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wendys_dream

Am I heading in the right direction?

Wendy
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
My goal is cottage style with craftsman influences. I am ready to pull the trigger and start this renovation, but thought I would double check with you all.

The plan:

1. Update fireplace with new stone, gas insert, & mantle.
2. Remove moulding on front window & add stone to wall.
3. Remove drywall from beams and finish
4. Add window to the left of fireplace to balance room.
5. Double paneled beadboard wainscoting around room, craftsman window mouldings, & moulding at ceiling line.
6. Paint & décor

I will also be moving through the dining room with this. My home is more or less open concept, so the whole floor is going to have to be dealt with.

Any suggestions or input is welcome. thank you.

Comments (4.5K)

  • tgb1
    7 years ago

    That's a really pretty stool Wendy, but imo backless is really uncomfortable. Will u be using them for eating or just once in awhile?

    Wendy thanked tgb1
  • Wendy
    Original Author
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    The whole kitchen thing started with the windows for watching he birds. They were the priority then and still are. Not for hours of bird watching, but for taking a minute to appreciate them and things in general. A breath. Can I see a coffee be taken there or a sandwich being eaten? Yea, but not seating for meals. Right now, we generally sit on the stairs and watch them.

  • tgb1
    7 years ago

    Ok - thanks for the explanation :))

  • Wendy
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    Just an update.....The top is beat to heck. It's split and I'm not sure it can be used as a working block again. But, it could still be a nice "island". We'll see. It will need castors, as it's 30 " tall and weighs about 400 lbs..

    Anyways, here a before and after leg after a ton of elbow grease.

    island · More Info

  • PRO
    RL Relocation LLC
    7 years ago

    there has to be a better solvent, have you tried a heat gun? sometimes that helps losen the goop..

    also i love those stools, but even as occasional use i would still want a back.

    Wendy thanked RL Relocation LLC
  • jillwk
    7 years ago
    Love the butcher block, Wendy! I've debated doing one in my kitchen. I see them often at my local antique haunts. I used to have a standard island, but in the rebuild that we're currently doing opted to leave one out to open the room up a bit more. But I still want something there, just more airy, like you mention. Either butcher block or something like this with a marble top.
    Wendy thanked jillwk
  • Toni
    7 years ago
    Wendy, could you put a top to match your counters on the butcher block?
    Wendy thanked Toni
  • Wendy
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    Morning, al!

    Downbytheriver, I don't have a heat gun. It was a pain, but didn't kill me. I actually don't mind that type of busy-work.

    What bothers me about those stools are the dimensions. I don't have big butt, but it still seems small.

    Jill, did you say current rebuild? We want pics!!!!!!!

    I love, love, love the island you posted!

    Toni, we definitely could add a top and it is a great idea, but I really don't need thr work space. I think if I were gong to do that, I might just remove of one the sides of the split and add marble there. So, it'd be a combination of wood and marble.

    Love this stool too, but would prefer it painted.

    Amazon.com: Baylor Brown Rubberwood Counter Stool Barstool: Kitchen & Dining · More Info

  • jillwk
    7 years ago
    Love that stool, Wendy!

    My house flooded last year so I'm sorta forced to rebuild the whole dang thing! (It went down to the studs.) The nice thing though will be making some changes.
  • Toni
    7 years ago
    jillwk that's awful to have happened. But hope your end result makes your heart happy!
  • jillwk
    7 years ago
    Thanks, Toni! I think it'll ultimately end up being a positive thing. It'll take a while to fill'er back up again, but that should be fun!
  • Wendy
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    Jill, I'm so sorry that happened. But, totally get it ending up being a positive thing. Our ceiling came down at the old house. At first it felt like a disaster, but after insurance and stuff, turned out to be a positive. The ceiling was terrible and needed to be replaced anyways. Ended up with a pretty knotty pine one. That would have never happened without the collapse in the first place. So, if you were planning.......as long as you didn't lose anything that was really important to you on a personal level.

  • jillwk
    7 years ago
    Oooh a knotty pine ceiling... That sounds lovely!

    It stinks, but we did have insurance so they'll be paying for basically a whole new house! There are some projects we'd planned on doing eventually anyway (kitchen, windows, flooring) and now we don't have to pay for any of it! The only real negative is that we didn't have insurance for the contents so we'll have to fill the house back up again on our own dime, which will take years. It probably would have anyway though, even if we had insurance for contents, since I like a layered, collected over time look.
  • jillwk
    7 years ago
    Oh, and I don't know if you remember...because it was a year ago...but I'd bought new custom LR furniture, including a blue velvet English roll arm sofa. I'd only had those pieces a couple of months and WAS not going to let that stuff be ruined so I put them up on the kitchen countertops and luckily the water didn't make it quite that high! (Only a couple inches short.) Haha. So I saved my new furniture. Woohoo.
  • babophz
    7 years ago

    Wendy, love the butcher block!!! Very cool!

    Jill, I'm glad you managed to safe your new furniture. And putting the sofa on the countertops sure makes a good story! :)

  • Wendy
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    I do remember, Jill. I love that you were able to save the new furniture. I would have been thinking of ways to that too!

    Thank you, Babophz. Hoping it works out.

  • Wendy
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    The replacement door for the cabinet was sandwiched between luaun and I had a frame in the garage that has taken a beating. Combined the 2 with some chalkboard paint and got this note board for my nook. It's about 46 x 34, I think, and still needs to be conditioned.

    nook · More Info

  • Wendy
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    Realizing I am not the tidiest housekeeper and it is, obviously, no where close to done. the pieced together wall....

    kitchen: flowing as one space · More Info

    kitchen: flowing as one space · More Info

    And, yes, I do decorate as I go. I have to, to keep motivated and moving forward.

  • tgb1
    7 years ago

    I can see your vision appearing Wendy. It's looking great.....

    Wendy thanked tgb1
  • zazfuzzroc
    7 years ago

    Wendy, great idea for the chalkboard... I really like them in kitchens, let's you add something personal each day, or even a place to quickly write down something you need from the store.

    I like your "pieced together wall"... it looks like a place I would enjoy to have coffee or a meal in. Can't wait to see more... :)

    Wendy thanked zazfuzzroc
  • zazfuzzroc
    7 years ago

    Welcoming ...that's it. :)

    Wendy thanked zazfuzzroc
  • PRO
    RL Relocation LLC
    7 years ago

    The shelves look wonderful with the drawer pulls. very nice bit of dazzle!

    Wendy thanked RL Relocation LLC
  • drdeb1234
    7 years ago

    It actually looks totally "done". And totally fabulous!! It looks like it's already in use. You must LOVE it!!

    Wendy thanked drdeb1234
  • babophz
    7 years ago

    It's lovely, Wendy. Warm and inviting, and pretty too! :)

    Wendy thanked babophz
  • jillwk
    7 years ago
    Looks terrific, Wendy! It's so cozy looking. Love the chalkboard in the frame.
    Wendy thanked jillwk
  • Toni
    7 years ago

    A.Mazing!

    Wendy thanked Toni
  • Wendy
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    Thank you, everyone. I am really happy with it.

    Zaz, it really is pieced together. The cabinets are the free extra ones and the shelves are stair treads from another project. I had to buy the brackets, hardware, and counter top. That entire wall cost under $500. I'm going to make 2 over the sink cutting boards with the left over counter top pieces.

    Deb, it is in use, lol.

  • zazfuzzroc
    7 years ago

    Wow, even better... :) The over the sink cutting boards are another smart idea. :)

  • PRO
    LB Interiors
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Hi Wendy. Just a quick peek in. For your butcher block table... I just bought some paste stain stripper. Works great. Refinishing a table. I stripped 3 times and it will need 1 more time. Then re-staining.

    Wendy thanked LB Interiors
  • PRO
    LB Interiors
    7 years ago

    Wendy, it's ooking great and so o o YOU!


    Wendy thanked LB Interiors
  • Wendy
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    LB, so sorry. I missed your posts. Thank you for the tip.

    Non-kitchen update.

    This closet was removed today.....

    Layout & Decor (before & during renovation) · More Info

    Layout & Decor (before & during remodel) · More Info

  • Wendy
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    Oh, it was removed because after seeing everything else come along, the hubby finally agreed that it needed to go.

  • PRO
    RL Relocation LLC
    7 years ago

    AHHHH you can breathe in the entry way now! looks good!

    Wendy thanked RL Relocation LLC
  • Wendy
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    That's exactly how it feels. And, it is the last of the weird angled stuff. Well, except for our room. :-/

  • PRO
    RL Relocation LLC
    7 years ago

    now you need a new entry light!


  • babophz
    7 years ago

    Hi Wendy, in case you're still considering an island, here's one in farmhouse style and with a post: https://www.houzz.co.uk/magazine/kitchen-tour-a-simple-shaker-kitchen-in-a-new-build-barn-stsetivw-vs~82108255

    Wendy thanked babophz
  • Wendy
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    Love that kitchen, Babophz. Thank you.

  • Wendy
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    Since things are kinda sorta starting to near the end for the mainfloor, I've begun thinking about the bedroom. I've removed most of the carpeting for the flooring (same as LR/DR/Kit). And, we have the bed.

    I've really struggled with what to do in this room. The slants just below the ceiling really kill me and I really don't want to rip out more walls and stuff. So, what I am thinking......wallpaper. The white lines represent wood trim. Paper below the lower trim and paint between upper and lower trim.

    think bohemian.......thoughts?......will this work towards fixing my funky angles issue?

    bedrooom · More Info


    bedrooom · More Info

    before/after kitchen · More Info

    Norwall Wallcoverings Inc Grand Chateau 32.7' x 20.5" Regal Damask Wallpaper & R · More Info

    Slub Velvet Glenlee Chair, Landon | Anthropologie · More Info

    Lorraine Caned Bed With Footboard · More Info

  • PRO
    LB Interiors
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Hi Wendy. I think you can do a border color at in the slanted area, near the ceiling but I would choose a lighter color than the main walls. This will appear to make the room seem taller. Also maybe a few tones lighter without too much contrast.

    I don't think I would acccent the border with white molding to split up the eye from transitioning and moving 'up' in the room. I'm guessing the border area is at a slant? I would only add molding on the upper area where it meets the ceiling.

    Wendy thanked LB Interiors
  • PRO
    LB Interiors
    7 years ago

    Love the wallpaper and bed!

    Wendy thanked LB Interiors
  • PRO
    LB Interiors
    7 years ago

    P..S. It might be okay to border both edges of slanted painted area if the colors are close on the palette. Ha Ha ... an afterthought :)


    Wendy thanked LB Interiors
  • babophz
    7 years ago

    Bohemian style will cover up a multitude of sins ;-) I'm not sure I understand what you're saying, is it correct that those white lines represent the current situation? If so, could you remove the bottom wood trim at the walls where there is no slant? Then you could put the wallpaper all the way up to the ceiling, thus making the room seem taller. The slanted part with the trims (a beam?) I'd just paint in a similar colour to the wallpaper.

    Wendy thanked babophz
  • zazfuzzroc
    7 years ago

    I personally would try not to accentuate it with trim, if it bugs you already. I would do as babophz suggested and if possible... wallpaper up to the highest part of the angle.

    Wendy thanked zazfuzzroc
  • Wendy
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    Thanks, LB. I really like the wallpaper too. Hopefully, we will love the bed. It is still in the boxes downstairs, lol.

    lol, I agree it could go both ways, depending on the paint color.

    Another thought I had......rather than fighting the slants, embrace them and give them real intent. Maybe do something like ceiling tins on the slants and ceiling. And, paint them a contrasting color like an earthy rose?

    Photo from http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XCH4sDsdIX4/VUtpQ4LhOgI/AAAAAAAAHPU/dqIQVkr · More Info

    Photo from https://i.ytimg.com/vi/5TDxwPXHr_k/0.jpg · More Info

    Photo from http://blog.decoratorsnotebook.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Tyria · More Info

    Photo from https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/37/1a/e1/371ae164286980b6d0 · More Info

    Photo from http://slodive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/exterior-house-color-id · More Info

    Babophz, there is no trim right now. The wall are like the first pic. They go up about 7 feet, then angle into the room.

    Thanks, Zaz. you both are probably right.

    This is the layout and size of the room.

    bedrooom · More Info

    And if you all recall, these are the doors we added to the bath entrance. I was still painting them. The white and pink so clashed, lol.

    bedroom before · More Info

    bedroom before · More Info

  • PRO
    LB Interiors
    7 years ago

    I also like the ceiling tin and slant idea!

    Wendy thanked LB Interiors
  • babophz
    7 years ago

    Me too! 7 ft is really low, but since the room isn't that big you might as well go bijou. Love the colour combination and ceiling tin in that pink (earthy rose?) will be so cool!

    Wendy thanked babophz
  • Wendy
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    Thanks, you two. I ordered a swatch of the wallpaper. Let's hope it has enough of the mustard type yellow in it to go with the pinks.

  • PRO
    RL Relocation LLC
    7 years ago

    Hi wendy, i love the wallpaper, and the style choice not sold on the tin trim tho.

  • PRO
    RL Relocation LLC
    6 years ago

    No more Wendy?

  • kmanks
    5 years ago

    Hi Wendy, I was wondering how you like your white rhino countertops? We are planning to use it on all counters -- island and perimeter -- in a busy kitchen, two kids, lots of cooking etc. I love it and think I'm ok with it not staying perfect forever, but I'd love your report. Thanks!