Kitchen Remodel: Painting Soffits Day 2

After the frenzy of the first day of soffit painting, I took a couple of days off.  I was actually pretty sore from standing on the ladder and leaning over sideways with my hands over my head for 6+ hours.  But late Sunday night I got a second wind and resolved to at least paint the last color.  I made a couple of changes to my technique - I bought 2 inch wide tape and I made sure it was really pressed down firmly before I started painting.  It made a huge difference because the second round of painting resulted in no bleeding issues.

I took a picture of the soffit all taped up for the final round of painting, I thought the muted colors made by the tape actually looked kind of cool.

So the funny thing is, as I was painting the yellow, I started wondering why I was using so much more yellow than I had orange or blue.  I didn't think much of it until I was laying in bed and realized that I had messed up my pattern.  Well "messed up."  I meant to paint the diamonds in this pattern, "blue, orange, yellow, blue, orange, yellow . . ."  But instead I did "blue, yellow, orange, yellow, blue, yellow . . ."  I was mortified but at that point I could only hope for the best - it was WAY too late to turn back.

But in the end, I think it turned out better with my "mess up."  I think it gives the pattern more of an argyle look.

I still need to go back and clean up some spots where the paint bled and erase the pencil marks but I'm really digging it.  Once I get the yellow countertops in and the turquoise Marmoleum on the floors, it's going to look stunning in the kitchen.  Bright and cheerful, exactly what I'm shooting for.  I'm going to make a new valance for the window too - just a white cotton panel with three rows of rick rack in blue, orange, and yellow.

Kitchen Remodel: Painting the Soffits with an Argyle Pattern, Day 1

My plans for my kitchen remodel are pretty modest.  There are really only three things I want to do - remove the brick backsplash, replace the countertops, and replace the floor.  I've been ruminating on what I want the finished kitchen to look like and after weeks of contemplation, I've settled on a plan.  The nice thing is, the plan hasn't changed in over a month, so I'm taking that as a sign that I'm on the right track.

At the moment, I don't have the money to do all of the things I want to do.  So today I tackled the one thing I can afford and with this being a long weekend, I have the time too.  I started painting the soffits in an argyle pattern.  By argyle, I mean lots and lots of 2x6 inch diamonds in a slightly offset pattern in three different colors - turquoise, orange, and yellow.

I'm not really sure how a sane person would go about doing this but I decided to go with probably the most labor intensive method possible - hand painting it.  And I didn't use stencils either. Oh no, I marked out ever little diamond, taped the pattern and then painted it.  It only took about 6 hours.  Or rather, I should say, it only took 6 hours to get to the point where I could paint 2 of the 3 colors.  As of this moment, I've painted 2 colors on one of the soffits.  I haven't even begun the other side of the kitchen.  It's a good thing I really like OCD projects.

Initially, I thought I could mark out every 2 inches on the soffit and then just connect the dots to make diamonds.  I quickly learned that I'd been a bit naive about that.  As it turns out, I had to mark every inch and then draw lines the length of the soffit every 3 inches.  I needed the 2 inch marks for the tips of the diamonds and the 1 inch marks for the outside corners.  I probably didn't need to draw out every diamond but once I started taping, I realized how easy it is to get lost in the grid, so I went back and drew every diagonal to make the diamond.  Making the diamonds was about 95% of the project.  It was a royal pain, literally since I spent hours with my arms over my head holding a level or a ruler and drawing lines.  It was also very messy.  I was barely into the project when I realized I was in for the long haul because my grubby fingers were smearing pencil marks all over the soffit.  It was a horrid mess from the moment I started drawing lines.  But I soldiered on figuring most of it would be covered by paint.  Here's what things looked like when I started taping:

Taping was really not that bad, it went fairly quickly once I'd made all the marks.  But . . .I made a few mistakes with taping.  1) I should have wiped down the soffit before beginning since there is probably a light film of grease and/or dust on them; 2) I should have bought 2 inch wide tape; and 3) I should have been super duper careful about pressing the edges of the tape down firmly.  Before I give you the bad news, here's what the soffit looked like all taped up:

I could tell that not all of the diamonds were perfect but I doubted that it would matter that much in the end.  I also knew that I could touch things up later if necessary.  Oh and the one thing that was not my fault was that the soffit isn't completely square.  The right side bows out a little.

OK, so I started painting with the turquoise color (Royal Paint color "Balmoral").  It didn't take long for me to realize there was a problem with the tape - it wasn't sticking very well.  Once it got a coat or two of paint on it, it would start pulling up.  Whether or not this was my fault (for the reasons listed above) or the tape's, there was trouble in paradise.  But not knowing what else to do, I started in with the orange color (Royal Paint color "Tangerine Dream").  Here's what it looked like with the tape still up:

I gave it a good 3 hours before I pulled the tape off.  The results are extremely mixed.  Some of the diamonds are perfect but a lot of them have bleeding issues.  I'm hoping some of these issues will be fixed when I add the third color but I know I'll still have some touching up to do.  More time spent on the ladder - ugh.  Anyway, here's where the project stands:

The yellow will go between the orange and turquoise diamonds.  The top, bottom, and center rows will remain the current wall color, although I'll probably have to repaint those areas too because of the pencil smudges.  Even though it's not perfect, I do feel good about two things - the colors look great and the end result is going to be amazing.  Even in its unfinished condition, the new soffit gives the kitchen a whole new feel.  It seems a little more formal and pulled together than before.

Adventures in Vegas: Not the Trip Most People Would Take

This past weekend, I drove the 385 miles south to Las Vegas.  The DH and I were desperately in need  of some R&R.  Having lived in Vegas briefly, we didn't take the "normal" Vegas vacation.  Rather, we revisited places we enjoyed while we lived there.  Both of us are fond of history and natural resources, so our trip revolved around checking out museums.  Aren't we just a couple of wild and crazy kids?  Anyway, I spotted a few things along the way that I thought were blog worthy.

I actually have to give props to the DH for spotting the first gems of the trip:

These two restroom signs were at the Mineral County courthouse in Hawthorne.  We stopped so the DH could pay a speeding ticket - ahem!  Anyway, I think the signs are darling.  

This motel sign was in Luning (or was it Mina?).  I love the little atomic stars. 

 For me, the one destination I was looking most forward to was the Clark County Museum in Henderson. 

Inside the museum with their regular exhibits, I found this little metal cabinet with pink and gold fleck laminate top.  In nice shape too!

The highlight of the Clark County Museum is an entire street of real houses saved from destruction in Las Vegas.  Each one is from a different decade of the 20th century and decorated accordingly.

This house was built by the U.S. Govt.  in 1941 for workers in the magnesium plant in Henderson.  When you go inside, it's obvious is was meant as temporary housing.  This one was occupied up until the 1980s, so much for being "temporary."

Here's the little kitchen.  By the way, I apologize for the quality of some of the photos, the rooms were closed off with plexiglass so it was tricky getting photos that didn't have reflections in them.  

This house was the coolest in terms of fun mid century features.  The house was built in the early 1930s but was redecorated in the 1940s-1950s.  A lot of what is in the house is original.

Two views of the living room when you first step into the house.  Sorry about the creepy mannequins.  I wish I'd gotten a closeup of the curtains, they're quite cool.

Views of the kitchen and dining room.  That linoleum is wonderful.  Also love the breakfast nook with the dinette.

The bathroom could be the piece de resistance though.  Check out the floor tiles and how they match the color and pattern of the wall tiles.  Also love the sink skirt.

This house is from Boulder City, dating to the 1930s when they were building Boulder Dam.

Views of the kitchen and bathroom with matching yellow and black tile.

Early "motor camp" cabin with fun "western" furniture.

Kitchen Remodel: A Whole New Plan

Previously I went a little OCD on figuring out what pattern of VCT I wanted for my kitchen floors.  Well, despite a lot of time fooling around with patterns and colors, I've scrapped the whole plan and have decided to go with Marmoleum instead.  Last week, I order four samples of Marmoleum and I totally dig the look, color, and sustainability of the stuff.  Below are the four samples I ordered.

Herb Garden

Fresh Fountain

Spring Dance

Pool Party

Spring Dance and Pool Party are my two favorites.  They both match with the Nevamar countertop color I've picked, California:

In real life, California is a lot more yellow.  On my monitor it almost looks peachy but trust me, it's very yellow.

So for the past week, I've been staring at the Marmoleum samples and the various countertop samples I've ordered from Nevamar and Pionite and I think I have come with an honest to goodness plan for the kitchen.  I'll be going with Pool Party on the floor and California on the countertops.  As much as I love the colors in Spring Dance, I just don't think others will appreciate it's craziness.  I try not to think about resale value when I come up with my decorating schemes but I have a feeling Spring Dance on the floors would be a big turn off to a lot of people.  It doesn't really matter though because Pool Party looks fantastic up against my birch wood cupboards.

I was also inspired by a picture I saw on Retro Renovation that showed a kitchen with a fun argyle pattern on the soffits, which got me thinking about putting wallpaper on my own soffits.  After much searching for the wallpaper of my dreams - or at least something that would more-or-less match the floor and counter colors I've chosen - I decided that the best course of action would be to paint an argyle pattern in matching colors.  This is what I came up with using some graph paper and a ruler:

The aqua and yellow will be closely matched the floor and counters and I'll ad a bit of orange for the third color. The uncolored bits will be the same shade as the existing wall paint.  I've set myself up for a lot of taping and painting but I think the outcome will look awesome and fun.  I made a quick little mock up to see what the scale would look like on the soffit.  Pretty darn good, I think:

The pattern will be repeated the full length and height of the soffit, of course.

Here's everything overlaid on a picture of the kitchen:

What is "Authentic?"

I've been thinking a lot about what we mean by the word "authentic," especially in regard to "period correct" home decor.  It seems to me that those of us who strive to recreate a period do so with a considerable amount of biases dragging us down.  All one needs to do is flip through any magazine devoted to "period correct" decor to realize that we don't really want to live in authentic period homes.  We may like the look of historic houses and the idea of living with museum pieces but the reality is that we like our TVs, microwaves, comfy couches, counter space, and central heating.  We're also, every one of us, guilty of picking and choosing items based on personal appeal rather than on "authenticity."

All of this got started for me the other night when I had something of an epiphany while wrestling with a bout of insomnia.  I was thinking about how much I dislike mid century modern couches.  They're low with low backs and seem to be designed for perching rather than lounging.  I can imagine Jackie O perched gracefully on the front of a mid mod couch, ankles neatly crossed but I can't imagine myself nestled in for a day of TV watching.  They're angular and low with stiff cushioning - or so I imagine.   I DO like the look of mid mod couches and Danish modern decor in general but there's something off-putting about it.  Maybe because mid mod furniture looks too much like art pieces and not like something you could stick your feet on.  Or maybe it's because I didn't grow up with that kind of furniture in my life.

My grandparents (both sets) built their homes in the 1950s and by the time I came along in the early 1970s, the decor in their homes was circa 1965.  My Grandma Lee strove for a "Hollywood Regency" look.  Her home was filled with ornately carved upholstered furniture and "gilded" accessory pieces.  Rococo comes to mind.  She even had a fabulous white and gold bedroom set with a big headboard and matching vanity.  My Grandma Charity favored a bit more of what I'd  call "country contemporary casual."  She did own a mid mod couch  but for the most part, her house was La-Z-Boy recliners, hobnail lamps, and upholstered pieces with simple wooden arms.  My stepfather's parents decorated their home in a similar fashion.

So the epiphany that I had amounts to this - those of us seeking to decorate our mid century homes are too focused on the mid mod look.  I think the reality is that a lot (if not most) people in the 1950s-1960s did not have high end mid mod furniture.  This is purely anecdotal on my part as I am basing my opinion on the homes I knew as a kid but the fact remains that there were other ways people decorated their houses.  I suspect that the mid mod stuff is still around is because it was expensive and has achieved antique status whereas the millions of plaid couches and La-Z-Boy recliners went to the dump or the second hand store.

So, to put my money where my mouth is, I put together a mood board that shows some of the pieces I think would actually be authentic to a mid century modest house - or at least the homes I knew as a kid. And if I can find the right pieces, I'm going to bring them into my house.

I based my choices for what I call my "Comfy Living Room" on what I remember being in my family's homes from the 1970s.  Skirted plaid couches with wood accents, rocker recliners, tiered sidetables, and hurricane swag lamps. To tie the room together, I'd go with knotty pine paneling and a braided rug.  I'm especially enamored with the idea of finding a rocking loveseat, which both my mom and my Grandma Charity owned.  I'm very nostalgic about those sofas, they were so comfy and I loved that they rocked.  My dream would be to find a living room set that included the couch, loveseat, and rocker/recliner but I suspect the best I can hope for is to find decent pieces and have them reupholstered to match.  My living room already has the paneling and I am an experienced rug braider.  I plan to make a crazy, unmatched rug with some wool I've been saving.

So anyway, I recognize that this decor idea isn't everyone's cup of tea but I like it.  But I was never comfortable with bringing mid mod into my house so I think this is a great option and, at least for me, it's more "authentic" than a mid mod living room set.

Tiki Paradise Guest Room Projects

I got very ambitious today and tackled two projects I've been wanting to do for the Tiki Paradise Guest Room.  The mirror in the room is one I got from Ikea several years ago.  It worked great with my decor in Seattle but it seems out of place in my 1962 mid century modest ranch.  Thankfully, I kept it because I was able to tiki-fy it for my guest room.  I'm quite proud of myself, so here's what I did.

I wanted to frame the mirror in bamboo to give it that tiki look.  So after much thought, I visited Home Depot and our local (and much loved!) Louie's Ace Hardware for the necessary components.  At Home Depot, I spent a whopping $6 on bamboo rods from the gardening center and at Louie's I spent another $8 for sheets of balsa wood.  I then assembled a few necessary tools from around the house - my glue gun, a tape measure, a box cutter, a Japanese saw, and masking tape.

Here is the victim before tiki-fication and some of the components and tools:

Step #1 - cut the balsa wood to fit over the scrolly bits on the mirror.  I decided to frame out the mirror in balsa for two reasons: 1) I knew there would be gaps between the bamboo rods and I figured the balsa would help mask that and 2) I also knew the bamboo would be difficult to stick straight to the scrolls, so the balsa would provide a platform for the bamboo.  

Step #2 - glue the balsa to the scrolls.  This was trickier than I thought it would be because the scrolls weren't perfectly level but with enough hot glue, I got it to work.  

Step #3 - get husband to cut the bamboo to the dimensions of the mirror.  Following recommendations on the internet, we taped the sections that were going to be cut to prevent splintering.  The Japanese saw worked great to cut the bamboo. 

Step #4 - glue bamboo rods to the balsa wood.  This was a bit harder than I thought it would be.  The bamboo wasn't perfectly straight so it took some patience and finesse to find pieces that worked together and didn't leave big gaps.  FYI for anyone who wants to attempt this, start by gluing the straightest pieces on the inside edge of the frame and then work out from there.  Here's the finished product:

A few of the scrolls still peak out here and there but I think it looks pretty good .  After finishing the mirror, I got even more ambitious and decided to make curtains using the green leaf print fabric that started the whole tiki idea.  I then rearranged the room so that my new bureau was under the mirror.  Currently, the Tiki Paradise Guest Room is more of a Tiki Paradise Corner but at least the project is moving forward.  Here's what it all looks like together:

Tiki Paradise Guest Room

Since moving into my house 3 years ago, the smallest bedroom hasn't seen much action other than as a catch-all for stuff I don't know what to do with.  Occasionally, it's been used as a guest room but my guests have been forced to sleep on a blow up mattress among the household flotsam and jetsam.  It's not the most inviting space.

When I bought the house, the room had awful faux wood paneling on one wall.  It was plasticky and a sort of  greenish grey color.  It was icky and the second I got the keys to the house, I tore it out.  Unfortunately, it was glued to the drywall, so bits of the wall came off with the paneling and big ugly globs of yellow glue continue to mar the surface.  Initially, I had planned to replace the drywall and paint the wall an accent color, like a cheerful leafy green but I've decided to go with knotty pine instead.  I love the look of knotty pine and I think it will make my sad little guest room warm and inviting.  After deciding on knotty pine, a plan was beginning to form.

The plan really began to solidify after a recent trip to Mill End, a warehouse of a fabric store in Reno.  I was just browsing the aisles when I found an adorable cotton print that I thought would make a cute set of curtains.  The fabric is a leaf green with stylized geometric leaves in brown and blue.  Something about the fabric said "tiki" to me.  And then it hit me, I have to turn my guest room into a Tiki Paradise Guest Room.

Since my brainstorm, a couple of weeks ago, I've been dreaming about what to put in the room.  I'm going to try to avoid making it too kitschy and I'm determined to make it look tasteful.  Plus the room is actually quite small - about 10 x 12, so I can't get too carried away with decorations.  So currently the plan centers around a few key things - knotty pine paneling on one wall, curtains using my leafy fabric, a couple of pieces of mid century furniture I just bought at a second hand store, a couple of framed parrot prints, and a shag rug.  Ultimately I'd like to put a rattan chair in the room and a fun tiki/tropical inspired table lamp.  But for now, this is what I've come up with.  It's my first attempt at anything resembling a "mood board" so don't laugh.