What looks wrong and how do I fix it? Any advice will be greatly appre

12 years ago

Asking for any advice to make my rooms work together,. living room kitchen and 2 bedrooms...small lake cottage....Thank you....See Pics Below....

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jcSelects

12 years ago

Your kitchen counters are "Marinace", a natural granite type stone - knockout! If you painted over the Rustic Hickory cabinets it'd be a crime punishable by Houzzers wearing renaissance festival outfits and dancing to Fine Young Canibals tunes.

Here's the deal: this is a rustic home. The furnishing says "I like hip, mod and arresting colors and patterns." Therein lies your problem. Rustic does not have to be "Country - yeeHah!", but does have to be rustic. The door casings are too skinny. Try a 4 or 5" by 3/4" stained knotty pine or knotty alder with a square edge. Mitre the corners. You can create a modern and sleek version of rustic that will satisfy both impulses so to speak.

The yellow against pine beams seems too peppy, or maybe just too close to the wood tone to emphasize the natural beauty. Maybe try white on the walls: could be really clean like Ben Moore AF-5, or calm and subtle like their CSP-725 "barely there". Your fireplace has really cool masonry, but the black hearth seems forced. What if it was 2" thick concrete a la Fu Tung Cheng. It could still be crisp in shape with a rich silky finish, but with some patina, you know dirt in it. Holler at me if you want to discuss. Looks like a choice domocile as the weather warms up!

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Comments (19)

karemore55
12 years ago
Hi there! I really hate to say this, but I don't think those beams are doing anything at all to enhance the look of your cottage. In fact, they appear to be closing in the main floor area and making the space appear smaller than it is. I can see it wouldn't be an easy fix, though.

It looks like you plan to paint, which is such a great way to spruce up the look of your cottage. I am wondering if you should consider painting the kitchen cabinets also. The countertop looks like a beautiful and interesting quartzite of some sort (a close-up would be nice). The rustic look of the cabinets is taking away from that.

All things considered, it does look like a warm and inviting space though!
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mcbmd3
12 years ago
I don't mean to criticize but my take on your photo is that nearly everything in your cabin has a yellow cast to it: floors, kitchen cabinets, wood trim, beams, paint color, even the woven basket. I don't find that visually pleasing. Perhaps you could take inspiration from the stone fireplace and use some of those colors to balance out the yellow overload. Good luck to you on your project.
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nwduck
12 years ago
It really does seem like the gold paint is the issue in your photos. On the Sherwin Williams site they have a whole color palette called "Rustic Refined" that might offer some thoughts: http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/hgtv-home-by-sherwin-williams/color-palettes/rustic-refined/. Still color, just not quite as "screaming" as the current gold. I rather like the blue and green in that collection, and it might be quite pretty with the yellow cast of the woodwork, and may go with the chair in your photo as well.
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hogan
12 years ago
If you can remove those beams, the ceiling height would make the space feel so much bigger!! I guess it really depends on why they are there ,doesn't appear to be for structure so if it was a decorative choice I'd remove. This will however mean some repair to fireplace or replacing the stone entirely. I'd paint Ben Moore grey mist which really is a soft off white. I have to agree the cabinets would be beautiful painted white, and furniture to fit a French cottage appearance
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Thos. Baker
12 years ago
last modified: 12 years ago
You're getting great advice here. I'd draw off the colors of the stone in the fireplace and repaint the walls in a color that helps lighten the room and tone down the yellow hues in the wood flooring and the beams. If the beams are structural, then they can't be removed, but you can paint them, which would help lift and open the space.

Beams of that size are too large for a standard ceiling height and the thick cut causes the room to shrink and feel closed in. (They would have worked for a cathedral/loft style cabin.)

Am posting some color ideas for the walls and beams in the living room/stairs/hallway. The color theme would also blend with Hogan's suggestions for the kitchen.

Top left: Benjamin Moore Abalone
Top right: Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray
Bottom left: Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter
Bottom right: Benjamin Moore Coastal Fog

They might look similar on the computer, but if you were to see the swatch samples, you would be able to see the subtle difference in the hues. For example, Revere Pewter has more green. Edgecomb Gray has more beige.

Christi, on behalf of Thos. Baker
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Thos. Baker
12 years ago
Would probably help if I posted the photos! :)

Christi, on behalf of Thos. Baker
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mick50
12 years ago
I agree that the low beams, bright yellow paint, and modern furniture aren't helping. To create an updated lake cottage look consider painting walls and beams a soft white. Leave the cabinets and fireplace natural. Then you can furnish with comfy overstuffed sofas and chairs with pops of color in pillows and throws. This picture shows what I mean:
http://residenceblog.com/2013/01/05/lake-cottage-goodness/
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lk cottage
Original Author
12 years ago
Would you go with a natural floor color or a light brown stained floor color? My stairs are unfinished Red Oak. See below?
mick50
12 years ago
What are the floors in the living and kitchen area? Are they unfinished oak? I'd just be sure to stain all floors the same. What do they look like next to the kitchen cabinets, if you're leaving them natural?
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lk cottage
Original Author
12 years ago
last modified: 12 years ago
mick50 - I'm replacing the flooring in the kitchen, living room, entry and 2 bedrooms with all the same flooring. I just don't know if I should go with natural red oak or a stained oak. My stairs are unfinished natural red oak right now. see attached pics. Thank you for your help...
fredm51
12 years ago
I would paint the beams white or off white to make them less a focal point.
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Brandon Schmahl
12 years ago
last modified: 12 years ago
Maybe try a cable railing on the stairs to create the wow factor. agsstainless.com makes a diy system that would look pretty cool.
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lk cottage
Original Author
12 years ago
What about the floor color? Red Oak natural or darker brown?
14thstreet
12 years ago
I prefer the natural floor choice. That will help to keep the room light since you have heavy architecture. The yellow walls need to go! A light taupe looks nice in there, like you have already, but for a more colorful option look at an airy, light blue-green-gray such as Benjamin Moore 1556 Vapor Trails.
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sbrustein
12 years ago
Ii
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sbrustein
12 years ago
I think all the wood in the cottage ( floor,beams , kitchen cabinets ) looks unfinished. Maybe painting the beams and cabinets as suggested above or staining them darker would be good.
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jcSelects
12 years ago
There's a lot of opinion statements in this thread that seems really random in nature: paint the beams, remove the beams etc. What feeling do you want when all the fuss and expense is complete? If you help us with a definition of the FEELING you want, all the rest will flow easily. BTW, other than those random opinion statements I think the Houzzers are really bringing it for you - what a community resource! Houzz is the new Internet.
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qam999
11 years ago
We need to know - are those ceiling beams structural?