Not your Grandma's living room......

Have any of you gone back home and looked around your old home and everything looks the same. It's like you never left...... sigh. The memories rush back. Well, not so much for parents and the home I grew up in. Every time I come home, they've redone something in EVERY room! And even though I'm incredibly sentimental, for some reason it's never bothered me that home never looks the same for long. Instead, it feels more like Christmas every time I come home. Each room I enter is better than the last and it's exciting that my parents are pretty cool and hip! My dad and I love to look at architectural magazines, he dreams of building an incredible home, while I dream of winning one in the many drawings I enter, much to my shock that I STILL have NOT won! The planning of decorating a room is almost as fun as the result for my dad and me. Meanwhile, my mom is a "get her done" kind of girl. And that helps us slow moving, day dreaming types. Here you can see that there was nothing wrong with the room before hand, other than the couches have been around for........ well longer than I can remember and they've been re-upholstered. Although we all love red, it's best in smaller punches I think.

Yellow and red are classic color combinations. They also had a formal wool/tassle rug and recently switched to this rug. Much more neutral. After drooling over the new Restoration Hardware magazine, my parents got the itch to change things up a bit. And start with a more neutral background. First they ordered couches. They really wanted leather for easy maintenance but white/cream leather can look extremely cheap if not done right. Simple tufting and tight small arms make this modern and chic. Leather is a MUST for the "book reading with a box of Sees chocolates" type of girl (not that I'm judging, I learned from the best) but it's also great for grandkids and the kitty too. Don't get me started on the kitty peeps. I hand the phone to my kids to talk to Grammy and she hands the phone to the cat. Seriously. She thinks she taught the cat to say Ma. I'm pretty sure the cat is old and too lazy to say meow and it comes out MA. But she adamantly believes her kitty is as brilliant as my two year old. And she may be right. After all, that cat has her wrapped around her paw. Or should I say MA! But, I digress. Let's get on to this awesome reveal.....

The new sofa tables. One behind each sofa. Made by my padre! Definitely balance the room. It is in fact a HUGE room. It has hosted many after dinner gatherings & 5 wedding receptions!

The 4 pictures hung on that wall are 4 architectural pictures from really old books. I love interesting decor, especially when there is a story behind it. Sentimental me kicking in.....

They debated about the colors in this room. Should we do a little red? Should we do yellow since it would flow into other rooms. But in the end they went with the most expensive peices like the furniture being very neutral and just pumped up the energy with turquoise & lime green accessories. I absolutely love it and am completely impressed! Now when can I hire you to redecorate my house?