So That Happened...

His name is Lando, he's 5 months old and kind of a jerk.

After we tore up the carpet we thought concrete flooring was the perfect surface to house train a new puppy.  So that's sidetracked us.

But I'm ready to get back on track!

There's a gorgeous gallon of Classic Silver by Behr waiting for my front hallway.

It's on.

Drive-By Grocery Store Conversation.

My enthusiasm for this project tried to cause drama with my sweet husband today.  Or else it was the fact that I've spent a solid week sick, all but lost my voice, have eaten like crap the last four days and the only thing I'm enthusiastic about right now is this project and the Fire Crackers I'm making to eat while I get my Vitamin C and Tequila on tomorrow.


D: I'm having a hard time picturing this, what's the theme?

(I should tell you now, the last house we staged was going on the market and its distance from the coast could be counted in yards, so we did door to attic "beach cottage", the fact that you could smell the sea every morning made it a no-brainer.  My 1999 single story builder grade oatmeal colored nightmare doesn't inspire an immediate theme.)

Me:  Let's call it "Urban Eclectic" (here I'm picturing the amazing Upper West Side apartments I've been in, you know the ones, with archaeological specimens and original art where fabulous people have fabulous parties and where your upstairs neighbor is a prize winning author who was denied by the co-op twice before his play won the Tony.  Dave is picturing the same thing but he knows we don't have a sweeping view of Central Park from a living room with 17 foot ceilings.)

D:  oh hell no.  Why not call it WTF for World Tribal Fusion.

Me:  oh! Good idea! Lets do that.

D: *blink*blink*

Me: what? it was your idea.

D: *blink*blink*

Me: Pinterest Chic!
       wait, ok, have you seen The Rockateer?

D: Yes.

Me: um, so let's call it Art Deco.  oh, or Art Nouveau.  or Nouveau Deco!



So what happened was, I explained dramatically that what I want is clean, bright and organized, to feel house proud and to have enough color to highlight our collections.  We do have some really fun art, and old books and a few other things that have been in boxes for the last 6 years.  And he decided he doesn't need a theme yet and will put together whatever I need put together. Also I promised to build a mood board for him.

Sometimes visual aids help.


and because blog posts about home improvement should have pictures here is a picture of my living room before we tore up the carpet and started painting.  Check out my wicked classy curtains, heck yes they're up there with thumb tacks, and what?  and count 'em, three chairs, and none of them match.

Antique furniture guilt.

Standing in my hallway is a really beautifully made table that has been in my family for at least 100 years.  Unfortunately like everything else in the house it is worn out, and tired, and badly in need of a coat of paint, or sanding, or both.  But I'm paralyzed by my Antique Furniture Guilt.  It's the same guilt that has our 150 year old dining table in the garage rather than being eaten on lest it get ruined or scratched or one of those white water rings.

I have made a point of not letting my possessions own me but am failing where it comes to these old things.  I'll never sell them, so why does it matter if I "destroy the value" by painting the entryway table to make a beautiful impact.  Like this one from  Anne Coyle which was in the HGTV Magazine this month:

How gorgeous is that?! 

or this one from SimplebutMatters.com 

one more:

(this time featured on betterafter.blogspot.com)

Finally, don't judge me, I've been living with this table for 35 years, the last 13 of those I've actually owned it.  And I've felt guilty to do anything but dust it! 

What do you think? Lemon yellow? Kelly Green? Bright Tangerine? 

Either way, it is headed for a change or it is headed for the attic.

And what good will it do me up there?

From The Windows, To the Walls! (the plan)

Here's a quick picture of our color ideas.  

Green and beige in the hallway with light orange accents.

Teal and that bright yellow/green in the kitchen with the dark orange accents.

I think I'm going to do doors and trim in the same color as the wall.  

Maybe I'm watching too much Downton Abbey but it seems to work for them! 

and this...

is the floor.  

I think I already like my house a little bit more looking at all of this! 

From the Windows, To the Walls!

While we moved to Austin in 2006 it was after a crazy ride on the New England real estate bubble and we weren't in a rush to get back into it.  We rented some great houses but then the house immediately next door to my sister and her family came onto the market two years ago we jumped on it.  The house was built in 1999 in a cul de sac and the entire thing is beige.  I think the builders called it "Summertime" but it's creamy beige and matte.  Two years of Norton style entertaining, and children, and life and the whole house is tired.  And ugly.  And no matter that Stanley Steemer has ME on speed dial and visits me every few months the carpet is done.

And I hate it.

And today I got my husband on board and we're going to do something about it.

Sumertime.  And a bed frame.  There's a story there. 

the view in from the front door.  you probably wouldn't want to come in!
(and I wouldn't blame you!)

Here are some before pictures.  (yes, it looks filthy, but as far as what I can do, it's clean, I even shampooed the carpets less than a month ago!)

the view into the kitchen.  yes, the linoleum is the same color as the paint.
it is also the same color as the exterior of the house!