THE AFTER BEFORE THE AFTER....

My Old Country House Playroom
that is now the Dining room.. Yesterday I posted this photo, when talking about "Pops of color" and I was amazed at how many people responded to itand pinned it on Pinterest. I had forgotten what a great room it was.

There are many decorating ideas I implemented, and over time,

 UN implemented, 

prior to having my Blog...

...and despite the fact that they did not hold up to

 my short Design Attention span, they STILL MERIT sharing. 

In truth, I never stopped loving this room, this way, 
the Benjamin Moore "Woodlawn Blue" 
was gorgeous and a good contrast to the
 High gloss black fireplace and table.

But when we changed this room to the Dining room (Below) 

the color felt a tad too delicate, maybe a bit formal?

... I have to say, when I look at it today, I LOVE it. 

Here are some DIY tips from this room.
1. The kids were doing everything with this coffee table, except drinking coffee and using it as any kind of a table. 
It was perfect when they were toddlers, 
a good height to vrrrmmmm cars and
set up tea parties, but eventually it became a good
surface from which to leap from chair to chair so
 "the alligators won't bite my feet!"
So, when you can't  beat 'em... and during an upholstery job I asked the upholsterer to make me a cushion with ties for the top of the coffee table. And for $60, he did it! It was a tad high, but the kids loved it. And when we dismantled the room, that cushion was saved and has been subsequently been recycled into a number of projects....
 including my recent picnic bench makeover!
2. The orange pillows really bring life to this room. 
Cover them with your finger and the room is a bit sedate.
3. Back in the corner...I took a pair of Green Target lamps and spray painted then high gloss orange to bring it together
 and lighten "no pun intended" the mood and the table.
4. This little DIY is hard to see, but in the back left corner in the window, you see a wooden piece that has little carved wooden castle people in it. This piece, which was made from old barn wood, sat in front of the air conditioner, off season so we did not have to look at it when we were not using it. 
The castle block pieces sit in a basket in front of the closed up fireplace. 

 Now don't go get your panties in a wad, "Fairview Taupe", I still love you and think you are better choice. 

The reason we switched colors was that this room gets very shadowy light. Any bright photo I ever take of this room has to be done so during a one hour stretch in the morning when it gets nice sunshine, the rest of the day it is very shaded. 
This meant that any color I painted the room, became dingy looking. What I discovered is that contrary to what I would have thought, using a darker color actually brightened the room...go figure.
It still is a pretty good playroom!!!!

Are there any makeovers that you have done and then changed that you have stumbled upon and thought..."I would like to do that again" ?