Journey with me to the transformation from dark and outdated to chic and vintage with a touch of modern! This fashionista homeowner is newly married and is anxious to get their new house feeling like home. What’s a girl to do? Call an Interior Designer and turn drab to fab!
A couple majors scores for this lucky homeowner… Hardwood floors are under the carpets, there are wood beams on the ceiling, and trimwork is in good shape.
Let’s start with the foundation aspects. I have tossed around a few different options for the floor, which is pine. In the beginning I was thinking about doing Minwax dark walnut, satin finish.
Then I was considering a custom mixed stain that would lend a graying aged tone. I wanted to mix a white with a raw umber and find the right shade..
Still looking around for the right mixture and technique, I stumbled on a great post about a renovation of a late 1700s home in Hudson, NY. I reached out to the editor, Marilyn Bethany, and arrived at an intriguing solution. She told me that sanding the floors down and letting them “be” is a big trend up there among Hudson tastemakers. I really love the ambiance in Hudson and there are a lot of restorations that have been done very successfully. The idea sank in and I am thrilled with this solution. What’s old is new again! To care for unfinished floors, vacuum regularly and periodically clean with a small amount of trisodium phospate (TSP). Clean in small areas with a bristle brush and dry thoroughly as you go with clean cotton rags.
The fireplace is the next thing to tackle. Again, tossed many ideas around.. I have decided that removing the mantle and brass doors and applying a lime whitewash to the brick is going to be fabulous! For the whitewash we will need to mix Type S hydrated lime, ivory with table salt, ratio 5 parts lime to 1 part table salt. This will be mixed to a pancake batter consistency and then brushed on with a brush, thinly applied with areas of thicker and thinner plaster to achieve that aged look. A new mantle and doors are in order! We are going to get a nice hand-hewn reclaimed wood beam for the mantle. Taking the doors off might add some touch up work to be done around the box, but all-in-all, the best solution. A simple screen will add safety and charm.
Flower garden girl blog
I love this screen- The Ambrella irongate found at Neiman/Horchow.
Here is where I am going with the family room.
The eat-in kitchen will be moved to the family room side and we will add an island with butcher block surface where the kitchen table sits now. (New floors to be installed to match existing pine in the kitchen.)
I like the contrast of the black and white for the family room wall.
I love these from Aidan Gray.
In this above photo I love the bookcase. I also love the chest under the window.
This picture, above, I love repurposeing of this old bucket. I also love the simple antique wooden chairs that I would add plump down cushions to for extra pull-up seating around the family room.
I am absolutely crazy over Oushak rugs and would love to find one for the family room. The washed out color, the texture, the weave.. they are amazing. Don’t ever skimp on the size of a rug in a large room, especially one in an open floor plan. Here are a couple I love. The first is from Williams Sonoma home, which looks like a Safavieh and the second is from Global Accents.
And some more inspiration..
We need to rip this railing out (picture below) and then paint.
Trimwork will be white throughout (except the ceiling beams in the family room which will be sanded down and distressed to replicate a reclaimed beam look and tie in with the beams as the mantle and kitchen shelves. We need to replace the crown in the eat in the kitchen with at least a 5″, simple lines.
Kitchen door to be replaced with a dutch-style door:
Paint in the family room:
Ben Moore: Baltic Gray
Kitchen: Ben Moore- Gray Owl
Family room 2:
Ben Moore: Ticonderoga Taupe
Kitchen Cabinets:
Ben Moore: Soft Chamois
In the kitchen we are repainting old wood cabinetry and updating hardware. We are adding a subway style tile in white 4×6, that will go all the up the wall in the cabinet areas. A farmhouse sink will give us the charm we are looking for.
This is an idea for one of the walls, again using the reclaimed beams.
There is a lot more to do, so I will follow-up with lighting, furniture choices and accessories. Pictures from Traditional Home and Country Living.
Would love to hear your comments and ideas!
xoxoj
