LCY Personal Project: The Never-ending (makeover) Story Ends!

I know, I know. This is the neverending story. But I THINK we've just about got it. My mom and I that is. Her living room has been a work in progress for the past two years - and I've even posted about it here, here, here, and here. Well, now it's April 2010, and I am proud to say when I walk into the house, it finally feels like her. And more importantly, it feels finished!

Let's start at the beginning...

(Sorry for those of you who have seen these first images before.)

This first image (above) was the living room circa January 2009. I had just moved back home from DC, and this was the way the room had looked for the past eight years or so. Topiaries and all. To better explain, the couch in the foreground was approximately three feet off the wall behind it, creating a pathway to the back of the house. And that is a lantern on an end table in the center foreground. You might recognize the oversized white chair on the left. My puppies love it in its new place. (If you're wondering why this photo looks weird, it's because it is several photos merged together.)

(above) Fast forward a few months after I'd moved back in. It was spring and time for change. The oversized chair was too oversized for the space so it moved upstairs to my old bedroom. After seeing what I call the "interview style" seating arrangement time and time again (two couches or a couch and two chairs facing one another directly), I convinced my mom to give a try. We also moved her Colette bench that had been at the foot of her bed to the far right wall, creating more seating and eliminating the walkway that we really didn't need.

(above) Fast forward again. Fall 2009, as made evident by the pumpkins. Big changes happening. You can read about the fireplace mantel makeover and the new art on the walls here, the long-overdue love-seat reupholstering here, and a more detailed analysis of it all here. (Told you this has been a lonnng process.) A few new pillowcases and lampshades, and it seemed things were peachy.

But something was missing...

Enter the perfect rug. There hadn't been any rugs in the house for years because my childhood dog mistook them for grass. But Clancy has not been with us for a few years now, and it was time to fill in the room's missing link. So, I want to thank Jill Rosenwald for designing such a beauty, CSN Rugs for selling it at a more affordable rate, and Erin Gates for introducing it to me!

Add a dash of blue hydrangeas and some pink & white tulips.

Picture perfect for spring 2010, yes?

Love this vignette...

...and this vignette! The hourglass and vase are both from Pottery Barn. We snatched those when we attended the new Chicago store opening.

The painting that had been on the back wall prior to this makeover was mine so it came with me when I moved out. You may recognize it's now hanging in my home office's art gallery. In order to the fill the void, we called on our favorite photographer, Alicia Bock. This is 'Along the Seine' on an 18x18" canvas. A picture of Paris and the color palette fit perfectly. How could it not work?

That's all folks!

Thoughts?