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tmnca

Blank slate-itis

Tmnca
6 years ago

Now that I have contractors lined up for the work our soon to be new house needs (roof, new windows etc etc) I can turn to the fun stuff of selecting decor and finishes! Of course we have so much necessary work to do that the aesthetic stuff must be done on a budget.

The house is a 1960s builder grade bungalow house in a coastal California city known for beach cottages and whimsical vintage Victorian homes... and our neighborhood is a mix of those cute homes and these 50-70s basic builder houses mixed in.

I don't want to post photos with someone else's belongings in them so suffice it to say the house needs help aesthetically as well as necessary overdue maintenance. The old stained carpets over cigarette-smelling vinyl tiles, the pink laminate countertop on a water damaged vanity in the bathroom - it's all going but I don't know where to start choosing finishes (other than price tag)!

We plan to install a wood-type floor (LVP, engineered wood or bamboo), IKEA kitchen, tile in bathroom floors. We are not quite sure what styles will suit this house, but we are thinking a beach inspired but slightly modern or transitional look. So for example we are considering the IKEA Askersund cabinets which are "light ash" wood look. (Our current condo is a 1980 and we went with dark black-brown laxarby painted - but in the new house the tiny kitchen needs light cabinets.

ikea Askersund display kitchen

We don't want dark floors because the house is not an open floor plan and will look closed in, but how to choose an appropriate floor finish that won't clash with cabinets? Or should we start with flooring and just go with white cabinets?

Paint colors - we like our current palette of BM mascarpone with accent walls of Mexicana, bathrooms in Revere Pewter and master bedroom in Wedgewood Gray. But we are looking to change it up a little and maybe have a more interesting color than white on the walls.

Our furniture is dark brown leather and we have a sea grass rug we will keep for the LR. The LR has a red brick fireplace with white painted mantel (it's a normal sized fireplace not a whole wall or monster fireplace). We don't own any real art, just some framed photos and candles sconces. We will have a lot more wall space since this house has more rooms than our open floor plan condo.

Where do I start, any inspiration for me?


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