Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Cozying up with my Yahyali

I always love "warming" up the house in the fall, but this year we seem to have totally bypassed fall and gone straight to the dead of winter. It was 15º this morning and the high will only get to 26º. The low is normally higher than that at 35º so it's a chilly one here. 
Since we only have a heat pump and an uninsulated crawl space, the house can get cold. Plus, I'm so economical I keep the thermostat at 68 or below.

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A warm rug can really make a difference on the cold wood floors. 
I have mentioned before that I bought two wool rugs on two different trips to Turkey from my friends at Yellow Star Carpets, which I dearly loved. However, when I went with pinks and aqua blues a couple years ago, one got packed away, and I used the other at church on one of our stages. I started to really miss them and decided they would make a comeback for Christmas. Knowing that would mean other changes, and since I don't do any Christmas decorating until the day after Thanksgiving, I thought I would get a head start and get as much done as I could beforehand so it would be easier. Out came the rugs:-)


I am a little a lot ocd about rugs being the right size for the space they are in, and this one was long and narrow at 7' x 11' so I had trouble getting it to work with the big leather furniture I used to have here. If there is one decorating rule I follow it's having at least the front feet of furniture sitting on the rug so the rug does not "float." Since I had the 8' x 11' jute rug, I layered the wool on top and that worked perfectly. 


And oh how wonderful it is:-) The jute rug is so scratchy and uncomfortable, but the extra cushion just makes the wool rug even better. My kids are really happy because they hated the jute one.


The rug change meant making some other changes in pillows and accessories, so I made three red pillow covers from upholstery fabric and brought back the lighter blue I used last year. 


We are all loving the change, and the room looks and feels warmer.


I put the other, smaller Turkish rug in the music room and will show that later. 

I can't wait to decorate these rooms for Christmas -- but first I have to think about Thanksgiving, and I need to be working on my table because I will be hosting 11 people here:-) 

My church will be hosting a community Thanksgiving meal this Saturday from 5-7 p.m., at the Folkmoot cafeteria in the old Hazelwood School on Virginia Ave., in Waynesville, N.C. We will be giving away food boxes complete with turkeys as well as coats, gloves, blankets, etc., to anyone who needs them. My husband and I will be entertaining, so please come by if you are in this area. Everyone is welcome and we would love to see you there:-)



I'll be joining:

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12 comments:

  1. Penny @ The Comforts of HomeNovember 18, 2014 at 6:06 AM

    That rug is beautiful and I love the way it warms up the room. Perfect for Christmas and the winter months ahead!

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  2. Gee Singh NewbanksNovember 18, 2014 at 6:16 AM

    Luv the beautiful vibrant rug Anita. The warm colours sure do warm up the room making it feel cozy for winter.
    Barr... stay warm. We are in the low 40's , but tonight will be 26. That is pretty cold for North Central Floridians!!

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  3. just lovely and so warm! Are you carrying those tones into your kitchen as well? Those rugs do make a difference in our home for the winter! They come out and feel so nice under bare feet! Blessings to you and your family!

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  4. The rug really brightens up the room and looks beautiful! I love the pillows you made to go with it, perfect!

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  5. marty (A Stroll Thru Life)November 18, 2014 at 8:09 AM

    Love the rug, so warm and welcoming. Great colors.

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  6. You sound just like me...it was 14 this morning and won't get much over 27 today. I keep the temp inside at 65-66 and this old house can be drafty, even though I have insulated everything but the main for walls....as it is metal siding.

    Love your warm and cozy living area. Have a fun and musical weekend.

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  7. Shenita @ Embellishments by SLRNovember 18, 2014 at 10:18 AM

    Anita, your rug is beautiful! I love the rich, vibrant colors. The room feels so warm and cozy! We've had a touch of winter, as well; but I am loving these cold days. We don't get enough of that around here.

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  8. As always, it looks lovely! Look forward to seeing the 'rest' of the story. I know too well with open spaces that one change generates a domino effect of changes, lol.

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  9. I love that rug! It's so warm & cozy looking, & I just love your coffee table-I've been craving something similar for my future home with my fiance', since we're both crazy about our horses!

    xoxo, SS

    www.TheSouthernStylista.blogspot.com

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  10. White Lace and PromisesNovember 19, 2014 at 6:33 AM

    I'll take the chair, please. A good cup of coffee will be fine, please. Thank you.

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  11. Shirley@Housepitality DesignsNovember 19, 2014 at 2:07 PM

    The rug is beautiful and I love the way you positioned it in the room...The room looks wonderful....I cannot believe it is so cold so soon...we woke up to the coldest day on record since 1903 and realized our heat went out...luckily we have a great HVAC guy and it was fixed within hours of us calling him!...The room must help you feel so warm and cozy!!!..

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  12. This warms me up just looking at it! What a beautiful rug, and the red pillows you made (resourceful you!) are a wonderful complement along with the blue. This space has an entirely new look to it with just those few little changes. Amazingly beautiful!!!

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