Old Out, New In!

Hey everyone!  We are getting ready to have a big family gathering here this afternoon with relatives we haven't seen in quite some time.  There are also some little people we've never met, so it's going to be fun and exciting.  I've been super busy this past week doing what we all do when we are about to have company -- go a bit crazy cleaning, cooking, tweaking -- well, y'all know, right?  

Believe me when I say that not everything we've done has been due to company coming.  A few weeks ago, The Man and I determined that our leather recliner sofa in our family room had outlived its comfort, and we had both grown weary of adding pillow after pillow to try to keep from getting a backache.  So, off we went in search of two separate chairs with either ottomans or recliners as long as they met all the back-issue problems.  Well, I must have given at least twenty-five chairs the "butt-test," and we finally found what we both liked.  Just in case you cannot remember how the old leather sofa recliner looked, here is one last peek:

Yep, seriously ugly!  Even though the room is quite spacious, the behemoth size of this sofa was over-powering; so when comfort came into play, it was out the door!

Ta-Da!  These two lovelies have made themselves right at home.  The photos really do not capture the true rich color, which is a deep rust, and the fabric is like an uncut chenille -- so comfy!  They are electrically powered recliners that you can have in any position you want, from just a slight lift for your legs and feet to a full-out "put me to sleep in an instant" totally reclined position!

This is so.....not the true color.  Anyway, I didn't like the pillows that came with the chairs, so I made a quick trip to JoAnn's and found exactly what I wanted and it was on sale -- yay!

I've been adding little touches of turquoise throughout this part of our home, so I was thrilled when I found this fleur de lis fabric in the perfect rust-color with a touch of turquoise and this great  coordinating tiny check.  I haven't had any new furniture in quite some time, so I'm probably going a bit overboard with the arms and headrest covers, but we want these chairs to last a good, long time! 

Of course y'all know about the snowball-effect, right?  I had been wanting to replace the lamps in this room for a couple of years and now was the time to do that, too.  As luck would have it, Kirkland's was having a big lamp sale, and I was able to pick up two of these lovelies on the cheap.  I was so excited when I saw these lamps had kind of washed turquoise base, and I'm really lovin' the rectangular shades.

These lamps are a much better scale for the room and these side tables.

Of course, I had to make new pillow covers for the loveseat as well!

Now that the room was sporting some spiffy new chairs, I thought I would do a bit of tweaking in the rest of the room.  I made the burlap "Spring" banner last year, but added to it this go-around.

More of the beautiful turquoise that I am "crushing" over this year!

I found a free download of these seed packets online, added some washi tape to some tiny clothespins I already had, took the flowers off a floral bush that I got on sale at Michael's, and transformed my rather blah banner into one much more worthy of Spring!

These seed packet prints will be cute on some cards I want to make, too!

I simply added some of the pretty turquoise ribbon to my candles.

By the next time you see this corner, it will be changed again!

The Man is working on a plan for a cabinet in this section, but I keep "tweaking" away for now.

Because of some rearranging I did in our dining room, I decided this large charger would look 

better in this room -- love the rich, rust color with the new chairs.

The view from the kitchen, through the breakfast room and into the family room is much more open now with the new smaller scale furniture.  It's a very warm and inviting space.

I'll be very excited to share some pics from our party; well, maybe only "pre-party" since I usually get too busy and forget to take any photos!  The relatives who are coming are one of The Man's sisters and BIL, as well as their adult sons and their wives and children.  Our son and DIL and their four kidlets will be here, too.  The sister and bil drove down from Seattle and brought us some family treasures (from The Man's relatives).  I am so anxious to share those, and will probably do that this week.  I know y'all are going to love them -- it involves china, silver and time-pieces, and that's all I'm sayin'!

So happy that you stopped by, and please know the "Welcome" mat is always out!

I love to party here:
Karen at Sew Many Ways for Sew Darn Crafty

Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday

Dawn at Creative Cain Cabin for Budget Decorating Party
Kathryn at The Dedicated House for Make It Pretty Mondays
Maria Elena at Our Home Away from Home for Tuesdays at Our Home

Marty at A Stroll Thru Life  for Table Top Tuesdays

Leslie at House on the Way for Twirl & Take a Bow

Mary Beth at Cupcakes and Crinoline for Project Inspired

Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays

Karin at The Style Sisters for Centerpiece Wednesday

Richella at Imparting Grace for Grace at Home

Pamela at From My Front Porch to Yours for Treasure Hunt Thursday

Jody & Stan at Rooted in Thyme for Simple and Sweet Fridays 

Amanda at Serenity Now for Weekend Bloggy Reading

The Tablescaper at The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays