Decorating the Weird Spaces

If yesterday was Thrift Shopping Saturday (I just made that name up), then I guess the day before was JoAnn Fabrics Friday. (How very alliterative of me, I know, I know.) While the former hurt the wallet less, the latter proved more successful. Regardless, both helped us get a little closer to "completing" what I'll call the "weird spaces" of our house. 

First, the dining room cabinets/counter. Our little dining room has some really cool cabinets - top and bottom, with a counter in b/t - but the space from the counter to the top set is about 20-24 inches and really hard to decorate. I think, however, that I'm getting there. This pretty lady from JoAnn’s set me back about $11 (on sale from $19.99 to $13.99 plus a 20% off coupon), but she's worth every penny: 



We found a sister (well, this might be a brother - ?) for the vase (is it a vase?) at the thrift store. She/he cost $10, which is a ton for the thrift store (everything was half-off except white tags; guess what color everything I wanted was), but I saw jugs that looked exactly the same at the antique store last weekend, and they cost $18-$35+. 

Now look at the fun way one side of the counter is shaping up (please ignore the color-less walls – everything in its time, everything in its time): 



The makings of a dining room counter 

Next, the living room window/windowseat. This puppy is smack up against a not-actually-built-in-built-in. So close, in fact, that we had to place the curtain rod holders in such a way that we couldn't actually make curtains work with the rod if we tried. (It is, as you'll see, gone.) As for the windowseat - which P.J. the girl kitty loves - it still wears the cover the former owners made/had made for it. That's all well and good, except it doesn't match our furniture. At all. (And it's gross.)  

The sweet beasts pretending to be friends . . . 
(P.J. on the left; her brother Fuzzy on the right) 

I've searched and searched for drapes for this window (the back living room windows are curtain-less by our design), planning to buy an extra one to turn into a cover for the windowseat. The problem, however, is that not a whole lot coordinates with our plaid chair/ottoman and the green couch and loveseat and the goldy-toned walls. Let's just say it ain't been easy. And then . . . 

I found this amazing Ralph Lauren fabric at JoAnn's: 

Eleanor Floral - Khaki, Lauren Ralph Lauren 

I think it's love!  

Or at least adoration. The fabric's pricey - $34.99 in store, $39.99 online – but, like most fabrics at JoAnn’s, it’s 50% off this weekend for President’s Day; add that to another 20% off coupon, and we’re talking $14 a yard for some lovely, high-quality upholstery fabric! Now that's a good deal and a price I can live with. 

Next task: convincing my mom that she can sew drapes (b/c I sure can’t).