My Cozy Minimalist Family Room Makeover

March 12, 2021March 11, 2021 RefreshHer14 Comments

Myquillin Smith’s book, The Cozy Minimalist has helped me to transform yet another room in my house. You may remember my living room makeover that was completed at this time last year. You can find that post here. The transformation made such a difference and created a space we still love so much.

Soooo, I was very excited to move to our bonus room upstairs to give it some much needed minimalizing. What is crazy is that we called it the Family Room, but our family spent little time up there because it just wasn’t inviting. All the leftover pieces of furniture got put there and it just didn’t flow. I’ll prove it by this embarrassing Before photo…

It pains me to even look at this before photo!

First, I want to say that I prayed about how I wanted to use this room. and I also prayed the Lord would give me wisdom to purchase what was needed and stay in a budget that I had saved for. Use:

We wanted to have groups of people – our family, small group Bible study, folks we would counsel and also guests. We needed good seating, and a place for coffee cups or tea glasses.
I also wanted a place where my grandsons could play and join me for Bible Club.
My husband needed a spot that was good for rest and relaxation; a place to watch football
I wanted and a place where we could be together in the evenings

When I decided to redo the room, I used a beautiful horse painting we were given by the dear man who painted it to guide my colors and style! It’s quite large and I could never find a spot to hang it. Now it’s the centerpiece of the room. I painted the wall behind it a deep blue to accent the colors in the painting and make it “pop.”

One new piece I purchased was a love seat. I looked everywhere for one I loved and finally found one at Robert’s Furniture Store in Greeneville, TN. The sales rep there was so helpful! I couldn’t be happier with our Made in America purchase!

Here’s the first peek at the room…

Per the clear and precise guidance of The Cozy Minimalist, I emptied the room of everything except the big pieces to “quiet” the room. Then I could really focus on what I felt the room needed.

Our sofa was about 25 years old and I was ready for something I was in love with. I sent it to another home where it’s being put to good use because it’s still in perfect condition! Then I went to Facebook Marketplace and searched for a replacement. When I found a white slip covered sofa in perfect condition I knew that’s what I wanted. She was asking more than I felt I wanted to spend. I prayed about it and offered her less. She took it!

Part of the way through the redecorating

Again, following the advice in The Cozy Minimalist, I purchased my rug before choosing paint. These had all the perfect colors from the horse painting and is large enough to go under the sofa and chairs.

The leather Ottoman came from a store in Brevard, NC – MANtiques. I wanted the room to feel masculine and like a library kind of feel, and when I found the leather Ethan Allen ottoman, I knew it would be perfect in our room. I called the store with an offer lower than the price tag. She came down a little, but it still didn’t fit in my budget. I told her I would pray about it and get back to her. The Lord gave me a price to offer. I called back and she said, “I’m happy to give it to you for that!” “Thank you, Lord!” It has storage under the lid, so it’s a great place to hold our games!

We did some furniture swapping in our house and had two chairs that worked perfectly for more seating. Shopping your own house is great and free!! The only other thing I purchased is the large round mirror over the sofa. It came from Hobby Lobby and was purchased at 50% off! I love that it reflects the painting, the blue wall and the good light from the wide window.

I’m still contemplating my curtains. I’m thinking about going with a blue.

The television armoire was built for us by my father-in-law many years ago. I love having the television tucked away from view.

I’ll end with a before and after. Simply click in the middle of the next picture to slide the picture over to reveal the whole before and after photos!

Click in the middle of the picture and slide it over to see the Before and After!

The planning, purchasing and work of the transformation took six months, but it was worth it! We have spent so much more time up there already!

Is there a room in your house you don’t use because it isn’t inviting? I urge you to consider using Myquillen Smith’s techniques. I’m clearly not a minimalist, but her step-by-step guide is so helpful in making decisions in every step of the process. You can’t even imagine how easy it makes decorating! Don’t forget to pray about each decision and let the Lord make the room a blessing for you to use for His glory!

I hope you’ll refresh a room in your house!

Perk Up An Afternoon With Winter Tea

February 1, 2021January 31, 2021 RefreshHer8 Comments

Rather than sharing a recipe today, I’m sharing an idea using food that might perk up your lingering winter months! February can be snowy and cold, so perhaps having a fun event in the afternoon will make it a little more enjoyable!

Last month I spent a good part of one week with my parents in Kentucky. I always love being with them in their home. It’s cozy, inviting, has sunny rooms and comfy places to sit. I was there to help out while my poor mom was dealing with Sciatic nerve pain. I had the fun of cooking and helping with some of the household chores while she rested. My dad does a great job of keeping the house cleaned up, so there wasn’t a whole lot to do when my mealtime work was ended.

But as many older couples have experienced since March, they’ve had few outings, for safety sake. Life can get very routine and drab in the wintertime, and especially so when someone is not well, so I thought it would be fun to do “Winter Tea” one afternoon. I’ve enjoyed that treat many times when I’ve visited them in the past, and I knew it would be something they would enjoy.

I didn’t do a full-fledged tea with cookies, cheese and all the sandwiches – I opted for just dessert. My sister had made a delicious sponge-like cake with raspberry filling for my dad’s Christmas Eve birthday and my mom had popped the leftovers in the freezer. It was perfect. Not only was it good, it also looked really pretty on the Country Roses dishes!

I set the table with the Country Roses dishes, got the hot water in the tea pot and put out flavored teas bags. Then I went to Amazon music and found a playlist of piano songs for an afternoon tea. It added a nice atmosphere for our “event.”

We had such a good time sipping tea, enjoying the cake and ice cream and just lingering at the table chatting. It was a fun way to spend an hour together.

Children would also enjoy a tea! You could use dishes that were a little less fragile, perhaps, but still make it special, pretty and delicious. It takes a little effort, but you could make a fun memory for a child, a group of friends…or your parents.

Why not refresh an afternoon with a lovely cup of tea and cake?

Comfort · refreshment at home · Women's roles

Five Routines That Will Help During Difficult Times

January 8, 2021January 7, 2021 RefreshHer16 Comments

Maybe with all the stuff going on in the world you’re having a bit of a hard time getting motivated in your home. I want to encourage you today about how helpful it is to keep moving forward especially during these difficult days.

If we can’t have the confidence that home will be a constant place of comfort, where will we go?

If we are also at odds with our loved ones because we are stressed, who else on this earth will love them?

Therefore…

This was supper one night this week. I moved a small side table in front of the fireplace so we could have the ambiance at our simple spaghetti supper.

Keep your normal routines going at home.
Get up and get dressed.
Make the bed.
Do the laundry.
Vacuum the carpet.
Sweep the floor.
Make the bathroom shine.
You have control over yourself, so be disciplined.
Keep mealtimes delicious, engaging and special.
Cook good food. That doesn’t mean you have to fix gourmet food.
I do think there’s great value in fixing a supper meal at home, in involving your family in setting the table, and helping with clean up. While at the table, turn off the television and make effort to create conversation, even if it’s just you and your spouse.
Turn on some relaxing music in the background.
Light a candle.
Set the table.
Linger after the meal.
Have a small dessert and coffee and take time to enjoy it all together as the gift it really is.
It’s hard work being a homemaker, but if you don’t do it for your family, who will?
Be present for your spouse and children. In all that’s going on, it’s so easy for people to feel disconnected.
Children are certainly feeling some hard things and may need to ask questions or share any fears they may be experiencing.
What a great time to point them to God’s Word with answers.
Stop and pray with them over any anxious feelings they may be experiencing.
My husband and I quoted Bible verses to one another one recent evening as we were drifting off to sleep. They were verses of comfort that did much to stop my worry!
No one can take your place in the home. Your presence is imperative and irreplaceable.
Make home the best place to be. Create a warmth that draws your family back.
Plan for game night with popcorn and hot chocolate.
Keep the house tidied up so it feels welcoming.
Get that last bit of Christmas decor put away and the tree needles swept up.
Light a new, fresh candle.
Make comfy places for people to sit and read.
Maybe this is the time to change the furniture around for a fresh look in your living room?
Home is a gift, and the woman is the one who sets the tone.
Make sure you’re spending greater time with the Lord each day. If we ever needed direction and comfort from His Word, it’s now.
Pray.
Spend time giving Him your burdens.
Learn from Him.
Write down what you learn.
Stay close through the day by listening to godly podcasts.
Meditate on God’s Word through Scripture memory.

If you wish to know God, you must know His Word. If you wish to perceive his power, you must see how he works by his Word. If you wish to know his purpose before it comes to pass, you can only discover it by his Word. ~Spurgeon

Without a relationship with God, we can do nothing that is effective for eternity.

These five things will not change the world, but they can change the people that live inside your home…including you! I pray that these simple steps will help you bring some joy from the home that our loving God has entrusted to you. You can make a difference, dear friend.

Refresh the atmosphere of your home,

Home decor · refreshment at home

Free Floral Arrangements

October 30, 2020October 29, 2020 RefreshHer2 Comments

I love what beautiful flowers can do for the beauty of my home. They’re welcoming on the entry table. They make the dinner table inviting and intimate. They take a guest room to that next level. But fake flowers and greenery are so chintzy and fresh are too expensive to keep on hand.

What to do? I’ve found a way to have free florals and like Dorothy from Wizard of Oz who had the ability to go back home with her the entire time she was in Oz, I have always had this resource and didn’t realize it!

It’s called foraging.

for·age/ˈfôrij,ˈfärij/ – obtain (food or provisions)

I go out in my own yard and cut greenery from the bushes. I snip colored branches from my trees. I use the real green things or colored things to fill vases or to fill in fresh flowers I’ve purchased.

Okay, I’ve always cut my roses or hydrangeas, but to cut bush branches and fill a vase instead of using plastic greenery, was just never a thought. Look what my fresh bushes did to a $4 purchase of sunflowers from my sweet husband!

Everything except the sunflowers came from my yard. Those flowers are pretty, but all that greenery bumped them up to a florist grade arrangement. Thank you, Lord, for a yard full of beautiful plants that I can snip!

Here’s another arrangement I made with the last of my roses. I took my Halloween mug and filled it with the roses, some thyme and Creeping Jenny. It looked adorable on my book shelf.

This next arrangement is on my foyer table. I used branches from two different bushes and some small limbs from a tree in the backyard. I add water to the containers so the branches will stay fresh for a VERY long time!

Lastly, here’s a small pitcher that fits into my tiered stand on the island. I love the pop of color it gives. The green bush addition really fills it out, don’t you think?

I’d encourage you to think outside the box. Don’t just use a standard vase, look for other containers that will hold your flowers and the water…a tea pot, a pitcher, a pretty vintage tin (put a glass down inside to hold the water), a mug, a bottle. The sky’s the limit!

When winter comes, use those evergreen things outside to add the lovely floral touches. I’ll still use some where the sap might ruin a piece of furniture, but in arrangements, I’m hoping for fresh!

Look out your own window and see what you could use to refresh your home and add some floral beauty! That gorgeous red and orange tree branch in the front yard is just begging to step into your living room!

Tell me…do you use fresh things from your yard? What different container are you thinking about using for your next vase?

Cleaning · Home making · refreshment at home

Four Areas Of My House I Clean, Tidy or Straighten Every Day

May 8, 2020May 7, 2020 RefreshHer4 Comments

This spring I’ve enjoyed having the opportunity to do some deep cleaning. That means that I got out the hand-held vacuum and cleaned behind furniture, I dusted the walls, I straightened out closets. All that feels good, but it’s important to me to be able to walk into any room in my home on any given day and see that it looks presentable. To accomplish that I take care of four major cleaning spots every single day, and they take very little time!

The Bed. I make the bed every day within 15 minutes after I get up. It’s the major portion of the room, so it makes sense that if it’s all tidied, the room feels cleaner, even if there’s dust on the dresser!
The Bathrooms. After we’re done showering and such in the morning, I clean the sinks, the tub, shower and toilet. I change out the hand towels and clean off the mirror. In literally ten minutes our bathroom is done. (I do give it a deeper clean regularly, but this is the daily routine.)
The laundry and laundry room. I do a load of laundry every day except Sunday. That way I can do one load, and it’s done first thing in the morning. The baskets don’t pile up and it doesn’t take long to do one load! I also clean the laundry room because that’s where my kitty’s litter box and food dishes are. It’s also done first thing in the morning.
The kitchen. After every meal I wipe down the counters, the stove and the appliances. A quick going over whenever it’s used keeps the clean up an easy job! The dishes are always either loaded into the dishwasher or are hand washed.

By doing these four areas, I always feel like the majority of the house is in order and clean. Once a routine is established, you never really feel like you’re working, but are just doing the daily schedule. I listen to podcasts or my Bible app while I do each task and it makes it go even faster!

What areas of your home do you feel daily need attention to make your home inviting?

Refresh your home by creating quick, tidying tactics!

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