hall tree hell. HELP!
Bethany Goodin
last month
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (25)
Olychick
last monthlast modified: last monthhoussaon
last monthRelated Discussions
refinishing a hall tree
Comments (1)Brand or date of of little consequence, unless you are interested in finding out the remote chance it is a valuable antique. Refinishing has a few steps, but to explain them will take a lot. - Remove hardware. Separate parts if done easily (e.g., unbolting) - Strip using a chemical stripper. Do not be tempted to "sand off the old finish." The latter is time consuming, risks damage, and does an incomplete job of removing the finish and color. Let dry. - Lightly sand - Apply stain, if desired. - Apply finish of choice. Here is a link that might be useful: see if you can find this book at your library...See MoreHelp me arrange the 'front hall' area of my living room
Comments (16)Caminne, that is a BRILLIANT idea, because I definitely need as much bookcase space as I can squeeze into every room, and at the moment there are no built-ins. Now, les917 cautioned against putting something just to the left of the door as you come in (i.e. on the living-room side of the door), to avoid cramping people (or dogs) as they step around the door, which I think it good advice. But if you look at my floorplan, you can see that there's quite a bit of space between the front door and the front wall windows. Floorplan: I think it should be possible to put a bookcase so it more or less lines up with the left side of the entrance to the dining room, which is about where I'd want the living room rug to end and the entryway rug to start. (Not describing this too well, but will try to photoshop a furniture-arranging floorplan soon.) In any case, I think that would leave plenty of clearance to get around the door - more clearance than you'd have in the entry to most historic rowhouses around here, anyway. That would preclude using the big desk as a sofa-table-type room divider, but I think it would solve two serious storage problems at once. I wonder if it would even be possible to have two bookcases back to back, with one facing the living room for books and the other offering baskets for leashes and mittens and whatnot on the door side. I'm thinking maybe about 36" high - high enough to make a divider, but low enough not to block light and to make it easy to put things down on top of. Hmm.......See MoreHall tree or shoe bench?
Comments (11)A shoe bench wouldn't look BAD, but I wouldn't recommend it because inevitably your family will max it out asap. Guests can line up their shoes by the door and I don't think that's a bad thing. I once kept a little basket for people to take off their shoes, which is an option. I also had slippers in there for guests to wear if they forgot socks (which made it impossible for my family to pile things inside). I think your best bet is a console table (something that looks fragile makes people interpret it as a "non-dump zone") with artwork and a lamp (I think I see an outlet?) or vase or some accessory. Maybe you can do the slipper basket thing underneath. They key will be to get your 13 year old and husband to set the example for the younger kids. The younger ones always want to act older and will likely follow suit. Depending on the size, I think the laundry room is a perfect place for family storage, but you don't want it to get overwhelmed to the point that it's hard to get to the washer/dryer. No one wants household chores to get harder, amiright? lol...See MoreNeighbors from hell during our construction process
Comments (25)Two disclaimers before I start. First, I am not your attorney and this is not legal advice, this time I thought I needed to say that. Next, I tend to be fairly aggressive in stopping this type of BS before it starts taking up too much of my time. ----- If this were one or possibly two neighbors I would advise ignoring it and just moving on. However, at some point it becomes a self-reinforcing problem and I suspect with three neighbors participating you may be at that point. In those situations they don't need your participation in order to have drama, they can participate in the drama with each other and may attempt to escalate in order to get a reaction. In some of these situations their need to prove you are the bad guy will extend to outright criminal behavior in order to get a reaction from you that they can use to prove they were "right about you all along." I am going to focus on one thing specifically and relay what I would have done. Again, this works for my personality but may not for yours. Harassing contractors (yelling, threatening, hovering, spraying with a hose) The above is what I see as your most actionable thing. Especially spraying with a hose as technically that is assault (not saying that you will get a prosecution for it). I would instruct the general contractor that if anyone on the job gets sprayed with a hose that contractor should immediately stop working until they have dried sufficiently to work "safely." Please call the police to report the incident and present me with a separate bill for all the charges related to that delay. I would then present that bill to the neighbor as actual damages caused by their action. I would hand the letter to them as well as mail a copy. When handing it to them I would simply say, "I will give you a chance to settle this but I sincerely hope you don't because I want to escalate it." The whole point of this is to get all the actions out in front of an authority figure. If your side of the story is accurate the judge is likely to do you a solid and issue a warning to them, even in small claims court. This is essentially reporting the bully to the principal. Usually that stops these kinds of problems. Publicly shaming them on the internet is the other option, I just don't love that option as it can get away from you. I guess my only real advice is listen to your attorney but do let him help you stop this now if he thinks he can. Otherwise it is very likely to continue to get worse....See MoreBethany Goodin
last monthBethany Goodin
last monthOlychick
last monthBethany Goodin
last monthHU-402831377
last monthAiFL
last monthjackowskib
last monthBPMBA
last monthlast modified: last monthShadyWillowFarm
last monthla_la Girl
last monthPatricia Colwell Consulting
last monthvinmarks
last monthjackowskib
last monthauntthelma
last monthlast modified: last monthAnnKH
23 days agoBoxerpal
23 days agotuesday_2008
20 days agoloftissm
20 days agoOlychick
9 days agoConnecticut Yankeeeee
9 days agoShadyWillowFarm
9 days agomarmiegard_z7b
9 days ago
Related Stories
CURB APPEALTake Your Hell Strip to Heavenly Heights: 8 Design Ideas
Trade weedy dirt and trash for a parking strip filled with wispy grasses, low-growing flowers and textural trees
Full StoryMOST POPULARHouzzers Deck the Halls
From traditional to quirky to innovative, readers show their Christmas tree style
Full StoryCHRISTMASHow to Light Your Christmas Tree Like a Pro
Give yourself frustration-free tree lighting this year — the trick is clever cord management
Full StoryCONTEMPORARY HOMESHouzz Tour: Strong, Modern Lines Stand Up to the Trees
Modernism takes kindly to the New York woods, with double-height ceilings for openness and a burbling creek for music
Full StoryTHE HARDWORKING HOMEHow to Tap Your Hall Closet’s Storage Potential
The Hardworking Home: Check out these design ideas for every space and budget
Full StoryHOLIDAYSChristmas Tree Decorating the Painless Way
Holidays are for carols, not cussing. Make tree trimming less work and more fun with this guide at your side
Full StoryLANDSCAPE DESIGNThe Unparalleled Power of Trees
Discover the beauty and magic of trees, and why a landscape without them just isn't the same
Full StoryLIFEDecluttering — How to Get the Help You Need
Don't worry if you can't shed stuff and organize alone; help is at your disposal
Full StoryLIFEConsider Avoiding These Plants to Help Keep Your Garden Fire-Safe
Plants that accumulate dead material, are high in oil or have low moisture content in leaves put some homes at risk
Full Story
Bethany GoodinOriginal Author