Wednesday before I left for Austin I had to stop by my new place to post a note to FedEx on the door. When I arrived, there was a man working on the garage, so I was able to go inside using his key. This was the first time I'd been in without the rental lady, aka my landlady's daughter-in-law, breathing down my neck. I took a good hard look around, and boy, some sprucing up is most definitely in order. Suddenly, though, I find myself feeling very lazy, and the thought of painting, so appealing a couple of weeks ago, makes me want to sit under a shady tree sipping lemonade and reading a book. If I paint, I'll have to paint again before I leave. Ugh. But lordy I've gotta do something. I mean, overall the place is okay, but chockablock with character it ain't. Take a look (make way for a zillion pictures, and click for bigger) --
Living room:
This little side space could be a sewing/crafty area:
Dining area? (It's right next to the kitchen so I'm thinking, Oh, why not?):
Bedroom 1 (two closets, whoo-hoo!):
Bedroom 2:
Kitchen:
Bath:
Dated? Yes. But I can live with that. Boring? Yes! But what to do about it, without having to do too much? I'd say the two things I'd like to camouflage, work around, or "hide" (now that I've moved beyond the carpet) are the cabinetry, especially in the kitchen, and the old fashioned, ginormous ceiling fans. All pointers, suggestions, tips, etc, are welcomed!
15 comments:
it is cute....you won't feel that way once you make it your own
You have a good size home!!! Now make it yours! ;-)
Welcome to Beigeville. I can't believe even the cabinets are beige. I huge pictures on my ugly kitchen cabinets to spruce them up. And maybe you could sew covers for the ceiling fan blades to compliment the paint colors.
make that "I hung pictures..." I can't type.
The new Oprah at Home magazine, Winter 2008, is all about color and sprucing up for less. I didn't look through it, but it might be promising. I think the space looks great. It has so much potential. Did you ask if it was okay to paint? Our landlord lets us do whatever we want.
Don't paint yet. First move in your stuff, arrange furniture. THEN, just hang some big pieces of fabric on the walls for color! Also, area rugs placed over the existing beige carpet will liven up any room, give it a center and some color. Target has some great little rugs!
I've lived in many, many apartments over the years and you're lucky that everything is beige-y white. I once had lime green carpet!
Hey! At least your new place is freshly painted and clean! Just use your imagination to liven it up a bit.
Gurl, it's HUGE! Dang! Good for you! I love the retro kitchen (even the cabinets) and bath!
I don't like beige so would paint all the walls (and cabinets) white to let the sunlight from the windows brighten/open it up. Contrast it with colorful pix and thangs on the walls and as Ellen says little rugs over the carpet, and a couple of colorful chairs here and there, curtains etc etc ... and you're good to go!
Gurl, you can totally work that space! :-)
Oh and I hear you on the celling fans. UM. Well? They may work once you get your decor settled. Otherwise, if permitted you could replace with regular lighting fixtures or new fans altogether.
I agree with Ellen... move in and then determine what needs to be done. I would suggest making a trip to Ikea sometime to look at their fabrics and rugs. (Also white does beat the maroon and pink bathroom I once had... oy, it was ugly!) Enjoy!!!!
One more thing....about that ceiling fan...It does get mighty HOT in Houston. I'll bet you'll LOVE that ceiling fan once the summer sets in. Don't get rid of it. Just dust it and use it. Someone installed that thing for a reason! Down the road, you may just want to replace it with a better looking one from Home Depot. If we didn't have ceiling fans in our house, we'd wilt for sure!
The house looks so cute --- so many possibilities! I agree with the comments about the ceiling fans, as I'm sure they will help make the Houston summers bearable.
Yay! The place is so cute. It is going to look better once you settle yourself in. Don't you worry. I see adding pops of color and personality with some drapes. Homemade, maybe with fabric from Ikea, but they probably have them already made...even better and faster. Woohoo. Very exciting.
Someone once told me that beige colour can affect your disposition.
I'd do white walls, mostly, with a colour wall here and there. Paint before you move in, it is a pain in the rear to have to be stumbling over stuff whilst painting.
Other than that, it looks nice and bright. I love those ceiling fans even though I have great fear of them. I envisage them dropping off in a whirl and taking my head with it.
Is that the only colour carpet they make in the USA?
Deep pile carpet gives me the willies.
Heather
My suggestion would be to give everything a good scrubbing, move in, live with your stuff there a while then see what you get inspired to do. Sometimes when you get your stuff in a place you get some ideas that won't come when it's empty and lonely looking. Good luck!
I would avoid painting at all costs (and I've just moved house). I second the recomendations to move your stuff in, and then think paintings, wall hangings, rugs and cushions for colour. I love beautiful fabric hung on a wall, and I bet that with your crafty skills you could stretch some over a frame for a very small cost.
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