2013: Before & After

Well, another Christmas has come and gone.  I still have a mess of gift bags and boxes to put away… can you believe the year is almost over?  It’s almost 2014, which means its time to look back at our accomplishments this past year and start planning next year’s projects!  Here is my goals list for 2013, as I outlined in last year’s summary post:

• Make curtains for den windows
• Make new curtains for the living room to match the new couches!
• Rebuild deck…
• Clear out “the last frontier” for sunny vegetable garden. 
• Finish exterior spruce-up with black shutters, black storm door, and freshly painted white trim
• Resow grass in back yard (again)
• Resow grass in the front yard
• Repaint/replace garden swing in English Garden
• Reupholster Antique Chair for Office
• Mount new TV on wall and rearrange gallery frames
• Refinish dining table and side table in living room
• Install overhead lights in the closets upstairs

Considering that I only completed six of my projected goals, it seems I was very lazy last year.  But I managed to accomplish some things that weren’t even on the list—spontaneous projects that sprang from my mind without too much forward planning!  Here’s a look at the notable projects of 2013…

Last January we revealed our new reupholstered couches in the living room, along with a new TV and gallery wall arrangement.

Unfortunately, even though it was on the list last year, I never got around to making new draperies.  Probably because I found my dream fabric and it was $30/yard.  Aaack!  So I am still trying to work that into the budget or possibly find a cheaper fabric.  It’s going back on the list. :)

And in April, we marked off another project from the list—the unsightly garden swing in the English garden.  I originally intended to repaint it and rebuild the frame, but in the end we decided to tear it down in favor of a more open view.

We also reseeded the backyard in the fall of 2012, and the front yard in the fall of 2013.  The backyard reveal was last Spring and hopefully we’ll have lovely green grass to share from the front yard next Spring.  :)

We also cleared out a bunch of smaller trees from the area around the English garden as well as some larger trees from the lower woods, as you can see from those pictures.  It’s a bit more open now.  That is an ongoing project until we can get some heavy equipment down there to do some grading.

Over the summer I broke out my paintbrush in the guest bath and in the kitchen.  The bathroom went a lovely deep teal color:

  

And the following month, the kitchen underwent a major transformation with newly painted cabinets!  One of my best projects! :)

I never did get a rug for that room, but I did make a new valance for the window. :)  I have really enjoyed my new white cabinets, and they looked especially great for holiday decorating!  I have some more plans for this space, too, so stay tuned! :)

In October, I marked off another task from my to-do list by painting all our exterior shutters black.  We also removed the rock path from the front yard and reseeded the whole area.  I’ll tell you all about that in the Spring! :)

I know, I still need to repaint the sidelight trim and the storm door black.  It’s going on the list. :)

2013 was a fairly productive year, but we can always aim higher in 2014, so here’s a look at our future goals:

• Make new curtains for the living room to match the new couches (maybe this year!) 
• Rebuild deck… (probably not happening this year either!)
• Clear out “the last frontier” for sunny vegetable garden?
• Finish exterior spruce-up with black storm door, and freshly painted white trim
• Refinish or replace dining table and refinish side table in living room
• Refinish secondhand dining table for kitchen (already in the works!)
• Repaint dining room with satin paint (the flat paint is so grungy)
• Edge parking area at top of yard (we started replacing the gravel this year, so hopefully will get that finished up in 2014

Rest assured, my project-planning brain will come up with tons of awesome projects to add to the list as the year goes on.  Stay tuned for all of the upcoming projects at the Horvath House! :)

Happy New Year!

A Rustic Brown, Green, Silver and Gold Christmas Mantel!

It’s only 4 days until Christmas!!  So I am back to share my Christmas mantel in the den.  This year I continued my silver and gold theme as I have done in the past, but I added a couple of things just to change it up a bit.

For starters, I took down the artwork over the mantel and put up my pinecone wreath (from Target) in the center.  Then I hung up my glistening pine bough underneath the mantel.  I layered it with more pine sprigs, gold feathery leaves, brown pinecones and glitter pinecones, plus a string of lights!  The top got an assortment of candles in crystal, pewter and glass holders and my glass trees, plus a few more sprigs of greenery and some pinecones.  My NOEL letters were center front, again. :)  Silver and gold snowflakes completed the display hanging from the pine garland.

On the hearth I displayed my new PB look alike lanterns that I got for Halloween (from Amazon).  They are adorned with some glittery sprigs and pine sprays. 

Inside the fireplace I decided to stack cut wood like I saw in Country Living magazine.  It’s a nice rustic touch that eliminates the ugly view of the inside of the firebox.  My Papa came and we cut down a couple of little trees and hauled them out of the woods and up to the house.  By the end, I was regretting my plan!  :)  But I think it turned out nicely, even if it was really hard work! :)

On the coffee table I gathered a bowl of ornaments and pinecones with a trio of candles. 

And the couch is sporting the green snowflake pillow that I made a couple years ago. 

The blue dresser also got a nod to the season with a couple of white feather trees and a gold grapevine Moravian star.  I am planning to add some glitter to this little jewel, soon! :)

Last but not least our stockings were hung on either end of the mantel…  Santa, we are ready for you! :)

Merry Christmas Everyone! :)

…la la la la!

I’m back!  Last time I shared our Christmas decor in the living room and foyer.  Today, let’s venture into the dining room and kitchen! :)

The red and gold theme continues on the dining table with my red and gold swirl placemats and runner. 

The centerpiece is layered with greenery, glittered holly leaves, berries and sparkling ornaments.  Red tapers and gold votives light the spread.

My Lenox Holiday china is paired with red chargers and red napkins. 

More greenery and pinecones are encircling the chandelier and gold snowflakes hang beneath.

And over on the mirror is my iced wreath.  I love it against the silvery mirror!

In the corner is a lovely red poinsettia in a silver pot.  I had glittered the flowers, but it looks like Bandit knocked most of it off. :)

The opposite corner is sporting another potted poinsettia.  My Christmas cat plates are hanging above.

I also brought out the silver tiered server (and even polished it!) and filled it with ornaments in sparkling red and green.

And of course next to the flatware cabinet is the doorway to the living room which is adorned with my evergreen corner swag.  I saw this idea on Pinterest and decided to replicate it in here for my dinner guests to enjoy. :)

Basically I wired two pieces of tree clippings into an L-shape, then I added red glitter branches, ornaments and a bow with floral wire.  Then I just hung it up on a nail and reinforced it with some pushpins.  :) 

Now onto the kitchen!  My new white cabinets are so easy to decorate.  They go with everything, even red and green!  :)

The colored ornaments are in the window along with my DIY yarn ball wreath from last year.  I still love it!  Colorful lights are strung above and red and green kitchen accents are sprinkled on the countertops.

My mini hot chocolate station is on hand with cocoa mix, mugs, spoons and candy canes!  The tray is lined with wrapping paper for a quick seasonal update!

Peppermint candles are glowing on the stove…

and the little Christmas cats and bear join the ribbon candy tree on the kitchen shelf.

My kitchen table is set with my Pier 1 peppermint stripe plates and the cupcake candles.

For the centerpiece I created a Christmas “snowglobe” with my new mercury glass cloche that I got back at Halloween.  It’s from World Market.  Inside is a little gingerbread house and a couple of bottle brush trees.  The “snow” is actually sea salt! :)

This is my favorite thing this year! It’s so cute!

That hot chocolate station looks so inviting, I think I’ll go grab a mug and some whipped cream!  Be back soon for the final stop on the tour—the Christmas mantel!  Stay tuned!

Fa la la la la…

Let’s get on with this Christmas tour, shall we? Last time I showed you our outdoor lights display which is packed with more than 2000 lights!  :)  Now let’s go inside and check out the rest!

Riley is waiting at the top of the stairs to greet you! :)

The lower railing is decked with pine bough and a scattering of lights and ornaments on both sides!  So you get a lovely view whether you are going up or going down. :)

The upper railing is also decked in a similar fashion, with red bows on the ends. 

The couches are sporting plaid throws and snowflake pillows and our pinecone garlands are back on the windows.

My lighted present is on the trunk side table, and I even managed to incorporate my new old cola crate into the Christmas decor by layering it on top of the trunk.

And on the opposite end table, Santa is joined by my antique tool box stuffed with greenery and berries.

More berries are scattered on the media cabinet, plus poinsettias, pinecones and snowy fir branches.  Ahh!  I love this view!

Over my little reindeer family on the side cabinet is hanging a grapevine wreath.  The pinecone trees are in their regular spot, below. :)

And of course, the tree is lit in the corner and wrapped with red ribbon.

 

A pile of colorful presents are pouring out from beneath. :)  Yay Christmas! 

The only new ornament this year is this tiny fuzzy white bird from Pier 1.  Oh, and the silver one next to it (there are four of those!).  As if I could buy just one new ornament! :)

My favorite view of the tree is from the dining room:

The swag over the door frames the view and complements the tree so nicely.  I love it!  I’ll be back to share the dining room, kitchen and our Christmas mantel!  So, come on back soon!  In the meantime, you can enjoy this lovely scene:

or this one, courtesy of Google:

Only 7 days until Christmas! :) :)