Mar 14, 2012

Closet News

See This?


The Insulation is in!!

The ceiling joists in this silly house aren't as wide as they should be, so to get the R value (that is fancy Insulation talk for "warm-and-cosyness") we are looking for, we have to use this compact insulation that just happens to to have a shiny silver lining.  I threw a couple of layers up there, squirted some expanding foam in all the cracks, and Voila!


Know what it means??

It means DRYWALL!


But right before that,  DANCE  PARTY!!!!!!

All I need is one of those spinny colored disco lights and some music and I'll be set.  Can you just imagine the lights reflecting off that silver insulation?  It will be dancerrific!!

Now that closet is not only warm but sound proof, so the neighbors won't even know that we are boogieing down mere feet away from them.  So all I need now are 10 of my closest friends to get this party started.  Or maybe 7.  The room will probably fit more people than that, but I really like to cover some area when I dance, so 4 is probably a safer number.  And maybe they shouldn't be my CLOSEST friends, because the chances are they are still really going to get their toes squarshed a few times - Disco style - and I don't really want to stomp on my close friend's feet.  Not to mention the head injuries.  I wave my arms around a lot too.  And maybe 4 is a bit much, cuz what if they get mad about the beatings and start trying to get back at me?  So one.  One person I don't know or care about, who I can smack and step on and if you would bring some snacks, and some music and a disco ball, we can dance the night away!!

Mar 13, 2012

The Kitchen-To-Be

Now comes the time when I talk about my kitchen.  It is too soon, technichally, cuz we still aren't much farther along in our bathroom, but I want to get my thoughts collected and all in one place.  My brain isn't the most reliable storage system. 


Here is the plan I drew up for the Kitchen.  My scanner isn't working.  It is kind of hard to see.


We'll be tearing down the kitchen and rebuilding it 6 feet longer.    And our dining area and kitchen area will switch places.   I have worried a little about the kitchen sink being visible from the front door.  Still not in love with that idea.  Maybe we should throw some swinging saloon doors into that Hallway?

Even though our current kitchen has white cabinets and dark countertops, I like it enough that I am doing it again.  White Cabinets from Ikea, and this laminate countertop from Lowes:

Wilsonart Black Alicante Laminate Countertop Sheet

Wilsonart 48" x 96" Black Alicante Laminate Countertop Sheet
cuz again,  I have no problem with Laminate.


Here is my inspiration.  I saw this Kitchen in a magazine and fell in love:

 I love the blue and yellow accents.  

And I especially love the trim work around the sink, oven, and cabinet bases.  It gives it such a classy, finished looked.  I'm sure the cabinets are custom built, but I bet we can figure out how to do some crap like that.    Here are the rest of the pictures of that Kitchen:





Gorgeous.  Hard wood floor, white cabinets with lots of trim and details, dark countertops and blue and yellow accents: CHECK!


One section of one wall is set aside as my office.  I would like something like this:





I haven't decided about the backsplash yet, but I like this:


and this:


I'll have to see what looks good with the countertops.  And then I'll pick some nice neutral wall paint that matches/accents.

Over the island I want some industrial lighting like this:


I found 3 industrial lights at a garage sale for $5.00 each, which I plan to spray paint chrome.  We'll see if they meet my expectations.

And for the bar stools at the island, I want something colorful, like this:



but I also really like these ones:


I might love not having to constantly push the bar stools back in like I would if they weren't mounted to the floor like that.  Those puppies aren't going anywhere.

Then over on the left we'll have our dining table.  A banquette.  A place for eating.  A lot like this, with the island and the french doors and everything:


But a bit more like this:


And I think I want the light hanging over the table to be this one:


Next to the dining table will be the buffet - This dresser

Which I plan to paint in a bright turquoise or Lagoon blue, like this:


That isn't the right blue. More Lagoon, less peacock.  It is still awesome.  I like the gold hardware with the blue.  I'll have to remember that.

What else?  I think I would also like a simple coffered ceiling like this:


I know Richard wants a coffered ceiling in the parlor (or Family Room or whatever it is) and we may as well carry that all through the first floor.

Oh, and the cabinets are going to go all the way to the ceiling.  Or if they don't, the trim will.  There will be no space above my cabinets.  It is just one more area that is never gonna get dusted.

And that is all for now!

Mar 7, 2012

The Cleaners!!

Do you ever feel like cleaning is the most futile, time waste of an activity that there is?  It is the thing I spend the most time on with the least to show for it.  It is like trying to dig a hole at the beach at high tide.  I'll get all the toys in the office cleaned up and then move on to the kitchen, but while I am cleaning the kitchen those-who-must-not-be-named are messing the office back up.  And even if I do manage to finish cleaning the kitchen (which really doesn't even seem possible some days because a meal always comes along and interrrupts me and adds to my work) and go back to tidy the office back up and then move on to the living room, they will just mess up the kitchen and office as soon as my back is turned.  It is like they are following me around, making messes in my wake.  I mean, sure, cleaning is a great way to kill time, but in the end you have to ask yourself if the time really deserved to die?