Forty-Nine Shades of Gray and One Yellow

My bathroom is finally (mostly) finished!! Just a few more touches. We need some kind of towel accoutrement and a bit more storage in the form of another little cabinet above the toilet...because we're weird and cut our own hair and therefore need the double mirror action to see the back of our heads...

That was too much information for you, I think.

Rorschach Walls or If These Walls Were Therapists

I once had a doctor, dead over one hundred years, tell me, through a channel, that I like to be surrounded by color because inside I am full of color. Well, thank you, doctor, I absolutely enjoy being surrounded by color and I will take your word for it about my insides. From that point on, I never made excuses about the brightly colored house I was painting, not even when the Sears deliveryman thought I was racist for "remembering" him until he saw my lime green hallway and replied, "Yes, I have been here before, I remember." Not when my friends think my husband is going to leave me because whatever project I show them is too colorful or too bold or too whatever they were implying. And certainly not when people try to talk me out of the brighter color and to consider something more neutral. No! Lime and chartreuse and shocking pink forever! See: my insides, bitches!

Thirteen Tiny Bedroom Inspirations or Sleeping in the Beauty

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My bedroom is very small. And due to the fact that I just tear down walls whenever I feel the slightest bit of ennui, it is currently without drywall in some spots. So I've been staring and then searching for inspiration and then staring some more. And here's the problem, my bedroom is small. Like, tiny. It measures around 11' x 11'. And according to most sources, could fit inside the closet of a "small bedroom." I'm having trouble finding examples, is what I'm saying. "Small" to someone living in the midwest, where their kitchen is the same size as my house, 784 sqft, is much bigger than my "small." In California, and certainly Los Angeles, a 2400 sqft house in my neighborhood would start at 1.2 million. And my neighborhood isn't that posh! People move to it because the "housing prices are so much lower!"

12 Tiny Living Rooms or Positively Primeval Design

My living room is 20' x 10'. Long and narrow. And the entry just opens right into it. No mud room, no partition, just "Hello, welcome to my mess!" So whatever I decide to do in there needs to be immediately impressive. And also covered in plastic and screwed down due to capricious children.

And, as ushe, most inspirations are for, like, double living rooms with enormous pointy coffee tables and seven sofas. So here's some of what I found...

Shelves and rattan! Stripes and yellow!

This is sort of what my entry problem is. Except I have a bit more room...for all the legos and food wrappers that collect. (Seriously, what is up with the food wrappers everywhere? Is it just my kids? They open them, toss the wrapper in the air, and then eat the food. Do they think my rug composts mylar wrappers? PS that is a great idea...composting living room rugs for food wrappers and loose Cheerios. Patent pending.).

Modern and functional. Masculine and feminine. Love.

This room is right up my alley. Except for the antlers. I'm over the animal heads. They are so everywhere. And serve no purpose except to say, "Yeah, I read Better Homes and Gardens and wear a fedora, you?" At least they also have a cowhide rug. And a fur blanket on the sofa.

White and cottage-ie. I can't say no to that. Unfortunately, my husband can.

Ooooh...tiny sofa, Lack table, tiny desk...it makes it look like I can actually get work done! And the turquoise rug...delicious.

Simple, bright, sheepskin, giraffe.

This one cheats a little in that it's a vignette in a giant room with high ceilings...but neutral and orange always make me happy.

To make up for that, here is an actual tiny space. I love these. They remind me of my dream of having my own Marie Antoinette inspired house. For escaping all the manliness that surrounds me...sometimes, it's like living with three Gaston's...

More fur. What are we Vikings?! How cold is it, really? Aside from that, I love the dark gray and the ceilings. And the built-ins for the TV. I just realized that none of the other rooms have TVs. Maybe they are all Vikings. But, if I were a Viking, which I technically am, I think I might watch that TV show Vikings. Mostly to scoff at the stuff they get wrong. And from where could I watch it? The internets, I guess...

Annnnd finally, this pretty space. Pale blue and neutral with lucite so it doesn't look full of furniture. Again, no TV, so how is one supposed to "relax?" I guess I could just read books. About Vikings.

All photos are available on my Tiny Space Design board on Pinterest.

And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar and I say, "Sorry, I'm not eating carbs."

Sometimes life gives you a free piano. And I am not one to turn down something that makes music. So in our tiny living room, we have a piano. And it's small-ish, for a piano. So it's not like a giant hulking piece of furniture, it actually looks quite nice. Except that it's the same color as the floor. Which makes it both blend in and loom over the rest of the living room.

People have been painting pianos lately, the chalk paint craze making everything significantly easier. I looked at color options, but since I didn't want to drive to Malibu or Glendora for a can of paint, I talked myself into the French Linen I already owned.

Here's the thing about painting anything. I am always very excited to paint. Most of my clothes have bits of paint on them because if I have to change clothes to do something, it's a sport. And I don't sport. So I started painting. I had a smallish, new brush and I just went for it. No sanding or anything, just paint. And as I finished the one tiny side and then set about taping off the keys, I realized I was about to eat an elephant. The project grew ten sizes that moment but I was too deep in to stop. So I kept going. But that moment, where I see the mountain I am about to climb, I have it every time. But it always happens too late for me to turn back.

Here is the before. It's the only pic I have. Hartwell Concerto in Aaaaaahahhahh!

When I told John I was painting the piano he said to me, "Don't get paint on the keys." He said it jokingly and I thought, "What kind of moron does he take me for?!" So I said, "Oh, I'm painting the keys green and yellow..."
To which he replied, rather incredulously, "YOU CAN'T PAINT PIANO KEYS!"

And then I laughed and said, "You think I am soooo dumb..."

That conversation doesn't quite play out in print as it did in real life. I thought it was hilarious and it's become my favorite thing.

Here's the after, with unpainted keys. Keys that are begging for photoshop.

Reverse Stencilling or Showing Wood

I did it! I finally bought the Ikea dressers I wanted! But, alas, they are but raw pine and this morning my nutella fingered son tried to use it for balance as I assisted him with his socks...Argh!

So I need to paint or at least finish them soon...but there are too many options!

How about reverse stencilling? Where the wood is the "stencilled" part and the negative space is painted.

Now I just need to find the time to do this. I spent 6 hours building the dressers and they are still empty. And I need to paint the hallway and the living room ceiling...and my floors...

Images available on my Pinterest Board Projects.

New Rug or Can't See the Carpet for the Fleas

When the new bathroom was finished, the old hallway rug didn't work anymore. So I went and bought myself a new one. Flor* was having a sale! And I've had the old rug for seven years. Also from Flor, because those rugs stand up to a lot of punishment.

I originally bought it to put in the nursery. Remember one kid? Those were the days...Look at all the space for activities!

Eventually, when Hartwell was crawling, I bought a giant, fluffy rug and moved the rug tiles to the hallway. Which is kind of the beauty of the product. That, and it cleans up so easily. Here is a photo right after one of the boys stepped in brown paint and then walked through the house.

And here's the view from my bright lime hallway looking into the other hallway. It looks nice, but then I added the super pretty bathroom and it just looked sad...The lime hallway is still there and looks better in person.

See...? Much better. And you can also see where the cats tracked diamotaceous earth all over the house. Which is a natural way to get rid of fleas. Because we have fleas. Just like medieval royalty...

Pretty Promise in Lime by Flor

And the old one, now moved to the hallway by the back door because it is indestructible:

Housepet by Flor (Some colors have been discontinued...mine were maybe Frog and Guppie, if I had to guess)


*Nobody pays me for my opinions. If they did, maybe I wouldn't have fleas.

Skeleton of a Closet

Traditional Bedroom by North Eastham Architects & Designers Peter McDonald Architect

I am in desperate need of some closet inspiration. In a fit of...anger? exasperation? boredom...there it is...I tore out my old closet. The old closet was built in the 1920's, and is not up today's mass consumerism standards.

Here's a photo of my old closet. After I demo'd the plaster, but before I took out all the lathe.There used to be a regular door that opened out, into the room, for the closet door. But then, with the bedroom door there were too many doors in one tiny room, so I removed it and hung a curtain.

 I had some espresso and frosted sugar cookies right before demo.

This is a better photo of the whole wall with the bedroom door and the opening to the closet. 

See?! Look at all that space that was basically unusable! How was I to organize anything?! You can see the little plastic drawer unit that sits inside the closet.

Here's how it looks now. I have a large Indian tapestry hanging as a door/curtain, and it's a lot messier now.  And I removed the dangling electric wires. I mean, I love the industrial look, but I do not like fires.

So, that's where I am. Trying to figure out how to finish the closet I started. Header or no header? And what kind of doors? It's a puzzler...

I could stick with the curtain look. But use a less busy curtain. The tapestry I have now is not very relaxing.

Eclectic Bedroom by Los Angeles Interior Designers & Decorators Susan Manrao Design

But then! Barn doors! How I love them. It might work, if I have two small ones. But my closet would never be fully open. There would always be a door covering part of it. 

Contemporary Bedroom by Mill Valley Interior Designers & Decorators Jute Interior Design

I love the idea of two doors that open out. These look about the right period for my house. And they are simple and clean.

Contemporary Bedroom by Norwich Architects & Designers Smith & Vansant Architects PC

I'm gonna have to figure out how hard built-in's would be. I'm married to a virgo, they are very,...exacting...

Because this closet looks spectacular!

Traditional Bedroom by Atlanta Interior Designers & Decorators The Belding Group, Inc

This closet is probably more like what I need to do. These doors look very much like the Ikea closet systems you can design and buy. Then I can just pop it in and frame out the space and I'm done!

Modern Bedroom by Other Metro Architects & Designers Shmidt Studio

Except that these mirrored french doors and gorgeous!

Traditional Bedroom by Manhattan Beach Architects & Designers Tomaro Design Group

Back to what I want for my bedroom. Clean, neat, bright, organized. I still don't think the curtain is the way to go, but I found this room striking:

Traditional Bedroom by Raleigh Closet & Home Storage Designers California Closets - Triangle, Triad and NC Coast

This Old House has another incredible built-in, and it makes me want to cry a little:

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Or! I could just shove my bed into the closet and get some dressers and wardrobes.

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Another built-in with french doors. I'm gonna have to keep my eyes open for salvaged french doors.

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It's totally the way to go...right?

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Floor Remodel

I was visiting a friends house and she had just finished remodeling. She had chosen the prettiest gray ceramic tiles for her floor. The modern plank kind. And I thought it looked so pretty and light. 

We have hardwood floors in our house and after the new pretty bathroom, I think the rest of the house looks dark and dreary. The living room is north facing and usually full of children.

Here are the only pics I have of my living room. Which proves two points: 1. It's too dark to photograph properly and 2. It's never clean. Because no one photographs a dirty living room.

Remember your living room before you had kids?

Here's the fireplace in the daylight:

Here's a better shot of the wood floors with all the other colors I have going on in there. The green wall is now painted captivating teal, I think.

Here's the new color...Look! Christmas in June!

Here's our giant bookcase and the front door, with the wood floors. They are pretty worn and scratched, especially by the door. And they no longer have any protective sheen. 

So, yeah, I want to paint my hardwood floors. It solves so many of my problems! It will lighten up the space and protect the floors from further damage. Not to mention the part of our bedroom that's missing some floor due to a ceiling leak. The floor was damaged and removed, but the sub-floor is still perfect. Hopefully, we can kind of fake some planking and then paint over it.

Here are some pretty options:

Cream Floors!

Gray! (Tumblr told me that it's gray in the US and grey in the UK. That sounded good to me!)

Gray on gray faux carpet!

Gloss White!

Black! (Although it will not exactly solve my lighting issues).

Change color for different rooms! My room could be yellow; the boys' room, olive!

And my favorite room, with matte white floors. I demanded my husband build me that bed. And we keep it sort of neutral. Maybe I only like it because it looks so clean and I know my room will never be that clean. We have too small a house for that kind of minimalism.

Let me know when uber-crammed closets and plastic dressers come back in style. Because I'll have so many pics of that, at least.