What I had to work with...

Yep - so that's pretty much the living/dining area I had to work with. Now what do I DO with it? I was at a bit of a standstill - so many directions to go in, ya know?  Staring at a blank canvas, for most of us decorating-challenged mere mortals, makes it hard to envision a final picture when you're overwhelmed with so many options from the get-go. I knew at some point we were going to clear out my mother's estate and that I would definitely be bringing back her colonial style china hutch and table - sans the chairs we kids managed to destroy over the years. She'd told me time and again that they were to be mine someday. Shameful, but truthfully, I wasn't all that excited.  As I said, Colonial revival really wasn't my style - but how could I tell her that? So anyway... I figured that would just be something I needed to work around.

Mom's "Dixie Furniture Co." dining room table & china cabinet (bought new in 1960)
- too bad we kids ended up destroying all the chairs -
And yes, that would be "Yours Truly" in the high chair - ca. 1962/63 ;-)

At least I knew the table and hutch were of the same time period as the house. The home where my family lived when I was born was, coincidentally, built in the same year as the house my husband and I just purchased - 1960. And Mom always said she'd bought all the furniture when they moved into it, as they were newlyweds just starting out. Prior to marrying my Dad, Mom had been a teacher with the Department of Defense, teaching American Military children on US military bases throughout Europe and Asia. She took full advantage of the opportunities available overseas, so when she wasn't teaching, she traveled - everywhere. At Christmas time in 1958, right after meeting my dad, she took a trip to India and purchased a beautiful brass tray with teak spider legs. That thing has been a part of my past for as long as I can remember... I vividly remember as a kid being tasked with the polishing of it, having to use what seemed like gallons of that nasty smelling Brasso stuff. Thankfully, Mom eventually had the thing permanently coated with a clear coat of something like polyurethane - and we kids were never forced to polish it again - YES, there IS a God!  Anyway, I knew I was to get that table, as well. So those were the 3 things I definitely knew mom wanted me to have that I'd need to work with.

I also knew I would be using some of my TWA David Klein posters on the walls.  As a former flight attendant for TWA, those vintage posters were part of my special airline memorabilia collection. I didn't have them framed yet, but that would come once I figured out the color for the frames, etc.   But after that - I pretty much didn't have a clue. All I knew was that  I needed something that could be my "inspiration", my "jumping off point", but what??

THEN.... I found it!  While out browsing our local Salvation Army one afternoon, I spied a sofa that could be the one. Yes, I think it IS the one!  It's definitely of the era I'm aiming for. It's in pristine condition. It's showing it's "legs".  No, not those highly sought after mid-century danish modern legs. These have more of a regency look to them. But still. It definitely had the bones I was looking for. And, barring some loose piping trim that could easily be re-glued, it was in immaculate condition. Best yet - it  would only set me back $70!  The tag on it said "Century, Furniture of Distinction". Never heard of them. But I knew it was quality - the thing was heavy as hell  - and solid as a rock.  They really don't make them like that anymore, that's for sure. Ok - so it wasn't my favorite color. More like what my dad used to refer to as "baby-poop green", actually.  Come to think of it - my first car - a butt-ugly plymouth that had once belonged to my dead uncle - was also that same lovely shade - and I had many happy memories with it. Oh - and by the way, the sofa also came with a "lovely" updated floral slipcover of late 70's vintage, just in case I just couldn't stand the puke green color after all. How could I go wrong? So, yes, this could be it... No, this definitely is it. Cue the harp music.  I have officially found my "jumping off spot".  Thankfully, hubby felt the same way.  So we quickly paid and  (who knew Salvation Army would deliver for a small fee?) set up a delivery date.

Salvation Army sofa with floral slipcover piled on top