The mirror for over the entry console arrived! Now to figure out how high to hang it. The table is 30" high, mirror is 25", and the ceiling is 96". Any suggestions before I make a million holes?

Hmmm my first thought was that it should be horizontal, but most of what I'm seeing online shows them vertical. Decisions, decisions!

Ah hah! Tin foil to the rescue! I think this is where it will go (if I can find my big picture hooks) :)

Excuse my makeshift sewing/ironing table, but I couldn't wait to post! I still need to train and steam them a bit, but I think they are going to be great. What do you think?

They look awesome! The whole room looks so much more nice and open!!

(Ps I think I like the mirror horizontal)

*ack* now GW is turning my pics sideways, too. WTH?

Thanks, robo! I do like the new drapes, even if hemming and pleating was a royal pain. Painting the walls the same as the ceiling helps the room feel taller, too :)

I've still not hung the mirror in the entry. I'm going to have to get to the hardware store for some hangers, as I can't seem to find my box of stuff (I must have put it someplace "special"). I tried horizontal with my tin foil for a day, but it just didn't seem right. It felt more like a vanity than a console table, if that makes sense.

The wall colour and curtains look great! The curtains look very elegant now with minimal "stuff" in the room. This is definitely a "less is more situation" - your windows are a wonderful focal point and if you can avoid adding "layers" their beauty will really be the star of the room. The curtains harmonize nicely with your lovely kitchen too.

Oh, I really like the mirror horizontal because it echoes the width of the table and looks more modern.

It is just about the same size as the table. I ordered it that way thinking it would look best. But when I hang it (or my tin foil) horizontally, I feel like it leaves too much wall to ceiling space above. That, and it feels like the mirror in my bathroom and makes me want to brush my teeth ;)

Vertically, there isn't so much blank space above, and it mimics the vertical windows that flank the fireplace. But then I feel like it needs something installed at each side (like sconces or something).

I hate being this indecisive!

Wow, I can't believe this is the same room! So much lighter and sophisticated. What white is the paint color?
In terms of function, i.e. if you want to see yourself in the mirror, and reflection, what orientation would work better. I kind of like the vertical orientation.

Vertical would be better, since we're both a bit tall. Also, it won't be reflecting a window or anything too interesting (just the stairway). I know it should be looking at something pretty, but house isn't set up that way :(

I don't recall the name of the white I used on the walls. It's left-over from my ceilings and weight room (bought a 5-gal bucket for some reason).

I'll get another picture in the daylight when my mess is cleaned up. I'm still working on the curtains in his game room, so it will be a day or two.

Your room looks wonderful! I, too, like the mirror horizontal, but can see the appeal of having it vertical. Just to throw a little wrench in your thinking, what about hanging it vertically but not in the center? Try it (your foil) to one side with your arrangement in the other space. I'd put the mirror to the left, I think, with the arrangement (or whatever decor item you'll use) to the right.

I love your window panels - they look so perfect! This is such a fun post to follow. If you don't mind me asking, where did you find your sink?!? I love how the corners are square - thank you in advance! :)

Ok I looked at my bucket of paint, and it's Frazee, Pacer White. Frazee is an SW brand, but their Pacer White looks much more beige than this?

I will give that a try, oly, thanks! The arrangement, which is looking a little sad ATM, doesn't have to stay. My sweetie brings me flowers most Fridays, and that seemed a good place to stick them. That area felt so naked after removing his cluttered up bookcase, I didn't want him to go into withdrawals and bring it back ;)

Glad, the sink is a 36" Krause. I actually found the best price on Overstock. I love the squared edges, too. And it seemed the best match for the Jenn Air cooktop on the opposite counter.

Thanks so much Errant! I will look it up -

JMHO, I like the mirror vertical with a 96 inch ceiling.

The mirror is up! Decorating creep is in full swing ;)

I don't think I showed you the new lamps and pillows, either, so here they are!

Wow, there are some brilliant suggestions here. When I read the post by mtnrdredux , I agreed with everything.

- Take top off of hutch
- paint hutch base and chairs a cream/white in a semi gloss
- swap out dark drapes for cream
- remove everything except furniture

I love your kitchen...great green cabinets. What about something simple (and low) on the table that is cream with a hint of the green in design?

And, just don't change out that dog. He's perfect.

I also agree with posts above. Your home is inviting and really feels welcoming like a home...

When you remove the top of the hutch so much light will come in .... you'll love it.

Radley

Wow, it looks great! That reflection in the mirror looks very artistic. Everything looks so much lighter.

Thank you! I'm really it. I need to get rid of the little coat hooks, or find something better. We have a tiny coat closet around the corner off of the garage, but I would like something at the door for guests. There's really not much room, though.

Radley, I can't change out the dog. We love him too much. But he makes me crazy! He scares himself with reflections and shadows. The new lamps and mirror have made it even worse. It's both hilarious and irritating at the same time. I nearly peed myself watching him crash and burn in the kitchen when he caught his reflection in the double ovens!!

I love it. I love the reflection and I agree with nosoccermom, it makes everything so light and airy. It is amazing what your creep is doing to your home. ;-)

Wow, it looks just super. I think Ikea would be a great place for curtains - a lightish cream/beige would be perfect.

Lamps - terrific. Simpler chandelier - terrific. Topless hutch - love it.

By jove, I think you've got it.

Funny how the pets respond to things. Maybe you could gently walk him by and show him his reflection in the furniture while giving him lots of reassurance? Perhaps he thinks some mutt is moving in with the furniture?

We had a rescue cat who was initially afraid of boots and men - when we first got him, he would run and hid in the bathtub every time my husband came home. So we practiced - about 10 times every weekend for about 2 months - I would hold him on my lap and my husband would go out the back door and come in the front door wearing his boots. Then he would gently come over to the terrified cat and pat him for about one minute and tell him what a good kitty he was. Then I would let him go and hide.

After 2 months, one day when he heard my husband come in he just rolled over in my lap purring and showed my husband his tummy and waited for his ears to be scratched. Then he wasn't afraid anymore.

Aside for everyone...this was probably not such a decorating-type post - unless you consider the pets an integral part of the décor......

Great home.

Pets are definitely an integral part of decor!! I think Danny is already OK with the mirror. I don't think he noticed it once yesterday :)

I was hoping to start painting the dining room chairs black this weekend, but the drapes in the game room are taking longer than I thought. Maybe I can get a couple done next weekend, but Father's Day will probably put a damper on that.

I also need to figure out what to do with the server. I was thinking new hardware would help, maybe chunky black iron or something with a twisted rope detail to go with the chandy. The problem is, it has three different sized pulls and I can't find anything that has all three sizes in the same line. It would need 2.25", 2.5", and 3.25" pulls, plus knobs or ring pulls. Maybe I should just replace the server altogether?

Also, any ideas for a wall mount coat rack I can use in the entry?

How on earth can a house be considered a proper home without a cat (or a dog).

Would these Deltana adjustable pulls in black help update the server? I could get 4.75" pulls for the three smaller upper drawers, and 6.5" for the two larger drawers.

They have these coordinating knobs that I could use on the three cupboards:

Just trying to figure out a way to update the server without altering it, since the hutch is being stored unaltered.

I've decided to go ahead and order them. I'm having a hard time picturing them on the piece, so I will install and then decide :)

*phooey*

The adjustable bar pulls arrived for the server. The finish is different between the long and short pulls, however. One is a satin black, and the other is flat. Other than that, I think they would have worked. I just emailed Cape Cod Brass to see what they can do (match or refund).

I'm really hoping they can find flat black matches. I these adjustable pulls are the only way to update the hardware without having to drill new holes :(

Can you show us the handles on the server, or is it too big a pain to attach them? Also, please show us a picture of the DR during day light.

Here is a picture of the two adjustable pulls I was able to keep. I'm still waiting on the three replacements. They wouldn't be my first choice, but are my only choice without drilling new holes in his cabinet.

Oh, and here's the room in day light (well, late afternoon, anyway). I still have to figure out how to dress the server and table. Also how to remove the heat marks and fine scratches from both. Then I will tackle refinishing the chairs.

Wow! Looks great in the sunlight. The drapes and new light fixture really made a huge difference.

I have to say though, I'm missing the snow shoes. They were totally awesome and unexpected. I think they would still look great with your new entry table. The more natural fibers would contrast the metal so nicely.

LOL the snow shoes, sled, and shoe shine box(??) are now in the adjoining game room.

It looks fabulous. Has your window trim always been black? The chairs painted black is going to look great with the trim. I love all the sunlight.

The windows are actually a dark brown, sort of ORB looking. I lucked out, as most people were doing white grids when this house was built.

I'm nervous about doing the chairs black, due to his attachment to this furniture. But he's actually been pushing me to get it done, so I think I'll start tomorrow.

Do you have any ideas on how to clean up the tops os the server and table. I was reading and it sounds like denatured alcohol on the white heat marks, then paste wax the whole thing. Does that sound right?

And how about decorations for both? The nickel Aladdin oil lamp is sitting there because it was mounted on the wall above the tea cart that's now gone. It can actually light the whole downstairs in a power outage (which we sometimes get during the Winter months) so I would like to hang onto that but I'm not sure where else I can put it. The table runner is just something I sewed up real quick out of a Target curtain panel, trying to get an idea of what a Toile might look like. I was actually thinking lumbar pillows out of that might look nice in the two arm chairs once they are black... But that could just be crazy talk ;)

I am painting!! Wish me luck :o

Good for you! Can't wait to see the results.

First coat done! The arm chairs are still drying, so I didn't set them out, but here's a peek:

WOAH, I'm painting, too, ASAP!!!! It's amazing how much it highlights the shape and details of the chairs. From boring to wow.

What kind of paint did you use? And did you spray or use a brush?

I cleaned them with straight white vinegar first, them scrubbed them down with Kleen Strip Liquid Sander Deglosser, and then sprayed with Krylon Dual Superbond in satin black. There was no way I wanted to brush all those spindals! Even hitting them from every angle with the spray was a pain in the rear. Today I lightly hit the edges and seats with a 180 grit sanding cloth and gave them a second coat.

I wasn't expecting them to come out with a showroom finish as they are supposed to look like old chairs painted, but they actually came out really nice. The spray came out even and smooth. I didn't get any runs (amazing!). I did mess up on one... The second coat needs to be applied after one hour but with six, otherwise after 24. Sine I was working on them so late last night, 24 hours hadn't passed on the last one and the seat (where is was laying it on extra heavy) crackled as it was drying. I'll need to sand the seat and fix it, but it won't be a big deal.

After they have cured a few days, I'll use a paste wax on them to help protect the paint. But I'm sure they will get knicks here and there which I can touch up or leave alone for that "vintage look." I've actually seen vintage black repro Windors selling for several hundred bucks, so I'm not too worried about it ;)

Now I need to figure out how to repair the finish on the table feet. Can you see in the picture how dry they look? I bought some of that Howard's Restore-a-Finish, but I don't image it will help. It's worth a try, I suppose.

I also need to clean up the tops of the table and server. There are a lot of fine scuffs, that I think the paste wax will fix. But first I need the figure out how to remove the couple of white heat marks. After doing some research it sounds like denatured alcohol and super-fine steel wool will do it. Unless any of you have other suggestions?

Last night I sanded the table feet and used the Howards on them. It seems to have helped. I'll give them a coat of past wax tonight and post a picture :)

My paste wax didn't arrive, yet, so I didn't work on the table.

And I finally heard back from Cape Cod Brass and Deltana regarding the mismatched pulls I ordered for the server. They can't get any to match. The finish on all of them is off between the short and long pulls :(

What size do you need?

This post was edited by nosoccermom on Tue, Jul 1, 14 at 17:57

The existing holes are 2.25, 2.5, and 3.25 on center, plus single holes for the cabinet knobs. I have searched high and low, and the only thing I can find are the same Chippendales. Maybe you'd have better luck?

I hate the idea of painting cabinet hardware, but I'm not seeing another option :(

Wow, Errant! I haven't checked this post in a while and you've been busy. Your dining room is beautiful! The room looks so much bigger and brighter without the hutch portion of the server. What an amazing difference small changes can make. And kudos to you for working in your husband's furniture as well. It's so easy to forget that men care about what their homes look like as well... just maybe not EXACTLY which shade of lilac the curtains should be :)

Thank you, sundance! It really has come a long way. Still more Colonial than my taste, but it fits the house and blends nicely with the redone kitchen :)

So, if you got, say 3" and 4" bin pulls, would the old holes be hidden inside the "bin"?
Or just all one size? http://www.wayfair.com/HickoryHardware-Williamsburg-1.49-Cup-Pull-P3055-YMF1685.html

Here is a link that might be useful: PB bin pulls

The thing is, I promised I wouldn't put new holes in it. I'll go ahead and paint the adjustable bar pulls, once the three I sent back are returned. I'll scrub them up with super fine steel wool, and use the same satin black spray I'm using on the chairs, then cross my fingers!

Another (very) belated update. My mismatched pulls were eventually returned. I painted them all with the same satin black I used on the chairs, and they look pretty good. I've no idea how durable the finish will be, but they aren't high use pulls so it should be fine.

I'll try to remember to post some pictures this weekend (my attention has be sucked away by the pantry remodel). :)