Laundry Rooms Need Love Too

This space was a source of great debate. In my mind, something had to be done. It was just so nondescript and blah. It almost looked like it didn't belong in this house, and I knew it would bother me every time I opened the doors.

Others, who shall remain nameless (but not initial-less D.Q.B.) , felt like it was fine the way that it was and needed no adjustment. It's just a laundry room for goodness sakes.

But as much as I hate to do laundry, to do it in an ugly space would have been a spirit killer and a reason to procrastinate with that chore (as if I really need a reason). Additionally, there was no storage and no counter space--where or where would I fold my clothes?? I was advised (D.Q.B.) to fold them on the bed like every other woman in America. But I feel like there should be a place for everything and that everything belongs in its place. Clothes piled high on my bed waiting to be folded was not the right answer.

While mulling this situation over, we tried the pedestals that came with these new fangled washer/dryers. Even though they provided some storage, they seemed freakishly high...so after some sheepish begging to undo what had just been done, the pedestals were removed, packed up and returned to the store (Thanks Uncle Milty).

Instead, we added a counter top and overhead cabinets. Luckily because of the high ceilings, there was plenty of space without it being over crowded.


We decided to finish it off with a tiled workspace and back splash. My heart's desire would have been to do it all in the glass mosaic tile, but while beautiful, it was ridiculously expensive. We adjusted fire and came up with a way to incorporate the beauty of the glass tile and remain within budget, using plain with tiles and the mosaics as accents.


It's still just a laundry room and I still hate doing laundry, but at least now when I open the doors it invites me to do that which I hate doing.



I've reached a conclusion: Laundry rooms need love too!

Deuces!

Funky I.

Better Bare

They say kitchens and bathrooms sell houses and I can say this kitchen certainly sold me. I loved the cabinets, counter tops and the way it was so open and flowing to both the living room and dining room. I really, really, really didn't have to do anything to this space.

**However, please note the counter stools now so you can feel me later**

So, I added a few nick-knacks, small appliances and accessories to personalize it a bit and make it functional, but not much beyond that.

...but there is (are) still something (some things) missing.

No counter/bar stools!!! This is a critical point since there's no eat-in kitchen. That means we stand for our meals--and not for ovation. It's been a 2-yr quest--I think I've been on every website portal and hit every store in the city, endlessly clicking or driving around and still, I got nothin'.

Conceivably, one could furnish the space for convenience with a couple of inexpensive filler items. Sadly, I'm missing the gene for filler items so I decided to leave the space empty until that mystical, magical moment when the heavens will open up and the perfect seating will enter my life.

It's a shame about our current stand-up dining posture, but I'd rather it be naked and bare rather than not quite right. Feel me?

Deuces!

Funky I.

Powder Room Blues

Even houses with good bones have problem areas. To give credit to the designers and decorators of this space, they made some bold and rather fabulous paint choices. The red in the dining room and the Spice or Pumpkin in the Master Bedroom are bold, daring and absolutely beautiful.

But then it all went terribly wrong.

For real dawg? I mean really, there are just no other words.

When my realtor sent me these pictures I told her that I could work with every color in the house except the black stripes in the powder room, which she corrected as dark navy blue and not black. Well alrighty then, I stand corrected. But black or blue, it was still an ugly as 'H-word', two-toned, striped mess and needed to be addressed.

When I showed these pics to my Granny telling her that this space would be the very first one that I would deal with, she told me to consider wallpaper. Immediately I had visions of ghastly 70's wallpaper with velvet insets. My palms got sweaty and my throat got dry at the thought and I told her that, "No offense, but wallpaper is really not my thing." And for that, I owe my old, wise Granny an apology. Out and about one day, I spotted an elegant and refined paisley scrolled pattern in black and gold. Wallpaper here I come! I'm a do it yourself-er because I like to see the work of my hands, but I caution you that hanging wall paper is no joke. Several days, multiple re-starts (cause you have to make sure the patterns match and who knew that walls are not perfectly angled?) one pulled shoulder and a considerable amount of ice and heat packs later, I was done. Uncle Milty put up crown molding so that it would be consistent with the rest of the house, I found a more complimentary mirror, we changed all the fixtures and hung a few knick-knacks and voila:

Powder Room Blues no more.

Deuces!

Funky I.