Secretary is done! Pics and another question
Okay, it's gone from a piece that just "had potential" to one of my very favorites.
Once I got the black base coat on, I remembered how much I lovvvvvved black painted furniture, so I decided not to do a green rub through. However, the black was a little drab, so I got some gold enamel out and drybrushed it on the edges to bring the shape out a bit.
I'm thrilled with it, and am so glad I did the black.
I'm also glad everyone helped confirm my "something's not quite right meter" about losing the chicken wire. This piece needed a distressed elegance, and not a rustic element like chicken wire.
I used some rub n buff on the hardware, as they were soooooo dark that they hardly showed up at all once the paint was dry.
Now I just need to find a key for the doors. I really want to hang a cute tassle from the key, but I have no idea where to find one.
Here are the side by side before and afters:
Now, here's my next question. The original piece has a finial on top between the two arched crest-thingies like in this photo:
{{!gwi}}
My finial is broken, but I still have it. I could paint it and glue it back on, but I really like the look without the finial. Can I get away with leaving it off? I'm hoping that the piece can stand to be without it, because I'm not too keen on the thing. I think it's a bit too tall, and a bit funny looking, IMO. I won't even "go there" about what I really think it looks like! LOL!!
Comments (70)
teacats
15 years agocooperbailey
15 years agoRelated Discussions
Yet another peach pruning question (w/pic)
Comments (5)After looking at the trees this weekend, I have a couple more questions...... As Don noted, some of the biggest branches are too vertical to be good fruiting branches. When I examined the tree up close, it seemed that the branches that were the most horizontal were very small and thin. Where the biggest (and most upright) branches are a couple feet long and a half an inch thick, the small, horizontal branches are only a couple inches long and a quarter inch thick. Should I just go ahead and prune the tree to make these tiny branches the future 4 main fruiting branches? I don't mind losing whatever growth I gained last year by hacking off the biggest branches, but I don't want to do something that will be worse than leaving the big branches and trying to spread them. Any thoughts? Thanks, Bart...See MoreAnother day, another gray....family room makeover with pics
Comments (28)Thanks everyone! I'm still loving this color and think Rockport is definitely my favorite of the grays I've done thus far. rmkitchen, I guess the Rockport looks lighter on the exterior? Chardie, I would love to see your stairs! caminnc, can't wait to see your dining room! Mush, that's the color combo I am going for. Cream sofa, tan drapes. I want to add a bit more turquoise and a splash of orange with pillows and accessories. Maybe next month! catkin, I'll try to post some tomorrow. We've been out of town and I'm on the wrong computer. In the meantime, you can probably find photos by searching my name and the colors I've used. Here is a link that might be useful: Here's my foyer...See MoreStools, lights, faucets and done. Help! (new pic)
Comments (20)oldbat2be-I'm kind of thrown on the pink tiles. I don't think they quite coordinate. I've been staring at them all day and I've pretty much talked myself out of them. Now I'm back at square one on the backsplash. Not a huge deal, because I really don't need one. Behind the sink seems to be the only place that needs a frequent wipe down. I blame that mostly on using a horrible sink/faucet combo while waiting for the sink decision. I can handle wiping it down until I choose something else. Got any excellent suggestions? Cheap is the name of the game. Whatever it is will likely cover the entire sink wall up to the cabinets and the entire wall in the range alcove. Those tiny mosaics and more brick are the only definite nos I've got. The only tile I've looked in person were in the home improvement stores. Mr. MM liked some Dark Emperador Cafe tiles from Home Depot that we looked at. I think there is a better choice. He's leery of letting me loose in a tile store. I know I'd fall in love with something that was $500 a sq. ft. Like the first backsplash love that I've ever felt. [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/new-look-for-an-exclusive-coastal-residence-mediterranean-kitchen-san-diego-phvw-vp~264799) [Traditional Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by La Jolla General Contractor GDC Construction I had dreams about that backsplash for months. It also sings with the voice of angels. Really, in the end, I just want a kitchen that looks lived in. Comfortable and cozy. Something that ages gracefully with little maintenance. That's the vibe I'm going for, if that helps at all. The addition is much needed and has been discussed since we bought the house. The plan was to save up for a bigger piece of property and a new construction, but land prices went from about $3500 an acre to $10-14k an acre in the last 5 years. So we're going to stay put at least until the kids graduate. Most likely will stay put for good and just buy land for the future generations to enjoy. 5 people, two bedrooms, one bath won't work for many more years. The addition would be ripping out the old kitchen, and extending that out another 8 ft, digging a basement under that portion, fixing the rest of the foundation, and adding a second floor. We'd gain a proper laundry room, 2 bedrooms, and two bathrooms, and we'll have more than 2 tiny closets in the entire house. I think we're done expanding the family, so each child will have a bedroom, although I expect they will all stay in one for at least a few more years. They cried when I told them they would all have their own bedroom! I feel about the same as you when it comes to faucets. I'd like to love one, but I have yet to find one that truly makes my heart sing. Maybe a cheapy will do until I find the one. I think the Karbon might be a little too modern for the space, but I do get the urge to find one in a showroom just to play with for a few minutes. As far as lighting goes, I hadn't thought a ton about glare, just because I have exposed bulbs now that don't bother me, but moving them down a foot or two might change that drastically. As far as what I'm lighting, it would mostly be the island and the area directly around it. But if they lit up the entire room, that would be fine as well. Unless we eat around or after dusk, I don't even turn on the main kitchen lights. Just the two above the range. I like to be able to see what I'm doing, but don't require stadium lighting to do so. Maybe I should start a new thread on lighting and see where that takes me. I just hate to post too much, don't want to spam up the board for more important issues....See MoreVaulted ceiling in kitchen? Anybody done this? Pics please!
Comments (33)We are still designing our house (new construction) --- trying to get started this summer...but that is rapidly approaching. Here is a cad rendering of the front elevation --- stone in the center.... we've made several changes to the front, but here's the idea.... As far as the interior goes, floorplans are more or less done...Kitchen does not have lots of cabinets, but it has "zones" around it --- clean up area (we call the dish pantry), range area, island area, butler's pantry, etc. The kitchen will be one longish room with the keeping room (like the picture at the very top). I'm going to try to post the plan that we have so far.... I of course can't figure out how to make this bigger... grr. So you likely can't even see it anyway.... Anyway, I think the vault will look good in that kitchen / keeping room --- all the way --- the high point will be over the range wall and the fireplace. Still working on details to make sure we have accounted for how we live. I have in mind a white (creamy color) cabinet with a wood top on the island - like a dark walnut. One reason I'm now thinking the wood is because the island is all one level and it is 10-11 feet long and the granite with a seam I worry about. Plus, think the wood is beautiful. I'll probably go back and forth about this many many times before we get there. The little dish pantry area has an opening to the eat-in area, so we can pass dishes through there (and I can watch TV while doing dishes (over the FP). We'll put "barn doors" on rails outside the dish pantry so I can close the door on the mess! So far I am happy with it ---still so many details to work out, but it is very fun and exciting so far! Thanks again for sharing... Also, I love this last set of inspiration pics --- so many really great ones! Rachel...See Moreles917
15 years agoarleneb
15 years agoreno_fan
15 years agoThank you so much for the kind words and suggestions. There's truly NO ONE in my home to whom I can turn for stuff like this!
On the other thread (Sorry about having 2 going simultaneously! I thought one would die off when I started this one.) Punamytsike wasn't feeling the green toile now that the paint is on, but I'm still liking it, though I did have a flash of thinking, "Blue toile would be gorgeous in there", because of all of my blue and white all over the LR.
But for now, I like the green, as it's just a little bit unexpected.
I ended up refinishing the desk portion last night. It was white/yellowed peeling and chipping paint, and I thought it would look better if it were back to the original wood. I like the cubbies green (for now) because they work with the wallpaper, and again, it's just a little bit of something unexpected when the door is down.
I'll have to play around with the finial piece, and may do Les' suggestion of knocking off the cigar-top thing. It's very messily broken off, so re-attaching it will take some doing, if it would indeed look better with part of it on.
(Les, you can't see from the pics, but the scrolly parts are highlighted with gold paint. For some reason the flash makes the gold highlighting completely disappear in the pics.)
Here is the desk area redone:
cherigw
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15 years agozipdee
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15 years agoOkay, I followed Les' advice and chopped off the cigar-thing on the finial.
I haven't done the gold yet, but just sort of stuck it up there to see how it looks. I'm not sure. It's almost like it's better without anything, or like posted above, to find something really unique instead.
It gives it such a colonial feel, whereas without, the scroll pieces are the only focus. Hmmmm... Might just have to walk by it for a few days, and see what that "gut feeling" thing tells me.
reno_fan
15 years agomoonkat99
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15 years agoreno look what I found:
This is an older tassel that I experimented a bit with (ok, actually, every one I make is an experiment lol!) but I love the yarn colors in this one, & I don't think I have any more of this yarn. It needs to be re-worked, but I'm thinking, if you like the colors, I could cut off the mushroom-shaped part at the top of the wooden head, making it more of a simple shape, & cover the wood with yarn. I would probably redo the hanger as well, in a more appropriate color, & it should probably be a bit shorter, & thinner, in order to fit through the key.
Let me know what you think - when I found this I thought of you immediately, but the red might be too 'purpley' for you.
Oh, a little aside - I believe the yarn on this one might be a bit faded, which, in a way, could make it even more appropriate for your 'experienced' secretary, know what I mean? ;-D
BTW, the beadwork is coming off, & the hanger is a little loose; in other words, it needs to be reworked anyway, so if the skirt works for you, it would be perfect to redo it with you in mind :)
patricianat
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15 years ago
yayagal