Home decorating and design

Pam... The short answer is "NO!" :-) Do whatcha gotta do to decorate and keep the kitties from destroying your efforts. Diane

Must a scarf window valance hang all the way to the floor? Our picture window has only off-white verticle blinds on it now, and I'd love to add a splash of colour with curtains or a scarf valance, but I must keep the temptation of flowing fabric out of the reach of paws and claws in my home. Ideas? Thanks! ...Pam

Pam... Congratulations on being a newlywed! To my way of thinking, art work above a couch should occupy, more or less, two-thirds of the length it. I am also not a particular fan of symmetry when it comes to arranging groupings (as in "if we add pictures on either side"), so I'd look for some other items to group w/ your print that aren't necessarily also pictures. I'd keep them in the b/w family so as not to detract from your major piece and maybe hang your print a little left of center w/ the other items, or most of them, to the right (or vice versa). Happy hanging! Diane

Hi guys, I'm new to this group and am seriously thinking of taking some courses in interior decorating or design, depending on how far I decide to go (it will probably be a part-time gig on the side as I'm quite happy with my full-time career). Problem is I don't really know what programs are really good to have under my belt. I've read that you don't really need any true training to be an interior decorator (although I'd prefer to go through some sort of training), whereas a designer requires a degree and rigorous testing. I'm more interested in the decorating side of things...anyone know of a good program out there? I've read up on the Sheffield School of Interior Design in New York City, which is a home-schooling program. Has anyone done this or know of its reputation in the design world? Any advice will help me, thanks! Jen

Hubby and I are newlyweds and have a black and white print that we'd like to display over our living room sofa. The problem is that the print isn't quite large enough to be well-balanced over the sofa. I think we need to arrange other items on the wall with it. If we add pictures on either side, should they all be framed identically? Should they all be black and white photos? Should we avoid puting anything too colourful next to the picture? Any ideas on how to create an attractive arrangement would be appreciated. Thanks! ...Pam

Hi, Joy! Well, I *thought* I didn't want a fluorescent in the kitchen because I was thinking of the old-fashioned ones that flicker and buzz and turn everything green. My parents put those in the bedroom that I had when I was a teenager and I just hated the darned things. They were absolutely the most annoying lights possible! But fast-forward 20 years .... I hadn't kept pace, and didn't realize how much better the new generation of fluorescents is now. So, now the fluorescent in the middle of my kitchen ceiling is a sort of translucent squashed donut shape (but without a hole in the middle) which is actually attractive despite the description. :) It doesn't flicker, buzz, or make everything look green, and I'm actually glad the inspector insisted on it. So go figure! Ann

Hello Everyone, Here in the UK you can get small samples of paints which a lot of folk add to a white base, now I know that this can be done in the shops but if they do it then the end product is as expensive as normal colour paint but if you do it its much cheaper! as even the best White paint can be bought at a more reasonable price - sorry I can't convert our UK money to dollars or euro's. I've several friends who have done this and it's worked out very well - the only thing that you have to remember if you are using more than 1 tin is to count how many of the samples you add to it & make a written note of it, its so easy to think "Oh, I wont bother to write it down, I've got a good memory" well you might have now, but will you remember in a few months time when you may want to put a bit of new paint on one of your walls? I'm a great believer of having written notes myself - the number of rolls of wallpaper wanted for each room etc. saves lots of time in the long run. BTW, do all your lights screw in? there are very f ew that use that system here in the UK, we use the bayonet fitting. Cheerio for now, May the son of the Governor upstairs keep you, your family & your pets all safe, happy & healthy. Joy, Elaine, Charlie & all our fishes of Burrington, England, UK

Hello Everyone, I was most amused to see all the answers to the email from Ann who said "I was greatly annoyed when our house inspector told us we *had* to have a fluorescent in the kitchen," and although I can understand why she was annoyed to be told she had to have them I can't understand why she didn't want them. When we first came to live in this bungalow we had ceiling lights in all rooms including the kitchen and when North Devon Homes which is the Social Housing Association that I rent the bungalow from gave us new Bathroom & Kitchens. As NDH is responsible for all the wiring & electrical fittings we can't change the without written permission. We were able to choose the colour of the Bathroom Suite & both the wall & floor tiles in the Bathroom, and the type of Kitchen Cabinets, worktops, & floor tiles in the Kitchen, in fact we were shown 5 different types of furniture and a man came to the house & designed the kitchen for us if we didn't agree to what he wanted to do we could change things! in fact I didn't like it and changed they the plan 3 times before I was satisfied, we could also have extra cupboards which we were only charged at cost price and the first 3 could be fitted free, as I've got a small kitchen I just bought one double floor & one double wall cupboard, and then I found that I was able to get a grant towards the cost of them. I also asked for a Fluorescent Light but was told that I would have to pay for it & pay for it to be fitted & had every intension of doing so but to my surprise when the workmen had gone I found that one had been fitted & I wasn't asked for any money. I realize that some folk may not like them but I cannot agree that they are ugly, nor that they are inefficient, the one we have lights the whole room and as its a modern fitment it's quite pleasant to look at, however the last statement is my opinion, if you don't agree with me that's fine after all if everyone agreed with everyone else it would be rather a dull world wouldn't it? - of course as I like in the UK our lights may be different from yours. At one time I was thinking of having a round fluorescent light fitted in my Lounge but as we now use Low Energy bulbs haven't done it yet, but in fact the lights that we have for our Fish Tanks are quite sufficient for most of our needs and I've got a small reading lamp by my bed for reading & if I need it when I use the main computer. - BTW my bed is in our Lounge as I have to rest a lot, Elaine is using the big bedroom at the moment & we're using the small bedroom as a storeroom but we intend to make the big bedroom into a craft cum storeroom & she'll go back into the smaller room. Charlie who is our 21 month old Great Dane spends her time either on my bed or on her chair during the day, that is when she's not in the garden or on either my or Elaine's bed at night. Cheerio for now, May the Son of the Governor upstairs keep you, your family & your pets all safe, happy & healthy. Joy, Elaine, Charlie & all our fishes of Burrington, England - UK

OK - I officially watch way too much decorating tv! I can't remember what show this was on -it was a backyard makeover show and not one from HGTV. Anyway, the view across the street was pretty awful - an ugly apartment complex or something. They put up a HUGE screen painted like a tuscan valley. Light came through it and the real background disappeared into shadows. I think it was made of sunscreen like you see over the tops of playground equipment. I have no idea what it was called but at the time it occurred to me that if you rigged up some sort of backlight effect, it might work inside a house too. Denise It is easy to allow the tyranny of the urgent to eclipse the significance of the essential. - Chuck Swindoll

I'm just guessing here, but I'd say the fewer windows the more you'd want to go with gold into yellows and creams. It seems like the right shades of that could give a sunny feel to a room even if it had no windows. Lighting probably pretty key. Do you have uplights for the corners so that you don't have any dark corners? How about trompe d'oeil window? Denise It is easy to allow the tyranny of the urgent to eclipse the significance of the essential. - Chuck Swindoll

Everybody has their own preferences....I guess that's why you wrote looking for our suggestions, right? We used the American Tradition paint from Lowes. It's made by Valspar, which is a good paint company that's been around for about 100 years. My mother is a loyal Sherwin Williams customer, and even she was impressed with how nice and creamy the American Tradition paint was. You don't want to use a regular primer....use New Construction Primer when you are painting on fresh drywall.....because initially the surface is so porous that it just absorbs the paint right off your roller! We also had them tint our primer the same color as our paint. This worked very well, because we got by with one coat of primer and one coat of regular paint. If we had gone with a lesser quality paint, we would have spent more in the long run, because we would have had to use 2 coats of paint instead of one. I haven't ever used Behr paint....but I know that I have heard mixed reviews about it from this group. Some just love it, and others are less than impressed. Sounds about normal! :-) Good luck! Cricket

Hi Kirsten, Your office sounds like it is coming along very well. Since you don't sew, one possibility is to purchase enough fabric to go from the bottom of the back part of the chair, to the bottom of the front of the chair. You could choose any fabric you like, cut to length and simply use iron on hem adhesive to finish all the raw edges. Then you could use any type of cording to place ties to hold it in place, or use velcro. Another possibility is to buy fabric that doesn't ravel, like felt or fleece and just cut it to length and use it without any hemming. The arms could be addressed by just cutting enough fabric to cover them, and take some simple running stitches by hand underneath to hold it in place. Audrey

I saw that episode and saved the info for future use. These aren't those instructions and I will keep on looking but I did find some notes I'd saved that get the same effect. If I find the notes I made from the show I'll send them along too. Denise It is easy to allow the tyranny of the urgent to eclipse the significance of the essential. - Chuck Swindoll TUSCAN TREATMENT BRINGS OLD WORLD CHARM TO MODERN HABITATS All faux paint techniques strive to bring about a textural interest on the surface utilizing applicators, sheen levels and a play of color. With the Tuscan Treatment, the wall surface becomes the textural focal point by adding a layer of drywall compound. It is then washed with several color glazes creating both an aged effect as well as architectural interest. For anyone who has visited Tuscany or Provence, the look is instantly recognizable. The technique is simple to achieve, with minimal preparation and materials required to create a wonderful combination of colors -- burnt sienna (Benjamin Moore #077), moss green (Benjamin Moore #1518), sunlight (Benjamin Moore #197) and goldenrod (Benjamin Moore #202) What You'll Need Regal First Coat or Fresh Star primer - 1 gallon drywall compound Moore's Latex Glazing Liquid - 1 gallon Regal Wall Satin quarts in the following colors: #077, #1518, #197, #202 sanding block foam brushes (4) 2 1/2" 4 quart size mixing buckets cheesecloth 4" spackle knife drop cloth disposable gloves stir sticks paint can opener StaysClear Polyurethane Satin finish What To Do STEP 1 On any wall surface, either previously painted or new, even over sheet paneling, prime entire surface with First Coat or Fresh Start. STEP 2 Using a 4" spackle knife, liberally apply drywall compound in long, sweeping motions; do not smooth on surface; leave ridges, overlaps, indentations. Allow to dry 4-6 hours. STEP 3 Take 1 gallon of Latex Glazing Liquid and divide into four separate quart size mixing buckets. For each individual bucket, assign one color. From each quart, add 1/8 to 1/4 of the quart to its chosen "glazing liquid" bucket. Mix the four separate color/glazing liquid combinations. STEP 4 Working within a 3' X 3' area on the wall, apply one color at a time with a foam brush in a sweeping motion, following the contours of the drywall compound. STEP 5 Apply one color glaze at a time -- make 3 to 4 sweeps then apply the second color glaze, then the third, finally the fourth. Be sure to overlap and intermix the color glazes some areas on the wall surface. STEP 6 Rub over this painted section with cheesecloth, blending the colors together.

Our contractor is about to finish drywalling and we have elected to do the painting for our new home. We are looking for advice on type of primer, how to apply it, and even paint advice. 1. What is the best primer for the $? 2. Can we use a power sprayer to apply the primer? 3. I have read it is a good idea to have the primer tinted, is this true? 4. Again, from reading, I think we are going to go with Behr paint. Is this a good selection? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Can you give us a little more detail as to how the chairs are made and what they look like? "Office chairs" is pretty generic! :) Ann

In a message dated 8/3/2004 7:28:06 PM Eastern Standard Time, dbshelly@... writes: How did they do it? ********The designer put the colors in a paint tray with the spackle, mixed it up & the spread it on. It did look good. Judy

Not sure exactly what code says without wading through it myself ... and that is hard work, as I found out last summer! We did use CFLs in the bedroom closets, which were also supposed to have fluorescent fixtures (fire hazard). The inspector told us he'd "let us get away" with that. So I dunno. He seemed very keen on actual fluorescent fixtures. As I said, I had other issues with him and was trying to stay on his good side! Ann

Hi all - We have two perfectly servicable office chairs at the moment, and they work fine... but they look pretty ugly in the office. I'm wondering if anybody has suggestions for how to fix 'em up. The obvious thing to do is reupholster, but I have no sewing skills or equipment and I suspect it would be a bit pricey to reupholster them professionally. The next obvious thing to do is put a throw over each of them, but then the throw would shift around and get rolled over when the chairs are wheeled back and forth, and eventually get kinda destroyed. In other news, I'm all pleased with myself for repainting & replacing the hardware on an ugly file cabinet - it looks great now, I can't stop staring at it. I know it's not a big thing, but it's my first real "project", so I'm excited about it. :) It's a pale slate blue with silver accents, goes wonderfully well in a pale muted green office. Thanks in advance for any suggestions on the chairs! Kirsten

Try doing a search on the group's website -- I seem to remember that we had several people offer NASCAR ideas a few months ago, and they were very creative! Good luck, Cricket

hello everyone.....Im moving into a new house with a bonus room upstairs above the garage and i was wondering if anyone has any ideas or links that can give me some ideas for a NASCAR theme....Thanks for any help

I missed that one :( I am a little cofused. Did you mean they added 3 shades to drywall compound and then troweled the colored drywall compound on the wall? I wishsed I would have seen that. I would love to do something like this to my family room when my daughter moves out. Debbie Did anyone see the Decorating Cents episode where they slapped 3 shades of

***This post was edited by a moderator*** I would totally agree with the doors. I think anything you can have behind doors is better. And leave some shelves for the attractive things. However, if this is not possible I would suggest using several matching baskets to keep things in . There are lots of different kinds and neat ones with fabric linings this still looks pleasing to the eye because it is streamline. If baskets aren't your thing they have cool decorative boxes as well. These match about any color and can be a tie in to your wall color. Shelly

Check some of the archives for Mission: Organization at HGTV.com They just did some neat stuff last week - Friday perhaps - with a woman's craft room/office that might just be what you're looking for. I also saw a wonderful shared home office redo on Designing for the Sexes but it was a while back. This home office was also a guest room. Come to think of it, they did one last week too. Both looked phenomenal when finished but of course were very high-end. The one on Mission: Organization looked pretty affordable. Besides, they put a lot of neat organizer stuff to use so you might find inspiration in some other project. Denise It is easy to allow the tyranny of the urgent to eclipse the significance of the essential. - Chuck Swindoll

I have those florescent lights that everyone seems to think are ygly and dated. Personally, I think the can lights are not very attractive either-just lots of holes in the ceiling. Is there any thing else to use in a kitchen that would give adequate light? It is expensive to install those can lights and one of these days they will probably be considered dated and ugly also. Do not plan to sell the house for at least two more years and do not want to have to spend money to get it sold. Rest of house is OK. Jean

I am looking for advice on wall shelves for my office. I need to get books, paper and CD's up off my desk on to the wall. Any suggestions? Jane

Deanna, I am really a bit industrial I'd say, so color safe bleach to me is an oxymoron, so to speak.... like "government intelligence" But I do like the idea of color remover, and I appreciate your diplomacy.!! wendy ps I still trip over thin air... I call it ground turbulance ~~~~~~~ "A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort." Herm Albright

***This message was edited by a moderator**** Hi, I just checked your website and saw all the work you have done so far. Congrats! I suggest, to put some blue and red pillows and accessories on the couches and coffee table to repeat the wall color and the red of the armchair. It's is more pleasant to the eye if you repeat the outstanding colors in the room. Or you could buy an area rug with the blue and the red in it. Ikea has really nice and inexpensive rugs. Lamps on either side of the sofa along the wall are a very good idea, also to move the pictures above the fishtank and above the couch one foot down! I don't like the arrangement in front of the windows that much - the red armchchair plus ottoman next to the cream-colored futon. It's is too much furniture lined up on that side of the room. Compared to the dining area the living area seems too "heavy". Maybe you can move the armchair and ottoman on the opposite side of the seating area facing the window and functioning as a room-devider between living and dining area. I would also try to build a focal point in the center of the dining room wall. Maybe a nice mirror (do not hang too high ;-) or a shelf with some nice accessories to build some interest in that area. The bedroom is really lovely. I would try to get rid of the bookshelf and put some built-ins above the desk (like you are planning it). The printer should also fit in there and then you could hide the whole "office" with some curtains or shades in front of the nook. The stuffed animals are a no-no in a grown-up bedroom if you ask me -but that is probably a matter of individual taste. Never mind! I hope this wasn't too much critique. I would love to hear how you like my ideas! All the best, Imke from sunny California

Hi there.. Glad to join your group. I'm from Northern NJ (17 miles west of NYC)and am struggling while I interview and look for work. The job market is terrible here Meanwhile.....I have a project going on....getting my apartment painted and cleaned up- a facelift so i can rent a room in it, & offset the expense, etc,... I've been soaking curtains in 1/2 bleach and 1/2 water for 15 minutes.They are still blue and smell of bleach. My kitchen sink and my hands are very clean though. Any ideas for how to turn blue cutains white, or why they didn't turn white? thanks, Wendy "A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort." Herm Albright

For me though I want color in my tiles and Well, from the point of view of one who has cleaned many different houses, family types, floor types, etc I want to vote with you! I had a 1-time house a while back and found a nearly new vacuum to use. This was the house of a friend - I remember when they built it and it couldn't be over 4 years old; just two (very clean!) empty nesters living there. She told me that after she got that new bagless vac and found out how filthy that carpet was, all she's ever wanted was to get rid of it. Same with other friends who had terrible allergies. They bought a mobile to keep at their missionary site and ordered it with ALL lino and said their kids were healthier living there than anywhere else they'd ever been. My kit and laundry room are lino and even though I do still vacuum, once I'm done ( and mopping of course) they're clean. Not so with the carpet even when I did a good job vacuumming it- it still looks dirty in places *because it is!*. I also vacuum ( with the hard floor attachment; one reason I much prefer canister vacs) the hard surfaces in every house I clean - hardly ever touch a broom or dust mop. That way dust bunnies and hair balls can't scoot out of reach and I can get into every corner and tight place. I can also get above the floor if I see something that needs to be "grabbed". Overall, the whole house seems cleaner when you don't walk across a powder puff full of dust with every step. Someone had asked a while back if having concrete floors wouldn't be too hard on your feet and legs, but it occurred to me that every house built on a slab has concrete floors. If there is carpet on them then there's probably a little padding, but anyhwere that it's tile or lino on the floor, the cushion factor probably is exactly the same as if it were bare concrete. Denise It is easy to allow the tyranny of the urgent to eclipse the significance of the essential. - Chuck Swindoll

Don't forget that a lot of this Tuscan look is the *texture* (either real or apparent) of the walls. A smooth flat paint on smooth walls looks a lot different from a heavily textured look, which has that "earthy" feeling. If your walls are smooth and you don't want to do any physical texturing to them, look into doing sponge texturing with a couple of different colors of paint (or something similar). Don't forget that if you are just looking for *texture*, the two colors of paint (or three if you are ambitious) might be achieved by taking one color of paint that you love (say a medium salmon), then adding white or cream to it so that you have a lighter version of the same color ( in a separate container, of course! :), and then either dark gray, dark green, or dark brown to another batch of it. (If you want a warm feeling you should probably stick to warm tones like brown, not gray.) So what you are trying to mimic is the color with light and shadows hitting the highs and lows of the (non-existent) texturing. This is a different color approach from other texturing I have seen, where you actually take three different colors (such as salmon, off white and teal) to create a different look. Don't forget to try this with a small amount of paint and some poster boards to see if you like it before you commit to it! Hope this makes some sense ... it is so hard to *describe* visual things sometimes! :) Ann

With all the talk of how our red dirt stains I just had to mention that a company has started producing Oklahoma Red Dirt Shirts! The gimmick is that you don't have to wait for the kids or anyone else to atain them up or try to get them white again. Some of them are actually kinds pretty as they are done in a textured effect with nice graphics. Yes most people will stay with a neutral floor covering, but there are other chooses besides beige...My parents have a multi-colored carpeting that has several colors in it from chocolate to sandy tan. It has just enough light colors not to be too dark and drab and hides the dirt very well. Plus it has matched with everything they have put into their homes. For me though I want color in my tiles and hardwood where I don't have tile. I am too busy to worry about cleaning carpets, and with all of our allergies they have to be kept up on a daily basis. But like everything else decorating wise, the flooring colors are a very personal choice. Laura in OK

***This message was edited by a moderator**** Ooh, I would love to hear more about your future craft room. I also have a huge (7X6) closet and would love to do the same thing after my children are grown. Felecia

Sherri... Benjamin Moore sells 2-oz samples of their paint. Diane

Is the Kim who has photos in the album at the group site still with this group? If so, Kim, I wondered what your foyer is done with, paint or wallpaper? Is it silver like it looks in the picture? If it's paint, what technique did you get that look with? It looks great! Karin

I love the earth tone paints that the designers on TV have been using ("Clean Sweep"). I need to paint my hallways and stairwell. I also need to paint my kitchen. I would love to use a brownish earthy color that isn't too dark for them. What would you recommend? When I get the sample squares they don't look like what I see them using. Jane

I am looking for 2 different types of shelves for my home office. I would like floating shelves with no visible brackets but prongs inside the shelf for book shelves. Pottery Barn does have some and was wondering if you knew of any other place. I am also looking for some type of wall storage for CD-roms but don't know what to get. Ideas? Jane

I have put a cream colored slipcover on my sofa it looks almost white, and I'm not sure what colors to use with it to *spice* up my living room. I need suggestions on toss pillows and window treatments. Thanks Everyone, Brandy

Hi there. I was from Scottsdale Arizona and have just recently moved in with my Fiance to Queen Creek Arizona. I have moved from city to country and am a bit lost. With horses in the back yard, and insects in the house... it's been fun. We have a very cute home. I just went from a 3 membr family to a 6 member family. I have a few questions, or opinions, to ask for. The first would be the boys room. Any grand ideas on how to fit 3 boys in one room? There is a 12 year old, a 4 year old and a 2 year old. In about a year, we are going to add on to this house, but until then, it would be nice to get there room more comfy. Also, a friend of mine told me about a faux technique that used squares of cheese cloth painted over so that the print of the cheese cloth was left on the wall.... and something about how wonderful the edges looked. Has anyone done this technique? I'd also like to know if anyone has done a wall to look like denim and how hard is it? Angie

Reading the current thread of tile prompted me to ask this question. My kitchen floor tile has beveled edges, meaning the grout is lower than the tile. I am finding it difficult to keep it clean and dirt shows very easily. How does one clean tile with beveled edges? Daisy

Welcome, Milet... I don't have any suggestions for bathroom colors--I don't know your tastes or preferences--but I can tell you that I have one wall in my living room and entry hall painted a peach/terra cotta color and I love it! It's one of the first things that people comment on (favorably!) when then enter my condo. Viva la peach! :-) Diane

dont forget to do the what is your decorating style poll!

Hello, my name is Milet. I would like to join you discussing about home decorating. We just remodel our living room,dining room and family room few months ago and we are going to change our three bathrooms into floor tiles, counter top and all the toilets, sinks and tubs. My husband and I kinda confused what color are we going to paint for each walls in different rooms. We are thinking to paint something peach color in the living and dining room, any suggestion would be appreciated. Thanks, Mileth

***This message was edited by a moderator*** We put a ceramic tile floor in our kitchen and our bathroom. We bought a tile saw and away my husband went. He is not one to normally do much fix it up things but he did a great job so it is something definitely one can do on their own. You do need to have cement board and a good level surface. We fixed up an old Victorian house and had to put leveling cement in before the cement board. I would recommend not using a shiny or marble tile on the floor because it super super slippery. I love my tile and does not show much easy to keep clean and would have it other rooms if I could. Hope this helps. Shelly

I've just recently inherited a house that needs a ton of work. Does anyone have any tips on installing a tile floor or making a tile bathroom wall? I have no carpentry experience, but I learn quick.

When is the best time to see if you can find an internship? In the beginning, middle or towards the end of your course? I am in the beginning, sort of, of my course. I have completed 5 lessons so far and am working on lesson 6 of my course. Debbie

Hi, I liked all your photos. You have a lovely home. Audrey

Debbie -- I can't believe the difference! You *really* lightened and brightened up the place. Your kitchen window treatment is beautiful -- I'm so envious of your talent! Thanks for sharing -- I always love what you do with your rooms. What's your next project? Cricket

Thanks to everyone who responded to my purple sofa email i got some great ideas and am gunna check it out and see what i find in the stores. :) Dani

Hi all, I've been missing for almost a year, but I'm finally finished with redecorating my kitchen. You can find the kitchen BEFORE and AFTER pictures in my photo album on the group's site under Debbie S. The nook and family rooms are almost finished as well, and I'll post pics of those soon. The kitchen was all done by me and my husband, including making the window treatment, installing the crown molding and painting and upholstering the bar stools. Oh, and all the painting as well. My goal was to lighten up the dark, north facing kitchen, and I think I achieved it! It looks light and bright especially now that summer is in full swing. It's been a long work in progress, and it's great to have it finally done. Debbie S.

Meg, Kristal, Loni, Marion, and Paula, Thank you all for the suggestions. I'm saving all your replies and will post some updated pics when I've made a bit of progress. You've all been very helpful. Thanks Again! Scott

First of all if your not already taken will you consider relocating... not many 30 something guys around here would care how there home was decorated. Seriously though, you said you like Hunter green, fishing, and were thinking about maybe something southwest, well I say who cares if it is still in. If you like it go along those lines, after all you have to sleep there. I recently saw some wallpaper that looks like the inside wall of a log cabin, so you could make into a sort of cabin retreat, and with hunter green and say maroon or burgandy fabric accents it wouldn't be too masculine or too feminine. There are all sorts of fishing things that could go on the walls, and I still see all sorts of S.W. stuff but then again I live in cowboy country where S.W. never goes in or out of style it is just a way of life. Hope this helps. Laura in OK

Hi, I love the shabby chic look. I am just starting to redo my living room and I need some advice on painting furniture. Some magazines I have seen have off white distressed furniture with black showing through. I am going to paint the end tables but sometimes when I go to distress furniture it will peel. Also when you want to get that washed look do you add water to the paint? Thanks in advance Christine

In a message dated 7/20/04 7:08:19 AM Pacific Daylight Time, TheCornerZoo@... writes: << for this room I'd be fine with off-whites or browns/tans or your Hi Scott: It looks as though you have really been working hard in the new house. Your bedroom will be lovely, the room looks like it has lots of angles and interesting features. I don't think you mentioned the measurements, -- it looks small, but I could be wrong. Your doors look beautiful, and I think it would be a shame to paint them. If it were me, I would love a light stain, without any red tones, to bring out the lovely grain of the wood. The lighter the better! You might consider a soft beige for the walls. If the room is large, perhaps the angled part of the walls could be painted either a darker or lighter shade of the paint, to bring out the interest of the angles. If it is small, one shade of paint would look better, and not give the room a chopped-up look. For the small cubby closet, I would paint that the same color as the walls. The floors look like wood--if so, you might want them to remain that way without carpeting. If you plan on covering the floor, a taupe carpet would be good-looking, and easy to care for. If the floor remains as wood, then a couple of interesting throw rugs, depending on where your bed will be. For your windows, some blinds in wood tones would enhance the masculine look, matchstick also would look great. It looks like a second-floor, so you may not worry about privacy. Then all you would need is some sort of valance or maybe cafe curtains, just to give the windows a more finished look. You didn't say if you had furniture for the room, so I won't go into that. For your bed, I can see something in green, brown and beige plaid, or maybe a navy and beige plaid would be a little different. You can get matching curtains usually, and make your valance or cafe curtains from those. Whatever you decide to do, I know it will look great, because you will make it so. You sound like a great guy! Marion

Laura... I think you're right! :-) Visually separating your large space into smaller spaces would lend continuity to your design. Room dividers don't always have to be opaque such as an armoire or a bookcase, though. Turning the back of your couch, for example, on the office would define the office space as separate from the seating area. Area rugs also define spaces. Do you have any pieces that could do double duty such using a sewing table as a makeshift buffet or a file cabinet as an end table or a plant stand? Fewer pieces, I think, would contribute to the flow of your room. Diane

I edited the post in question and the link was accidentally left out by the sender. She noticed it and sent it along soon after, and that post was put right through. Posts are edited - by the sender, preferrably - or by a moderator when necessary as a courtesy to those who receive the digest edition of this list. It is greatly appreciated by them because all of that unnecessary quoting makes digests very long and hard to read. When a post has been edited, the only parts touched are the repeated headers, footers, and excessive text-body quotes from the previous message - the current message goes through exactly as written. If a link seems suspicious, a moderator will check that link. If it is a trick designed to get the readers to a virus site, ad, or porn site, the entire post will be deleted before it gets to the list and the member unsubbed. Otherwise, if anything is missing from a reply, the sender simply forgot to add it. Posts are returned to those who repeatedly do not edit and they are asked to edit and re-send their post. Denise - IM Moderator It is easy to allow the tyranny of the urgent to eclipse the significance of the essential. - Chuck Swindoll

Dani: it sounds like you are going for the contemporary--how about a lime or turquoise. White would also be stunning--but what color carpeting do you have to consider? Marion

Amanda... Your diagram did not come through--attachments not permitted, I think--but w/o it, I'll offer one idea that might not have occurred to you; that is to "float" your seating pieces, if that's feasible in your room. Not all furniture has to line the walls. Your sofa and/or chairs can sit--no pun intended!--away from the walls or right-angled to them. Diane

I went to the Art Institure site and it looks like it would cost a lot to attend their online school. From what I saw its about $1200 per course and there are about 15 courses per semester. Am I reading that right? If that is the case I guess my correspondence course and then courses at the community college will be the avenue I will be taking. Debbie

I bought a crackle glaze at Sherwin Williams and painted a very old console table, I put on the glaze and then painted white over top. It worked but I think I may have put the glaze and then top coat on too heavy. In some places the top coat sort of slid before cracking. I am not sure what I did wrong. I never did this before so its all new to me. I am trying to learn faux finishes and I wanted that table to look old in a different way then distressing like I did my cabinets and shelfs. My daughter thinks it looks good, but I think it could have looked better. Debbie

Karin - bless you bless you bless you! I usually scrub with Bon Ami or Barkeeper's Friend, (scrub being the operative word here) and they're...OK. I clean some pretty old houses with some pretty horrible pipes. Of course when it's worst of all is when the house hasn't been really cleaned in ... who knows how long. I'm going to get some of this right now and take it to one place , hoping it will pick up where the BonAmi left off. Denise It is easy to allow the tyranny of the urgent to eclipse the significance of the essential. - Chuck Swindoll

Can anyone recommend a rust cleaner for *vertical* surfaces? The white grout in my shower has picked up rust deposits from our hard water and "scrubbing it out" is just not working! I looked at rust cleaners at the store, and all the ones they had there specifically said they were for horizontal surfaces. Can anyone recommend something I can spread on the up-and-down grout in my shower that will remove or reduce this problem? (As soon as I get the stains out, I am going to seal the grout with a BETTER grout sealer than the one I used last time -- but first I have to get the stains out!) Thanks in advance! Ann P.S. Let's not get off onto a discussion of water softeners as a solution to this issue ... at least not for my benefit ... I really just want to get the rust out of this one area and then I will be happy! :)

I found a porduct called Artex on the internet. It is a powder that you mix with watere and apply to cielings over the textures instead of having them scrapped off!!!!Only problem it is in Glasglow. I e- mailed them but they never answered. Does anyone know of such a product in the United States?????

Debbie... The two-hour special airs tonight at 8 or 9 EDT on TLC. Diane

While we're on the subject of Ebay furnishings, I thought I'd add my $0.02! ;) My fiance and I have been very pleased with our Internet and Ebay finds. We've saved tons by going through Ebay - for instance, our headboard and footboard set that normally retails for $400 was purchased new for $99 on Ebay, and our coffee and end table set, which we saw for $300 elsewhere, was purchased for $50. (Now THAT was a bargain!) We've also been able to shop around online to get cheap prices on Japanese goza mats and shoji lamps, as well as silk trees and wall hangings. All in all, the costs of decorating our entire two-story, two-bedroom townhome, right down to the knicknacks, was about $9000. And as for the shipping, most big online furniture stores will ship for free. On Ebay, none of our items cost more than $99 for shipping costs. The Internet can be a huge blessing!!

Sure -check 'em out at Lowe's. I know I've seen them there and imagine HoDe would have them too. They're rollers, but instead of having regular roller pads, they have different treatments on the roller. Some have sea sponges cut in half and glued at random to the roller. I've never seen these demo'ed, but would guess..hmm...that maybe you dab a different shade paint to each of the sponges and then roll away. Others I have seen demo'ed are covered with what looks like chamois cloth in strips so that it's all raggy looking. She rolled it into the glaze, rolled it off a bit onto a scrap of board, and then started rolling the wall she was demonstrating on. Looked a little strange at first but the more she went over it, the softer the look became. When it was over she had a beautiful ragged-looking finish in no time at all. I've sponged before and know that it can take a while to do - this went even faster than rolling paint. Your sponging idea would probably do what you're trying to do with softening your base color. Others who've done this more than I have could probably tell you better, but in your situation I think I'd do a very thin glaze mix - 3:1 glaze and mahogany colored paint. I kinda like doing multiple layers of very thin glaze anyway; I like the depth it brings to the look. I doubt I'd ever buy a used collar either unless it looked nearly new - and would still leave it in the sun for a day or two. Denise Selwyn Hughes on diligence: It is in the daily grind that the character of Jesus is given the maximum opportunity to be reproduced in us, replacing what Charles Swindoll calls that "thin, fragile internal theology with a tough reliable set of convictions that enable us to handle life rather than escape from it."

Hi Tiffany, How do you like the Art Institute online? I would love to earn a degree but starting out with a course that would leave me certified as a Interior Decorator. I have to go to the local college or online to continue. I have been a at home mom for years myself. I would run a daycare to stay home with my children and then as they got older I changed to before and after school care and I homeschooled my kids. My kids are all grown up now and I am taking the course to start a career. With only one working I went the avenue I did to get a head start and it was more reasonable for our budget. I really would like to have a degree eventually but not sure how well home interior positions go in my area either yet. So far I am doing well with my grades which I am pleased with. I am 44 so I am getting a late start in a career. Debbie

Yes, I think those items go together very well. Both have clean, contemporary lines and would blend well w/ your other black and chrome pieces. Diane

Hi, I have been on this group for a few months. I also, Have been going to the Art Institute Online - for my B.S. in Interior Design. I am into my 3rd class, and happily earned 2 100% grades from the first 2 classes. I am a full-time mother of 4 girls. 13, 12, 6, and 2. I have loved interior decore and design since I discovered Christopher Lowell in 1995 well, I realize I was facinated by interiors and archtecture since I was a little girl. However, it was through his show I learned the basics and fell in love with the art. So - after 13 yrs. of being at home as mom, hopefully I am beginning my journey to my career in interior design. Currently my husband and I live in Owego,NY on about 18 acres. We have an old home that's about 60 yrs. old, and we have 4 chickens and a horse i need to sell. Pretty horse, well cared for - just an untrustworthy brat. So, that's ok. but, anyways. I have one project after another to do. I started with my kitchen, I now have an Uba Tuba granite counter with a nice painted backsplash to cover ugly tiles and i painted my cabinets. Next is the bathroom uspstairs - going to redo the entire thing from ceiling to floor and walls too. it's the most ugly bathroom in the world. so, i will tell ya'll about it on the next post.

I sure would like to know this too. When my daughter's friend helped us paint the living room he got some on the ceiling. Now we have to paint the ceiling or something. My husband doesn't want to paint it, he hates to paint. I need to do something. Debbie Subject: [IM] Sponging on ceiling

I was thinking of doing some faux painting on my ceiling, as we bought new furniture. I had originally painted the ceiling a dark pink, to go with my china. Now I have mahogany furniture coming so thought the color of the ceiling would not really go with the furniture so I wanted to sponge or use some other technique to bring the mahogany color up to the ceiling. Dont really want to paint it with the roller. Has anyone done this on ceilings? I have done sponging on walls before but never on a ceiling. Please give some helpful hints. Any other ideas most welcome. Daisy

Hi Audrey and welcome to the group. Debbie

Hi to all, I am new to the group, and am very interested in decorating. I noticed the messages about the show on A&E. I saw that one; it was very interesting and something quite different. Of course, they bought many large pieces of furniture and yard art, so the shipping costs must have been very high, but it was great to see what could be done without going to an actual store. I guess you can buy just about anything on the internet. Happy Decorating, Audrey

I have also attended DO-IT-Herself workshops. I went to 'install bathroom fixtures' and 'install crown molding'. Both were extremely informative. Volunteers were able to get some hands-on time. The instructors passed objects around so we could see them up close. My only complaint was that he ran out of time in the first session. I received a 20% off coupon for attending. Since the plumbing session was run by a floor employee, I got to know an expert in the field. Next time I have a plumbing problem, I can ask for him directly. Enjoy, Andrea

Hi everyone, I just wanted to share an experience with you. Last night I attended 2 "Do-It-Herself" workshops at my local Home Depot. One taught how to tile a backsplash and how to tile a tabletop. The other was about how to build a display cube and how to build a picket fence headboard. Both were FREE. I just have to tell you what a great resource these workshops are. They were totally free and Home Depot provided all the instructions for the projects, as well as food and drink. And after each workshop they raffled off the things they made, as well as some of their 1-2-3 instruction books. The one tile-topped table they gave away was absolutely gorgeous, but sadly it did not come home with me! My only complaint is that it wasn't more hands on, but they were very educational. I would highly encourage you to check out the other workshops that are available at www.homedepotclinics.com (No I don't work for Home Depot, I just thought this is something you all would appreciate. I attended a similar workshop at Sherwin Williams 2 years ago and was equally excited about that!) Cyndie

Maybe you could get some plywood or thick poster board and practice on it first. Then your husband could see the results without being committed on the wall!!! When you sponge, you have a lot of control over how much paint goes on - it just takes some practice. I *think* I've seen metallic powder you can add to paint at Home Depot around their Behr faux finishing display. Good luck!!! Cheri

Hi everyone. My name is Intisar and I live in Maryland, originally from Orlando,FL. We have a new house and need a little color on the walls. We have selected Behr's garden wall a sort of pale olive green. I would like to sponge a gold glaze over it below the chair rail. My husband thinks the gold will smother the green. Can anyone help me with the glazing part so I don't put too much on the wall? Is there another way I can add some gold flecks to the paint? TIA. Intisar

Don't give up yet! There may be a why to partially dissemble it and get in inside and reassemble it. You may want to contact a custom carpenter or other qualified person. Ray

Thank you all for your responses. I do not want to put too much money into this, the kitchen chairs on the kitchen side back up against it and there is no othe space for thetable, and it is way longer and lower than the one on Designed to Sell. Do not want the expense of cabinets, and do not really need any more shelving than already have. Does anyone think doing the wall like James suggested but making it say one section starting at a bout 40 inches and then another step down level at 36 inches-like the top would be like a counter top, but making it in two levels would break up the large expanse of long flat surfaces as there is a long flat surface of the kitchen table and the large ditchen island nearby???

I was telling my mother about how people use concrete now for counter tops and can make pretty floors. She brought up a good point. She asked what about how bad cement or concrete floors are for you legs? So I have to ask, for those with concrete floors, do you use a lot of area rugs? She thinks concrete floors isn't good since being on cement or concrete floors all day can be bad for your legs. Debbie

Argh, i don't like the plaintext :) ..btw, "57545" is a password for archive

Thanks for the input. Debbie

Hi Jean. Welcome to the group. Debbie

Your room divider seems like a pretty good height to put a couch directly in front of, or maybe a couple of chairs w/ a table between. Another thought would be to build some sort of open shelving unit on top of the planter wall which you could then use for storage or display. Diane

Dennis... It sounds like you already have some really good "staging" ideas. The stager on A&E's "Sell This House" uses your sensory ideas--the aroma of baking bread, the fragrance of fresh flowers, etc--to show off his houses. He also recommends that family photos be stored and that rooms be de-cluttered as much as possible, the idea being to feature the house rather than its occupants. Curb appeal is also important--shrubbery trimmed, flowers deadheaded, walkways swept, things like that. What is the period of your home? If we knew that, maybe more of us could be more specific w/ regard to the "unusual" ideas that you request. Diane

My home is being featured on a tour of historic homes in Duluth, Mn. We expect upwards of 1,000 people to come through in six hours. I'd like a few ideas on staging the house so that it is memorable. I place flowers in several rooms, have on soft music, bake bread (Frozen dough at 125 degrees becomes a brick by the end of the tour but adds a great smell to the kitchen), replace valuable art with stage art, set the breakfast room table with Fiesta, etc... but I am looking for ideas which are unusual. Can anyone help me? Thanks for your time.

We have a brick planter, 30 inches high, 11 FEET long, and about 23 inches wide. It is the divider between the kitchen and family room. I have tried using it as a planter with live plants in pots, (real plants planted doesn't work-no place for water to go to water or anything) fake plants ect. but nothing is pracitcal. It is too long and low to just put a top on it and use as a counter. Also have large kitchen island with stools and a large kitchen table on the kitchen side oif it. ON the family room side it is too low to put furniture against it as it is too low and just looks ugly and wierd with the furniture pulled away form it. Just sits there looking like this dump big thingy--How can I make it look like a room divider??? also how high should it be? Another idea I had is to cover it with wall board and make it look more like a wall-short wall-but how high-but since it is almost 2 feet thick this may look wierd also. Tearing it out is not practical as the floors are different and needs some kind of divider. Any input is going to be greatly helpful-thanks!!!!

Hi Shaista, it is nice to meet you. Debbie

Check out my latest page at www.mountainviewdome.com select CONSTRUCTION and look for the FLOOR FINISH button. It looks great. My husand would love to be in Co. He is a hunter. Debbie

Happy 4th of July!!! Check out my latest page at www.mountainviewdome.com select CONSTRUCTION and look for the FLOOR FINISH button. We also update some of the personal page and added a couple of pictures of critters we experienced lately. Enjoy! Ray

Debbie, monochrome or monochromatic literally means "one color". Mono= one; chrom = color Monochromatic rooms are done all in shades of a single color - grays, reds, blues, tans, golds, etc. If it's a traditional room, it tends to make good use of toile and checks; contemporary rooms seem to have very little print and rely on solid shades of the same color. I've noticed a lot of license taken in the use of this term because when a room contains that color in every shade from lightest ( essentially white) to darkest ( essentially black) it doesn't always strike me as monochromatic. But I suppose it's a situation where all that really counts is the way it "reads" - what thought hits you when you walk in. If you think, Oh how pretty - burgundy and hunter - that room isn't monochromatic. If you think, "wow this is a YELLOW room" - it's probably monochromatic. Denise Selwyn Hughes on diligence: It is in the daily grind that the character of Jesus is given the maximum opportunity to be reproduced in us, replacing what Charles Swindoll calls that "thin, fragile internal theology with a tough reliable set of convictions that enable us to handle life rather than escape from it."

I watched a show and they called the room monochrome. The room was all white. Everything was all colors of white so I thought that was Monochrome, but now I saw another show where the room was red and white and they called that Monochrome. Now I am confused. Debbie

A rendering is like a picture that is drawn up of a potential room, including the fabrics, carpeting, etc of how you want it to look; usually it's done in marker & colored pencil and some designers use this as a visual aide. ~Evadora what you already have? Since I am just starting an Interior decorating course I would like to know that too.

***This message was edited by a moderator.*** Wow, I will have to go to Home Depot and check that out. Debbie

Hi, just wanted to ask everyone a couple of questions, and if you have a moment, to please give me your honest answer: 1- When redecorating or working with a designer, do you feel a rendering would be/would have been helpful? 2- Would you ever go to a renderer for interior work? Would you pay extra for this service? I focused on renderings during my training as an interior designer, and now I am wondering if it is worth pursuing at all, or if I should just stick with the designing process in general. Any thoughts? Thanks so much! ~Evadora

You got it backwards but thats the general idea. Sometimes we tend to classify a product by a brand name. Formica is a laminate,,they are all laminates, but the Formica brand was and is an exceptionally superior product to the other laminates on the market. That goes for most of what you see on the market, they may look the same but they are not.

If you like I That sounds great. I just got a sewing machine. I have to learn to sew. I haven't done any sewing in years and years. Debbie

My hubby just wasn't sure of painting the countertop and the book that gave directions said it is a temp fix. We went to Home Depot and bought countertops that sort of has the granite look and the colors I would have painted it. He chose to do that and by buying them at Home Depot already cut we really saved. It only cost us $200 for the countertops. Debbie

Ok, this one has brought me out of lurking mode. On one of the tv shows they had a lady who had redone her kitchen. She took boards,2 by 8's, strapped them together with a piece of metal on the underside, stained and sealed them with marine varnish. They were gorgeous. I am presently painting my cabinets and was going to do this for my counters but that decopauge(sp) idea kinda has me intrigued now. Elodia

I may just go ahead and paint my kitchen counter afterall. I want to see how it will look with the granite look. My husband decided since our countertop is in great shape and my brother and his wife think it looks good that we can wait till income tax refund time to change the countertops. I think if that is the case, I will paint them to see how they look with the colors of the countertop we looked at. Then if we don't like the look we can look into other choices for countertop. I would like to know what type of varnish is the kind to seal the paint on a countertop. If food will be on the countertop, I want to use something safe. Debbie

I finally made it to the group site and looked at all you have done. WOW what a problem and some great solutions. She REALLY wants to have the stove, sink, and dishwasher on the same wall and that wall should be the back all in her mind. <Sigh the prep sink idea, feeling that one sink should be more than enough. This last design is not my favorite. But then, I don't feel the same way as your wife about having all three items on one wall. I'm very much against it. IF you do go with this one, I'd move the fridge to the end of the counter next to the door. It would block more kitchen view and get more counter space near stove and dishwasher area. 24 inches of counter space is not much at all between sink and stove. Is there any way you can mock that up in your current kitchen? Go out into the yard and use saw horses, wood. Get some appliance boxes or just some big boxes you can stack up. (the kids will have a great time with them afterwards) Maybe having your wife see the space in real measurements would help. Try to get her to think about all that goes on at the stove and all that gets piled up around the sink. Measure it out--get out the pots and pans. Of course, I realize she may be fed up with the whole design process and have her heels dug in. I really like either of the first two designs with the prep sink. The prep sink will be a big plus in resale value (IMHO) And I think it would be a real benefit in the kitchen. I can't tell you how many times I wish there were a second sink in the kitchen. I would like it for all the guys that just have to get a glass of water while I'm at the sink or when they need to wash their dirty hands and are too lazy to go to the bathroom sink. My favorite is the design that has the sink the first thing you see coming in the door. I think there was some discussion about that. A small stainglass window would be nice or even about 3 to 4 feet of glass brick wall going up. But I like the first design, too. You have done a great job with a very difficult problem. Be gentle with YourSelf Sue

Well, my wife just cannot wrap her mind around having the sink on one of the side walls. She REALLY wants to have the stove, sink, and dishwasher on the same wall and that wall should be the back all in her mind. <Sigh feeling that one sink should be more than enough. So, I went back tonight and re-designed the redesign AGAIN. This one has the sink in a small sink base with a dishwasher right next to it with the stove right next to it. The fridge sits in its original place on the stairwell side wall, and both side walls have cabinets and counter top. In the current re-redesign, there is no prep sink. I don't know if I like this one better than the previous designs. I think the work area is way too cramp -- there will be about 24 inches of counterspace over there and that's it, no more. Granted, there's plenty of counter space on either side of the kitchen and those counters are only a few feet away but nonetheless.... I've uploaded some new pics, this time done in a cheapy design tool from Broderbund (I've had it a few years and figured what the heck). The new pics are called "Kitchen Mockup" and "View from XXXX". The view from files are camera shots taken from different angles of the design. What do you think? Better this way or better with spreading the work areas out? I want to make my wife happy of course but I also want to increase the saleability of the house for when we put it on the market in a couple of years.

It definitely will be a whole room redo. The current setup has a kitchen sink with metal cabinets right next to where the stove is in the new diagram and the fridge sits on the same wall as the original diagram but in the middle and flanked by some shop cabinets that act as pantries. The opposite wall has a cabinet for pantry as well and that corner, by the window has a table. I'll be running new electrical all the way around (especially along the wall of the prep area) and new plumbing for the sink/dishwasher. I'll reuse the existing plumbing for the prep sink though, and I'll probably run an extra water line for an under-counter water filter (for drinking/cooking water) as well. That's a given -- I'm shooting for 4 feet. The distance between the two side walls, with appliances at 24-30 inches depth, will yield abou 47 inches according to one of my measurements. This is important not only for moving around while working in the kitchen but even more so for getting things in and out of the house -- everything that goes into the rest of the house (couch, TV, bed, etc.) has to go through that kitchen. Cool idea -- I like that. Thanks!

Debbie writes," I got it and its call Debbie Travis's painted house, Kitchens and Baths." I think it might be cool to do the faux granite in our kitchen. My husband was skeptical to say the least. I'm going to get the book from our library and see what all it entails. He also said I'd have to do a mock project so he could see it before I went whole hog. Thanks for responding, Debbie. Cheri

I thought for sure I'd get a bunch of responses on it here so I've been really surprised -- it's a REALLY challenging room, lemme tell ya! :) <Sigh with SOME alternative, all to no avail. :-( If we planned on being here for another 10 years then I might consider a more drastic approach (tearing out the enclosed stairwell comes to mind) but I'd be afraid what I find when I dug in there. We remodeled a bathroom several years back -- the goal was just to jack up the old tub and repair the floor, nothing more. Then the floor was torn out and the wall taken down, a closet removed. Then the adjoining bedroom's floor was taken out and parts of the walls stripped bare, new joists added, a new subfloor and underlayment put in place across both rooms... you get the idea, I'm sure. :) I've focused on efficiency, counter space, and storage space. It's a tight design and it looks much larger on paper than in reality, but I've tried to take as many factors into account as I could come up with during the design phase. My wife and I spent some time last night discussing some alternative designs and all failed simply due to the lack of space. She REALLY wanted an island that we could put some stools around but any design I came up with had placement and access issues -- one only had 2 feet of clearance between the island and appliances. :) One thing we did discuss was moving the dishwasher and sink from the living room wall to the stairwell wall (next to the fridge). I was leary of this as it puts the sink right in front of the door however the current design calls for a cabinet there anyway so I don't know that it would make much difference if it happened to have a sink in it. Her argument was that she could use the space on the living room wall for prep work and spread out -- which is what she could/should do over by the stove on the 6 feet of counter that would be there in the first place. I dunno -- I think a "bare" cabinet in front of the door works better than a sink there and offers a better work flow. I'll have to look it over a bit. Hmmmm...I could also move the fridge as well, just flip-flop those two walls.... New design coming on.... :-P James

I was curious if you would find that a viable option. Replacing a counter top really isn't that tough -- you just break it out (well, unbolt/unscrew it from the cabinets first of course!), put the new one in its place and re-fix it to the cabinets and wall (bead of caulk along the seam to the wall). I was up at HD today and ours has 10 foot lengths of counter pre-covered with formica for $80 a piece. No cut outs in them but that's no biggie -- I'm pretty handy with a jig. :) I also priced cabinets and sinks for our own project here. We're looking at about 5' of counter on one side, 3' on another, and 6' on the last. The 5' length will have a 36" sink base and a 24" dishwasher while the others will just have cabinets beneath them (maybe a 15" x 15" prep sink in the 6' length). Since this is to be a VERY inexpensive and simple remodeling job, I'm probably just going to use the unfinished oak cabinets they have there. Base cabinets will run right about $450, $300ish for the sink(s), and about $200 for the countertops and fixtures. We've also decided that we'll be using formica counters on this project as well (preformed, 10 foot lengths cut to fit). Then we move to putting up the cabinets on the walls. :) James

Hi all! Recently, someone mentioned they were going to, or had tried a faux granite finish they learned in their Debbie Travis book. Could you tell me which book that is? Thanks, Cheri

****This message was edited by a moderator**** Hey Debbie, They do have specific appliance paint out now that works well-it is made for appliances hope that helps. Shelly

Hi Debbie and everyone, I have a couple of thoughts to share on Debbie's counters. <<Snip granite. My husband is afraid it would be too . . . My daughter thinks the vinyl tiles we put on the backsplash would like nice on the counter. Do you think vinyl that is in tiles would look okay? <<Snip First,I think tiles are fine. I am wondering if the vinyl would really be durable for a counter. Depending on how the counter is used, vinyl probably is not heat resistant. It also might scratch more easily than other materials. Next, regarding the faux painted finish, the darkness of the counter could be elimininated by using lighter paints. Some granite is very light. I guess you would get some paint in lighter colors, maybe even using some of the paint from your walls, etc. Experiment on a piece of plywood or something and see how it looks. I am sure you know about coats of poly over that. Mayber these thoughts will head you in a whole new creative direction. I am sure you will be pleased to have a fresh counter when you get it done. Good luck, and enjoy! Eldonna BTW, did anyone notice I trimmed the previous posts when I replied? I like the looks of it, and it sure improves things for people on digest, which I am. It also gives me more space for my responses, and I tend to be wordy! (As for that, I am working on it!)

Is Toile a type of fabric like cotton or tweed, or is it more the name for the print on fabric? What kind of fabric is it then? I am hearing this different times on HGTV and it is always a print. I am trying to figure if its the print or type of fabric that makes it called toile. ( sounds like twall) Debbie

Has anyone ever painted a appliance? I was thinking about painting the hood/vent over our stove. It is white to match the white applainces but now that we are changing to stainless and black, I thought about painting a stainless steel color. If I can find a close enough color. My hubby I am sure wouldn't want it painted black since he has a fear the kitchen is going to look too dark with the appliances and hood and countertop. Debbie

I have been posting to the list about painting my countertop. I found a book showing a faux painted countertop that looks like granite. My husband is afraid it would be too dark since our appliance were changed from White to stainless and black. I don't since we have white wainscoat board walls and white distressed cabinets. My daughter thinks the vinyl tiles we put on the backsplash would like nice on the counter. Do you think vinyl that is in tiles would look okay? Instead of a full sheet of vinyl? That is my only concern. If I did the vinyl I would want it to match the backsplash which looks like stone in colors of light browns or cream colors. It looks like a light granite stone or sandstone. I could put wood on the side trim of the counter and paint it to match the counters. I just wonder about the lines or cracks by using tiles. Would water slip down in them? Would it look right as tiles with cracks and not a complete covered countertlop? Can you cover vinyl with a polyurethene/varnish to help seal it? I am trying to decide so I can get my countertop done. I appreciate your opinions. Debbie

While doing a remodel of a bathroom and bedroom (tore out walls, stripped others bare to studs, new subfloor AND underlayment as well as several joists) we found that portions of wall left remaining were actually wallpaper that had been painted over decades before. This house has walls made of plaster, wood lathe, AND metal mesh lathe (yes, all three) so tearout is messy and a royal pain. So we cheated -- I picked up some quarter inch drywall and we covered over the existing walls altogether. Tape, mud, primer, and paint later -- voila! The walls are straight, flat, and look nice. I did the same with the ceiling, using half inch drywall (there were firring strips up there already, from a tile ceiling). Only word of caution on this 'un -- if you decide to do it, make sure you hit studs with nails/screws. My FIL secured these and insisted on using nails -- he missed a few studs and we have some nail pops to deal with now.

I sent this out a couple of days back and it was largely missed. No one with any opinions at all? No suggestions? Am I good to tell my wife that the ladies of IM agree with my design as the best it can be? ;) James ******************************************************************** Ok, my dilemma -- a 12' wide by 17' deep kitchen that has FIVE (5) doorways. One on every wall, 2 on one of them, and the entry ways (front and back) on opposite sides of the 17' length. All four walls are load bearing of course so we're in catch-22-ville no matter how we cut it. I've sent up a blank layout picture as well as a draft design picture -- they're in the photo album section under "Noctaire's Work". The big goals here -- GET MORE STORAGE! The current design plan is a full tear-out and overhaul but it will take the kitchen from 6 feet of metal cabinets and single basin sink to lots of counter tops and cabinets. The tightest spot will be between the refrigerator and the dishwasher (either side of the 12 foot width) and there will be about 4 feet of clearance, give or take an inch. The doors make this VERY difficult and we need to maintain a measure of space for oving things in and out of the house. Most items that are brought in will be able to fit through the front door and be maneuvered in and out around appliances and the like. There will be enough room to swing furniture toward the rear entryway then forward and out the front entryway so a 4 foot clearance there should work ok. There is currently a vent in the flor from the furnace right about where the new sink will be -- problem, but one that will be corrected with creative ductwork I think. Plumbing and electrical are of course nowhere near to being in the right place but that's no biggie -- been there, done that. (If I can tear out a bedroom and master bath to replace in entirety, including walls, I think I can replumb the kitchen.) We'll be adding wall cabinets above the base cabinets and shelving along a new full wall that will come about 30inches out from one side. Above the stove we'll add a shelf for a microwave. A ceiling mounted pot holder MAY be doable, but given the option of that or cabinets, well, I'll take the cabinets! :) The redesign will be done in sections to spread the cost of the job out over a period of time and maintain the use of the kitchen. I'm thinking of moving things out that are not absolutely necessary, redoing the floor, then working cabinets and plumbing for the sink/dishwasher side, wall and base cabinets for the fridge side, then finish up with a pipe chase, prep sink, and countertop on the oven side. The design itself is made to maximize storage and functionality with an eye to the basic triangle concept of a kitchen. Since the kitchen room itself is relatively small, and given the location of doorways, we're limited on how to lay out the triangle but I think it works well with the addition of counters in key positions. Prep is done by the stove -- a small prep sink and about 3 feet of counter space should be enough to enable most meals to be assembled relatively easily. When it's done, bowls and the like can be moved over to the serving area next to the fridge -- this is also a good place for something like a toaster or blender, items that require little room for function. The sink/dishwasher area is convenient to the actual eating area for quickly clearing, rinsing, and loading. The eating area will be a pine bench style nook with a half wall separating it from the sink -- again, easy access but slightly separated. Lighting is a challenge in this room but I have a number of ideas for that, including some low voltage track lighting and undercabinet lighting. What am I missing? Any thoughts or opinions on the design and layout? Suggestions on anything better?

Has anyone painted thier vinyl floors? I was looking through the Kitchen and Bath book and see a tile floor that was redone with cement and made to look like a stone floor. It looks really neat. I would love to do that to my floor but not sure my hubby would let me if it takes a while and I would have to remove the stove and fridge for possibly 2 days. I would love the limestone look. It made me wonder about painting it to look like limestone. Right now my floor is vinyl tiles that look like a stone/brick floor. It is in nice shape but doesn't match the tiles we put on our backsplash and if we paint our countertop to look like granite then I am wondering if the floor will make things seem too busy with a different stone type pattern in the backsplash, on the countertop and the floor. Trying to figure what to do. Debbie

I asked this awhile ago but puter crashed and couldn't get the answers. Can someone go to the Lowes web site in to the paint area put in Dusted Bronze and tell me what colors would coordinate with it. Thanks so much Val