I feel like I’m the only participant in Trading Spaces or something…
The challenge: With only $100, change the entire look and feel of the master bedroom, including finding storage for multiple pairs of shoes and various articles of clothing, decorating in a matching color palette, and creating a larger looking room.
The time-line: Needs to be done by 5pm Sunday night. (M will be home from the Guards, and I’d like to have the finished product to show off here too…)
The challenges: Money, obviously. Time, secondly. Closet space bringing up the rear.
The advantages: Many things we already own are in good condition and can be reused, including the curtains, bedspread, and dresser. Bad weather will be a good incentive to stay inside.
Can she do it, ladies and gentlemen? Or will our contestant dissolve into a puddle of tears and frustration at 2am tomorrow when she can’t reach the ceiling corners with her paint roller?
Stay tuned- it’s going to be interesting.
We’ve got a storm a’coming.
3-6 inches of snow tomorrow – high winds and average temps in the 20s….Brrrr.
That also means no excuses on getting the painting done! Shoe sale? Christmas shopping? Won’t want to risk getting caught in the storm! The only setback might be a really good movie on tv…
Brown! Or more accurately, a tan-ish brown that matches the teeny tiny itsy bitsy brown that’s also in our bedspread. While I love the color green, it’s a bit much for the contrasting colors we have. And the yellow, though bright and sunny, could also be a bit much after awhile.
The plan for the next three days is kinda ambitious- and may stretch my crafty/home improvement/frugal skills to the breaking point… before and after pictures to be posted soon!
Also- saw the commercial for this on tv the other day- a level that grips and has adjustable “targets” for marking on…well, almost anything.
Which leads me to the question- Why hasn’t someone thought of this before? It’s so simple! So easy! So common sense! More importantly, why hadn’t I thought of it and made my millions of dollars in patenting the idea? Just another one of those questions for the ages…
and so hard to pick…
Planning on painting while M is gone this weekend- but we haven’t decided which color to paint the bedroom. Our comforter is blue and white, and the woodwork is a medium maple. So, maybe a neutral? Or a complimentary color to the blue? Thoughts?
Apologies for the washout on the color- the flash was all crazy this evening…
Or trying to come close…
Our neighbor to the south, Chicago, is updating their alleys with “green” concrete. The new paving surface has pores in it that allow rainwater to drip down to the dirt below. Essentially, the water is filtered and adds to the water table- not to the lake as sewage. Kinda cool, huh?
The article explaining it is in the New York Times here. I hope it’s a success- and that Milwaukee starts following in its footsteps. Milwaukee also has tons of alleys- especially in the little suburbs surrounding the city. It would be cool if the little stretch behind my house was a benefit to the environment WHILE housing my trash/recycling bins…
Sixteen hours trapped in a car with limited musical choices can create some interesting conversation topics.
“If you’re trapped on a deserted island, what two celebrities (one male and one female) would you want with you?”
“Why don’t you ever sing a song with my name in it?”
“Phineas sounds like an old sailor that does scrimshaw…”
Yeah, we’re a strange couple…But, M, Stella and I are back- and the time let M & I discuss one of my favorite topics- renovation! (obviously)
It turns out that we have more ideas than money- something we already knew- but are now thinking about getting some bids on….(drumroll please).
Adding a bathroom to the upstairs attic space! YAY!
The idea was first proposed by my brilliant mother when we discussed making the top floor a master suite/office…We had dismissed it originally due to the headaches that we had with the recent bathroom remodel, and fears over the cost, but now that time has dulled the edges of that project…
It will most likely cost much more than we want- but we both think that an extra half a bath would be a great addition, and add a lot of value to the house. So, after the New Year, we might be looking at plumbing fixtures once again!
M, Stella, and I are off to KC for Thanksgiving- so no house news for a few days- enjoy your holiday, and have a drumstick for us!
Do not look directly at the Christmas decorations, serious eye injury may occur.
For those of you who may not peruse the This Old House website, they are sponsoring a holiday home decorating contest. (the picture above is the first thing you’re greeted with when you go to the site btw)
Not sure what to say…the picture kind of speaks for itself…but maybe, uh, wow? Or hoo, boy!
For the record, I am a holiday decorator. When I was a kid, my family and I would drive around the various suburban neighborhoods oohing and ahhing over different houses. I love the lights. I love the tinsel. I love the trimmings and holly and all that, but this? A bit lot of overkill, in my opinion. Less is more people! Less is more! I don’t think this is what Currier and Ives had in mind when trying to conjure images of Christmas…
Are you hoping Santa will be able to make his way to your house easier if he can spot it miles away? Are you hoping that your house will help guide errant planes towards the local airport? Maybe you drink a little too much eggnog around this time of year at the neighbors and want an easy guide to get back home…I don’t know.
Like those cheesy redneck jokes (but less funny)- if you’re house holiday energy bill is larger than your energy bill the rest of the year combined, you may have too many lights.
M & I took our weekly trip to the home improvement store today…and drooled over the kitchens, drooled over the leaded glass doors, drooled over insulation. Ok, maybe not drooled over the insulation, but definitely spent more time in that aisle that any of the other sections of the store.
After careful and thorough discussions – and by quite a bit of pushing on my part- we decided to start slowly tackling the attic conversion. We had been ready to go ahead with the doors- but alas- it’s too damn cold! And, really, I don’t want all my precious, precious heat flowing river-like into the unheated cold and cruel world. So, as much as I hate it, we’re going to hold off until April or so for the new doors, and then get both done in one fell swoop.
The plan for the attic is to take one gaping hole at a time- each weekend/evening we have free. It’ll take some time, but we don’t really use the upstairs space, so it won’t be a huge inconvenience if it’s left for stretches of time.
If all goes to plan, I’m also thinking that we’ll probably finish up right about the time we turn off the heat in May…
So, I’ve mentioned my fascination with paint glazes before- candlelight and river rock among the top choices. But I was looking online and just recently saw an interno limewash finish that I’m liking more and more. The picture above is from the design assistant at Coastal Living, and the rustic patina is growing on me.
Most of our walls are white- and I’d really like to add color and depth to the walls of the kitchen (once it’s renovated). M is also kind of a science geek- so the chemical reaction that causes the layering look is intriguing to both of us.
Has anyone ever used limewash before? Is it easy to use?
