Yesterday was an interesting day. I started out the day still feeling tired and drained from Matt’s hospital stay, and I had decided that I would just go ahead and take the day off. But towards the middle of the afternoon, I started feeling like the clouds of exhaustion were beginning to part, and I began feeling more like my normal self. And for some reason, I became hyperfocused on one thing — finding a new frame for our chapel picture.
I had originally planned on keeping the thin gold frame that’s has been on the picture for years now. But that frame is so thin that I kept wanting to put something else on that wall with it, and my mind naturally went to sconces since I really like wall sconces.
Several people suggested that I reframe the picture with a more substantial frame, and while I wasn’t originally open to it, I started to come around to that idea yesterday. So I decided to go to Michael’s and Hobby Lobby to see if I could find anything I like. I was even feeling so good, so energized, and so much more like my normal self that I got out in the pouring rain yesterday just to look for a new frame.
I didn’t find anything at either of those places. I even looked at the custom framing options, but nothing really caught my eye. I really had my heart set on finding something unique and different, but all I found (both ready-made and custom) were just standard, run-of-the-mill frames. None of that interested me at all.
But while I was at Hobby Lobby, I did pick up two lamps for the bedroom. I’ll admit that these were spur-of-the-moment purchases. I really like the shape of the lamp bases, and I like that the lampshades aren’t stark white. I bought them knowing that if I keep them, I’ll have to paint the bases in a color that coordinates with the room. But I wanted to get the whole vision, so I installed one of the curtain rods, and then hung one of the sheers (although I couldn’t find my drapery pins, so I had to use the clips on the drapery rings for now), and then I draped a piece of the dark teal velvet fabric over the curtain rod and pinned on the orange and cream trim.
Obviously, nothing is actual finished right now, but here’s a glimpse of where this is going…
Overall, I love it. Of course, you have to keep a few things in mind. First, I won’t be using those spring clips on the drapery rings. As soon as I remember where I stored the drapery hooks that came off of those sheers, I’ll hang them properly. Second, instead of attaching the orange and cream trim so that the whole 3-inch width showed, I tried wrapping it around the edge so that only half of it shows. I really like how that looks. I like that it adds just a touch of color without commanding too much attention like a 3-inch-wide trim would. And third, the finished drapery panels will obviously be pinch-pleated and hung on drapery rings so that the curtain rod shows all the way across. I don’t do gathered-on-the-rod curtains. But I just wanted to get the general idea of where this is heading.
But I’m not completely sold on the lamps. While I love the shape of the base and the shape and color of the lampshade, I think they’re a little bit too tall. I could remove this piece, which I think would make the height just right.
But I don’t think I realized just how rough the finish is on these bases until I got them home. They would require an awful lot of sanding to get them smooth enough to paint without that texture showing through. That rough texture is way too “farmhouse” for my personal taste. So I’ll probably take them back and look for something that has a similar base, similar shade, but that wouldn’t require so much prep work in order to paint them. Or, who knows? Maybe I’ll find some that are the perfect color and won’t require painting.
But last night when I was on my computer, I saw an ad for a mirror on Wayfair that caught my attention. Immediately, I thought, “That’s it! That’s the frame I want!” I don’t need a mirror, but I can always take the mirror out of the frame and just use the frame for my picture. Here’s what it looks like.
It was more money than I was wanting to spend, but after giving it some thought, I realized that it was around the price that I would have paid for a custom frame. So I went ahead and bought it. I’m very excited about it. Like I said, I had my heart set on something unique, and something that wasn’t just a run-of-the-mill frame, and I think this fits the bill.
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
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