The Future Craft Room/Office

The skim coat is done and we painted a coat of primer/sealer so here's how the room looks now.

This wall immediately to the left as you walk in the room is where the future "office" part of the room will be.

This craigslist desk is getting a makeover in the form of paint.  It was pretty cheap so I don't feel bad about it at all.

And here's the window seat that I was talking about.  Way too small for my bum.

This cabinet was left over from the kitchen so we're going to work this in to make a bigger sitting area (with storage!!). And yes, we're going to do something with the floors.  Probably refinish them since this is a craft room and it's likely to get a little messy.

It's a start.

So now what?  The wheels are starting to turn in my head.  Remember when I said I would never do a stencil again after the whole powder room thing? Well I've had a change of heart.  Kind of like having a baby.  You forget all the pain that was involved.  Anyway, I don't want to spend a ton on wallpaper so why not?  Besides, I may not do the whole room.  Or maybe I will.  I don't know, but a stencil is in this room's future.  Specifically this one.

Imperial Trellis-ish without the price. This is my inspiration picture.

From Better Homes and Gardens

You could totally do a high/low version of this room pretty easily by the way.  Stencil + craigslist desk + this fabric?

via fabric.com (Waverly)

Now to come up with the color pallette.  I really love everything about the one above and my room might end up looking like this, but I have a feeling my husband wouldn't be too happy about it.  He's sharing the "office" portion of the room.  So other contenders for the room are as follows (and they're not that masculine either...oopsy).

via coastalhomepillows.com

Better Homes and Gardens

Jonathan Adler via The Peak of Chic blog

Are you sensing a theme?  I'm not sure what combo I'll go with, but I know I want the room to feel bright and cheery.  I'm going to try to come to a decision so I can actually start next weekend.  No rush, but I feel like once this room comes together a lot of crap from the attic and basement will finally have a home.  It all goes back to my master plan...organization!

Project Organization-Let The Purge Begin

I told you I was getting things done this year.  Step 1:  Clear crap

Ok, good start.  Of course now this is the official home for all things destined to leave the house.  We'll try a garage sale but the rule is that none of it comes back in the house.

We also cleared out the decopauge room minus the pool table and another table.  It's getting there.

We're having a skim coat done to the walls, but first they have to be treated with some chemical that's supposed to remove the decades worth of magazine clippings that have been (dis)gracing these walls.  In exchange for some of the services they are going to take the pool table off of our hands.  It's a little bittersweet.  Part of me wants to keep it because maybe some day I really will have a hankering to play a game of pool.  You don't know!  Keep in mind my hoarding tendencies here.  Alas, we decided that it's time for it to go.  No harm no foul really.  This was something that was left in the house.  Anyway, I need room for my eventual craft room/office.  There is a small window seat to the left that will get beefed up a bit.  I'm fairly petite, but I'm still three dimensional and my three dimensional arse needs a bit more room for comfort.

We also got a good start on the sunroom and the big garage.  There is sooooooo much to do though. But, you know what they say.  You've got to crack a few eggs and baby steps and something else that's supposed to sound inspirational.  It's a start anyway.

Working On The Foyer

The foyer is probably the most embarrassing area of the house (I can usually hide the other areas by closing doors.  Shhhh.)  It's the first thing that anyone sees and p.s., it doesn't make a good first impression.  There has been some progress, like ripping off the 70's yellow shag.  Bu-Bye!

The stairs have been refinished but I still need to paint the risers a crisp white.

Now for the rest of it.  This is where the huge radiator used to be.  The panel molding is really pretty but it's in rough shape and will need to be touched up and probably wet sanded in places.

More mess. Ha!  

I plan on painting the molding and trim BM Decorators White and doing wallpaper above the molding.  I think my mind is set on this.

It's Thibaut Cantonese wallpaper in pearl  It's very pretty in person, but difficult to get a good picture of.  I think a bit of chinoiserie would look really nice in the foyer and going up the stairs.  It will probably be a little while before we get to the wallpapering though, so there's a good chance that I could change my mind, but right now this is the one.  Yup, we've got a lot of work to do.

2014 New Year's Resolution: Organize, Organize, Organize

2014 Woohoo!  A new year.   A fresh start.  Time for the annual resolution.  If you're anything like me your resolutions don't exactly stick.  Over the years my resolutions have gone from grand to absolute minimum.  It got to the point where I was promising myself to at least remember to rub cream on my heels everyday and I couldn't even keep up with that.  I have high hopes for this year's resolution though because, quite frankly, I can't take the mess anymore.  It didn't help matters when my brother came for a visit and  looked at some of the rooms and simply said, "Wow Tiff, you've got a lot of crap".  Noted.  I think when you live with something so long you start to get used to it in some weird way.  Having a fresh pair of eyes brought it back into the forefront.  Yep, we've got a lot of crap.  There is some stuff that hasn't even been unpacked yet among the stuff that we really don't want anymore and just need to get rid of.  Some of the rooms look like something you'd see on an episode of hoarders, minus the feces and dead animals.  I'm getting on a tangent here, but what is up with those people?  They must have completely lost their olfactory sense, right?  My husband watches that show sometimes and I get completely sucked in.  So irritating.  Anyway, here's my own personal episode of hoarders for your viewing pleasure.  I know I usually only show you my finished rooms, but this is reality people.  Please don't judge me too harshly.

 Sun porch.  A total mess.  I want to do a big built in bookcase in here and make this a nice reading room.  First step, get rid of all the crap.  Problem is most of this doesn't have a home yet.  It's either going to be sold or put in rooms that aren't finished yet.  And look at the windows.  I have to paint ALL of that.  Sigh.

Butler's pantry.  This is the room that is most used by anyone (including us) who paints or works on the  house.  That sink is a utility sink at this point.  Could it be neater?  Absolutely.  I hear you judging.  I agree with you though, trust me.

 Decoupage room.  We're going to have to do a skim coat on those walls to cover the decades worth of magazine clippings.  Really, who does that?  There was even a little porn section of clippings.  Bizarre. Obviously this is the woodworking room.  What?  Doesn't everyone have one of those?

This is the middle room on the third floor.  I'm saving this for the One Room Challenge which Linda, from Calling It Home, hosts.  I hope I get to participate this year.

Walk in attic.  This is supposed to be a little cluttered, right?  I mean, it is an attic.

Garages 1 and 2.  Disaster.

And then there is the mother of all organization projects.  The basement.  Dun dun dun.  I think we could build a whole other house with all of the stuff we have down here.  Can't find something?  Just buy another one.  That's what usually happens.  No wonder we keep running out of money.  Ridiculous.

So, I think I have enough to keep me very busy this year.  Now that it's out there for everyone to see, I'm completely in.  This. Is. Getting. Done. This. Year.  Mark my words.