March 01, 2010

Moving Monday

Another weekend full of moving projects! 

I went skiing Friday night (I got pictures, so that'll be a different post) but Jay had to stay home to paint the baseboards.  His former boss came over to help out installing the baseboards in the master bedroom and building me a new closet (more pictures, another post).

When I got home at 11:45 PM Jay asked me to help him with the final few boards.  Seriously?  He couldn't believe I went on to bed and wouldn't help.  Hey - I wasn't the one who told him to put it off till the last minute.  Plus midnight is like 3 hours past my bedtime, I'm sure my work would have been sloppy any way.

8 AM came early the next morning.  Thankfully Richie was prompt or else Jay and I would have never got our rears out of bed.  After helping Jay clear out my closet, I headed to Lowe's to pick up some supplies while the guys got started on the baseboards.

By the end of the day, the guys had all but two of the baseboards installed and all of the shelving for my closet built.  I was making them saw outside, so they packed up around 6 that evening.  I'm not entirely confident the project will be finished by the end of the week as Jay said it would be, but it has to happen soon - my shoes are still homeless!  (Jay still has to paint the shelving and install one more rod in the closet.)

Yesterday was a workday at the rental house, trying to get the rest of the crap stuff packed up.  Also, our landlords Jay's parents are coming into town today so I tried to clean the place up as best I could.  They'll be staying at the rental, so I wanted to make sure the bathrooms, kitchen, and the carpets were all clean.

Thankfully my portion will only take one more car load and I'll be clear of that house.  Jay's in charge of the garage.  Not so sure he'll be that lucky.

Now on to the picture portion of the blog - I need help with suggestions on what to two in three spaces in the house.  The two bathrooms have shower doors, instead of curtains, so they look very plain and bare.  Its amazing how much life a shower curtain can bring to a room.

These are the rooms that are technically finish - everything has been unpacked and put in its proper place.  They just seem so blah.  Please let me know what you think - how can I spice them up?

First the guest bathroom:






Besides the toilet in the corner, that's pretty much all there is to this room.  Its that boring.  So maybe a picture on the wall beside the toilet?  I didn't take a picture of it (its to the right of the sink) because its just your standard white toilet in a standard white corner.

On to the master bath:










We definitely need to get a mirror to go over the sink, but that still leaves us with a lot of open wall space.

What about a framed print over the tub?  Would the steam from the shower hurt the matting or the print itself?

Also - how do you feel about window treatments?  I keep thinking that the room would be livened up with a curtain over the window or something, but I've heard people say that curtains are passe. 

Now to the final space I need help with - the kitchen island.  Its a big huge area that I'd love to leave open, but I know my husband will use it for a dumping ground if I don't make it a useful space.  Ideas?







If ever there was a time for meaningful comments - it is now.  I want my home to look nice, not just settle for "okay".  Thanks in advance!  I promise if I get good suggestions I'll impliment them then take more pictures to post.

14 comments:

  1. I would paint the bathrooms. Just adding a little bit of color with paint will do wonders. I would also put a shelf above the tub and you can place a candle on it and decorate the shelf with things that can help you relax while you soak in the tube.

    I would get a nice fruit basket for the island. I’m not sure about your husband but mine will not leave stuff in an area if food is around.

    Those are the only ideas I have. I hope it helps.

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  2. I had a shower door in our first apartment, and I hated it. So, I put up a shower curtain anyway. We just pulled it across to cover the door and it looked great. You might consider that? You could also get a curtain and have it tied back so you can still see the door behind it, but it would add some life to it? Also, I agree that painting them a fun color will do wonders!

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  3. big, decorative bowl filled with lemons or whatever fruit on the island.

    wall art over the tub...like painted wall tiles, an iron art fixture, or a mantle shelf with candles.

    i have watched entirely too much hgtv.

    looks awesome, though!

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  4. i just saw that i basically restated the first comment! LOL

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  5. It looks like you have a lot of cabinet space. I would definitely add color to the bathrooms, but I am a color on the wall kind of girl. Also, you can add a nice decorative towel with something that wraps it together to make it a little more appealing. In regards to the kitchen island, I would just put a simple fruit bowl there. I like nothing on my counters. I am weird like that. Good luck!

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  6. I too think a spalch of color would help the smaller bathroom, and then maybe just a small print above the toilet.

    I wouldn't think the steam from a bath would do much damage to a print, not like a shower would. You could try it for a few days and see, or maybe get some of those press on vinyl sayings...those are cute.

    For the island, I agree with a large bowl of some type...not too tall to block the view but something to add conversation and color...or maybe lemons or limes.

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  7. bathrooms-curtains/swags/shutters, anything on the windows, rugs on the floors, candle holders on the sinks, candles around the spa tub :), are easy peasy ways to add color.

    kitchen island is dreamy & I have learned if we give them a limited space to dump in they are better aobut not taking over. so I suggest a cool bowl, basket or tub for him to put his stuff in that still looks gret & confines the dumps :) also I would put a punch bowl or other pretty bowl full of fresh fruit or veggies in the middle for both display & ease of snacks.

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  8. I like the idea of a shelf above the tub with candles. Sounds like a wonderful thing to soak with candles lit!What a great kitchen! I'm jealous of that island!

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  9. big bowl in the center with fruit or fresh veggies - small basket on either side for him to dump keys, mail, change etc in :)

    Love it!! Bathroom?

    I would paint in there - window treatments a must....i like the idea of tiles done decoratively and i know you can get those SO cheap at dollar tree and dollar general or you can keep an eye out at lowes for them :)

    wrought iron candle holders with a cute color votive on the wall is good too :)

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  10. I love this site - younghouselove.com - great ideasm DIY stuff and budget friendly. Definitely paint in the bathroom is one way; I just made a mistreatment for our master bath. I'll email you a picture - no sew tape and a curtain rod. My husband would say leave the island alone - he's all for an open area but I tend to clutter it up with stuff. Maybe a basket for catch all items or maybe just a basket for Jay for his stuff.

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  11. I'd definitely put some color on the walls in the bathroom & a piece of art (maybe one of those metal-type things ~ that should be fine with steam from the shower, right?) I have curtains in my bathroom, but I could be old school...I like the other suggestions of a fruit bowl on the island. I've also seen pretty colored glass storage jars, but that would be more to move when you want to work on the island.

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  12. i agree with color on the bathroom walls!! and i was inspired by the blue towel you had hanging, if you put that blue towel in the bathroom where that beige towel picture is, and do blue accents like that all over the place, that would make it pop! i love brown/taupe and blue. LOVE! anyhoo. i agree with the fruit basket for the island and maybe some fresh flowers and NOTHING ELSE. my counter is a dumping ground so i have to envy your empty space. beautiful place you have there!!

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  13. definite color in the bathrooms. Don't be afraid to be bold in there--it's a great space for some FUN color.
    art above the tub=yes. Definite.

    I agree that a fruit basket or something would work on the island. Or just a centerpiece of something. However, I know me. That would bug me to no end, to have to move it when I wanted to use the workspace.

    Perhaps instead you could use one of those tea cake stands...you know the three-tiered plates on a stand? I have no idea what they're called. You could use something like that to give height, perhaps put some fruits or whatever on them...

    but that's still something to move out of the way. Hmmm. I'll have to think on this...

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what up yo?