Home Renovations :: Continued

Thank you for all your lovely comments on my home renovations!  Sadly, typepad has changed the way they handle comments making it difficult for me to respond as I normally do.  I haven't yet figured out a solution for how I'm going to handle this.  I may be moving my blog to another provider or I may sit tight and continue to pay for a service that doesn't meet my needs anymore.

Anyhow!  I'm hoping to get caught up on blog comments this weekend, but in the meantime I wanted to share some more home renovations with you while I'm on a finishing kick.  Can't waste a good finishing kick! =)

Here you have a before photo of my living room (from the house listing site) - a little outdated, and in need of some personality.

Dig those copper blinds and gold fan!

I had originally planned to tear down the picture framed white molding on the walls.  Sadly it was hot glued on and removing it was tearing major holes in the wall.  Rather than have to patch and texturize the whole thing to match the existing walls, I decided to make it work for me.

I used the same high gloss white I used before to paint the molding by hand, then painted the walls that same gorgeous silvery grey I use throughout the house (the colorway "quill" from olympia paint I buy at lowe's.  gorgeous color!).  The finishing work on this room was brutal, all the little edges and details it took me about 12 hours of painting (and 3 coats for coverage) over the weekend.

A new light fixture, some spray painted silver plug covers (I'll tell you how I do that later), hung some curtains, rearranged furniture and done! 

The only thing left in that room is to decide what to do with the fireplace and installing the white plantation blinds in the window.  I pulled the mantle off to paint it and I'm sorely tempted to rip out the cheapie ceramic tile on the fireplace surround and re-tile it myself with something that matches.  The cost on that project would be minimal but oh so time intensive.  I'll keep debating with myself.  Anyone have any opinions?  

Total cost of this room was a little more than the last one... $382.  The fan was $130, and the other big costs are the blinds at $80 apiece for the large ones (2 large windows) and 2 smaller windows at $28 apiece making up a large part of the cost of this room.  Anything's better than those ugly copper blinds and old fan though! =)

I love checklists and checking off rooms as they are done.  Check check!  On to the next room....

Comments

[Kendra]

I actually like the molding on the walls, at least in the photos. It gives the room some character. And I love the fireplace mantel, but not the tile at all. If I were you, I'd go ahead and replace it with something you love. Then it will make you happy every time you're in that room.

Love seeing the photos of your renovations!

[Kathleen]

Looks great! Congratulations on all your hard work.

[Hilary]

I am so incredibly impressed! You've done an amazing job on the den and living room! Everything looks so streamlined, clean, and modern, but still very cozy. Thanks for posting these before and after shots -- it's fun to see, and I'm totally taking notes for when (if) Neill and I ever have a house of our own!

[kimchi]

I also think the molding looks great and everything just looks TONS better now! And that tile has got to go. It sounds like you've already made up your mind but just need a gentle nudge to get you going? :o) Everything else looks FAB! Way to go!

[Gena]

It looks fabulous! I love the grey on the walls, such a better neutral than beige walls. Sorry, I can't help with the fireplace problem. I would suggest something like stucco-ing over the existing tiles, but that would be just as time intensive and not look as nice as just redoing the whole thing.