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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 17 of 17. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Dinah on May 7, 2006, at 20:11:28
Whether we move or stay, I've got interior decoration in my future, and I'm more than a bit intimidated.
I just watched a couple of A&E shows, and I'm even more intimidated.
I can just picture my taste as the "before". :(
My house is still mostly in the paint and wallpaper it had when we moved in over fourteen years ago. She did such a nice job. Better than I could do. I kept swearing I was going to take down the decoy duck wallpaper, but it was brand new and it seemed so wasteful. And if you squinted, you hardly noticed the theme...
And we'll have to do it all ourselves, if we stay here, for obvious reasons. Hmmm... maybe I'll live with the decoy duck wallpaper a few more years.
Posted by Tabitha on May 7, 2006, at 22:13:47
In reply to Intimidated by decorating, posted by Dinah on May 7, 2006, at 20:11:28
Just pretend the decoy duck wallpaper is meant to be ironic retro-chic.
I had a decoy duck phone once. It quacked when it rang. The creepy/weird part was that it had red LED eyes that glowed. What kind of duck has glowing red eyes? A devil-woshipping duck, probably.
Posted by Phillipa on May 7, 2006, at 23:22:47
In reply to Re: Intimidated by decorating, posted by Tabitha on May 7, 2006, at 22:13:47
I know the feeling. Hadn't changed colors in years. When we moved everything changed. Wasn' that hard if I can do it so can you. First off wallpaper is out of vogue in most parts of the house except maybe the bathroom. Different colored walls in the same room are in. Suttle changes. I still like same colored rooms. My favorite is a sponge painted green my husband did and then faux painting in the masterbath. One step at a time. Small room first. Get a book on painint interior at Lowes. Love Phippipa
Posted by MidnightBlue on May 8, 2006, at 0:31:25
In reply to Intimidated by decorating, posted by Dinah on May 7, 2006, at 20:11:28
Dinah,
I LOVE decorating. The main thing is to do something YOU (and your husband within limits) likes! It doesn't matter if it is the new, hip, hot thing to do.
I do think "good taste" matters. But even that is just my opinion. Whether you stay or go, do it the way YOU want it to be. And for what it is worth, light and bright helps elevate mood. And blues and greens are nice and calming.
Midnightblue
Posted by Dinah on May 8, 2006, at 2:12:45
In reply to Re: Intimidated by decorating, posted by Tabitha on May 7, 2006, at 22:13:47
Scary! :)
It really is a pretty color scheme and nice wallpaper. Sort of heavy cream and hunter (naturally) green. I just do a lot of squinting.
Posted by Dinah on May 8, 2006, at 2:16:46
In reply to Re: Intimidated by decorating, posted by Phillipa on May 7, 2006, at 23:22:47
That's what I need to do. Hang out at Lowes or Home Depot and look around. We tried a couple of times to take down the wallpaper in the bathrooms, because I'm a huge fan of paint - for various reasons, not least the fact that mold can hide under wallpaper.
But I discovered to my horror that there aren't real looking walls under there. Or at least they aren't finished.
I'm so horribly naive about houses. I was horrified when my husband showed me that you could just unscrew a light switch plate and take it off. I had somehow assumed my house was whole, and you just couldn't get in the walls that easily. It was a disillusioning moment. :)
Posted by Dinah on May 8, 2006, at 2:35:11
In reply to Re: Intimidated by decorating » Dinah, posted by MidnightBlue on May 8, 2006, at 0:31:25
I love indoor wall painting. :) Spreading on that lovely new coat and seeing old dinginess and imperfections magically disappear. I love mowing the lawn for the same reason. Instant results. Ceiling or outdoor eave painting makes me sick and dizzy. Although I'm determined to do it sometime soon, and replace those pesky screens to vent the attic with real vents.
It's picking out the color schemes and matching them with anything but bedding that scares me. So bedrooms I can do with confidence. I've got a unifying theme.
Would that other rooms came equipped with bedding. :)
I love light colors for walls, and my preference tends to run to light pastels in edible looking colors. Pastel rosy peach or plum. And tons and tons of light.
Right now our living room is decorated in "kid". I splurged years ago and got my son two Thomas the Tank Engine tables that stay in there. Over the years they migrated into Lego tables. And it's a constant battle to keep them from turning into towering, teetering, piles of toys tables. One of them has to go. I want to reclaim a portion of the room for the grownups.
I wish I were the handy sort. I'd love to put up molding in the bedrooms.
And I want to create conversational areas in the backyard, if that makes any sense. My son doesn't play out there at all, and I remember with fondness my parent's backyard with the wooden swing, and the picnic area, and the couple of areas with a few outdoor chairs.
No wonder I want a sabbatical. :) I'm belatedly getting nesting urges. Now as I'm reaching the end of my reproductive years. Go figure.
Posted by Phillipa on May 8, 2006, at 20:39:33
In reply to Re: Intimidated by decorating » MidnightBlue, posted by Dinah on May 8, 2006, at 2:35:11
Dinah that's natural. Now is a new part of life. Not so much centered around kids. And they have a computer paint program at Lowes, Home Depot. You put it in your computer easy and it lets you select wall colors and you get to paint the walls in all rooms a variety of colors. And if you are truly advertursome. You can take pictures of your rooms and add that to the computer program and paint your walls on the computer. It's fun too. Hope this helps. Love Phillipa
Posted by fairywings on May 8, 2006, at 23:50:10
In reply to Re: Intimidated by decorating, posted by Phillipa on May 7, 2006, at 23:22:47
When we moved I had our den painted red - I always wanted a red room, and it's a shade I love - this was the perfect room. (the furniture still sits in the garage waiting to be painted.....two years later) We had the kids rooms painted different shades of blue, their bathroom was wallpapered - one I fell in love with. I painted the powder room a nice shade of hmmmm...mossy green? and then .....nothing! No inspiration - nothing.
My older daughter can't stand it that we haven't done anything else, but it's expensive, and what if I don't like it once it's done?! I had our bathroom painted a shade of green I hated, and had to have it repainted - that was a bit traumatic.
Does it ever just "hit" you what needs to be done in a particular room? You know, inspiration? That's the only way I can seem to go forward. I hope you can find something that works for you....whether it's where you are or in a new house.
fw
Posted by Phillipa on May 9, 2006, at 0:02:31
In reply to Re: Intimidated by decorating » Dinah, posted by Phillipa on May 8, 2006, at 20:39:33
FW besides the computer program only a few dollars to show you how a paint color will look in a room they also see small jars of paint colors enough to paint a small part of a room. that way if you don't like it you haven't wasted money. Three colors in the computer room then we went to Sherwin Willisms their paint is superior in my opinion. And colors are more true to life and they have samples too. hope this helps Love Phillipa
Posted by Dinah on May 9, 2006, at 7:56:58
In reply to Re: Intimidated by decorating » Phillipa, posted by Phillipa on May 9, 2006, at 0:02:31
That sounds like a fun program.
I kind of got overwhelmed and decided to put it away for a while. Too many changes. Too many things for me to do.
But when I do have the courage, I'll look at that program.
Posted by annierose on May 9, 2006, at 19:30:53
In reply to Re: Intimidated by decorating, posted by Dinah on May 9, 2006, at 7:56:58
Dinah -
I know the stores and such have not all re-opened, but in time ....
Anyway, most major furniture stores offer FREE design services. We are in the midst of re-doing our bedroom that had this UGLY wallpaper, UGLY window treatment, UGLY built-ins --- you got the picture. I like using this one major dept store person. He comes to our home (for no additional money) and also helps with purchases that he cannot sell (like paint color). Most important, you find someone that understands your vision, your budget and style.
Good Luck.
Posted by crazy teresa on May 10, 2006, at 17:55:44
In reply to Re: Intimidated by decorating » Dinah, posted by Phillipa on May 8, 2006, at 20:39:33
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/wrapper_pcv.asp?L=owner&K=intproj&N=intproj
It lets you paint the walls different colors. You can also purchase this program and download your own pictures to paint.
Posted by Phillipa on May 10, 2006, at 18:02:06
In reply to Here's a link that could help: » Phillipa, posted by crazy teresa on May 10, 2006, at 17:55:44
Yup same as the one from Lowe's only Banjamin Moore is definiely superior paint. Thats what we finally choose to paint with. The colors are truer and shinery than Lowes and only one coat is needed. Love Phillipa
Posted by Phillipa on May 10, 2006, at 18:06:04
In reply to Here's a link that could help: » Phillipa, posted by crazy teresa on May 10, 2006, at 17:55:44
Crazy T I think the one at Lowes was only $6.00. Home Depot has one too. Love Phillipa
Posted by crazy teresa on May 10, 2006, at 19:44:25
In reply to Re: Here's a link that could help: » crazy teresa, posted by Phillipa on May 10, 2006, at 18:02:06
We sell Ben. Moore at the store where I work. I was amazed by the quality once I used it at home. I had always used cheap paint before. And no, I don't get commission! ;~} It's just good stuff.
Posted by Phillipa on May 10, 2006, at 22:15:51
In reply to Re: Here's a link that could help: » Phillipa, posted by crazy teresa on May 10, 2006, at 19:44:25
Sorry about the above way up it was Benjamim Moore not Sherwin Williams. Love Phillipa
This is the end of the thread.
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