Help Me Decorate our New House!

[CarrieC]

Just a brief intro. My hubby and I just bought our first house. :biggrin: It was built in 1991 so it's in pretty good shape, but the people that lived there were old and had no style. :bonkers: PLUS, I've found MY style and tastes have been moving AWAY from the cutesy country style I've had for the last three years.

I just decided to start one thread (like Jill Did :biggrin: ) since I need so much help. :lol:
Here's a picture of our house:
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4dd26b3127cceb9bd77231ac20000001610

[CarrieC]

Challenge 1 is the Kitchen. Feel free to give me any and all suggestions. :biggrin:

Here are some pictures of the existing kitchen:
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4dd26b3127cceb9b06c237a180000001610

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4dd26b3127cceb9b06c20fb2b0000001610

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4dd26b3127cceb9b06c217a1a0000001610

I have two thoughts on this wall. One is to put up bifold shutter doors and make it into a closet since the main entrance to the house is in the kitchen. The second idea is to create a built in buffet and shelves into this space. Either way, it won't get done right away, but feel free to share your thoughts.
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4dd26b3127cceb9b06c2d7a160000001610

The mess is the current owners mess; my house isn't QUITE that bad. :blush We ARE going to keep the current yellow color.

I found this rug which I'd like to use as my "inspiration piece"
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0000A243B.16._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg
So, maybe I'm going to go colorful kitchen. What do you think? Any ideas for new window treatments, tableclothes, etc.?

[CarrieC]

I also picked up these prints a few weeks ago that I'd like to use (if they match).

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4dc08b3127cceb92e1c6d31840000001610

Will these still work up against that colorful rug and the yellow walls?

[Lette]

Hi Carrie...

I'm not great with ideas, but I wanted to say that you're doing a GREAT job! :rahrah:

Love that carpet AND the prints will go great!

I'd definitely recommend a nice oak buffet instead of bifold shutter doors. :nod:

Also, solid red or navy blue curtains and table cloth would accent that carpet nicely!

[magoo]

Great to see you here, Carrie!!!

I agree with Lette on the buffet, although if there isn't another closet, that might be more practical in the long run. We manage with a coat tree, though, so I say go for the buffet :)

It looks like the prints go perfectly with the rug!

Sarah

[Rav77]

I think that the rug and that pictures that you picked go great together. Another suggestion would be to change the handles on your cabinets to something a little more dramatic. Maybe a yellow color ??

[CarrieC]

I am willing to change the handles, but I was thinking black so I don't have to change them at every decorating whim I have. :blush:

[harmonielyn]

I like the idea of putting the doors up to make that wall a closet since I never seem to have enough storage space. But if you have enough storage space in the rest of the house you could do something else. Guess that wasnt any help huh? :lol: I like the color of the kitchen.

[Nocona]

I was thinking that terra cotta color in the rug and prints for the table cloth, etc. Not sure about that color on the window treatments, though. I agree with Harmonie... if you don't have much storage space I'd make that into a closet, otherwise a buffet would look great.

[CarrieC]

I'm thinking of using the terracotta or a red color for the accents. :nod: I think I'll wait and get the rug and then take it shopping with me. :blush: I found some solid accent rugs at Kohls that I think might work.

My biggest issue is going to be the windows in the kitchen. There are a LOT of them. I didn't post the entry door because I couldn't GET a good picture. There was too much light and the pictures turned out VERY dark. Let me try to explain. The door is white and has a solid glass panel in the middle of it. There's only like a 4-6 inch border of the white around the window. Then, there's a window panel right next to the door that looks exactly like the door but without the knob. KWIM? THEN, down the wall about 5 or 6', there's this weird little window that's the length of a normal window, but only 17" wide. :dunno: Finally, there's the normal little window over the sink. :lol:

My ideas currently are to:
~ Use sheer panels and tension rods (or magnetic rods) to cover the door/window combo. To make it LOOK more decorative, I could stencil around the frame of the door and window.
~ Regular window will get a valance
~ I have no idea what to do with the skinny window. :dunno: Maybe another sheer and stencil around the frame?

[Bev]

My first thought. I HATE the yellow (and the robin's egg blue in the background too)! I'm quite sad that you're going to keep it. :( I think it is a bit too yellow for me. The cabinets look sort of like mine, and if so, they aren't as dark as they appear in the photo, sort of oak right? I LOVE the rug and prints. I am thinking a sage green on the walls, picking up the colour from the prints, and rug. OR a terracotta colour on the walls. I have seen both in kitchens and they both look good. As for the recessed wall, is it deep enough for a closet? I think Lette's idea of an oak buffet with shelves above is super! If you don't want to do sheers on those windows, use the tension/magnetic rod idea with a solid linen/cotton and then put a band around it in the middle so it is like a sideways bow. Does that make sense? Then you have colour and a bit more privacy. Also, for the skinny window, can you maybe fill it with fake (or real) stained glass? That would be decorative and if you used the oranges, reds, greens etc. in the rug it would look pretty nice and you wouldn't need to put up a curtain or anything. Bamboo roller shades would be nice too. :) I hope I didn't offend you about the yellow.

[CarrieC]

No offense taken. I'm not in love with the yellow, I just dislike it less than some of the other things in the house that need to take priority in being changed. :nod: The teal on the stairs and hallway in the background is going though. :nod: That is FIRST priority No sage for the kitchen since that's what'll be in our bathroom. This is the first chance I've had to paint my living quarters and EVERY room is going to be a different color! :lol: I've changed a lot of ideas since I've last posted though.

First, I am going to do a subtle glaze finish over the yellow. I'll be able to tone it down that way without going through as much work as painting. We've nixed the idea of the rug under the kitchen table. The space looks bigger without it. Plus, with a toddler, an area rug under the table = more work. So, we're returning the rug we picked up and we'll just save the money to tile the floor.

I picked up a fabric I really like. This isn't it but it's the closest thing I could find on the internet. http://www.hancockfabrics.com/images/us//local/products/thumb/224881N_th.jpg

The one we picked out has two different greens and then the russet color and the stripes that run along the russet color are yellow and taupe. It's a pretty fancy looking fabric but we're using it in moderation so it doesn't look out of place. I'm going to sew a border of it on the top and bottom of the sheers (the rod pockets basically) and then they will be the middle tie also. I'll make a valance on the sink window with this fabric as a border. And I may make a tablecloth with this as the border OR make a table runner with this fabric. Maybe seat cushions too if I have enough fabric left over.

I'm still not sure about the skinny window. I don't think stained glass will look good because the window is at the front of the house and won't match any of the other front facing windows.

Those are the current plans. Who knows though. My new hobby seems to be buying things and then returning them two weeks later. :lol:

[Nocona]

I really like that fabric. Very pretty. What color glaze?

[CarrieC]

I'm going to colorwash the walls with a dark yellow or light brown glaze. You roll it on and then dry brush it off. It gives a textured feeling to the wall. :nod: I'll have to see if I can find a picture.

[Bev]

The colour wash sounds nice. I still like the idea of the rug under the table. Just pick it up and throw it in the wash. No Sweeping! :) Also, the front windows don't have to match, you just have to like them, to heck with everyone else. :)

[CarrieC]

I think we're pretty set with the kitchen now. :nod: There are other rooms to conquer as well. :lol:

Here's obstacle number two; the downstairs bathroom. It needs some work. :rolleyes: I have NO idea why they put up the shelf OR ran that wood bar across the wall. :dunno: I hate them both. So, those things are coming down. Our shower curtain is tan with leaves, berries, and daisies. It sounds busy but it's pretty subtle really. I'm thinking of painting the walls a cranberry color.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4dd26b3127cceb9b06c26fb2d0000001610