Monday, April 13, 2020

Things I Like #6


Once again, in a post inspired by, or stolen from, Mistress Maddiehere are some things I like that are around the house.

One of the things I like best about the house is how it’s changed from when we bought it, to how it looks today. When we bought the house, the crown molding, chair rails,  window trim, French doors, and baseboards were wood, but stained a hideous brown, and the living room walls were light blue above the chair rail, and a whisk broom painted effect in a darker blue below.

I hated it.


I painted three walls a gray, and one longer wall a darker gray; I removed the chair rail, and then painted the crown molding  and baseboards an ivory. I had a friend whose home had no such moldings and she painted “moldings” on the walls. I thought for a moment, and thought how to make our crown and base look a bit more dramatic, and the solution was to paint a stripe, in the same ivory, below the crown molding and just above the baseboards all around the room.


I like it.


I also—after much debate with Carlos, painted the mantel in white, and once that was done, we opted to switch out our Old—emphasis on old—west ceiling fans for something cooler … like a wooden airplane propeller. There are two in the living room and they look great and circulate the air better than those four-paddled monstrosities of yore.


More to come …

15 comments:

  1. I love the after. Really.
    Gray is such a sexy color. Especially that mid-dark tone! It's very sophisticated.
    And we both have the same doors! Those white French doors? Have them! LOL

    I love the new ambiance.

    XOXO

    p.s. I'm thinking about posting something similar, even though my space is not a purdy. Ha.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's always nice to make a house fit your taste and personality. We bought our house sight unseen by us - our realtor and a friend did the walk through. We kind of had a sinking feeling when we first walked in...but 4 1/2 years later, paint and some furnishings, a new deck, elbow grease landscaping...we love our house.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Very nice and good work!
    stay safe, take care,
    xoxo :-)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love your colour scheme. I don't think I would be brave enough to go with that grey (I like bright colours anyway) but it is really pretty.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Nice color pallet, the ivory was a really great choice. The wood look had a very Asian feel. Good Job.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love gray. My kitchen is going to be gray next....soon hopefully.

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a beautiful house. I, too, prefer painted woodwork. We would have done the same thing. SO elegant. You guys have great taste. Also, the ceiling fans! We installed a giant silk airplane propellor—look ceiling fan in our guest house in San Diego. Loved it. Yours look like the real thing. Brilliant!

    ReplyDelete
  8. You have a lovely home!

    ReplyDelete
  9. The right color makes all the difference. My bathroom was gutted yesterday to start a complete remodel. The ugly 1980's fiberglass tub shower is finally gone. Pictures to follow soon.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love the extra strip with the molding. That's a nice touch.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Super makeover! That stripe was a brilliant idea.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Love the changes. Looks great! Especially the line below the crown molding.

    ReplyDelete
  13. @AM
    We have a guest room with a private bath ....

    @Six
    I do love a gray,m even a dark one.
    And I imagine your place has a great deal of style.

    @Frank
    Yes, it becomes less house and more home.

    @TDM
    Thank you, ma'am.

    @Treaders
    I tend to like darker colors; they're still bright in the daytime, but become moodier at night.

    @DaveR
    Thanks.

    @MM
    I, too, love gray.Our kitchen was a hideous battleship blue when we moved. I painted the cabinets and the walls a brighter color, but now it's time to switch it up and probably do something gray and ivory in there, too.

    @Mitch
    I don't know if our taste is great, but we like it, so that's all that matters!

    @Jennifer
    Thanks!

    @Travel
    I can't wait to see the pictures. i love renovation!

    @Sadie
    Thing is, it's not an extra strip of molding, it's just a painted stripe on the walls, but it gives the illusion of something besides just crown

    @Debra
    I have become obsessed with stripes now ... more to see about that, too.

    @whkattk
    Thanks, we get lots of compliments on that!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous12:47 PM

    Love the transformation. I have the same moldings-top and bottom. I had rented my condo for years and while away I changed the color to the gray you have chosen. My color is from Benjamin Moore. I don't recall the color right off the top of my head and I am not running down 9 floors to check. I picked the colors from out of state. The painter provided the common colors he paints in gray. I ran down to the paint store and picked one. I wanted the paint to have a slight gloss and I did the other paint scheme. The painter and I went back and forth and we/he settled on flat. Big mistake. I am now back in my condo and thou I love the color I hate the finish. Mainly because over the years touch-up was applied-with the same paint-and I can see every area where a roller hit the wall. A complete redo is in order. I will stick with the same paint choice but add a slight sheen to it. This would be better for cleaning and touch-ups will not show. I might just steal your idea of the gray in the upper and lower moldings. I love it. It reminds me of when I was in Germany. the German folks that painted our dorms brought the color of the walls onto the white ceiling about 6 inches or so. Gave it the effect. I love the ceiling fan. I have never been a fan of those, especially in the bedroom. I just don't like anything blowing on me while I sleep. A friend of mine bought a modern condo in Las Vegas and installed these cool light features that when you turn a switch, it unfolds into a fan. When not in use it folds up:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H51yfEHN-fI

    Be safe!

    ReplyDelete

Say anything, but keep it civil .......