Wednesday, February 20, 2013

New Home: Furniture shopping

When we were planning to move, we knew eventually we would need to get some furniture but since it is the two of us, we don't do much entertaining and we have a limited budget we decided to just live in the home for a while to get a feel of what we want.

First, this is what we have. For the bedroom, we have a bed and dresser drawers. We have nothing for the living room because what we had in the living room is now in the entertainment room which is only a Pampasan chair. I also have a recliner but it is so big and can't fit through the entertainment room door where we spend most of the time in.  Also, it has a big stain from my daughter leaving a hair chi on leaving burns. Right now it is sitting in the living room all alone with unpacked boxes. I had wanted to give it away but Hubby said we may still use it. It is so heavy its crazy. We have two bar stools Hubby acquired from his first marriage that were packed away when we were in the apartment because there was no where to put them. We are using them at our kitchen bar but the kitchen bar is really not meant to eat at. We eat mostly at a card table with four chairs in the dining area. We have a few shelves, an entertainment center I've had for years, two desks and two office chairs. Also, I took a black ottoman stool my child had that she didn't know what she was going to do with.

So what we need for the dining room is a small dining table with chairs. As we have been browsing, I feel we have a few options. We can replace the two bar stools and card table with chairs with a small dining table and chairs.  Or we can keep the stools and buy a table that fits the height of the stools but the dilemma is there are only 2 stools, I would like four and I highly doubt we'll find two more exactly like the ones we have.

For the bedroom, we would like a new queen or king sized bed and some bedside tables. We would like a shelf headboard and then it could eliminate the bedside tables.

For the entertainment room, eventually we would like to get a new entertainment center to replace what we have. The one we have was a wedding gift to my ex from my parents. That entertainment center traveled many miles with me through the years. We also would like theater seats with recliners. My thought is we would put the Papasan chair  in the living room with whatever additional furniture we purchase.

The living room is the least important and I don't want that much in it. As a matter of fact I don't want that much furniture and 'stuff" I want to keep the wide open spaces and not be cramped like we were in the apartment. We need only enough for when we have company to sit. I have considered putting a slip cover on the recliner but as someone mentioned it may be hard to get one that really fits it.  Hubby's mother offered us a love seat and I think it would match the recliner but we're still deciding.

And I need something for my reading nook I want to have in our library/office. It is a very small area between a book shelf and the door.  I measured the area and it was 32" by the windows.  At first I wanted a cool chaise lounge chair. But as I saw how small the area is and what we have in the room I don't think it is going to fit. 

As we shopped I found a round chair which I thought was so cool.  Some actually swivel. I figured I could use the ottoman with it as I do need to elevate my feet if I am sitting for a long time. We also saw these chairs with ottoman. My brother-in-law has one and they are so comftie. I have entertained putting the Papasan chair in my nook but I have a hard time getting in and out of it as it tilts. I've fallen with it on top of me too many times.

While shopping and looking online we realizedt there is so much to choose from. Hubby's style is Rooms To GO for the most part. He says everything matches so we don't have to worry about buying one piece having to match another.  He knows how I want everything to match. I sorta agree with him but nothing has caught our eye.

I don't know if it is me but the prices on some are outrageous. We have no clue what brand is better than the other. We want to pay as less as we have to but we want quality. We need to do some research.

So that is where we are as far as furniture is concerned. Right now I am sitting on a office chair with my feet propped up until we buy more furniture. When Hubby is here, he shares his Papasan with me when we watch TV. Or he'll hold it if I wanna get in it and he doesn't want to sit there for the moment.

We take a day every weekend and pick one or two furniture stores to browse. After that we're about done.  But it is exciting and interesting. We have similar tastes thank goodness!

If anyone has any ideas etc I am opened for suggestions. I do plan on taking pictures because some of you have requested.  I just want the areas in a more organized way before I do.

As always, I appreciate all of you reading and following my blog. I love comments too. (Hint Hint LOL!)


Friday, February 8, 2013

We Are Finally In our Home

Seven months later we are finally IN OUR HOME.  We're not settled yet but that willl take a while because as usual  the salesman didn't keep his promises so we've had to clean the manufacturer's mess. It was ironic that there was a certificate stating that the home was clean by so and so from the manufacturer taped to our counter.

But I don't want this post to be negative. Although there are issues they will need to take care of when we submit the "punchlist' in a few months, I am enjoying our home.

We haven't emptied all the boxes or removed the dust etc yet. Hubby is working a lot and I'm doing what I can one room at a time. But it amazes us that we had so much stuff in that little bitty apartment.

I love the wide opened spaces. We are not cramped.

I love my walk in pantry and the abundance of cabinet space in my kitchen. We actually have cabinets not being used yet. I joked with Hubby that I need to go shopping to fill the cabinets.

I love the quietness. When we are inside, we hear cars pass as there is a highway but we get used to that. There are no kids screaming on top of their lungs. There is no one above us stomping and running.

I didn't think I would like the many big windows. However, during the day we don't have to put the lights on because the sun is our light. Just totally awesome.

The other day, I had locked myself out of the house so had to wait 3 hours for hubby to come home. As I waited outside I heard the sweet sound of a cow mooing. Yea, now that is country!

It is nice to look out the window and able to see the blue sky during the day and the moon and stars at night. In our apartment these were obscured by trees.

As I was sitting here one day in what I call "MyHubby's Mancave" which is actually the entertainment room,  I saw something move in my peripheral vision. I looked and there were flocks of blackbirds. Not one. Not two. Flocks. They covered our yard as well as our neighbor's yard. Here is a picture of only a fraction of them. It was so cool. It reminded me why I love the country.


We still have a lot of unpacking and decorating etc to do but it is so nice to just be in a place that is ours.  

We are now home!