More house plans
As mentioned previously, design smartypants and pretty lady AB Chao very kindly visited my home recently en route from the big city to her house and told me some things. Some were suggestions; some were orders. Somehow she knew this combination is just what I needed.
Finally, after the holidays ate my brain, I'm sitting down to write down as much as I can remember from what she said. I want to get this party started. The top priorities of phase one are paint, lighting, and window treatments.
PAINT
Painting is important. All baseboards, trim, cabinets, drawers, and doors need to be brightened up with a color like Benjamin Moore's Super White, Decorator's White, or Linen White. This should be done in semi-gloss. Seeing how I kept being drawn to shades of gray, AB suggested painting every single room a gray color I really like, with the exception of the kitchen, which I should pick a fun, bright color for, like one of my crazy aqua blues, or straight up Tiffany blue. The bright white against the light gray throughout the whole house will make it look nice, and I can throw color in with furniture and art and bedding and accents, which can be switched around when I like new colors. Though I never envisioned a strategy like this, it is growing on me. Walls should be done in eggshell, "one up from flat." (That's what I wrote down as I followed her around the house, but I'm still not entirely sure what it means.) Ceilings should also be repainted, possibly one shade darker or the same color as the trim, or 20% lighter than the wall color.
I think that starting with paint makes me a bit paralyzed, because thinking about how every single thing in my house needs to be painted is kind of daunting, what with the household disruption, mess, and expense. But I figure, how long can it possibly take? I mean, I have no idea? Not going to think about it today, but must think about it soon.
LIGHTING
Every ceiling has an ugly dome light that looks like a b00b. I really want to invest in some cute pendants. I'll need an electrician, probably, but that's okay. AB likes this one, for example.
WINDOW TREATMENTS
Some kind of bamboo shades or roman shades. Longer curtains that are hung higher. I worry about tumbleweeds of pet hair nesting in floor-length curtains. I'm not really thinking this far down the line yet, though, if truth be told.
DOORKNOBS
Lose the shiny, cheap brass ones and get some mismatched old antique-y ones.
KITCHEN
Look into a counter-depth refrigerator instead of one that juts out farther than the stove and counters with which it shares a wall. I had never even heard of such a thing! But I am glad to know it exists. Possibly lose a set of cabinets hanging on that wall and put up some long shelves instead.
ENTRANCE HALL
Possibly some cute wallpaper.
DINING ROOM
Probably the piano should be sold. It's huge and hulking and sounds bad. French doors should once and for effing all replace the sliding glass door of pain.
LIVING ROOM
New couch needed, obviously. New media cabinet of some kind, maybe something low and wide. Vince Chao thinks the TV should be hung on the wall as befits a person of the 21st century.
BOOKS
Books should be culled, removed from their various bookcases all over the house, and possibly all stored in one room, such as what is right now the "study." Maybe on something like this or some sort of Billy bookcase configuration? With no Ikea in this state, that could be tricky. This is a concept I am having trouble wrapping my mind around, but I am trying to be open to it. My other decorating consultant, my friend S., loves this idea.
SMALL THINGS
Stop buying small things. Small rugs, small little things on the walls hung in isolation from each other instead of in groups, small shelving units, etc. Think bigger, and think grouped.
Phew! I think that's about it. This is just the tip of the iceberg, though. Once there are basic framework things in place, there's the matter of filling the framework with cute things. But the time will come for that. I am glad to have this written down and look forward to actually getting started once I work up the nerve.
Here's to being nervy in 2010!
Finally, after the holidays ate my brain, I'm sitting down to write down as much as I can remember from what she said. I want to get this party started. The top priorities of phase one are paint, lighting, and window treatments.
PAINT
Painting is important. All baseboards, trim, cabinets, drawers, and doors need to be brightened up with a color like Benjamin Moore's Super White, Decorator's White, or Linen White. This should be done in semi-gloss. Seeing how I kept being drawn to shades of gray, AB suggested painting every single room a gray color I really like, with the exception of the kitchen, which I should pick a fun, bright color for, like one of my crazy aqua blues, or straight up Tiffany blue. The bright white against the light gray throughout the whole house will make it look nice, and I can throw color in with furniture and art and bedding and accents, which can be switched around when I like new colors. Though I never envisioned a strategy like this, it is growing on me. Walls should be done in eggshell, "one up from flat." (That's what I wrote down as I followed her around the house, but I'm still not entirely sure what it means.) Ceilings should also be repainted, possibly one shade darker or the same color as the trim, or 20% lighter than the wall color.
I think that starting with paint makes me a bit paralyzed, because thinking about how every single thing in my house needs to be painted is kind of daunting, what with the household disruption, mess, and expense. But I figure, how long can it possibly take? I mean, I have no idea? Not going to think about it today, but must think about it soon.
LIGHTING
Every ceiling has an ugly dome light that looks like a b00b. I really want to invest in some cute pendants. I'll need an electrician, probably, but that's okay. AB likes this one, for example.
WINDOW TREATMENTS
Some kind of bamboo shades or roman shades. Longer curtains that are hung higher. I worry about tumbleweeds of pet hair nesting in floor-length curtains. I'm not really thinking this far down the line yet, though, if truth be told.
DOORKNOBS
Lose the shiny, cheap brass ones and get some mismatched old antique-y ones.
KITCHEN
Look into a counter-depth refrigerator instead of one that juts out farther than the stove and counters with which it shares a wall. I had never even heard of such a thing! But I am glad to know it exists. Possibly lose a set of cabinets hanging on that wall and put up some long shelves instead.
ENTRANCE HALL
Possibly some cute wallpaper.
DINING ROOM
Probably the piano should be sold. It's huge and hulking and sounds bad. French doors should once and for effing all replace the sliding glass door of pain.
LIVING ROOM
New couch needed, obviously. New media cabinet of some kind, maybe something low and wide. Vince Chao thinks the TV should be hung on the wall as befits a person of the 21st century.
BOOKS
Books should be culled, removed from their various bookcases all over the house, and possibly all stored in one room, such as what is right now the "study." Maybe on something like this or some sort of Billy bookcase configuration? With no Ikea in this state, that could be tricky. This is a concept I am having trouble wrapping my mind around, but I am trying to be open to it. My other decorating consultant, my friend S., loves this idea.
SMALL THINGS
Stop buying small things. Small rugs, small little things on the walls hung in isolation from each other instead of in groups, small shelving units, etc. Think bigger, and think grouped.
Phew! I think that's about it. This is just the tip of the iceberg, though. Once there are basic framework things in place, there's the matter of filling the framework with cute things. But the time will come for that. I am glad to have this written down and look forward to actually getting started once I work up the nerve.
Here's to being nervy in 2010!
Labels: household projects
posted by eliza @ 2:21 PM
8 Comments:
Take the painting in little chunks, one room at a time. It doesn't all have to be done at once. It doesn't have to all be done in a year. Start with a small room and work your way up.
I love that plan, on the one hand, but since I'm leaning heavily towards hiring someone to do it and do it right, it seems kind of bonkers to not just have them do it all once. I don't know! I seriously ... do not know.
Yeah, if you're going to do it yourself, one chunk at a time. But when I hired someone to paint my whole house in the last house it cost a couple thousand dollars and took about two weeks.
I love the Expedit shelves. I've had them on my wish list for years. But IKEA shipping charges are ridiculous! I'm hoping to be able to place a big order with them, and make the shipping costs a little less shocking.
I'm so excited for you!
ladyloo -- sing it. The Expedit is $199, the shipping is $359, total $558. Insane. Maybe we should just rent a U-Haul and drive to Houston. Wouldn't that be cheaper? For real!
I will talk paint with you forever, if you need it some time! The people at the paint store (or your painter) will know what eggshell is. I still favor "flat" for walls because it makes the light look better, but that's probably just personal preference. And usually something a little glossier is easier to clean.
Let's definitely talk about it! I am going to actually get some estimates and then I will have to make some decisions.
I'm curious if it would cost that much to ship that bookcase if I were to, say, drive the 5 minutes from my house to the Houston IKEA, buy the shelving for you, & then ship it from a UPS store instead? Do you think the shipping costs might be inflated a bit by IKEA? I have no idea.
Or I could do a road trip & bring them to you. Or you can come stay at our place & we can spend a whole DAY at IKEA! Seriously - I'd be willing to do that, or meet you halfway & pass them off, or whatever. Just let me know - imshimmyin@yahoo.com !
Dawn, you are so nice. Once I get the house painted and get grooving on all of this, I might totally take you up on one of these swell ideas!
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