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Never had canisters worth showing off, never had counter top room for them. I don't think it's outdated. I think it's a kitchen function comes first!!!! I've always had clear canisters and they have their own cupboard.
Don't I wish I had enough counter space for canisters!
I used to have these. My paint leaned gold at the time. They purely were decorative.
When I painted I gave them away.When I needed space, Inwould push back behind my coffee machine.
It's about where you live and what you know about your community. Until it hits home people choose to live w/o fear.
Exactly.
And what's to stop somebody from grabbing a wallet out of a purse or bag whether it's strapped to the cart or not?
I stopped carrying a purse during Covid and changed to a credit card in a pocket only. I would have my purse but in the car, securely locked and out of sight. Black handbag and a black car interior - pretty much invisible.
Before that, I have to admit to being a little careless about stepping away from my shopping cart. More than once I had an older man scold me in the grocery store! No harm was ever done though. I really dislike a cross body, I don't want to wear my handbag over my head.
I would not be that careless now. And I find I am not as confident now as I once was where I used to drive to the city typically alone, park, shop, carry packages back to my car....just assuming if I walked with an air of confidence and sense of purpose no one was going to bother me. I don't feel that way now. I am a little older, weigh a little less and feel like I may be beginning to appear a little more frail? I don't feel frail, but may have that appearance and I'm not nearly as comfortable in those underground parking lots, coming and going from my errands. Retired now, DH often goes with me and I appreciate that. At the same time, I'm more efficient on my own and he's not always interested in the same things that interest me. He's more concerned about watching the time to not be caught in a heavy afternoon commute, leaving those last one or two things I would liked to have done 'undone' 😂
I like the picture without a sofa table, the back of the sofa is fine to look at and doesn't crowd the chairs shown in one of the photos. I would also bring your two blue chairs in so they are partially one the rug and part of the seating arrangement.
It's all backed up too far. Rug/sofa /table need to move several feet closer to the fireplace. Then the table would have a showcase vs being crammed in a walk way.
I can see why you like it. I personally don't like painted brick. I like your house the way it is: very classic.
Wooden bird house, Monogrammed satin pillow case, wooden Tomkin, Three crosses painting, color traced photos, Tulip clock, polished, cut quartz earrings,
The best I received is the wooden inlaid tray...it's beautiful and so nicely done.
While not made by the giver, it was custom and I love it...she took the bottle of wine I served at our dinner (it was cobalt blue) and took it to an artisan who pressed it into a serving dish and it came with a serving knife. I love it...such a nice memory of our time together!
Gifts I have made include blankets, hats, cowls, scarfs, needlepoint coasters, baby sweaters and booties, gnome, decoupaged decorative plates, vases, beaded ornaments. I haven't but have thought about making note cards (for old ladies who still send them) using one of my photos. I have made calendars as gifts though in the past using my photos.
Many people I know are craftspeople, so I have gotten a variety of wonderful handmade gifts over the years. Yarn goods, warm sweaters and blankets and the like. A lot of sewn items, probably a best was my second wedding dress, but I also dearly love some of my lounge wear. A smattering of woodworking goods, mostly furniture or kitchen useful with a few trinkets and jewelry. A goodly bunch of ceramics/pottery items. Glass, some of it more functional like drinking vessels, some pretty like jewelry, hair goods, beads. A bunch of hair goods of various materials. Beadwork, needlework, some precious metalwork. Bits of ironwork, leatherwork, weavings of different materials, a tad of random stonework of various kinds. Couple nice pairs of boots/footwear. Some other haberdashery and featherwork. A small handful of musical instruments. Food, lots of food- and lots of brews too. Wine, beer, mead, some other things. A couple nice teas, though more often those have been kind of meh. A nice variety of personal toiletries, though a few of them have been misses with the scent in them. A bunch of garden goods over the years, harvest and plants, homegrown seeds.
My wedding invite suite for my second wedding was handmade and a wonderful gift. The puffy fabric scrapbook from my first wedding not so much, heh. Art can be hit or miss- we have gotten some neat art and some investment art. We aren't fond of the investment art, heh.
I often give food. Sometimes plants or garden goodies. Beadwork, sewn things, needlework.. hair goods. Probably some of the better stuff has been things like embroidered gauntlets or monogramed linens, or a suite of wedding jewels. A couple miniatures have been greatly appreciated. Holiday ornaments have been, but I haven't made any in years. I was pretty happy with an embroidered on leather piece I collaborated with another person on. The person who received it has been wearing it for years :)
Location location location. In the end that's what has value. Someone REALLY wanted to live in that neighborhood!!
I didn’t intend to denigrate white or grey houses or tract houses! I live in a neighborhood with a lot of developer houses and independent builds. I’m sure when it was built, the preponderance of the ”brick on the bottom and white siding on top” looked alike, and over the years other colors appeared. But now it seems they are reverting to all the same, again. and the independent-builds are being painted the same colors, too, adding to the monotone. Not that I want the crayon box look, but still.
I live in the midwest. The two farmhouses nearest to us, within a mile, one of which is now an AirBnB, are white. Five farmhouses out of sight in one direction but within 3- 5 miles of us, two of which are still farms, two privately owned, and another AirBnB, are white. We built our house on the land in 2005 and those houses were white then. We painted our house red at first but enlarged the porch and painted it white a few years ago.
Thinking about it, though, the houses don't really resemble each other in that relentless way that I think makes the identical color schemes of the so-called Modern Farmhouse even more grating. And I don't think any of the gazillion white houses I see on working farms or farm acreage have black windows or 5 gables marching across the front facade.
Great fun to see on yesterday's hike.
Peaches envy here! A neighbor has a tree with green fruits right now too.
Giant burgundy crinums in bloom @ work. They have a nice fragrance too.
Carolb, I was surprised to see them since the little tree was barely a twig last year when I planted it. It barely bloomed over a month ago and then we got a frosty night and that was it. The tree is covered in them! I'm so excited but trying not to get my hopes up.
This space is the same 'dining space' in many homes built in the 80s. That counter is huge, move the stools to the other side of the jog, and find a rectangular table with banquette and you will have room for chairs. Or leave the extra chairs elsewhere until needed, find an expandable table that enlarges from small round to longer oval when needed and you will have a loungy effect. I am not a fan of round tables with a banquet as it's a huge waste of seating/eating ratio but if the seating isn't needed... Either way slide the table waaay in against the banquette when not in use.
You can get some folding counter/bar stools. That way, you and your boyfriend can sit; and if you use them on the kitchen side of the peninsula, you can look at and interact with guests, who are seated on the other side of peninsula. (All of these are available from Target.)
Just to note: I don’t think there is really space to put any expandable table in that pass through area. It doesn’t matter if it is a console that expands and closes up - because when it is open, there is no reasonable room for people to pull out chairs, or to walk, etc. I think you have already discovered this, by having had a table there, yourself. I still like the idea of a slim bench under the mirror. Or alternatively, JT7abcz’ s beverage station idea is great. And in any case, I really suggest that you get a small round table and a couple of chairs, and place them in the window/alcove area (as I show in my mock-up further up in this thread); so that way, at least you and your boyfriend have the option of sitting comfortably at a table, and can sit across from each other when you are dining.
Best Wishes.
Flo’s idea for a drop is solid. I would look for a square or rectangle. As F said you can use as console or bar but pull up just the one side and you have a table to sit at that does not take up much room—just the width of the drop side when up. The two chairs would face each other, one facing the patio door, one facing living room. And you could probably find one where the center undroppable section is big enough for two to dine without flipping up the dropped section.
Darkest? How about lightest...caves are over rated.
I would try to lighten it up. Something like this
Take the lightest colors out of the tile . Keep it a simple pattern. Even go with large format tile so that is stays " quiet" since the travertine is so busy. You could even do the floor in the same tile like shown here.
Good luck!
There is a study adjacent to it that has been converted into a bedroom and now adding a standing shower and modifying the space .
What's the plan for the empty space to the left of your drawings? Seems hugely wasted space. Not sure where this wall you are taking down was (is) but not all open floor plans are equal. The sink in the island is a bad idea. No one wants to sit near a sink...so if you are trying for seating for four you don't have it.
Thank you!!! Love these ideas. Meeting with our contractor today and will discuss with him and report back.
Get a GREAT KD to go with the contractor. He is your technician. Don't make him design.....he executes what you and the KD specify: ) and nothing can be absolutely specific, until you are 100% firm regarding appliances. Size, specs...all.
Have fun and good luck!
A sofa/loveseat in a butter yellow would look good with all the other colors you have
The love seats will fit best for sure. They seat the same number as a sofa as long as there's two cushions. No one sits in the middle spot of a sofa... I think the sofa should be the same tone as the background of your chairs vs the gray leaves in the pattern.
What's the flooring under the area rug? Is it worth showing off? Bigger seems best when talking about an area rug.
Rugs are meant to be walked on. They are not coverings meant to expose only PATHS.
Your guests will find their beds: )
And you don't need the pigeon on a fence line up for friends. Two of you can cuddle on that couch and have a lot better looking room.
Swivel chairs at the kitchen end: )
I really appreciate your help. Thank you!
Clash--noooooo but I would want more contrast. It's all too same same. I don't have a clue what I voted for...your vote isn't labeled.
Extra info helps. My thought is this rug will look lighter / brighter when laid out on floor - there’s lots of white in it more than the black. It harmonizes with your print fabric. Sounds like you’ll have lots of color in room for interest. My only caution is to make sure you are able to view rug actually laying on a floor as it will be seen - before buying. Colors & patterns look very different placed on horizontal & vertical planes.
Have the rug placed on the floor, or better yet, borrow the rug on loaner to test out in your own space. I've never dealt with a rug store that won't bring rugs to test in the home or let you take them to test in your home.
I used an AKA Sport light weight back pack for a recent trip. It had an internal padded area for my lap top. I wasn't hiking with it and the lap top stayed in the hotel rooms once we arrived at our destinations but it was comfortable to carry and kept everything safe. Look around. I am sure there are many options to meet your needs.
Of the two I mentioned, the Tucano Tugo weighs 1.5 lbs. The Noamtic comes in at 4 lbs. When I travel, I’m all about weight, which is why I carry the Tucano and DD carries the Nomatic.
Check the airlines you will be flying on your trip. Some have weight limits for carry-ons.
Below is a chart that is neither exhaustive nor necessarily accurate, but will give you some idea of the limitations some airlines impose. I would check the website of the airline I’m flying for the most current and accurate information.
Thank you for the additional suggestions. The Osprey Fairview is too big, but a trip to REI (there's one not too far from me) would allow me to try out other models.
Thanks for the reminder, Bbstx. I usually don't worry about weight domestically, but I'll be packing carefully for this trip to use only a carry-on. Weight may come into play.
Go to your local nursery. Ask them. They will give you an entire tutorial. No one outside of your specific zone can help you as much.
or
Please note that the advice to seek out a local nursery does not mean a big box store. Find a privately owned garden center/nursery which might employ a trained expert. Places like that may even offer design services.
I love this song. It isn't what you might expect. :-) . This was one of the you tube comments: Cole Porter wrote this song on a bet. While at lunch one day, he bet his friends he could write a song based on the next line they heard away from their table. A waiter appeared at a nearby table and declared, "Miss Otis regrets she's unable to lunch today."
Thanks for that one Cyn - a classic!
It appears this is not a used 'front door'? No walk way, no steps onto the porch? The columnar pines didn't hold up to the ice storm because they are too tall for their width. You could have them trimmed so they are no taller than height of the windows. Use the far right set as a guide. Yes the front hedge in front of the porch is also too tall. I would want a gentle curving walkway to the front door with a wide stairs leading to the door. The shutters can come down. Shutters that are not actually functional are not indicated. Taking the gray closer to white with a bright door would freshen things nicely. Blue could be too much red/white/blue themey, yellow can be nice but is not as common, red? that would celebrate the brick....
Thanks for the feedback everyone. The shrubs came out today. We are still cutting back the boxwood in the front of the porch We are planning on Peppercorn for the door and shutters and a lighter gray to match the siding for all the wood trim (SW Citiscape or SW Tin Lizzy which are lighter versions of Peppercorn). There is a concrete walkway to the driveway and garage on the right side of the house.
Something else to consider is your shutter sizing. Each shutter should be half the window’s width. Even decorative shutters should be properly sized. I’d leave then off the lower double window.
Denise they moved in four years ago!!! LET IT GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Would be curious to see what arrangement was settled on.
No need to be so dramatic, arcy_gw. It's so annoying for posts to be so old. I never checked. Houzz should have some kind of edit app.
First I would flip the bed. The head is even with the lighting so ya it's going to 'be blinding'. Meanwhile start saving money. That entire space, bathroom/closets/bedroom needs to be gutted and reworked.
Is your house on a slab or a basement? I would build the wall, move the vanity to the opposite wall, and put the door where the vanity is now, to minimize the walkway needed to get to the bathroom.
Though Olychick might have the best solution - put a small sink/vanity in the toilet/shower space, and turn the existing vanity area into closets. One doesn't need a ton of vanity space if there is a nice closet right outside the door.
The blue is new walls. Remove the yellow X walls. On the left, where the towel bar is, add storage, whether a linen closet or, even better, lower drawers, then a bit of countertop, and cabinets or shelves above. New vanity on the right with drawers, although, you could forgo that for now. new lighting. Medicine cabinets.
Now you have more room in the bedroom for nice pictures on the walls, and you can store more stuff in the bathroom. and it feels less like a motel.
There goes any and all money for the veranda expansion. Taking a tree down of that size will be $$$$$$$. Looming trees like this one are scattered all over neighborhoods. Statistically you are more likely to slip in your shower than you are to have it fall. The county came through and 'umbrella' cut a beautiful blue spruce we had on the edge of our property. It looks ridiculous. The tree will survive. Do you have a pole saw? It's a pretty easy job.
That tree is far too large to move and the OP has no intention of cutting it down.
Thanks everyone! I decided to purchase a new vanity and move this smaller one to my other bathroom that is a bit tighter on space. And then will add in toilet paper holder, waste basket, etc. accordingly. Appreciate the help!
My son had a two tier island with a sink in it. He loved the mess did not show in the seating areas--dining first and living room beyond that. I would not remove it until you live with the sight lines. It doesn't appear to be for sitting. There's not a huge corridor there...that would lead my decision. Would you like counter seating there? Is there room? If modern is your goal you would NEVER consider painting your cabinets. Wood is in and yours look to be in great shape. I put green tile in my kitchen, but you don't care for it--so find a tile you do like. Your countertops are very dark. I would want lighter but doubt I would pay for new just for that reason. You are just beginning your life here. Now is the time to make it what you like because nothing you will do will add value. Enjoy the money it will cost by doing it as soon as you can afford it.
I can't imagine any way you can improve that kitchen. It is lovely, and the bar is set really high to make any improvements and not royally mess it up. Enjoy it, and spend time/$$$ elsewhere.
Our house has a pony wall behind the kitchen island, and if/when we remodel the kitchen, the pony wall stays. We don't use it as an island - it is right in the walkway (even though the previous owners had stools there, it's only 18" wide - not suitable for seating).
Like arcy's son, I like that the half wall provides a bit of separation between the kitchen and living room (which is all one big room). The bar gives us a nice place to put a candy dish, a vase of flowers.
This is our house (listing photo). The hallway to the right of the kitchen goes to the garage entrance, so that's a main thoroughfare.
I’ll pretty much alwYs say yes to the bigger window!
Thars bears in them there woods!!!
Lovely scene, arcy!
Deer, coyotes, and others can travel from Southern Illinois up through Wisconsin and Michigan -- probably to Canada -- right through Chicago and small towns, thanks to forest preserves.
We have very few in our north suburb now though, thanks to contraceptives meant to thin deer herds. Still, 'the wild' will probably outlast humans. Last week I saw a hawk lunching on a rabbit in our back yard. Small animals are about to have a feast here for about six weeks as the 17-year cicadas emerge. Will we have enough coyotes to deal with the result?
If you care abotu it ever being house trained then you dodged a bullet. Dogs poorly socialized that first year--have missed their critical period. You had a honeymoon period--but this would have turned nightmare soon enough. I like your last idea--go buy a puppy!!!
As you're scanning the online profiles, look for a beached whale. He's been the best!!
And I know his toenails are a little long. We need a vet visit for that.
OK. Beached Whale. GOT IT! ❤️❤️❤️
I love his spotted tummy! He looks like a character. Hanging out ..... enjoying life.
Remove the shutters and then reevaluate, as mentioned above they do not fit size or stile wise. Shutters should look like they could possibly be real and functional and those do not come close. Recently painted or not.
The siding color is the siding color and doesn’t need to be repeated. Remove the shutters and paint the front door a great color (I like the yellow above)
When was it 'for pay"? Never experienced that and Garden Web has been around since '99 at least.
I started of the Cooking forum in 2003, it was still pay for a few months, then went free. I started under a different name, let's leave it at that.
I started as Kathy G in MI in 2000 and that's still me!
It was That Home Site and I loved it! Paid the $15 to Spike, never went to the teacups (I'm a good girl.)
The KT intimidated me at first, so I just lurked for a few years. I was mainly on the Sewing Forum where I had a lot of fun with Budster!
Moni stopped by for a night last year!
I love making my little "click" bags and having give aways!
Kathy G in MI
fern
Frito Pie. The story here is that it originated at the Woolwort’s lunch counter on the Plaza here in Santa Fe. Chile con carne, cheese, chopped onions over an open singles bag of Fritos Corn Chips Still loved by many!
Lynn, they call those walking tacos now.
Feet
Either you like musicals or you don't it seems. To each their own. 99% of the ones mentioned I own a copy of so weather it streams or not isn't a huge thrill for me. We spend a lot of our entertainment time hitting community theatre musical productions. It's affordable entertainment and there are thousands of above average singers in the world.
That's available free on the streaming platforms Tubi, FreeVee, Plex, and Peacock Kids, Donna - I love it too 🙂
Back in my artistic roller skating days I was cast as a roller skating nun and villager in the production of SOM we did for a Gold Skate Classic. Hundreds of hand sewn spangles is what I still remember. Our habit reversed to villager and back again. We had to switch them in the dark and had less than two minutes to do so. Getting those wimples and veils on was an experience. Thank goodness for the costume makers making them in one piece. Fun times. Coach was going through a Disney phase. We did Cinderella the following year I believe.
Really--ya'll watch these shows? Mind blown!!!
hmm I do wonder if maybe for the beginning episode the contestants have to bring their clothing, and then after the first one or two eliminations maybe there is a community closet :).
I can't recall if they are paid. We met with our friend i December, and I think the program was to start in late January. I forgot to watch but caught some on youtube to see her daughter.
They are not paid to participate.
Taking turns is also completely possible with teens. We did it with five. One regular everyday bathroom, one sink, shower/tub combo, toilet. There's just no reason to SHARE this space ever!!
Taking turns doesn't stop the toilet to bath towel location. Different topic.
You lived in hotter than heck TX with teens that didn't care to hang pool side????? That is very odd indeed.
I had a vinyl pool for 20 years, staring when kids were ages 1-and 16. It was fun for a few pool parties and one summer in particular, but over time proved much more work than what we got out of it. But so many factors that are very family- specific.
Really good comments, not just the maintenance but being realistic about your family spends time.
For example, we have hot summers but temps still cool in April & sunlight changing in September, I run cold, pool wasn’t heated, so only 3 months use ( but looked pretty in April “. Also partly shade by a large oak which was perfect for sitting or eating in some shade, but also made water heat up less. But if hadn’t had shade, I wouldn’t have been able to sit out there.
Also, pool was right out the back door, and I would have been terrified if kids were smaller, or would have had to invest in much more water security measures, which was not easy based on where pool located.
DH & I both had bust jobs including some weekends , so could not be home to supervise in summer , so couldn’t have kids’ friends just hang out just any old time during summer vacation.
As noted above, kids had some other activities even in summer.
Our adult friends weren’t much into coming over to actually go IN the pool— that is probably different in SoCal and similar locales where pools are ubiquitous and have more months of use. I thought I would swim more after work for some mild exercise—pool was ~ 25’ long so I did feel a bit bored flipping back & forth, but mainly, just not that much time left after work. And on weekends there were things to do, including taking care of the pool!
So again, climate, parents’ schedules as well as kids, what are kids’ ages, will pool be “ the activity “ or will kids be off doing other things, are there kids’ friends who can walk to your house or does everyone have his own pool anyway, who will supervise, does your yard allow for locating it where not a dangerous nuisance, wil you use up yard space so now can’t toss a ball or run around, will you landscape for shade and/ or build/ purchase shade structures.
Then, most of our adult friends weren’t
Correction: kids’ ages 11 and 16.
It's a home people live in not a photo shoot...so the four chairs you pull up for extra really do not even have to match each other! It's a very casual dining area as is--I would not stress over the four chairs matching anything. A card table and chairs set is an item that always comes in handy and would be useful in this situation. There is A LOT of WHITE in that room. I think a table cloth would be lovely. It brings color to your space which all the white really needs. I prefer the lighter wood to the dark accents you have around but tomatoe tomato as they say.
I would do a nicer tablecloth and walnut chairs. Have you considered colored chairs to match your bar stools? I think the mix of chairs will look nice since they will be a different style.
I will, RedRyder, thanks. HU-402831377, yes, I do like the idea of colored chairs.
kayaking
Our resident Kingsnake after being freed from the leaf netting over our pond. It took almost 20 minutes to get it untangled. It was then released into the garden.