Help My Bedroom!

I am looking for design suggestions to spiff up my orange bedroom. Here is what I am dealing with:

Wall 1 – The window blinds are going. They are dirty and smoke stained from the previous tenant. I was just going to replace with the same basic white mini blinds but am open to window treatment suggestions.

The TV has to stay where it is due to the location of the cable wiring. I am fine with that. I was able to find a small table that fits the TV, doesn’t take up too much space and has a small shelf at the bottom that holds a little square DVD player.

Wall 2 – sliding glass doors lead out to my wrap around deck. I am planning on designing around the curtains. I don’t really want to replace this particular window/door treatment.

Wall 3 – this is the most wall space that I have in this small room. The wall does contain the door into the room but I normally always keep it open. I am planning to hang a mirror that I got from my grandmother’s house over the head of the bed.

I am not attached to the bedspread. It can go. I just picked it up at Target right after I moved in to having something that sort of matched. I didn’t spend a lot because I knew I was going to repaint the room as soon as it warmed up.

Wall 4 – this wall houses the closet. You probably noticed I don’t have a dresser in here. My smaller (if you can imagine that!) bedroom has a built in California Closet with a nice dresser so I don’t need one in here. It won’t fit anyway.

Here is a closeup of the drapes to give you a better view of the color palette I want to work with. As you can see I need help! I definately don’t want to use any white since I really like how the trim pops and also I plan on installing a clean white air return grille over the air return above the head of my bed.

I am open to any and all suggestions. Thanks!

Paperboy

I am wanting to buy this game. Obviously it would be used since it is an old game for the Playstation. But I can’t find it on ebay or anywhere else. I also always try to check out shops that sell used video games but have yet to see it anywhere. It is the only version of Paperboy that was released for the playstation.

I do have Midway Arcade Treasures for the Playstation 2 which does have this game on it. But I still want to buy the PS Paperboy game.

Tree Rat Trouble

When I lived in the city I used to think squirrels were cute. Now I see them for the pests they really are. I live on a lake and have an uncovered deck surrounded by trees. The squirrels eat the trees and their flowers leaving sticks and flower remnants all over my deck and outdoor furniture. Then they proceed to crap everywhere! 

It’s about to get all Caddyshack here shortly because they are driving me crazy!! I can sweep up after them and in a half hour they have completely dirtied up my deck again. Even while I’m sitting out there it’s like the sky is falling. There are many different tactics that can be taken to rid yourself of these pesky little tree rats but most of the good ones are illegal. One family found a way to have fun with their troublesome unwelcome guests.

I need a pellet gun and a sharp shooter.

Bathroom Shower Project

I have been trying to figure out a way to get my hot water to go further in the shower. I have hard water where I live so I can’t turn the water heater up to the highest setting. The hard water is fairly abusive to the elements in the water heater. One thing that I noticed was that my showerhead released a lot of water. The pressure seemed good but only because so much water was coming out. It wasn’t actually that the water was coming out at a high pressure.

I decided to check out some ”green” eco-friendly water conserving showerheads. I knew if less water came out then I could extend the amount of time I would have hot water. As it was I really didn’t have enough time to shave in the shower before the water ran cold. Electric trimmers will work in a pinch but you just don’t get the clean, close shave that makes for soft silky legs.

I ordered an Oxygenics® SkinCare Shower. It looked so sharp after I installed it. I’m really getting pretty handy around the house!

I purchased the low end model because I wanted to really make sure it was going to release the least amount of water. They do have some very nice adjustable stream showerheads for only ten to fifteen dollars more than I spent. Also, I purchased my showerhead through a resaler online that is located in Kansas City because I like to try to buy as local as I can. I am happy to report that I now have all the hot water I can handle. I have tried to stay in the shower just to see how long it will take for the water to run out but I start to prune up.

I only spent about $30.00 and it completely solved my problem and it’s good for the environment. Additionally, my skin and hair feel healthier. I’m not sure if it is because of the extra oxygen or what. All I know is that this project has turned out “all good.”

Weekend Project – Part 2

Holly came over yesterday and helped me finish painting the living room area.  It looks much better now. The lighting on my pictures isn’t the best so it almost looks like I painted it the same color. It is cleaner now and I have patched all the holes.

They painted all of the air return grilles in the house so this one also had to be replaced. I just looks dirty to me.

I love all the sliders and windows I have overlooking the lake. But when you are painting it is a lot to trim out.

In this area Valspar SR1114  Dusty Spruce in a flat texture was used. 

I used a professionally prepared color palette from Valspar’s Seaside Retreat collection. The number of the palette is SR1603. It includes the two warm browns I used in the kitchen dining area, the Dusty Spruce and also a lighter blue (SR1010 Porch Swing). I chose not to use that color because I really didn’t have anywhere to go with a fourth color.

 

Next up is the conquering the orange bedroom. I am looking at warm yellow golds for that room. I have been quite pleased with the Valspar paints so far so I will most likely stick with it for the bedroom. No date set for that adventure. I plan to do it in the next month or two, before summer.

Favorite Wine Selection

I just wanted to share my favorite wine. I don’t like sweet wines so if this particular gem hadn’t been shared with me I never would have tried it. It is a dry Riesling so it doesn’t taste anything like any of the other Rieslings I am familiar with. If you like dry whites I highly recommend this particular wine. It is great for entertaining because I have found it appeals to a lot of different palates.

 

It is produced by Villa Maria Estate at their Marlborough, New Zealand winery. I was a little worried when I moved to the Lake that I wouldn’t be able to get it here. But we have a Hy-vee and they have a wonderful wine selection. It is a great supermarket. I am so glad they opened here. It’s not the same as a Whole Foods Market but at least finally we have some decent organic food options and a vast fresh produce selection. I love cooking so it my favorite store here.

UPDATE:  I went grocery shopping today and Hyvee didn’t have my wine! I’m devastated. I am going to go talk to them about this! No bien!

UPDATE 2: Hyvee has the wine again but the price went up from $11.99 to $14.69 which I understand. It’s really good. Ah, supply and demand.

Updated 3: I live in Louisiana now and I have not seen my beloved win anywhere here. However, they do have sweet tea vodka which is interesting. But, of course, not the same at all.

Weekend Project

I spent last weekend painting my kitchen and dining room. I use the terms loosely because I live in a very small house so the living room is also in the same room. They are more like “areas.” When I moved in I followed a heavy smoker with two dogs and a penchant for hanging things up on the walls.

I have had my work cut out for me. The walls were washed before I moved in which is a saving grace alone. One less thing I have to do. But you could still see the smoke stains…not to mention all the holes in the walls. I patched and sanded all of those and then went to Lowes and picked up some paint.

 

I took my time picking out the paint colors I finally chose. I have had numerous color swatches hanging up for the last two months.

I don’t even know what to say about that shiny blue door. It just looked bad.

Then I had this gross color that I can’t even name. It doesn’t even match the blue or look good. Obviously there was a fire sale.

And then there was light.

I decide to go with a lighter more neutral color. The wall that is adjoining will be a dark blue/green color called Dusty Spruce. That’s next weekend’s project. But you can tell by the current color that the spaces will be delineated very dramatically. I can’t wait! I wanted to use very different colors that still go together to differentiate between the dining room and living room.

My kitchen now looks bigger and cleaner. I love the darker brown on the door.  I also chose a flat finish so nothing would look shiny.

The lighter brown on the walls is: Valspar SR410 Cottage Timber
The darker brown on the door is: Valspar SR413 Picnic Basket

I used the darker brown Picnic Basket on the formerly ugly colored wall. It now looks cleaner and ties in with the door. I also bought a new air return grill because whoever painted before painted it! Gross. You can’t do that unless you paint the walls white or alabaster or something. It looked dirty!! EEWWW! Best $8.00 I ever spent.

Well the warm browns actually give off a bit of a southwestern feel but since I have all floor length windows and sliding glass doors surrounding me with a view out to the lake I won’t be hanging anything up on the walls! The view is the picture. The former tenant didn’t get the picture.

I also needed to get some patio furniture for my deck so I can enjoy my Charbroil this summer. I actually grilled out three times this winter when the weather was mild. I’ve been looking at furniture and since my deck is not covered my main concern was forking out a bunch of dough for something nice that the elements are just going to trash.

Holly and I went up to Lowes and I showed her the cheap table I was thinking of getting. It was marked down since last weekend. So were the chairs. It was so cheap we were like “Let’s just get this! If it gets trashed I can throw it in the dumpster and buy something new.” It looks cheap but you get what you pay for and I didn’t spend much. It’ll do just fine. I’m happy with it. The money I saved I can now consider getting the covered bar with the two bar stools.

It’s not too hideous and it was actually pretty easy to put together. I did it myself. It took me a little longer than if I’d had help but it wasn’t hard to do.

I also did the painting job by myself because the only thing big I had to move was the refrigerator and it’s on wheels and has a long cord. I just pulled it out in front of the dishwasher and left it there until I was done.

With the warm weather coming it’s time to spray so those pesky bugs know they are not welcome! Bring it bugs! It’s your ass! Also on the agenda for next weekend: Holly is going to help me paint the living room because I need helping taking the vertical blinds down and moving the television. Once I get that done then it will be time to move on to the bedroom. It is currently orange. Oh yes, pumpkin orange!

Dolphins Play Bubble Rings

Adele – Hometown Glory

http://www.myspace.com/adelelondon

The View

I moved last weekend. I am still unpacking and getting organized. It is a small house so organizing is key. I love it. The house needs a little TLC but I’ll get it how I want it. Rome wasn’t built in a day and even on House Hunters they don’t come back for like three months to see what you’ve done with the place.

Here is a quick shot out the window, nothing fancy. That’s the point. This is my new view.

And my dock. There’s a hoist but I don’t have anything to put on it. You can come over by water though and have a parking spot! It’s cool. It has a ladder so you can swim off of it and there is room to sun yourself. Although I can do that up on my deck around the house too.