Sofa in the hall?

Before I get into full on fall decorating, I wanted to share my hallway that I’ve recently redecorated. But first, a little backstory.

My dad moved into a much smaller house a couple of years ago and got a new sofa this summer. The sofa he was using was a very nice, rarely used one from my parents’ formal living room, and it just didn’t fit the casual, open floor plan of his new home.

The picture above is the sofa as it is today in my living room.

Well, he didn’t think he needed two couches and we, Erin and I, didn’t want to let this one get away. But, what to do? She had no room for it and I already had three couches! Where would I put #4??? So, for awhile, I had both his and my living room couch in the same room. Sorry. No picture of that hideousness. 

My living room couch is quite old with the original upholstery. I don’t like the original upholstery, but it’s the original upholstery and in unusually good condition. Why do I think original upholstery on an almost antique is sacred? We miss out on a lot of pleasures when we keep something original because it ~is~, after all, original. I had actually almost talked myself into reupholstering it, but didn’t want, or need, to spend the money.

 

That is a picture from this post about the iron welcome mat coffee table I was using at the time.

You might ask why I didn’t sell my old couch. Well, it’s like this. I like the style, it’s a better size for my den than the one we’re using, but the color is wrong and it isn’t comfortable. I hope to eventually recover and soften it up and use it in there. Just don’t have a definite plan yet.

So things got shoved around, pushed together and looked pretty awful. I didn’t know what to do. Then my friend Tiffany stopped by. Tiffany of most excellent taste. Talented Tiffany who can work miracles with interiors with the wave of a hand. Tiffany who had suggested I hang these finials on the wall. She said, “Why not put the old couch in the hall?” Uh….. well… huh. That never, ever, once, not even for the briefest of moments, crossed my mind. Why not, indeed?

Our hall is big. I’ve often wondered if the original house plans had the option of a second story with stairs in the hall? The sofa should fit. Just barely, but it should work. Let me tell you though, that was way easier said than done. Ricky and I had to tote it through the house in the opposite direction, making twists and turns, then out the French doors and through the old porch that is now my craft room, turn it this way and that and thought we might have to take off a door facing, but managed to squeeze it through without having to go to that extreme. If it didn’t work or if it looked horrible, then, tough ti**y. I’d just have to live with it. 

I was a tad uncomfortable with the size of the couch in there at first, but it didn’t take long to get used to it. I’m pretty happy with it. There are some tweaks that I can still do to the room, but that’s okay. 

This was very budget friendly for me. Aside from the sofa that I think I paid $300 for in the 1980’s, everything else was either free or a trifling amount. 

The large shabby frame was from my friend and shopping partner, Lena. When she passed away and the kids and her husband had taken what they wanted, the rest was given to me. A lot of pieces of carving are broken off, but I adore the whole look.

The sconces were $10-20 at an estate a couple of years ago. I’ve been hanging onto them waiting for the inspiration of where to put them. I kinda prefer them with no candles.

These wall hangings were doors off a chest. A chest that cost me a whopping $5 at an auction a few years ago. It’s the kind that has drawers behind the doors. I’m using it with the drawers exposed in my sewing room.

The flour sack quilt used to cover the sofa cushions was another yard sale find. I wrote about it here and never figured out what to do with it. Had it packed away awaiting inspiration. 

A sugar sack pillow I picked up at a yard or estate sale some time or another and had packed away. Same for the crochet piece on the back of the couch.

I did have to pay $27 for this Kiss Me pillow. Got it at the Country Living Fair in Atlanta a few years ago.

The chair was inherited from my grandparents. The starch sack was a yard or estate sale buy for probably a quarter that I had…. yep. Packed away. It has been mended in the center on the “S” in Star, hence the wrinkled look. Note: Look closely at the bottom of the rockers. My grandparent’s had beautiful wood floors that stayed that way partly because of carpet glued to the bottom of the chair rockers. Green carpet.

I bought the little table way back when “shabby chic” was just a style, not a brand name. I remember the sellers saying how pretty it would be if I stripped it and refinished it. Um… no thanks. I love a painted piece that has chipped naturally over the years. It cost me $5-10. 

Looking toward the bedrooms.

The way it always looks with the door open into my craft room. 

I’ve got to decide what I want on the opposite walls. I have a few ideas, but none have hit me as “Yeah, that’s what I should do!” Maybe I need Tiffany to stop by again.

Shop the look! 

If maybe there’s anything here that inspired you, I’ve found similar items on Etsy. It literally took me two DAYS to write this post, so by golly yes, these are affiliate links!

Similar frames:

   Gorgeous, large gesso frame from Vintage Red Truck

  Another large, fancy frame from Woodcock Pocket

And if those are sold or you’d like to see current offerings of other Etsy sellers, this is the search I used.

Similar Sconces:

  This is the same as my sconces, only it’s one large one rather than two small ones. Italian sconce from Calm Cool Collected Vin

  Pair of beautiful, prism sconces from Sew Beautiful 2

And click here to perform the same search I did.

Similar crochet pieces:

  Crochet piece from Saffron Colored Pony

Similar Quilts:

  Flour sack quilt from 207 Antique Chic

   Large flour sack from Wendy Hunters Window

Click here to see the selection of similar, vintage, flour sacks on Etsy

Similar flour sacks to the chair seat cover:

  Similar grain sack also from Wendy Hunters Window 

  Grain sack from All That’s Shabby Chic

Pillows:

  Grain sack pillows from Whalesharking on Etsy

  More grain sack pillows from Whalesharking on Etsy

Some cabinet doors:

  Cabinet doors from Vintage French Things

  Cabinet doors from French Way Of Life on Etsy

 

Whew! That was a lot of post and pictures! Thanks for hanging in there with me. Hope you enjoyed it. Now, let’s get to the fall decorating!

I’m linking up with these link parties:

 Home Sweet Home at The Charm Of Home

To Grandma’s House We Go at Grandma’s House DIY

DIY Salvage Junk Projects at Funky Junk Interiors