped and cleaned without hassle. I would rather do with less seating and coordinating floor pillows than a crowded space. I would add some nice baskets to collect do-dads like magazines or whatnot that are transient so they don't take over. In my perfect world I would ban off white carpeting. <g>

If I had to do it all over again and realized how many more bks we would own than anything else I would have just gotten a boatload of bookcases or shelving to line a wall in the living room and skipped the entertainment center. They are more "entertaining" anyway. ; )

Simple means you can easily clean UNDER your stuff too I think. Some of our shelves and couches have had little nooks just large enough for crud to hide in but too large for a broom or vac attachment. THAT is not simple or elegant.

Kim


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~Rachel~
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Posted: July 18 2006 at 9:42am | IP Logged Quote ~Rachel~
Kim F wrote:

If I had to do it all over again and realized how many more bks we would own than anything else I would have just gotten a boatload of bookcases or shelving to line a wall in the living room and skipped the entertainment center. They are more "entertaining" anyway.


I have always wanted a book lined room. one day I am hoping Dh will get me another bookcase so I can put these extra books somewhere!

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ALmom
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Posted: July 18 2006 at 2:26pm | IP Logged Quote ALmom
Book lined rooms become very dusty.   Maybe it is just our area - but dust is horrible. We drown in dust, and I couldn't keep up with it even dusting daily, so I really just gave up.

I'm wondering now if shelves with doors would cut down on dust, besides giving a classy appearance. Of course, I'm not sure if it would work in our house with active boys since the glass might be broken before we hardly had the shelves in and I do want the books visible to entice us.

I really, really loved Anne's picture of her altar on the entertainment center. It had doors to hide the TV. I loved it! It was so beautiful and yet perfect for reminding us that what we watch, etc. should be pleasing to God and that God was the center of our family life. I'm saving up or looking for something like that for our family room.

Janet
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