Honey-do
My husband and I are the worst home-owners on the planet. Well, maybe not the worst - we pay the mortgage, for example. But when it comes to home decor, we're both fairly hopeless.
After having immersed myself in the aspirational stylings of 300+ design mavens two weeks ago, I find myself looking around at our (non-charming) late 1970s home features (unlike those celebrated by the fabulous Retro Renovation) and bemoaning the crumbling particle-board cabinets, the functional but fugly fixtures and I just want to make the place have personality that doesn't scream "I was a rental for 20 years and then bought by people who should really be renters!"
I'll admit, I'm intimidated by the thought of attempting most home renovations. And I shouldn't be - I know I actually enjoy wielding a paint brush, and the thought of taking a sledge hammer to drywall gives me the good kind of shivers.
I also suspect that I would love me some nail gun action. Ca-chunk! Ca-chunk!
What I really want? Glossy white bead-board wainscoting. Soothing robin's egg blue and sea-green accents. 40s and 50s kitsch curtains and open shelving galore. A workable island with seating.
And that's just the kitchen.
Given the many (many) projects that we need to tackle around here (and not wanting to delve into a huge pile of debt) I think I just need to begin collecting images and inspiration, and begin tackling one thing a month - even if that is just daydreaming the results I would love to have.
I've been stuck in a rut, and it's time to climb out.
Comments
You can totally do that! Robin's egg blue and sea green with white wainscoting sounds wonderful.
Posted by: Christine | January 29, 2011 3:47 PM
Jenny! Just do it! You deserve that dream kitchen and now that you've been working again for a few years, you can pay for it! Why the heck not? Call a good cabinet shop and git 'er done!
Posted by: Gabrien | January 29, 2011 8:57 PM
Dave Barry once said about someone who came to his house when he had it up for sale, "Who installed this paneling, vandals?"
That would be my house ;)
Posted by: brian | January 30, 2011 5:21 AM
Good for you. You can do it. Now that I'm almost done with school I've been looking around my house wondering what the heck happened. I've been cruising home and garden website and dreaming of a complete makeover. I think I'll start with the back yard so I can actually enjoy it this summer.
Posted by: terena | January 30, 2011 4:00 PM
Yeah- My very small kitchen still has those horrid dark orange 70s color countertops and very deep purple paint on the walls. Dark and ugly. I want to liven it up, but just don't feel like it. Oh and the former owner (I guess in an attempt to lighten up the small kitchen) painted the center front faces of all the cabinets...not the whole front, just about 3/4 of each door) cream color...over real wood. *@#$(*@#&? so I either have to paint the walls THAT color, or a matching color, OR take down and strip/sand all that crap off the cabinets. UGH. Did that for a friend years ago and vowed I'd never sand even a small kitchen worth of cabinets again! ...so coming up on five years later, I still have orange counters, purple walls and wood/cream cabinets. Go me!!
Posted by: Ang | February 5, 2011 1:56 PM