As some of you may know I am in the midst of my first home purchase. It is a new-build and so some of the fun was picking out upgrades and major decor items to my taste rather than walking into a previously owned home that needed to be upgraded room by room (pink and teal tiles in the bathroom, anyone?). As much as decorating is not my thing, I did try to embrace the moment because just how many times do you get to have a do-over on kitchen cabinets/floors/countertops?
And so, my questions to you this fine Friday involve your home past, present or future...
1) If you could, what room in the place you are currently living would you redo first?
Hmmm...not a room, but the roof. Needs help. And new garage doors. And a sturdier deck. And better heating for the (wonderful, full-of-windows) kitchen, most of which was an add-on by the previous owner. Gets a little chilly in there when it's below zero outside (all hail the MN January). Heated floor, anyone?
2) What is the most hideous feature/color/decor item you have ever seen in a home?
That'd have to be the wallpaper in my high school bedroom. My family moved into an old English Tudor when I was a freshman, and wow--there was this ghastly wallpaper with giant flowers on it. It gave me nightmares. Seriously. The flowers were reaching out and strangling me. I covered it as much as possible with posters.
In our present house, I was pretty tickled with all the decor choices the previous folks had made, save one: the downstairs bathroom was painted peach. Yech. It took several tries to find the right replacement color (a pale seafoam green), including a shade of green that was great on the paint chip, but a whole wall's worth made me want to glue Hershey bars to the wall in a random pattern. You see, it was the exact color of mint chip ice cream.
3) What feature do you most covet? Do you have it? If not, is it within reach?
I absolutely love the glass-brick wall in the same bathroom, but would caution against putting one in on an eastern wall. Showering at sunrise is BLINDING.
4) Your kitchen - love it or hate it? Why?
Love it--big and colorful, lots of light, lots of counter space. We could use more cabinets, but hey--who couldn't? Also, my magnet collection lives on the fridge, chronicling vacations and funnies and gifts from friends. The floors are beech Pergo and the walls are forest green, which sets off some really fun art:
- this goofy clock (I found the link by googling "clock fish carrot"--it was first on the list!)
- a small, mobile sculpture a la Calder
- an original pastel by an artist friend
- a Kandinsky print
- a poster from Ravinia, bought on a lovely, surprise weekend trip with College Roommate.
5) Here is $10,000 and you HAVE to spend it on the place you are living now. What do you do?In order: new stove, roof, garage doors, deck, and heated kitchen floor. Beloved is really good at doing most of what needs doing, but for some things (roof), it's just good to let a pro do it!
BONUS: Why do you think there was such a surplus of ugly bathroom tile colors showcased in all homes built from the 1950's right through the early 80's?
It is indeed mysterious. But I think that cutting-edge fashion gone mainstream often turns into the mullet/Flashdance sweats/Zubaz of the next generation. This also applies to home decorating.
But, despite our better judgment, sometimes they come back.
3 comments:
I've always dreamed of glass-brick-walls, especially in a bathroom or kitchen. Hadn't really thought of the eastern wall problem though, good point! :-)
The are is great!
That clock is hilarious.
And you're right. Roofs should be done by professionals.
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