New House Journal: Hearth Room, Wood Blinds, and a Dated Master Bath

Hi Everyone, I thought I'd check in and let you know what we've been up to this last week or so. We had a great Christmas, but I've just been "off kilter" with this long drawn out mini renovation and move. Since we've only been able to work at the house on weekends, it's taken us since the end of September to get where we are today. We started the Big Clean and moved a few odds and ends this last weekend. Thank Goodness, we're almost there.

(the wires are the cable tv box, and I'm hoping my big armoire will fit there

to house the tv and storage. That wall looks pretty bare right now.)

We have repainted every room in this house except for the Sunroom. The walls in the main part of the house were a pinkish/mauvish/gray, I tried to make it work but in the end I decided I just couldn't live with it and started looking for a Griege.

Stone Hearth by Ben Moore

I tried Agreeable Gray wanting that to work since I used it in the Laundry and Dining Room and Entry, since these rooms all have a lot of natural light. But in the Hearth Room Agreeable Gray had a dark greenish cast. The Hearth Room doesn't have any direct lighting since it's in the interior part of the house. I couldn't do the pink tones and couldn't do the green. I ended up using Stone Hearth by Benjamin Moore at 50% strength. It's a little more tan than I wanted but it works well with the rest of the room colors. 

I wanted to find an area rug for the Hearth Room that matched the walls and contrasted with the dark wood flooring. The new slipcovered sofa and chair are more creamy colored, not a bright white, so the rug needed to work with those hues.

I bought 2 runners for our current home several years ago from Overstock that I really love. The sizing was a little odd for their area rugs, so I went with the larger 7'6 x 9'6 size, but it was just too big for the seating area in the Hearth Room. I needed a rug for the Casual Dining Area that will be in the Sunroom under the white Farm Table. We moved the rug out there and I think it will work well. It has the same colors as the Sunroom walls and brick. The tile out there is expansive, so an area rug will help break up the space. I reordered a smaller size for the seating area, same pattern, it should be here next week.

I ordered white Bali Wood Blinds for the Master, Guest Bedroom, and Laundry/Bath. Bali had a 25% off sale that ended on 12/18 so the prices were good. I waited to order blinds for the 3rd Bedroom, that will be my office, thinking I had more time with the sale. Evidently Bali manufacturing goes into hibernation after Christmas, so I'm hoping to get the rest of the blinds by the end of January. These photos are with my phone so the light coming thru the windows and the ceiling fan is really harsh. 

A small space/big impact project was re-papering the Master Bath. It's a teensy space that had a reno in the early 2000's. The tile is brown, tan, and more brown, and it's very dated. We've already gone over budget at this house, so we decided to live with the bathrooms for now and consider a reno down the road. Staying real here, friends. 

Wallpaper is astronomically high priced now. I haven't wallpapered anything since the Dining Room 2 houses ago. At that point wallpaper was still plentiful and trendy, with lot's of choices. Now you're lucky to find anything to pick from around here. The design center where I buy paint had a few rolls on hand, but my options were slim. I had wanted to do a grass cloth in tan, but it was going to take weeks to get it in and cost around $500... ahhhh no, not for a dated bathroom. So I settled on this gold/bronze metallic stripe that was discounted, and actually think it turned out pretty well. 

Below is the listing photo of cream colored flocked paper, that was literally peeling off the walls. My husband just couldn't live with it and I found him ripping it off one day early on when we were working on the basement. I told him he would have to help me wallpaper then (the walls were bad, so paint wasn't an option). He said he would be happy to if we could just get rid of that paper. He's really happy with it now, so one renovation put off till later. 

Listing Photo

Here are a couple of similar tiled baths
Pinterest Bath Tile circa 2003?

Pinterest Bath Tile circa 2003?

I have a few more little projects to share with you later. I just wanted to check in with you all to share the progress. We're going to move in stages. The first load of furniture will be rooms we don't use daily like the Basement, Dining Room, and Hubby's office. Then there will be the main furniture in the house like our Master Bedroom, Living Room, and my office. Who knows, but the big thing is that we're not pushing ourselves to get this done in a hurry. 

I considered doing a post covering this last year, but the truth of it is that I was in terrible shape healthwise because of my heart, then had the heart surgery in June and right after that the aneurysm and emergency surgery that just about sent me on to heaven. THEN deciding on this move. All in all not much I want to rehash or revisit. But Hey, I'm always an optimist when it comes to the New Year. It sure doesn't do any good to worry about what will happen. We trust God and depend on Him. I know His plans are for our good and not for harm, so we keep on keeping on. (insert Happy Face here). Have a fun New Year's Eve!

After a pointedly negative comment a while back, please don't complain in a comment if you don't like my posts or my house, or my decisions... or if they are confusing. (I'm confused enough as it is) We are just trying to do our best to stick with a modest budget and put together an updated older home. I'm so grateful for all of you who are supportive and caring friends. Thankyou for being there!

xoxo,

Joining in Here:

Sunday at Home at Little Farmstead

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings

Dishing It and Digging It at DIY180

The Scoop at Cedarhill Farmhouse

Inspiration Monday at Refresh Restyle

Tips and Tutorials at Home Stories A to Z

Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Keep in Touch at Let's Add Sprinkles

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Share Your Style at 21 Rosemary Lane

Style Showcase at Shabby Fufu

Wonderful Wednesday at LeCultivateur

Thursday Favorite Things at Follow the Yellow Brick Home

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage