Talked with the designer today. Thankfully, I think we have everything nailed down. She likes the idea of mirrored doors at the end of the main hallway. No transom anymore, not even a headwall there. We need to get together one more time before submitting all the selections to the contractor. Hard to believe!

Meanwhile...last weekend I cleaned out two closets worth of stuff. I will take a lot of clothes to donate this weekend. I have to figure out what to tackle next. I'm thinking some dresser drawers. I'm going to try to move more of my wardrobe into dresser drawers so it will all fit in one room. So many memories in all this stuff.

Sounds like progress! Cleaning out your stuff before the new house is done will be a great gift to yourself. I recently did a “clean-out” of my professional clothes and donated them, which resulted in a lot of space in my closets. Moving is a great impetus for reassessing your things.

@RedRyder yes, we are so close to being ready. There is storage space I could design further, like the space between the toilet and the shower in the secondary bathroom. See the picture below? I'm thinking PVC tambour doors. https://www.tapeease.com/pvc_and_aluminum_tambour_door_systems.htm

PVC for the high humidity? Painted to blend in with the honed Mystic Grey tile? I'm thinking I need to divide the space into upper and lower, but maybe I'm wrong. Maybe just a single door floor to ceiling, opening from right to left? They offer up to 60" tall x 32" wide. What do you think?

https://mmgmarble.com/product/porcelain/mystic-gray-porcelain-tiles/ · More Info

One door, if it won’t bang into anything.

@RedRyder we are all in agreement. My designer said the company making the cabinets can also make the full-height tambour door in a paintable wood. She agreed to paint it in a color similar the the adjacent wall ( Mystic Grey) to help it blend in.

Today we confirmed a lot of bathroom items, including grout color and Schluter colors. Next Saturday, we will finalize the baseboard, crown moulding, and doors.

I got 10 Samplize swatches today, and the designer showed me a sample of the anaglypta I found on-line. I love the different reflectiveness in parts of the anaglypta, but do you think that will still come through after it's painted (dark green)? I've read you can paint it all then go over it and just get the most raised part with a different gloss level (or even a different color). What do you think would be best?

paintable wallpaper might be best · More Info

On our most recent get-together, we went to our stone and tile store to select the grout color that will work best with the Imperial Green tile that goes in the two smaller bathrooms (pictured). It's the only one we didn't have samples for at home. Even thought there are a lot of colors going on in there, the best grout choice was obvious. Every time I see this tile I fall in love again. I really feel that way about the others too. I also was able to see the mystic grey tile in the honed version. We confirmed our grout choice for that tile too. I am so excited about each bathroom having two tiles in the same family, one gloss and one honed. And I am really getting sold on the designer's recommendation of an all tile bathroom for longevity and low maintenance. OK, so the beauty of it is the big thing for me. I'll admit it. We settled on the two smaller bathrooms having two walls of honed Mystic Grey and two walls of glossy Imperial Green.

We also nailed down our choices for baseboard and crown moulding for the non-bathroom spaces. I don't think we are using baseboard in the bathrooms, but I do think we are using crown moulding where the wall tile meets the ceiling. Does that make sense?

We decided on doors with three stacked squares for pattern but painted, not wood. This is to visually declutter the hallways. I think @RedRyder found this door photo for me.

I showed her the Brinks push pull rotate door handles we used downstairs and she loved them, dropping her former choice like a hot potato. Since then, I learned they aren't generally popular and we might have trouble with sourcing. And I am leaning towards shiny brass or chrome and away from anything antique looking for this project. Since the doors will be painted green, I think we are looking at chrome. But the Brinks PPR don't come in chrome anymore 😢https://youtu.be/rIZgCphaT4g?si=qJLpb-JxlyyrCwOi

https://mmgmarble.com/product/porcelain/imperial-green-porcelain-tiles/ · More Info

Upstairs renovation - hallway and shallow storage · More Info

Oh... I said I wanted slab drawer fronts with full overlay, and the designer got excited about pillow edge. But the cabinet line we chose doesn't have pillow edge. So we need to choose the wood and stain again. I just hope we can find one that affects me as positively as the one I chose before.

The door is stunning. Tell me what pillow edge is - rounded edges in a plain slab?

I think chrome is right. Or brushed nickel. I’m not a fan of shiny hardware when your tiles are the star of the show.

I put brushed nickel in my downstairs bathroom and am having trouble with water spots so I am shy of it. I never had that problem with chrome. To me chrome is like a mirror that just reflects its surroundings.

Pillow edge is indeed a rounded slab. Here's the picture that first introduced it to me.

Country contemporary Kitchen · More Info

Where do I "end" this project? At the top of the stairs or the bottom? Or somewhere between? This picture is of the bottom of the stairs. The angles don't allow for an easy end place. I'm thinking of having the ceiling painted the new color, because there is an easy ending point for that. And I'm thinking of having the stair treads, risers, and rails refinished now.

It's the walls that may have to end upstairs for now. We want to cover them with anaglypta. Wall paper is so vulnerable as it wraps around exterior corners. Is anyone experienced with this and have ideas? Another idea is to keep going with the anaglypta downstairs, wrapping it into the main entry on direction (behind bookshelves that will go away someday as they are falling apart) and down to the family room along one wall. Somehow that seems like it might be too far. Help! I don't even know how well anaglypta goes around outside corners.

Upstairs renovation - hallway and shallow storage · More Info

Good afternoon @kl23

In regard to the lighting chandeliers here are a few ideas you may like for your space that will reflect off the dark areas well:

Maple Leaves Chandelier

Butterflies Chandelier

Reflection Twigs Bouquet

For more ideas can head over to www.galileelighting.com

Any questions feel free to email me at support@galileelighting.com

Hope this helps! Happy New Year!

My designer came by yesterday to chose Schluter edges for where the cork meets the pebbles and where there are convex edges of tile. Geez, it seems weird to be so dependent on Schluter for everything. Some day that may date so many bathrooms. But for now, it's not "in" as much as it's simply the level of technology.

About where to end the project, she thinks it's fine to end anaglypta on a convex corner. I expressed concern about the wallpaper peeling back. She said she used to have concerns about that but doesn't anymore. She also thought we could install corner moulding. I guess we just bring it up then across the top. She says we will end the ceiling paint where the ceiling comes straight down, another convex corner. That makes sense to me. And I think I'll add a half wall at the bottom of the stairs on the side closest to the front door. I can use it to steady myself at the end of the stairs by putting a wood cap on it. Those last two steps can be bad if I am not feeling well or put in a hard day the day before. I want to be able to enjoy my upper level as long as possible.

She also suggested that we not refinish the stair treads until we start work on the lower level. They are oak. They are about 15 years old by now. When we bought the house, they were carpet and were so hard to vacuum without a Dirt Devil, no longer available. I knew carpet was not a long term option. I have a feeling that those stair treads are going to be demolished by all the traffic going up and down with bits of grit in them. It makes sense to wait to have them refinished last. Or do they remove, refinish, replace? But should we wait even longer and have them refinished when we start on the lower level? What if the next crew isn't careful where the boards meet the anaglypta? Or will that board be painted the same color as the anaglypta during this phase?

@Red Ryder what do you think? Should I wait to have the stairs chocolate coated last? Or wait longer to when we start work on the lower level?

Upstairs renovation - hallway and shallow storage · More Info

Upstairs renovation - hallway and shallow storage · More Info

@Galilee Lighting one of the reasons I am using dark walls in this renovation is that I love artistic, sculptural, mood lighting. When people realize how much more beautiful lighting is against a dark background, surely they must "see the light". I also enjoy supporting artists when I can afford to.

One of the challenges in my home is low ceilings, mostly under 8'. All light fixtures must be wall fixtures or ceiling hugging, within 10". Exceptions are one fixture in my stairwell and one in my dining room over the table. And the one in the stairwell needs coordinating ceiling mount lights in the center hallway upstairs. I saw only long hanging fixtures on your site. Do you have wall fixtures or ceiling-hugging fixtures?

@Red Ryder @Jan Moyer @ilikefriday @littlbird @rebunky @Becky Harris

I am starting to think about the downstairs project. Should I:

edit this post to include the downstairs, or start a new post with a referral link to this one? Or should I do something else?

@Jan Moyer I can't find where I saved your post about how to post. If you can find it easily, I would appreciate referring to it whatever path I take. Otherwise I'll just post the floor plan with the dimensions in feet and let everyone multiply by 12 and let you yell at me. 😁

During the upstairs renovation, after I declutter, I need to pack up many of our belongings, then move our upstairs furniture downstairs so we can live downstairs while the upstairs being renovated. Very crowded.

Recently I realized I may have another strategy that will help. I have four antique occasional tables and an enormous buffet that I could take for refinishing by a company I know that specializes in refinishing antiques. When they are done, I will ask my daughter nearby to accept the four tables early, as they are the one thing I have that she hopes for when I die. Either that or I could just give them to her and let her decide if she wants them refinished. Either way, they are out of the house. If I give her the buffet I will need to replace it with something to store the china. Not ready to give that up yet.

In addition, this might be a great time to send my truck to the body shop for a paint job, fender replacement, modernized headlights, etc. The construction crew loves to use the garage as a workspace. It made a mess last time, so I'll have to clean off everything in there anyway. I do wish they would set up dust curtains though.

Please start a new post!!! I am really interested in your projects but it is so hard to keep track of what is going when a post has 100+ comments. It becomes too time consuming to scroll through what has already been said.

Thank you so much for your guidance! I will indeed start a new post.

Contractor couldn't seem to grasp the design for the secondary bedroom ensuite. Tried to get tambour doors. Found a source. Contractor suggested an alternative that was less functional, ugly make-do. Fine. Changed design of that bathroom. Reminder...bottom left. This is so much more natural that I don't know why we didn't get there before now. At least now we are using the space better.

Upstairs renovation - hallway and shallow storage · More Info

A colleague introduced me to Microsoft Copilot. I used it to generate images of imagined spaces for this project. It has some limitations and does some quirky things sometimes. However, it provided images I could share with hubby. Here is an image that gives a feel for the primary bedroom. I asked for a man's sunny bedroom with ebony floors, dark green walls, light grey ceiling, oak dresser and desk. What surprised me was that it provided dark grey moulding, drapes, and bedspread, light grey area rug, and a dark ceiling fan. I kinda like those ideas. So often I ask HOUZZ for pictures of something, and I don't get anything back that resembles what I asked for. I can sometimes get the desired image from googling. This will be another source for me. So far my favorite aspect lies in what it does to imagine what I didn't mention that goes with what I defined.

Primary bedroom · More Info

I love that room! I see Copilot pop up all over my cell phone and explored it a couple of times for about two seconds. Now that you have posted this I will give it a try. Thanks!

Copilot gave you a very handsome room! It certainly seems “close enough” to what you asked for…. Did you ask it t do the bathroom? (I’m curious.)

I hope you have fun with this too. @RedRyder, no, I did not ask it to imagine the bathroom. I couldn't find the words.

Going back to the start of your post, you definitely had ideas for the bathrooms. See if Copilot can build those two. I’d be curious, to see what it comes up with.

@RedRyder Copilot came up with this.

I like this image Copilot created for the workout room.

workout room · More Info

Other than the pebbled floor tile overtaking the space, that bathroom is pretty nice.

Yeah @RedRyder there are two things I don't like about that floor. One is the pebbles are not half-cut. The other is they are sealed with a wet-look sealer. But such are the limitations of CoPilot. I was unable to get it to do what I wanted even after giving it web links to materials I intend to use.

The contractor came by again yesterday to familiarize himself with the project. He said he would send a contract for review soon. He said the company received several tariff notices but his labor hasn't been affected. His drawings were out of date so I sent the most recent one that incorporates the new layout for the secondary (my) bathroom. The designer said she would figure out where to hang towels for the new layout but nothing yet. I have ideas, so no panic.

I have a 1970s house with low ceilings. Some are under 8'. I've been reading that the worst way to light such houses is with ceiling lights, including recessed lights. The most flattering way to light a house with low ceilings is with floor lamps, table lamps, and wall sconces. I have to learn this new way. Fortunately for me, floor lamps are taking on a contemporary form or two and enable me to avoid traditional lamp shades. Here are a few finds. @RedRyder I know you are really good at shopping. Care to share more? I'm interested in more than these "grass" shapes and am trying to be open about these new lamp types.

https://www.lampsplus.com/products/lite-source-monita-floor-lamp-matte__4274d.ht · More Info

https://www.lampsplus.com/products/lite-source-lorant-63-and-one-half-inch-high- · More Info

I am not a fan of current floor lamps that are super contemporary. Your best bet is to look in antique stores, second hand stores and Goodwill type stores. Also, spring is here so garage sales might be a good idea.

I have resorted to narrow consoles behind my L-shaped couch and pretty lamps. I looked for a long time until I found some unusual light wood base lamps. They’re pale and non-obtrusive (visually).

Here is a photo of what I got when I googled “traditional floor lamps”. All these vendors can be considered.

@RedRyder the console idea. I've been thinking about them. It just seems a shame to shove one between a wall and a loveseat, never to be seen except for the top. How do I get around that?

You buy an inexpensive one that BELONGS behind furniture! 😂

Nothing wrong with a piece of furniture being utilitarian.

I have glass consoles for the two sides of my sectional. I spray painted the neutral shiny (cheap) brass legs with antique brass metallic paint. No one notices them, thank goodness. But they hold my lamps!

The contractor finally sent an estimate that is half the current value of our home. Remember this is a renovation of the upper level. We still have the lower level to renovate. It is not expected to include any moving of walls, but it does include the kitchen. I'm not sure I can justify the contractor's price. I'm not saying the contractor is charging more than the work is worth. I don't know that the home itself is worth that level of investment.

I've read that renovations should not be more than 30% of the total home value. But I haven't read if that is a single renovation or renovation over a certain number of years. I've read that home owners should invest 1%-3% annually on repairs and improvements. If I calculate that for the 27 years we have been here we should have spent about 50%. the value of the house, yet we have already spent about 14%. That leaves us 36% of our home value to spend. I think that means abandoning the main improvement of having three ensuite instead of a master bathroom and a bath shared by three bedrooms. To improve the current floorplan seems like a waste. Both bathrooms in the current arrangement are tiny.

I'm a do or do-not kind of person. I'm just not sure I should do this. It's not for resale. It's for living the next 30 years in. Should I calculate the budget based of 27 +30=57 years?

Thoughts?

If it were me I would at least take a peak at what is out there , in a different home, that might fit your requirements with little to no renovations and then weigh the cost.

@ilikefriday we did take a peak before the renovations already made: switching a bathroom and laundry room downstairs, adding patios and balcony on the back of the house, replacing and regarding the driveway. In addition, I asked my husband if we would move to a location with a lower cost of living if our daughter moved to a different state and I retired. He is adamant that he is never moving again.

I have been reading further and read that what we are planning is considered a guy and remodel vs a renovation with the same floor plan. Because we are gutting the upstairs and changing the floor plan. The range for that is 25% to 50% of the home value.

The big job downstairs is the kitchen renovation, and that should be 5% to 15% of the home value. That means the total for what we planned could be as much as 65% of the home value. I chose the high end because I don't think this takes into account that we want to put new heated flooring all through the lower level.

My point is that maybe I should have expected this cost all along. I don't know if I am being stupid or not, given the circumstances, but I have decided the contractor may be giving us an honest appraisal. I don't know how much of this was influenced by the tariffs either. The estimate came at the beginning of those.

I long ago stopped checking in.

Why? Because the thread was morphing to finishes and what nots, before the layout was even close to final.

Now this................she writes

"Thirty years, a hubby who "adamantly " refuses to move again.......

________________________________

It doesn't matter what should or should not be spent! Matters not what percentage of home value, of ANYTHING.

If you're staying for thirty years? The only thing that matters, is what do I want, and can I a.f.f.o.r.d what I want for the long term stay.

It is much like a "valuable" painting. If you aren't selling it? Who cares, other than family who may inherit the painting? If they plan to keep it to death? Same thing. It only matters if you NEED/want to sell it.

"Afford", in this case means you do it for you, and you do it with no expectation you will get what you spent back at a sale of the house. That aspect needs to be irrelevant to you.

Meaning a gut reno, and a place to live during might EQUAL the home value. Can you afford it, period.

After two years of horsing around with this? I'd find a rental, get going, either do it or don't and DON'T plan to live there during construction. Get every piece of "I don't know what to do with it" out to a long term storage.

JMO all. relevant or not.: )

PS waiting won't make it cheaper unless your contractor is out of all work,

The future value of your house cannot be calculated. You can only know what someone will pay you today. The economy affects its value, again which doesn’t matter unless you’re leaving.

The percentage of home value to the remodel is irrelevant. You’re not selling. If the cost of this job is $100,000 and you can afford it, and you will have a higher enjoyment of your house, then you do it. It’s does NOT EVER MATTER the percentage of today’s value because you’ll never be able to guess its value when you want to sell. I’ve bought 4 houses and sold 3. The increase of value was highly dependent on the real estate market at the time. NO ONE CAN KNOW THIS NUMBER. EVER.

Jan is right. If you bid it out to different contractors,and their numbers are close, then that’s the cost of the reno. You and your husband decide if you want to spend the money and with who. That’s the task. Your complex math isn’t going to help this decision. If you’re going to love your house more after the renovations, then do it. If the cost will keep you awake at nights for decades, don’t. It’s really that simple.

Exactly.^^

"It's the economy, stupid" lol

It is y.o.u.r economy.

I just finished a town home reno for a client. She left a gorgeous Georgian for an "I wouldn't have bought it" 1980 nightmare. Paid 450k. Put 300k in, before new furnishings that suited the space, and yup,a lot is still flawed, like a guest bath we left untouched.. Three levels.. plus a basement. Long and deep and narrow. Light from front and back only.

Why? Because she could, and because she wants to lock a door and travel far and wide. Because she is healthy, and stairs are no issue. Yet. Because she was "adamant" about same neighborhood and there was nothing else available.

Because she could afford what was "available" and she wasn't waiting another number of any years to do it. Is she happy? Yes.

@Jan Moyer I don't mind that you checked out long ago. I really respect your work and know this isn't your thing. I appreciate your perspective though, so thanks for checking in once...twice more. I hope you are well.

@Red Ryder thanks for your feedback once again.

Actually, it is very much my thing, But when it morphs out of order in logical steps, to decor and finishes before final framing plan?

It usually means the REAL and final goal isn't yet fully clarified. Or someone may be expecting to get more out of a house than it can successfully deliver.

@Jan Moyer the plan is pretty much done now. The finishes are selected. I did as you said and worked with a designer. I changed the layout of one of the bathrooms last minute, but it wasn't major. I was dreaming of finishing touches when I finally got an estimate. Dealing with sticker shock a bit, but I've been thinking through it today. You and @Red Ryder seem to think if I can afford it, I should do it. So I've been figuring out what to take from where in the past couple hours. A third from cash, a third from hubby, and a third from two inherited RMDs split over two tax years. That's what I am thinking. I don't want to touch my stocks right now, but I have to take the RMDs to avoid spilling over to the next tax bracket at any point in the process.

What I meant by "it's not your thing" is that I am not the type of customer you enjoy. That's ok with me. I still admire your skills. Also, I think I lean more contemporary than you, but I could be wrong.

Doesn’t RMD stand for “Re-Do My Decor”?

My philosophy- If not now, when? I’ve recently attacked certain decorating things I ignored but after conversations with my financial team, I figured I’ll enjoy my hard earned money by making my house more to my liking. So I bought a new hand knotted rug for the master bedroom, which required new sheets. Makes me happy every time I walk in there. If the expense made me worried, I wouldn’t do it. If not, I figure my house is my “castle” and it needs to make me happy to be in it.

It has nothing to do with style as to my"thing" which is nothing more than to give a client THEIR thing, far better in a result than if they went it alone. My thing belongs in my house, not anyone else's. I don't care if it is mid century, the most elegant 1920 Georgian Colonial , a Tudor, the most modest lake cottage, "Condo Fantastico" panoramic views of the ocean, the Gulf, or a three level ski house in Vail. Been there, done them all, to include a lot of g.u.t.. to the studs or from ground up.

The client's aesthetic is the goal of any designer. ......unless that designer only wanted to do her own aesthetic, and was sought solely for that reason and her/his very specific signature "look".

You have the designer. When you have the right one for you, and I assume you do? It shouldn't be necessary to crowd source opinions, unless early on you're not getting the good vibe feeling, aren't on the same page in the design process.

As to finances? Nobody's business but yours, certainly none of mine. With ANY remodel, you do it for you and you alone. You will never be able to predict long term trends, nor the whims/wants of another future buyer. All homes are in the end, worth exactly what someone is willing to pay at the point someone is ready to let it go.

Or as Dad used to say? "Don't bet the ranch!"

@Red Ryder I like that. RMD = RE-do My Decor. If I am still here 30 years from now as I expect, I will be glad I did it. Thanks.