Operation Sophistication

This morning, I began re-arranging the furniture in my living room.   It's the first time in the 9 months that we have lived here that I have moved the furniture in this room.  For those who know me, that is almost an eternity.  For a little background on my re-arranging dependency, please read #2 on this post.

Back to the living room, it all began while piecing together my FREE fabric for a quilt.  I had moved the sofa to the side of the room to make space to lay out my soon-to-be rag quilt fit for a lap.  I kind of liked the change.

So, after all the house was asleep, I sat in the living room and thought of the many different ways I could arrange the living room.  And then, inspiration struck!  I had seen on Thrifty Decor Chick an affordable way to create a sofa table, and I wanted to give it a try.  Of course, I can't even afford the boards or L brackets, so I used the wheat and dry milk from my food storage to prop up the board my husband had leftover from a project.  This is what it looked like:

Those two super cute little heads peeking over the couch were helping me the entire way (Con man even helped me move the piano...he's so tough).  The little guy I tend came sauntering in and said to me "What kind of operation is this anyway?"  He's 3.  I was cracking up laughing and replied, "It's operation sophistication.  Is it working?"  And he told me that it was.  Kids say the funniest little things (especially that kid...his conversational skills are mature beyond MY years).

BEFORE

This is the end result....photo taken while standing inside the entry closet.  I know, those are pink chairs from the 80's, but they were free.  Beggars can't be choosers.

Here's the side view of my make-shift sofa table....or should I call it a "storage table."  This would be a great solution for my friends in Hawaii that live in super tight quarters, no?  That pretty brown table cloth was once the curtain panel in my kitchen.  I  made the hard learned mistake of putting Carly's high chair in front of the beautiful brown silk (imagine yogurt flinging and milk dripping), and during one of her fits of anger, she pulled the whole thing down on herself and broke my rod in half.  Can't afford a rod, and frankly, I want a fabric more like this for the kitchen anyway (remind anyone from Riverview of our old Choir Dresses?).  Next time I will just do a valance and no panels.  I learned my lesson the hard way.  Kids/Carly and panels, don't mix.

And here is a view from the hall.  Yeah, I know...the brass fireplace surround has got to go.  I am thinking of spray painting it a dark brown, same thing with the light fixture.  I am going to try it out on a brass floor lamp I have hanging out in the garage first.  And I am not lovin' the window-treatments....those will go better with the bedding in my bedroom.  So much to do and so much time to do it in.  Good things come to those who wait.  I am so full of old adages today, aren't I?

So, the changes are the sofa parallel with the wall, the piano closer to the fireplace (out of the bay window) and the chairs now occupying the bay window.

So far, my mom has told me she likes it.  My SIL has informed me kindly that she liked the other way better.  Which way do you like the living room arranged (Yes, I know that the before shot was missing a mirror and a few other czhatzkis(sp).  I am most interested in your thoughts on the furniture layout).