Yes, there is no question that Mysterymachine's kitchen is dy-no-mite! And, Igloochic, I agree with you on the grey shade. Works great in the kitchen. Not so much in the dining area.

Gad this is hard LOL

Ok these aren't so good...Give me a year :)
This one changes to an espresso silk dupioni in the dining room area. Frankly...I'd like the espresso to be darker, but a swatch would help. I'd also love to see you carry they grey across the doors, then switch to the dining room color from there...but it's not my space I guess :oP

Someone had suggested this shade from potterybarn. It's nicely priced, but too bright for the room...

This is where that paint issue comes up...but I'll keep playing. I have the dining room only in espresso, which I like, but the wall on the door would need to change to the grey to make this work:

Is this a duplicate? Anyhoo, this is with espresso throughout the dining area. If this were to work, the wall with the window (at the end of the kitchen) would need to transform to gold.

I will try a drapey type curtain on the slider (it is a slider?) and see how that transforms. My concerns there are that the fabric would end up bunched there next to the chairs and feel akward....what do you think?

Thanks ladies...I'm actually just an hour into figuring it out and not as tidy as I'd like :) It would help if a 2 year old weren't hanging on my arm LOL

I absolutely LOVE that shade in the kitchen. I want to order it and send it to the poor man and guilt him into using it. The texture is fab with his wonderful kitchen, but I don't like it moving over into the dining area.

Feel free to post other options and I'll play with them.

igloo... how about something like this? I like the taupe, ebony, and flax colors. I don't know if you can photoshop these since they just show these colors in fabric samples and not the entire shade.

Here is a link that might be useful: these are purty.....

I can't read the chapter on changing fabrics until DS goes to bed LOL But I will (it would be easier than making new drapes every time as I have been)

So here's one with drapes in an espresso with a grey detail. I actully prefer the softer feel, but MM and I don't always agree on that ;op

My inability to work with colors correctly (see first line of this post LOL) has caused the shade at the end of the dining room (by the kitchen) to be in one tone and the drapes in another. I would of course propose they be the same fabric. I don't even know if I'd insist on repainting that wall that's giving me so much trouble...heh heh

Hey! Sorry I missed this until now, I've been a busy bee getting ready for the remodel tour - the first of 2 weekends of showing the remodel starts THIS WEEK FRIDAY AHHHH!! Obviously the window covering are too late for the first weekend of the tour and possibly for the next one too but still... I am living with the remodel for a long time so we don't have to rush the coverings and am excited about the possibilities. Igloo you are awesome.

Right now I am busy cleaning house and moving these around and trying to decide where they look best (pic below). My DW and I thought some plants would be great for the tour so I bought some that kinda had a prehistoric look to them as a nice little touch in reference to the fossils. Originally we were looking at the tall palms but that is a little more common and I like having uncommmon stuff ;) Also I fell in love with these pots. Still I can't believe I just dropped $500 on plants/pots. sigh. Darn home tour is making me crazy!!!!!!!!!!!

Again I'll get back to this post with reactions etc later tonight after dinner when I have some more time to give full attention and careful thought.

For colors:

Kitchen has 2 wall colors the primary is Intellectual Gray while the accent above the sink and on the small angled wall around the passthrough is same color but 2 shades darker called Porpoise.

This switches at the dining room to a warmer color, Interactive cream which is in the dining, living, hall, office etc. We tried the gray in the dining but it didn't look very good with the dark cherry cabs so we switched to warm there.

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Sorry about the picture quality... I am busy and the sunlight is making it so the camera won't get a good focus.

Sliding door wall is still intellectual gray, color changes to the cream on the corner to the right of the slider by the dark dining cabs.

We could shop together...I love the plants and the pots :) I know you don't have time now, but someday find a Blue Leaf Fern. They are very unusual looking...with leafs that remind me of a banana tree for some reason...and they live forever (unless you try to move them to the garage during a remodel).

On those plants...and the light fixture...here's a home show hint (I did one many years ago) if you don't need the light, and the plug shows, put the light where you want and don't plug it in. If you need the light, try sticking a battery operated puck in there instead of using the real light fixture (remove the bulb and set the puck on so it casts an even light).

Now squish those two plants together and make a grouping with the light :) And you're done LOL

Take your time on this...I did heh heh I thought your home show was coming up! I can't wait to see the pics you're going to take and show us! (hint hint)

Then we can arm wrestle on that angled wall. It's TOUGH to make a window covering work there that also works with the dining area (which in my mind begins at the doors. I'll keep showing you examples of how bad it is until you agree to add that wall to the dining room....any chance?

Honestly though, I adore that shade in the kitchen. It's clean and interesting in texture, which I really did want for you...but I'm open to suggestions since it's your house LOL

When you get a chance...how about a couple shots of just the slider and the angled wall? Maybe taken from the kitchen side as well showing all three of the windows again at a different angle. (This is because my photoshop abilities have a hard time at this angel...and it would be nice to show the drapery completely on the slider instead of cutting your lighting and table apart as I've been doing).

Hah hah... I try to escape GW and get some stuff done around the house but you GWers make is so hard!

I can't move the plants into the corner with the lamp normally becuase the one on the left needs full sun. That is an east facing window which according to the plant folks is already not enough sun for his ideal conditions so I have to get all the sun possible and park it in the middle of the window. BUT good point, I could move them closer into the corner when the open house is going on! I like your cheating aspects for the open house times when we don't need the light as much.

Anyway I am SOOO excited about the pots. The red one matches the red in the silk curtains perfectly and the stone one goes with the feel I eventually want in that room which I describe as (and no one gets what I mean) "A sophisticated gentlemans club in England when it ruled the world" (gentlemans club being a place where men drank and smoked and told grand tales of adventure... not todays use of the word "gentlemans club"). Think leather, old maps, ancient SE Asia temple artifacts and other artifacts from around the world. This has a hint towards the fossils and also allows display of the eccentric world trinkets my DW gets as gifts or she collects (her job is an international recruiter). The room is FAR from that now but that is the direction I want to go when the finances recover and as we find furniture peices. Its gonna be one of those "gradual decorative remodels".

Igloo, I can't really change the angled wall to join into the dining mainly becuase the slider is offwhite and gray and would be pretty much impossible to paint and have it look good. The rug and the fact that I used stainless hardware on the door are transition points that subtley sneak some transition in there.

Life will be so much easier on you if you do no coverings on the slider and the passthrough on the angled wall but I know you love coverings on all the windows.

I do have to say I was leaning toward dining room having the woven wood in roman blind style (but I haven't found any I like yet) and having the rest naked but WOW that kitchen shade is awesome looking in the pics so you have me there... so where can I get samples and go down the path of ordering that one? How does it work - I simple rollup? Its hard to tell by your pics but I really like the flat aspect of it - the roman shade style I like in the dining would draw too much attention to itself in the kitchen. How bout that gray for the kitchen and angled passthrough, naked slider door, and some rich lighter wood roman blind style in the dining? I'll have to make sure the dining does not clash with the red lyptus butcherblock there.

Hmmm I googled "Blue Leaf Fern" and found nothing :( Now I am really curious.

Mysterymachine I love love love your kitchen! Mind if I hijack this thread with one question? I love the way the window over the sink is even with the granite - do you remember if the window was installed first? We are DIYing and planning the same effect.

Thanks!
Tracy

Mystery...let's run away from our spouses...nothing funny...we'll just go shopping, then return to our loved ones.

Let me tell you about the "gentlemen's club" I'm doing here in the rental. The walls are going to be a deep inky blue with a soft gold (not bright, but one that hovers between gold and silver with a black glaze over it) on the ceiling. Furnishings are big fat comfy club chairs and a sofa dating to the late 1800's (I have it in storage so I figured...why not). A small bar in the corner...probably in walnut, which stocks wine, whiskey, and port, and a table for pool or perhaps poker...we're working on that depending on how the bar works in. It's a dark and gorgeous space, embracing it's dark and gorgeous personality...and it screams "Man" :oP In an elegant old world kind of way :)

Ok I'll let the slider go...and you MUST have that darned kitchen shade. I'm in love with it. It comes from the link below. I'd order both colors and see what it looks like. In my mind...drift wood would be more silver, but the samples appear the opposite.

It's a basic roller shade, nice and flat, which I like for your kitchen...nothing fussy :) Like that silly rack over your hood heh heh

Here is a link that might be useful: To die for shade

igloo... I had to wipe the drool from the keyboard by the time I read to walnut bar. I don't know if you'd like shopping with me though, not for stuff for the house... I don't even like shopping with me sometimes. Tell me if this describes you: You have this beautiful idea in your head when you start shopping and then by the end you are just frustrated and instead thinking about compromises.

Thanks so much for the links on the kitchen shade!! I'm trying really hard not to get too excited about it - some things look great online and then they arrive and you find, yeah they look like the pictures on the internet but they are shoddy materials. Have you ordered from that company before?

Sorry tracyac, I got into a trance after reading igloos description of that room and forgot to answer your question. The window went in first - then the cabinets which were adjusted until they were the right height so the granite would go right into the sill and finally the granite. Thanks for the compliments on my kitchen. Wish me luck for the remodel tour. I guess it doesn't matter much to me if people vote it the best kitchen - its more the contractor that reaps the benefits even though I did the design :) I am nervous though - leaving the house for the weekend and having it open to the general public is a bit scary.

LOL Mystery...actually that is a typical description of a shopping trip for me...but at the end there is always wine :oP Then I search Ebay.

I've honestly tripped over everything fabulous I own. Trying to find fabulous is HARD! (Although we are going to hit that glass museum in Tacoma...Cheulie?...not spelled remotely right...but fabulous is probably going to hurt me).

I really want to know what that shade material looks like myself. I just adore it, but no, I haven't ordered from there. I did however find the link to it in one of those "best of the best new products" articles...so I'm going to keep my fingers crossed for you. I really hate it when I find the perfect idea and it turns out to be cheap...let's hope this isn't it.

Now on the home tour...I don't want to discuss if you have an alarm system or not, but either way, be sure to have clear postings for the system on the entry windows and at exits. Also, do not think that people will respect your privacy...putting things in drawers is not sufficient protection. Bury your treasure in an area not on the tour. Jewelry and valuables (your Renoir and stuff) should be removed from the house or have security staff on hand for each item (I know you probably have a large collection of lost Renoirs right?) :oP

Are you putting in the plastic carpet runners that stick (contractors use them)...I know they're tacky...but so is the forever trail of sludge left from a seattle home show and rain.

Also put your nice knifes away and anything that can be pocketed. I know this sounds depressing, but it's just smart :)

Fortunately your pots will be safe...they look heavy LOL

Maybe set that hood grate thingie in the center of the dining room with a for sale sign on it LMAO Ok maybe not. You know...that would be a good earring holder...how about hanging it in the closet? heh heh

I can't wait to hear how it goes :)

igloochic - It's Chihuly. I love that guy's work. He and others are at the Museum of Glass in Tacoma.

Oddly enough, as much as I love his stuff, I've never made it to the museum - even when I lived in Olympia. I have made it to see his ceiling at the Bellagio in Vegas, though.

I've ordered the samples and a few samples of some woven wood from them while I was at it (though I don't think their woven wood retracts in the roman blind style I am after - I sent their customer service an email asking how they retract).

Any recommendations for carpet tacky stuff? When I looked online before any of the stuff that had good recommendations was close to same price as the rug! (and money is tight right now....)

Since you mention the rain / mud maybe its a good thing I did not get the rug that I ordered over two months ago (when I ordered they said they would have in time for the tour - they just let me know that it will be another month). That reminds me - I need to ask my contractor to ensure he has the special house viewing booties on hand for people during the tour.

I haven't seen the Chihuly museum either. I watched the show on him on PBS HD.. that was cool. It was sad to see the stuff he was throwing out becuase it wasn't up to his standards or something - man I would love to just have some of those "garbage" peices :)

So igloo... here... we can go virtual shopping together! Try looking here for fun: Green Tea Design

I agree on the tripping over stuff - my DW and I looked at dining room tables for a long time and found nothing we really loved, lots of stuff we liked. Then like a year after we stopped looking we found the table we have now.

:))) No problem I just kept reading and drooling too... Thanks for the info - that's how we're planning to do it (whew). Wish we were in Seattle and I could come vote - they should definitely have a designer category too!(I did my own design - it would be nice to get independent confirmation. Not sure even now if DH knows how much work went/is still going in to it)

igloochic I'm LOVING that shade - and it may work in my kitchen too heeheehee The color of my kitchen is Filament (a C2 color) that is a gray/brown.

Here is a link that might be useful: C2 colors

I deserve some sort of rebate on your purchases of that shade LOL It's SO COOL! I'm just glad it works for a few kitchens. I hope the samples live up to the product and I can't wait to hear! The color looks right for the C2 colors...but ya never know with websites! Ok first one to hang it wins....umm nothing but do post ;op

Mystery...I don't have time to talk to you..I'm on the Green Tea website and I'm drooling and searching for my credit card ya poop! Ask you contractor to supply the sticky stuff. He probably gets it for nothing, and he's going to make the money off the tour anyhoo :oP

Samples shipped today!! I think they are east coast so it might be a while.

Igloo if you are still reading (or anyone else that feels like offering advice) - I need advice ASAP... DW is calling for me to get something to use as a centerpeice on the table for the open house (yikes, only one more evening to get ready!!!) Any suggestions? The photographer just used one of our bowls and put fruit in it. DW wants some huge floral thing but I love the beauty of our table so much. Since you said you've done these home tour things before any suggestions?

The final count for friday night is in... 50 people coming to the open house - yikes its gonna be so crowded no one will be able to see the kitchen!!

FYI I bought a flat headed white power cord and tucked under the trim by the plants - it will be dark and that light is the main light for the living room - since its 200 watts I don't think a battery puck would do. :)

Oh and there will be a full assortment of wines at the open house. :)

There's wine? Wine? Umm I'll be right down. Make that count 51!

Good job on the power cord :)

Ok the bowl in the picture is too small for your table so don't repeat that :) If it were me, I'd stage the wine in there and put the table to use...is that an option? That allows folks to actually look at the table ;)

If not, again if it were me, I would like to see some chunky candles on the table, either in good sized holders, on set a platter on the table and put a few different sized fat candles on the platter and surround with natural river rock. Cheap and easy, and elegant given a night time function (do not get scented candles and keep them cream in color).

What would look fabulous...a long floral display, centered down the table on a long platter, with exotics that are simple and go with the house. You could also do that with the candles...in a row, all the same height on a platter, with the river rock (I like the river rock because it pulls in the golds and gray in the kitchen and dining room). Make it an uneven number...five or seven.

One other kind of cool look if you have a large bowl...again that small one wasn't to size. Fill a large bowl with either artichokes (wash them and spray them with shellac or some clear glossy finish) or pineapple with the heads on. It's funky, unusual and exotic, and again compliments your home.

I'd avoid anything with much height or bulk because it will compete with both the lighting, and the simplicity of your fabulous room.

I love the pineapple idea but I am not understanding it.... a whole pineapple? More than one? Pineapples are big - that would have to be a huge bowl!

I'll try to see if I can find cork, candles and river rock somewhere tomorrow night.

As far as the wine and the table - I know we are going to try to utilize the lyptus buffet counter as much as possible. I was picturing the appetizers on the buffet and the wine on the penninsula/granite but we might be able to shift the wine to the table.... hmmmm...

I am still liking the woven wood/bamboo/grass for the dining room. Give it a little texture but not much.

Can't decide to go dark or light.

This is from the site remodelfla linked - I love it but I think its kinda dark...

Anyone know of a store I can go to and see lots of different woven wood products? Its been difficult for me becuase with the woven wood the texture is as important to me as the color and its hard on small internet pictures for me to get a feel for texture (or how it looks mostly pulled up, which is how it will be almost all the time).

Hmmmm ... just putting some ideas out there - these are bamboo (or is this gonna introduce too much texture and be too busy)

Wood:

OK last post tonight... looks like Bali is the brand of wood shades that have that nice Roman Blinds look... here is a link to their color swatches. That spice color or something with a touch of red might be just what the dining room needs...

Hey,

Would that third bamboo one tie in with the reeds in your glass?

The reeds in the acrylic are really red in tone:
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Well, last night at 2:00 in the morning it looked red, it really did! :>)

Not so red this morning!

But, that's what I was thinking, some red to tie in with that wonderful glass that I just love!

I'd like to see anthurium worked into the centerpiece. It will pick up the reed color and be a bit of a statement. Black tulips would be nice, too. Maybe with a Kangaroo Paw or two.

Here is a link that might be useful: Anthurium

kitchendetective... I agree that would look nice - wonder if I can find some at this late of notice. Basically I will have to stop by somewhere on the way home from work tonight or tomorrow.

Generally you can't see the reed color as the light is coming from the living room side so the reed is just black looking from the dining side but there are reds throughout and on the table.

My DW is pushing for this candle centerpiece from Create and Barrel.

Crate and Barrel Centerpeice

MM....that piece would work perfectly and be an easy and inexpensive fix. Give in, but pretend to put up a fuss so she feels she won and owes you one ;oP

Really though, there are so many ways to go..but given you have just a couple of days, whip in and pick that up at C&B and call it a day. You've got too much else to think of.

Now about those blinds....I'm heading over to the house to rework all of my tile patterns, so I won't get on it for a bit, but perhaps this evening. I actually love the deep brown ones, but I want to see them in the room before I decided if you can continue to love them heh heh

OK I got the candle centerpeice... and created my candle layout. Do you think this is OK or too much? I bought a lot of candles becuase its easier to take some off the table than add some. I also bought river rock and tried it with the candles but its less "refined" looking with all the colors and stuff I just didn't think it went well.

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Also while I was there I wandered past this bowl which is PERFECT in color and was even on sale. They had 3 sizes and I got the smallest. It pretty much is the same size as the different colored stone in the middle of the table. I can get a bigger one (keep in mind it looks small becuase there is nothing in it) - I had them put the next size up on hold for me in case I want to supersize - its about 1/3 larger, maybe a little more, than this one. What do you think?
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FYI igloo you are totally right on not wanting something of height... already the tallest candle even feels like its encroaching in the territory of the light. I would not want to go any taller at all than what I have up there with the candles so that would make flowers difficult.

I am contemplating removing the biggest candle.

OH NO... just got word from the contractor that "due to the economy" they are not going to charge people to go on the remodel tour this year. He warned me to hide anything of value becuase a lot different people come to free events than $20 events. ($20 they only got people that were actually planning remodels and wanted ideas - free they get people that just want to see what other peoples houses look like inside or even worse are looking for stuff to steal!!)

I like the way the stone underneath frames the red bowl. All those candles in the tray seem like too much to me. I'm not very good at the fine points of decoration, though, so I'll defer on any more opinions.

Here it is without the big one
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I like the shape of the centerpiece, but I think it detracts a bit from the spectacular and extremely perfect light fixture above it. Also, I would still like to see a shot or two of a coral-red in there somehow. However, if you leave it as is, no one would complain either.

Here is a link that might be useful: Color shot

Yeah it would be great to get some red in there somewhere... also the candles still feel a little bit taller than I would like... but sadly I am out of time - itd have to be something they have at safeway or some other store on my way home from work.

Argh I couldn't sleep last night lying in bed thinking about everything. Only got 5 hr sleep - will make it hard for me to enjoy the open house tonight.

This is a probably a little late, but a few suggestions for your tour.

For the tour, have the organizers make SURE no one will be allowed to take pictures. Most will say they want to record design ideas, but they could have more sinister motives. And with all the camera phones these days, this is a real challenge to monitor!

I agree that the plastic carpet runners are worth every penny! You should be able to find them at a local hardware store (Ace, etc.). Our home tours usually get 500+ on a 1-day tour and this is a small town! Even the hard floors will require a big cleanup effort afterward.

Another suggestion for your table centerpiece. Perhaps you could use an oval bowl full of red/orange blooms cut short? Here's an example, but is too tall for your setting. I use glass marbles (from craft store) to keep them in place, but the mass of flowers will mostly stay put on their own if you cut the stems short enough.


Flowers in Vase

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PS - I love all the elements of your new spaces and am wowed by your design sense and attention to detail. Awesome! Good luck with the tour.

Carolyn

Well the open house was a huge success despite the weather. Normally its low 60s for temp this time of year -yesterday we had a snow storm. It was pretty funny that one group of people coming to the open house sang a christmas carol when I opened the door. Its all good becuase my house shows really well in cold weather with its warmth (I had the fireplace going and everything). There were a few people that cancelled becuase they were afraid of driving but not too many. The downside is that all this time and money I spent on the yard getting new plants etc didn't matter as it was all buried in snow. I hope the new plants are OK!

The candle centerpeice actually got lots of compliments (and also some jokes about my masculinity when they found out I picked them and arranged them - I just passed the buck onto all you GWers. My DW was egging them on when she told them how much time I have spent on window treatments. Thankfully my sister-in-law chewed them all out and told them that most women would love it if their man cared about the curtains - all the teasing stopped right away after that LOL).

The previous owners and their kids (now grown up) came and that was great fun hearing all the stories about the house over time since it was built and, thankfully, they loved what we'd done to the place (lots of the wife saying "I told you we should have done that" to the husband was worth lots of laughs)

Anyway we went through something like a dozen bottles of wine (of which I had to try some of most) and the "7-11pm" event ended up going till 2:30am. Needless to say I am a little out of it.

Sorry I only have a couple pictures of the event before it started. Once it got going I was so busy talking (millions of questions), socializing, greeting and saying goodbye etc that before I knew it, it was over and I didn't take any pictures. I could have taken some after photos but no one likes party aftermath (well you might have had fun checking out the empty wine bottles). Right now my computer is not hooked up and I am using my DW's so later tonight I will get the before party pics up.

The window covering samples are in.... igloo its not what I was expecting at all... the shader are entirely made of black (actually more like graphite) and white plastic threads. The 2 colors are just variations on how much black or white it has. When you see them in person it looks like "salt and pepper" not the nice silvery gray. They did send me a nice catalog with the samples and the roller shade hardware looks great - there are a lot of other fabrics in there for the roller shades in the silver/steel/gray colors so I might send for those. (take a look at the "silver grassweave" I linked to below)

Here is the woodgrain samples near that window - see what I mean about "salt and pepper"?:
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Here is a link that might be useful: Look here under grassweave and silver, or maybe crosby

Now for the pics from the open house (note the snow... in April!!).

KitchenDetective - Look your kangaroo paw idea worked wonderfully in the living room! (can't wait till I can replace those glass tables and get new furniture in there)
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Sad on those shades...I rather loved them in the pictures. I guess that's why you always need to get samples. We'll keep working on it!

Ok I love the pics from the party and I'm glad you had a great time. Snow keeps away bad guys :oP So that was a good thing maybe.

It must have been a hoot to bask in your lovely design glory! :)

This was the "friends and family" open house - not the tour so I knew there would be no bad guys last night.

I didn't do much basking... OK a little :) I did point quite a few people to gardenweb forums though so maybe we'll see them on here soon!

Strangely enough I got a lot of comments on the wood trim we put everywhere - apparently a bunch of people want to rebel against the white painted trim that's been common for quite a few years and switch to wood after seeing my house.

Wow, those samples look more like snake skin that wood grain. Is it just my computer that's oding that?

MM - is that light in the LR from the same line as the one above your table? It's very nice.

Yeah, pbrishar, it looks more like snake skin than wood grain to me as well - its not just your computer - I took quite a few pictures of it till I got one that accurately showed what the samples looked like. Quite dissappointing. No gray in it at all - just black and white.

Yep, light in LR is same line as over the dining table.