Living Room makeover!

This is the way the living room has looked for many years:

Not bad and certainly liveable, but we have always wanted something else, so at the end of Sept/first week in October, we contacted Norm and, together with his trusty sidekick Robert, they built new shelves for the living room!

But first, Dave had to remove the built-ins and paneling that were there...

Norm explains to Dave exactly how the units will be built...

and while he is doing that, Mr. Raider decided that Robert was "okay"...

Norm built the "boxes" at his house and then brought them over for installation...

They installed the boxes and then painted them and the shelves the same color as the living room...

They also added a soffit with an LED spot to connect them.

Finished at last!

Aren't these shelves awesome??? They are exactly the way Dave and I had pictured in our heads, ever since we bought the house!

Now we just have to get new carpet, put up drapes, and cover the pillows and ottoman...

August 16 (7) Mount Stuart and dinner

Really - I'm glad I don't have to clean any of it!

The front garden was a nice view as we left to catch the ferry.

We drove back into Glasgow for a final dinner at the Tontine Hotel.

It was a wonderful trip and great to see the sights and all of our friends.

August 16 (6) Mount Stuart (cont)

The sculptures and stained glass were beautiful...(but then, so was everything else)...

central Hall

Also in the central hall, there was a wonderful exhibit of pieces by Nathan Coley, a contemporary artist born in Glasgow. Coley studied at the Glasgow School of Art and currently works in the city.  His work is predominantly concerned with the way in which architecture reflects and conditions the social environment.

The Bute Collection is one of the foremost private collections of artwork and artifacts in the UK, and is especially notable for its British portraiture from the 18th and 19th centuries, Italian masterpieces from the 16th century, and Dutch and Flemish Old Masters.

portraits of important people

George III

John Stuart, Lord Mount Stuart

I'm glad I don't have to dust it...

Robert the Bruce