The secret project progress unveiled.

I can finally reveal some of the progress made on the secret project I've been working on over the past few weeks. While it's not finished-finished, I thought I'd share my five favorites of the space to-date along with some insight into the looming checklist (read: my favorite part) that still needs to be completed. 

But first, a HUGE thanks to the Schullers for being patient, taking some chances and getting their hands dirty.


SIDE NOTE: My apologies for the poor photos. I'm hoping to take better ones as soon as I remember to bring my real camera. And maybe get some photography lessons from my other BFF, Michelle. And maybe get a new camera.


#1: The sitting room stencil work. 
 
I am officially IN LOVE with this room. Yes, it was the room with the most challenges (featured here and here), but I think that's why I'm most proud of it. With the room being smaller, narrow and filled with windows and doorways, it was just screaming for something to tie it all together. Meaning, the room needed something to make it feel more like a room and less like another hallway to the kitchen. To do this, we chose a taupey color (Benjamin Moore's Cedar Keys) to accent a pillow choice and the same white that the kitchen was painted in (Benjamin Moore's Simply White). While I second-guessed it at first (no idea why), all four walls were stenciled (with option 6), bringing the entire room together and making it a prominent eye-catcher as soon as you entered the house.

With the new floor plan, 5" white baseboards, some strategic bookshelf accessorizing, a wall shelf display and (maybe) a new light fixture, it's going to be the sitting room of all sitting rooms.

#2: The vaulted morning room ceiling.

Ok, so I didn't exactly love climbing up the ladder to actually paint the space BUT I did love that the vaulted ceilings allowed for a more dramatic wall color without closing in the space. For this we chose a bright blue (Benjamin Moore's Lakeside Cabin) that complemented the new wood floors and the family's already-owned bright white kitchen table and leather chairs.

Some simple artwork, a refinishing project for the already-owned chest (still TBD), a new light fixture (still TBD) and some minimal table accessories will complete the look.

Oh, and removing the kitchen stove and refrigerator. That'll help a little too.

#3: Dave's mad carpentry skills*.

 *with special thanks to Barry the Sander (get it?)

As mentioned in an earlier post, it's always best to keep the number of focal points in a room to one. So, to do this, we needed to combine both the fireplace and the entertainment center onto one wall (previously split into two). This required some handy work I was definitely not up but Dave graciously took on.

The walls were painted a warmer dark-but-not-too-dark gray (I can't remember the name right now) that brought out the richness of the new wood flooring and brought the whole downstairs together. The hallway was also painted this color to encourage continuity and create a sense of flow throughout the space.

The end result? A susinct focal point that will soon include some shorter Billys (also loved by Go Haus Go), a photo display and some accessorizing. An added bonus? A whole extra wall to place seating along and absolutely zero glare on the TV from the windows.

#4: The striped bathroom.

Mentioned in an earlier post (complete with how-to), I am very fond of little, tiny bathrooms filled with busy patterns and bright colors. So, when I saw that the Schullers downstairs came complete with a teeny, tiny bathroom I got really excited. We chose some bright aquas (Benjamin Moore's Florida Keys and Waterfall) and decided to give the space some vertical stripes, making it seem bigger and brighter.

Keeping the same fixtures in the space and adding a small amount of artwork will finish the look.

#5: The soon-to-be modern-yet-classic kitchen.

Now this is the spot I consider to be the most in-progress. First, we blank slated the kitchen by painting it white (Benjamin Moore's Simply White). This was vital to the downstairs design as the kitchen is the center point between all three rooms (morning, family and sitting room). This allowed us to break up the monotony by painting the other rooms three different colors without making the space feel too disconnected.

So what's next? A subway or glass tile (still TBD) back splash, some brushed nickel cabinet knobs, brushed nickel drawer pulls and eventual addition of an L-shaped island/breakfast bar that will (hopefully) be painted a complementary blue to the morning room, further connecting the two spaces.

I know what you're thinking. The cabinets could be painted to further modernize the space. However, 1) I kind of like the contrast between the dark floor and light cabinet finish and 2) I think the knobs and pulls will modernize them enough to look updated, especially with a new back splash and (eventual) painted L-shaped island/breakfast bar.

And thereyouhaveit! That's the top secret project mentioned in some previous posts and the latest thing I dove head first into. I hope that the Schullers are equally as happy with the space and can't wait for the next part of the project... accessorizing.

Oh, and my favorite part, making the final to-do/buy checklist which is already in progress because I couldn't wait any longer to start making.

Getting my stencil on.

Sitting room resolved! After confirming that the "piano" I thought I saw was actually a desk with one of those white wire shelves on top (pictured here - soooo embarrassing), we opted for a floorplan that created a sitting area great for making small talk or reading a good book. The chaise was a little bigger than I originally had the plans but I think the two bookcases will help soften the edges that don't exactly fit within the bay window.

NOTE: The bare wall in the bottom righthand corner will be used to display floating shelves, kid's artwork and some additional accessories currently TBD.

Now for the fun stuff! Since majority of the walls are either comprised of large floor-to-ceiling windows, bookshelves or a floating shelf and picture arrangement, it's not too huge of a risk to incorporate pattern on not one, not two, but all four of the walls. I know awesome, right?

To do this, I'm choosing to use an all-over wall stencil (also seen here in Jen's house) because I  1) can't stand the seams you get with wallpaper, 2) feel like I have more control over color choices and 3) like stenciling WAY more than wallpapering.

The pattern will need to be a lighter monochromatic in palette, larger in size and well defined to:

• prevent the smaller space from seeming too closed in
• play off the symmetry that's now been added to the space
• avoid looking too busy and overly decorated

I have all the colors narrowed down to Simply White (Benjamin Moore) and a soon-to-be-determined khaki color also in one of the pillows chosen for the space (great job, Chris!).

That leaves the stencil pattern still TBD. Now, I've "narrowed" it down with an etsy search to 9 different choices but am having trouble condensing any further before talking things through with the homeowners. Here's where I'm at, in no particular order:

option 1: taller pattern adding height, more open pattern,

blances boxiness of the chairs and bookshelves

(@ royal design studios)

option 2: very geometric, smaller pattern,

a little more neutral in terms of shape

(@ royal design studios)

option 3: very regal looking, a little more formal

(@ cutting edge stencils)

option 4: adding new shape to the room

(@ royal design studios)

option 5: compliments chair form,

curved edges play to chaise headrest, more open pattern

(@ royal design studio)

option 6: complimentary pattern to all furniture styles, a little more floral

(@ royal design studios)

option 7: more depth to pattern, same complimentary shape

(@ cutting edge stencils)

option 8: adds tons of texture, gives balance between two wall colors,

(@ royal design studios)

option 9: much larger design, larger gap in pattern, mimics dots on pillows

(@ cutting edge stencils)

I can honestly say I have no idea which one to recommend. Turns out, with the room balanced in terms of layout and shape, there isn't necessarily a need for one type of pattern over the other. I think the final decision will come down to comfort level, actual contrast in paint color and what the homeowners consider most relaxing or calming. Stay tuned!

Jen and Chad's place: wall stenciling

After enjoying a nice relaxing weekend at my parent's house in Cleveland, I headed back to Cincinnati to enjoy a nerve-wracking, full-of-work night at my BFF Jen's place. A big thanks to her boyf Chad for 1) trying out the first stencil until we figured out what we could use to stand on and 2) making us pizza which was absolutely delish.

Anyway, while it took at least 3 hours  to complete (minus the time it took to wait for Chad's dad to drive down the spray adhesive, oops) but I have to say - totally worth it.

Step one: the idea and color
To start off, we used Jen's wallpaper pinterest post as inspiration. While I like wallpaper, Jen and Chad are thinking of eventually putting the condo up on the market so we wanted to go with something less permanent. This way, it would be much easier for potential buyers to remove it if the style doesn't suit their taste (although I can't see why it wouldn't).

Then, we went on the hunt (as mentioned in this post) to find the perfect pillow fabric that we eventually found paint to match to. We chose a taupey-gray for the primary color and a chartreuse green for the stencil color. This color combo will add a hint of drama that has a little softer of an edge than your typical black and white. Again, I highly recommend choosing the fabrics first because, as we quickly found out, it's can be way more difficult to find a fabric you like than finding the paint to match.

Step two: buy the stencil
If you Google "wall stencil" you will get millions of search results to peruse the offerings. We wanted to keep the pattern boy-friendly and relatively simple since the rest of the room's decor was the same way. This helped balance out the room's focal point, adding interest but not taking away from the rest of the room as well. We ended up going with this pattern (also shown in another pinterest inspiration photo seen here). The stencil was a little pricey ($20 + $10 shipping and handling) but the material used for the stencil was thick, making it pretty easy to use. True to our luck, there was a smal tear in the stencil itself that we were able to tape up and fix however, we are hoping a photo of the damage can be used to get some $$ refunded.

Step three: stencil!
The included stencil how-to suggested that we place the stencil at the very top middle of the area we were planning on stenciling. As mentioned before, since this was out of arm's reach, we had Chad help (thanks Chad!) us until we could figure out a plan to let him off the hook.

After agreeing to place a blanket over the newly stained tv stand (photos to come), we soon started getting into a groove. Here's the how-to highlights:

1. Figure out which is the front and which is the back of the stencil (typically represented by numbers of letters). Then, spray adhese the back with repositionable spray adhesive. This. was. clutch. Be sure to put on a good first coat, and continue to reapply every other time you stencil.
2. Place the stencil in the top middle of the wall you'll be stenciling, finishing one side and then the other. Be sure to paint over the place markers so you can line up the stencil accordingly to keep the pattern consistent. At first we used a pencil thinking we could just erase, but since the wall was dark gray (duh!) we quickly changed to painting over the marker so we could see better.
3. Then, evenly coat a small foam roller with paint. Not too much, not too little (make sure you can still see the details in the foam material). You will likely need to reapply paint 2-3 times per stencil, but this will keep the paint from bleeding through, giving you a nice, crisp stencil.
4. After applying an even coat, peel off the stencil from bottom to top. I'm not 100% sure, but I believe this also helps the bleeding through the stencil.
5. Wipe off the back with a damp paper towel, find your place markers and repeat.

TIP: Make sure one of you has good eyes for lining up the markers. Also, make sure one of you isn't afraid of heights for the high application. A big thanks to Jen, for being both of those people :)

Step four: touchups and wall decor (still to do)

Never expecting to be perfect, the final step to this process is going through the wall and touching up where needed with the gray or chartreuse paint. Specific areas: the corners, edges, place markers and smudged areas. I'm guessing this won't take too long - there were only a few areas where this was the case.

Also, notice the removal of the dated mantel shelf? It's looking so much more modern already! This did however, cause us to add "searching for new fireplace shelf" to the to do list. But, like the stencil, totally worth it in the long run.

Step five: check it off the list!
So where are we at?

To Buy
- fireplace wall stencil (purchased!)
- spray/paint for "bookshelves" (maybe already have)
- spray/paint for coffee table (painting chartruese tonight)
- plant for large pot (maybe someone will donate!)
- black frame for Cape Cod photo for travel wall
- wood planks for "bookshelves" (Chad's dad is on the project)
- long pair of curtains for sofa wall (Ikea or Ikea? Or maybe already Jen has?)
- material for fireplace hearth (still investigating options...)
- sliding glass door blinds/panels (still investigating options...)
- ADDED: fireplace shelf (investigating options...)

To Find
- 3 decorative frames for "bookshelves" (Chad's dad is on the project)
- large vases for fireplace mantle (maybe Jen already has?)
- small shelf for bar wall (TBD)

To DIY
- stain TV stand
- stencil pattern on fireplace wall
- make "bookshelves" (Chad's dad is on the project)
- spray large vases white
- spray/paint coffee table (Monday)
- stain/paint wine crates for bar wall (TBD)
- paint bar wall (TBD)