1. Gas range for the kitchen: The glass cooktop is a definite step up from the electric range I'm currently working with, but they're a pain to clean, and as much as we cook, I just feel like gas is the way to go. Plus, it's the only (well, with the exception of the small item below!) thing I want to do in the kitchen, so I'm feeling like eventually, the splurge will be justified. I'd love one of these babies:
Gas cooking, self-cleaning, six (!!!!) burners: yum. Price tag: a little less yum...but I'm confident in my ability to negotiate the heck out of H.H. Gregg!2. Tile Backsplash for the Kitchen:
I guess in order for you to understand this one, I do have to unveil ONE small picture of the house *sigh*. Here is the kitchen in its current state (actually, this isn't our kitchen, but it's the same floorplan--only difference is that we have stainless appliances and our granite is much lighter, which I love):
See that tiny strip of wall behind the oven and counters? I can't see how having that painted makes ANY sense when you cook as much as Dave and I do...we will splatter, and it will be a mess, and avoiding staining the wall will be a constant struggle. That being the case, enter my idea: a tile backsplash! The trick is this: it's a small space, so I can't do any large-scale design (or large-scale tiles), but I HATE the tiny glass-block looking subway tile that's so en vogue these days (please don't take offense if it's your thing--it seems like EVERYONE loves it, it's just not my taste). I finally found something on Houzz that I think might be good inspiration for what we want to do, but on a much smaller scale. I've always loved harlequin patterns. What do you think?
mediterranean hall design by chicago interior designer DISTINCTIVE APPLICATIONS Kimberly Wohlfarth,Artist
That *may* even be our granite (or a very similar one) in the picture. These colors would be so pretty with our kitchen (dark cabinets, dark wood floors, stainless appliances, and light granite) and with the color scheme of the rest of the house...I LOVE shades of brown, taupe, cream, and other neutrals...they're so warm, classic, and timeless.
3. Beadboard display wall in my office (downstairs bedroom):
The back story on this is that wherever I've lived, I've loved for my office to look "different" from the rest of the house...girlier, lighter/brighter, more cottage-y and less Pottery Barn. I need for my office to be a soothing retreat, especially given how much time I'll be spending in there when I return to full-time student status in August! With my beloved Farmhouse daybed (albeit dressed in some new, less beachy linens...bye bye Texas, hello Tennessee!!), a new PB desk, my favorite upholstered desk chair, my trusty Container Store fold out bookcase (LOVE these), and oodles of framed pictures and candles, the look shouldn't be too hard to pull off. But, I think that adding something like the picture below to the front wall of the office (which is on the front of the house, and has two windows) would totally tie together the comfy/cozy, cottage-y feel I'm going for, while granting me tons of usable space for displaying pictures, vases, and other things that make me smile. And, at just $29 for a 4' x 8' piece of beadboard, this is one of the most affordable (albeit daunting) projects, meaning we just MIGHT tackle it before summer's end to get my office all decked out for the school year...that, however, depends on how wedding planning progresses between now and then! Anyway, without further adieu, here it is:
Feminine and cozy, yet clean, classic, and timeless. I am in LOVE!4. Striped guest bathroom (upstairs)I've loved these stripes since I first laid my eyes on them, and all they require is some paint, painter's tape, and a little elbow grease! Cheap and easy :). My only quandry has been where to put them. I'd looooove to do them in our study/guest area (second upstairs bedroom), but I feel like that might be too large a space for this design, especially given that it's not completely in keeping with my general "style" that infiltrates the rest of the house. So, I'm thinking the second upstairs bathroom might be JUST the place...a small enough space that I won't risk making too much of a statement, but a place where these stripes can freshen things up, for sure. And, the striped towels I already happen to own for that bathroom will complete the look just perfectly.
I'd love to use these exact colors in our version. They're neutrals (my favorite!), yet warm, cozy, and inviting...just the look I'm going for.5. Paint change-up
Since we're moving into a brand spankin' new condo that's painted a neutral taupe color throughout, painting wasn't exactly at the top of our move-in to do list. However, I happened to run across this picture of a friend's sister's house that's for sale the other day, and I could have eaten the paint color with a spoon. It is seriously the prettiest brown I've ever seen! It is SO warm and comfortable...I would love to come home to this every night, and it would be perfect with my chocolate brown sectional. I can't decide where I'd put this color, but I'm currently thinking the living area, dining room, and/or downstairs hallway? The floorplan is really open and the spaces basically flow into one another, so I think that if I take the plunge in the den, I'll have to follow suit with the rest of the downstairs, which would be just fine by me. Do you guys think this color is as delicious as I do??
Edit: now that I'm looking more closely at the color, I'm realizing there's no way it would be enough contrast against my chocolate brown sectional. Nix the downstairs idea. Plan B: use it in the master bedroom? It seems like the perfect retreat-y color, and the dark tone would be so soothing to sleep in. Or, use it in the study/second bedroom upstairs? And while I'm at it, I'm thinking the stripes from the other picture would work better in the downstairs bath than in the guest bath...they go more with the beadboard office theme than they do with this warm, rich, chocolate-y tone. Opinions? Feedback?
6. Paint, part three: master tray ceiling
One of my more favorite parts of our master bedroom (aside from the two walk-in closets, its positioning in the trees, and the to-die-for Juliette balcony off it) is the tray ceiling. This image is not "our" bedroom, but it's the same floorplan, so you get the idea:
However, that amazing ceiling is currently not done justice due to the lack of an amazing paint color in the tray. I'm thinking we should remedy that with something dark, warm, and earthy. And, if we paint the master that warm fudge color I showed above, I think a really dark chocolate would be fabulous in the tray...warm, cozy, and romantic, especially with our bright white bedding and purple, gray, gold, and brown accents. Here's a color close to what I'm thinking of:
What do y'all think?So, that concludes my current home improvement "to do" list. I'm excited about, over the next several years, rolling up my sleeves (alongside David!) and diving into some of these projects. The house will definitely feel more homey when we put "our" touch on it. Now, I'm curious...what's on YOUR "house projects" list? Where do you go for ideas and inspiration? Houzz? HGTV? Rate My Space? Magazines? Somewhere else? Let's share ideas and inspire each other to tackle those decorating and home improvement projects...no time like the present!
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