Trust my friends to be there for me in my time of "what the heck do I do now?!!" :)
Thanks again to everyone for your encouragement and support! A special thanks to Deborah for her suggestions!
After writing yesterday's post, I grabbed a cup of my favourite lemongrass green tea and went to work on my familyroom action plan, keeping in mind the suggestions you all gave me. Was I also avoiding the kipple? Of course! - what did you all think?! LOL
Okay, here's a picture of my dorm-y familyroom, just click to enlarge. That's my son. Don't know why he's got my hula sarong on his head.
Anyway, because my familyroom/kitchen (I have to treat them as one) is so small, I really don't have much to work with. Heck, my whole house is small, just 1384 sq.ft. But I like that! I always thought it would force me to live minimally... Boy, was I wrong!
Anyway, small house... this is why my favourite HGTV show is "Small Space, Big Style! I'm always inspired by the streamlined minimalism on that show. I ALWAYS watch it for ideas... it's my favourite... yes, I'm a geek... but I really love that show, enough to tape episodes in between Gerry Butler interviews I've saved... ooo, geek quotient just went up a little more, eh?
Unfortunately, before I can start any new projects or restart any old ones, I really have to kick the kipple. That is step one!
But after that's done, this is what I have planned...
1) Theme: Island Plantation
- I'm an island girl, and this decorating style gives me flexibility to show off my filipino heritage without being over-the-top. It'll work well with the existing cedar ceiling, simple kitchen cabinetry, and patio deck doors that let the outdoors in. So, plants, white-washed walls, dark natural furniture...
2) Walls: White (preferably "Debbie's White" from the Debbie Travis Collection at Canadian Tire - this is the same white as I painted in our livingroom)
- Clean and bright (and not the builder's beige that my husband hates!). The cedar ceilings make the room a little dark, so this should help remedy that.
- Also, someone else will have to paint... the powder room and livingroom were tough enough for me to do... the tall walls leading up to the vaulted ceiling of the familyroom/kitchen will be a nightmare I won't want to deal with myself!
3) Furnishings:
- Futon - going into the basement... once the clutter is gone from there!... yup, kipple again! I'll be moving the loveseat from the livingroom into this room and throwing a fitted slipcover on it.
- Coffee Table - big! and one that can store toys in it. Most of the toys are upstairs in their room, but they are allowed to bring some down here to play with during the day. They're still learning about cleaning up... interesting how 5 and 3 year olds resist that lesson...
- Lighting - new table lamp and a ceiling fan with wide blades for a tropical look.
- Entertainment unit - toy shelf will be stained and re-purposed for the tv/dvd/gamecube.
4) Computer:
- The computer here is actually the kids' computer... moving this computer will result in mayhem, anarchy, and general pandemonium.. at least more than there already is... they'll want to use our computer (which is a couple of steps away in the diningroom), and that is not acceptable! :)
I'll find a way to hide it when not in use.
5) Photos/Artwork:
- The hubby and I both agreed last night that our existing display of photos "looks like barf". LOL
We'll be remounting/reframing hubby's print of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel that he got as a teen in Italy and putting it on the wall above the loveseat.
Existing barfy pictures will be re-framed and moved into the diningroom.
What do you think? Can you picture it?
Alright, time to get another cup of green tea and get back to the kipple...