Sunday, March 21, 2010

Guest/music room (or music/guest room)

This downstairs room was originally a great source of contention. "You got guests in my music room!" "You got music in my guest room!" But we get along well so we eventually figured out a way for an awesome music space to co-exist with a place for family and friends.The pillow covers are from IKEA and I think the colors are nice with Phil's blue drum kit and the orange desk. The desk itself was an exciting find! We needed something big enough to hold music equipment (which is what will actually go there, not this tiny cat) but narrow enough to fit when the futon is unfolded. And I thought something wooden would look stodgy and not take advantage of the drums. We got a great deal on this Milo Baughman desk at an antique store, I still can't get over how cool it looks. The chrome "X" legs are perfect with the drums. When you come to stay you will sleep beneath the watchful eye of Isabella Rossellini, is that cool with you?Just for funsies, here's what the downstairs looked like before we moved in, to compare:The newly-painted orange bathroom from the previous post is the room that connects here--don't you want to come stay over now?

On this harvest moon: bathroom before & after

This is what the downstairs bathroom used to look like--green tile floor, white fixtures and that weird gold/silver combo that people do for hardware when they can't decide which will go better. My feelings? Neither one works, so knock it off already.The walls were a fetching shade of what I like to call "VA Hospital Green." Not sure if you can tell in this picture but the tub had slip-prevention sticky strips all over it and there was still a sticker on the side of tub from when it was installed too. The new tile we had installed really looked good but somehow managed to make the walls look even more sickly. The point is--none of this indicates actual, hard renovation work because the bathroom itself is brand-new. It was just ugly. So here's the before...And here's the after:Better, right? Just new paint and a couple other small changes. The paint is Benjamin Moore "Harvest Moon" in the Aura line, eggshell finish. The mirror is from IKEA--I tried to paint the one that was already in there black but it just looked bad. I'm not very careful around the edges apparently. Also the bathroom is tilted and a rectangular mirror just sort of made that more obvious. Phil said we should go round and I'm glad we did. I did end up painting the light fixture matte black--it was super shiny, reflective silver originally and just glared like crazy.
New shower curtain and all the hardware is just Target "oil-rubbed brass." It will oil-rub all over your hands while you install it, just FYI. And it requires the tiniest screwdrivers known to humankind to tighten it up. Poor Phil.The little plate above the toilet was something I found a couple years ago at an antique store. I wanted it for my scooter but it didn't fit so I just hung onto it...for this, I guess. Colette toilette!This bunny painting was actually the source of the bathroom color scheme--black, white, orange and cream. Also it looks like Mason Dixon so I had to get it.See?

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Animal

Someone set up his drums. The neighbors are gonna love this.