2011 Home Goals

I have a few goals I want to accomplish inside my house this year before summer arrives. I hope to do some major projects outside once spring comes around. There are things I'd like to do in every room of my house but I'm focusing on five areas for now.

1. My office.

Honestly, this was organized before Christmas! My husband has built a new cabinet and will finish bookshelves to go on each side of it very soon. (I hope!) We have so many books. It's really time to go through them and reduce. I have a great desk chair that my daughter currently has in her apartment but shall be returning home to me as soon as I finish painting a new chair for her. The desk is bird's eye maple made by my husband that I adore-the desk-no, I mean, my husband. Actually, I adore them both! Lamps, I love. They'll stay. Paint color, I love.  I'll reupholster a cute little chair that's currently in the basement, add some matching window treatments, do a little organizing. Done.

2. Paint two remaining brass fixtures. This will be done by tomorrow. It's so quick and easy. I just want these...

to look like these.

3. Kitchen.

Despite my commitment phobia, I'm adding a tile back splash. I'll keep it simple and classic. I'm trying to layer my decor. I tend to like things simple and uncluttered (pretend you didn't see the picture of my office) but I need to add some depth. To that end, I'm adding bamboo Roman shades to the window.


4. Living Room
Ok, remember my leather table? It's brown. The other tables are not; They need to be.

This hanging vase/candle holder was above the mantel but the proportions were all wrong. There was a mirror here which was nice for taking a quick peek at my cute little face before heading out the door. Don't worry, I'll survive; I'm putting that mirror over the mantel. I'll just need to make a quick swing around to the other side of the room.

Anyway, I'll strip and stain these two tables a dark maple espresso kinda color.

Mirror will go here. The bricks will be painted white. What was I thinking with the yellow? Also the bottom part of the back of the fireplace will be painted white.

I think the bottom half should be white. Don't you? See that mirror on the left side poking out. I'm going to paint it with blackboard paint. It's just too close to the mirror over the mantel. I like looking at myself but it will be a little too "house of mirror-ish".

5. Family Room.
This is our major project. This room requires a little construction, new furniture and a flat-screen television. It's going to be a slow row to hoe. This room has always driven me crazy. It's big but poorly designed. Plus, Hubby likes his recliner off in the corner...he's not a big TV fan. I could never figure out how to fix this room without major renovating. In a moment of clarity, it hit me! A solution! As long as I could move eliminate that darn recliner. Hooray for me! I finally convinced him to move it. How could he refuse, after seeing how excited I was. The TV is on the built-in cabinet but only people sitting on the sofa can see it. The rockers need to be turned around to see the TV-a major pain. 

This is one end of the room.

 Behind the bi-fold doors is my laundry room. Behind the other door is a bathroom. Here's my solution. Ready? Remove the bi-fold, replace with a regular door. That will give me about 6+' between them where I'll put a console table with flat screen, yeah baby!
Like this...

Picture two leather chairs facing that wall.

I'll keep one rocker in the room. (Hubby made them and I love them). It will stay down by the bathroom door.

Here's the other end.

With the chair gone, I can swing the table around so it's parallel to the door. Yeah! Here's what I have in mind for above the table.

Love the lanterns hanging on the ladder. It's Pottery Barn but I'll have no problem knocking it off! We'll build a mantel around the pellet stove.

Something like this.

Get rid of the RED sofa, green bench and dining chairs. Replace sofa with something like this Crate and Barrel sofa...

and dining chairs with these.

Replace of the PLAID valances with the window treatment Sherry and John used at Young House Love.

Shades are places high above the windows to give the illusion of a much larger window.
Re-paint the YELLOWY-GOLD walls with something more muted and paint the built-in cabinets white!!! That's all. Can't be too hard! Follow me and watch my progress!!
I'm linking this to The Nesters Home Goals Party.