O.K. So let's keep it real! I started this post yesterday and this is how far I had gotten when I received a text from my youngest - more on that in a minute. I was going to tell you how much fun I was having finishing up the alphabet book for Presley and show you a few of my pages so far. And, I was going to show you the huge mess I make when I do a project like this. It just can't be helped! You need everything out at once because as sure as you put a file away, you will think of another word that starts with that letter. But, I digress....
So, my youngest daughter has recently officially opened her own design business. She has always had wonderful taste...and she loves to shop. I have always marveled at how she and I can both walk into the same place and she will find all of the "good stuff" while I just find more STUFF!
Anyhow, I have been chomping at the bit to make some changes around here but the older I get, the harder time I seem to have making decisions - on color, furniture placement, improvements, etc. I knew I needed a gentle nudge and I have been asking begging her to give me some of her design advice. Each time I saw what she had done for another client (and I loved it), I asked begged even more.
And so, in came the text. All 3 of her kids were home with sniffles yesterday and everyone was needing to "get out of the house" - except that it was cold and rainy here - so out of "their" house and into mine.
We started in the dining room where change would not necessitate major renovation. We started slowly with her just asking questions and then beginning to offer suggestions. Once she knew that I was not going to be offended by anything she said, she became a little more forthright and a list was started. And, I am a list kind of gal - BUT, I also do not over think things and I like to do things "yesterday". And so at some point, I just jumped up and began emptying the hutch so we could move it out and see how the room looked without it. And, before you knew it, we had moved two major pieces of furniture out and moved one to another place in the room. Then, mirrors, pictures, knick knacks - you name it - were flying around. We ended up having her husband come over after work & putting a few pizzas in the oven so we could finish as much as we could. It was fun and probably something I wouldn't have done if I had had the time to think about it. I must say, I am missing all of my "merchandising" space (Christopher Lowell's word for it) but, as my daughter reminded me, I live in a house not a general store!
In any case, we are not done. We are now more zoned in on what color we will use and know that we are going to add wainscoting on the one long wall, larger crown molding all the way around and floating shelves in the niche. I am hoping those shelves give me a bit more space for my seasonal things because I am definitely having withdrawal!
So we went from this...
...to this. Jen felt the hutch was just too big for this wall but it is the piece I am missing the most, so we shall see. She is looking for something to hang over the jelly cupboard so I may feel better about it then.
Next, from this...
...to this. I am going to paint the wall white and then we are going to "float" in two (one?) shelves. I think I will really like that better than always having to have something tall in this spot. We shall see.
From this...
...to this. We put the picture low on the wall where the jelly cupboard used to be, but it may have to go as well when we finally decide on the new color. Right now we are leaning towards a very light version of the cinnamon that is currently here. And, hopefully, everything will look better when the dining room table is once again clear - although at the rate I am going, that may be awhile!
And lastly, from this...
...to this.
Everything definitely looks visually less cluttered - heck, it is LITERALLY less cluttered as well. I guess maybe that makes everything look cleaner also and that is always a good thing around here, but I am just not sure. I am a symmetrical kind of gal and right now it still feels a bit off. But, I am going to be a good client and wait to see the whole picture before I make judgement - hope that won't be too late - ha-ha! Oh yeah, and what happened to my "think big, start SMALL"!! Best laid plans and all that. Stay tuned.
No comments:
Post a Comment