She Makes Coverings for Her Bed (and Walls and Windows . . .)

I have had a fun couple of days looking at the blogs on Nester's Mister Linky for mistreatment posts. I don't think I'm even halfway through with the list! If you don't know Nester or her definition of mistreatments, check out her blog.

My earlier post on homemaking got me thinking: is putting so much thought into decorating your home frivolous? Isn't there something else that I should be doing (like cleaning?!), as busy at home as I am?

Is decorating something that the Proverbs 31 woman would do? Apparently, so. This section states that "a wife of noble character" makes coverings for her bed (and we can assume, her windows, and walls). Making a home comfortable is something that God wants us to do. Granted, a home consists much more of the atmosphere created by loving words and actions rather than that created by paint and fabric, but the physical atmosphere is important, too.

This weekend we finally moved over the rest of our furniture to our new house. Although our old house is not yet sold, we have had an offer to lease it for eighteen months. This arrangement should help to relieve some of the stress of attempting to keep up two homes and paying for them! We should sign the contract this weekend, and we would covet your prayers that all goes smoothly.

It has been an interesting nine months or so living without most of our furniture. I am so happy to have it back and to see the potential of this home and be able to truly make it our own.

You can see the before pictures of the empty living room and dining room here. Here are pics of the living room now, in progress.

Here is the far wall of the living room looking in from the foyer. Those needlepoint pillows, which were a gift from my sister, are two of my favorite things. I love blue-and-white china, and they are just perfect! The two pictures are actually French tapestries. The one on the left I brought back for my grandmother, and the one on the left is mine. They were framed and matted separately, so they're not exactly the same size, but I figure that one day I'll eventually get mine reframed to match my grandmother's. The lamp is one that my parents picked up at an estate sale; I need to get a longer lamp shade for it. It rests on a drum table that we were able to salvage when my paternal grandmother's house burned. As I write this post, it occurs to me that much of my furniture is "please and thank you."

Moving counter-clockwise in this room, is this wall. On either side of the sofa is a pocket door into the den. That lamp on the small chest is not staying; I don't think it even still works. It was just something to see how the chest works with accessories. That chest is just a little high for the sofa, but I think I'll still use it there. I haven't accessorized the coffee table yet but will probably add some books on tea and a tea cup and saucer. The portrait above the sofa is my wedding portrait; the small pictures on either side were large postcards of Florence, Italy that I had framed. They're a little too small to flank the portrait; I just added them on a whim. I'll probably eventually replace them with some blue-and-white china.

Continuing to move counter-clockwise in the room, you see this wall leading into the foyer. Above the painting is my favorite print, called "Charleston Rooftops." It's not the ubiquitous Charleston prints you see of Rainbow Row, but is still evocative of that city's charm and history. I need to find a pretty needlepoint pillow for the dark blue wingback chair and a print for that corner. Excuse the teal green carpet by the front door; that is the same carpet that we have upstairs and can't wait to replace (although it will probably be a while!).
Here is the last wall, the one that looks out into the front yard. I nestled my secretary between these two windows, but other than that, this wall is pretty bare. I think the windows are ripe for a mistreatment; some fabric would definitely cozy up this wall. Does anyone have any fabric suggestions? That tassel on the secretary is a luscious mix of rose, yellow, blue, peach, and light teal, and I would love to find some silk buffalo check fabric in those colors. Do you think buffalo checks would clash with the plaid sofa?

Here's another solicitation for advice: What color would you paint the walls in this room? They definitely need cozying up with the beige paint and beige carpeting!