Guest Bedroom/Library

On a Safari

Published on March 26, 2013March 26, 2013 by Our Humble Abode13 Comments

Okay, this should be the last of the guest room/Handy Sammy’s room chronicles. Why? Because Ben installed the trim and I got it and the walls painted. Meaning, this room is finito. At least for a while. After much debate and help from you, we settled on Safari from Benjamin Moore, color matched to Glidden Duo.

Ben said the darker color, Honeymoon, looked like (and I quote) “calf scours.” No cow poop on the walls, thank you. Lighter Safari it is. Though the color is a tad brighter than I expected.

Ben and I are happy with it, but more importantly, Handy Sammy likes it. But, it is fun and warm. Still dark enough to make the trim stand out.

Speaking of trim, I painted it off-the-shelf white Glidden Duo in eggshell. Then gave Frog Tape a chance for redemption by taping off the trim before painting the walls. And I cringed while doing so, because I had painted the trim the day before. But, I also used the Duo to paint the bookshelves, and it seemed to harden quicker and be more durable than regular Glidden.

Wouldn’t ya know it, I made it through the entire painting process without one swear word. Yes, the tape came off clean without tearing off the trim paint. Hallelujah. Maybe the paint and primer combo helped. Or the lower sheen could have been a factor. I probably pressed lighter on the tape, too. Whatever the reason, I’m happy. This is probably the most accurate picture showing the color as it is in the room.

Because I already had the pictures down, I filled the nail holes. The bird, tree, and feather gallery wall fits well in the room (covering the old sconce covers), so I think I’ll rehang it.

I asked Handy Sammy his opinions but he wasn’t much help. He said having a comfy bed and place to relax was all he needed. What do you think? Rehang the gallery wall, or go with something new? What do you think of the color?

Tray Chic

Published on March 22, 2013March 22, 2013 by Our Humble Abode14 Comments

I’m sure you’re getting sick of posts about the guest room, but I’m so excited to have a room to decorate. And tweak and perfect. New green accents are a great burst of color, but I wanted more. For handy storage, I made another storage box, this time green with navy accents and an octagon tray.

For $2.49 from Hobby Lobby, I think this little two-tone tray is down right cheerful. Navy diagonal stripes on the box lid are youthful (perfect for a 19-year-old boy) and tie into the other navy elements.

Even more greenery in the form of a fake succulent (perfect for a room with little natural light) nestled in a spray painted glass jar. Here’s a tip, get a glossy outside by painting the inside of glass vessels.

Fingers crossed we’ll install trim in here this weekend. After painting it, we can finally paint the walls. I’m almost positive we’ve settled on Safari by Benjamin Moore (the top, light sample).

It is more pale than I originally planned for, but I think it should work well. There’s enough orange to keep it from turning lime green under the bluish CFL lighting, but still looks yellow. Although I should admit I’m still yearning for a darker warm gold like Honeymoon. A chip close to the light switch nearly blends in with the color I originally wanted. I’m apprehensive to go with the darker color because I’ve struck out my last four attempts.

Which would you choose? The lighter, safer option or the darker that is close to the original vision?

Rope and Ribbon Pendant

Published on March 21, 2013March 21, 2013 by Our Humble Abode12 Comments

Well, the guest room has a new light fixture. Surprise, it’s not on this list, though I was leaning toward numbers two and five. But I remembered I had a lamp shade I kept when our lamps broke. I unscrewed the glass cover and hung the shade from the old light, just to get an idea of how it looked.

Too small, and I didn’t like the slightly tapered shape. I took a drum shade off a lamp in the basement, replacing it with the tapered shade. Whaddya know, they were perfect for each other.

Knowing I liked the look and size, I started working on the wiring and hanging. Inspired by this cord cover up, I got out an Ikea cord kit (I had on hand) and cotton/poly rope from Home Depot (for 3 bucks).

A knot at the bottom, close to the socket to start. Then I wrapped the cord like a friendship bracelet. Behind the cord, then through the hole from the front. Not only does this wrap cover the cord, it makes a neat swirl knot design.

Ben hung the light last night using a basic ceiling canopy. The plain shade was boring, so I taped two pieces of wood veneer around the top and bottom.

Everything looked too monotone, so I stole pillows from other rooms to test accent colors. I loved the punch of green this one added. Imagine yellow walls with the dark blue headboard and shots of bright green. Yes, please!

Which prompted me to dig in my ribbon box, coming out with kelly green.

Exactly what I want. Fun, colorful, and lively. Green has a way of perking up any space. To evenly distribute the lively green I want to make another storage box. Luckily the navy set will work perfectly in the main bathroom.

Because I had most of the supplies already, the light cost me $3 for the rope. Score. And you know I can’t resist a DIY. Double score. What do you think of the changes?

Loaded & Headed

Published on March 20, 2013March 26, 2013 by Our Humble Abode25 Comments

Progress has been made in the guest/Handy Sammy’s room. The shelves have been reconfigured, curtains sewn, storage boxes made, storage needs assessed, and mini dresser refinished. Taking the room from dark:

To this brighter space:

Now to an almost finished room:

After clearing off the shelves, I edited the accessories, keeping only favorites and books. Last week the shelves fully dried and I loaded everything back on.

Organizing books into genres, then arranged by color (ROYGBIV with white, gray and black at the end) makes it easy to find what we’re looking for.

Magazines organized by month in files at the bottom.

On the other side, Handy Sammy has four shelves (the vase, frame, and plant can easily be cleared) to store school books and papers, chargers, and his laptop. A shelf at bed height also doubles as a night stand.

I’m guessing you noticed the blue headboard, too. We thought about upholstering with a fun fabric, but the books and accessories on the shelves are already kind of busy for the small room. And we didn’t want to lose precious space, even if it is only a few inches. In this room, every inch counts.

Solid color seemed the best fit for the room. I bought two yards of navy linen, brought it home and didn’t like it. Too blue. Then I heard our local Ace Hardware stores were giving free quarts of Clark + Kensington paint away one day only. I chose a dark blue-green color (King’s Canyon), not knowing what I’d use it for. Once I held the swatch up in the room, it seemed perfect for the headboard. 1/4 inch MDF is light weight and super thin, so I painted a few coats. Ben hung it last night, covering the edges with pre-painted quarter round trim.

And he installed the second sconce we had ordered.

Making this little nook inviting and useful.

Next up, hang a light fixture. Surprise, it’s a DIY creation I discovered yesterday. Soon we will install crown molding, baseboard, and door trim. Paint on the trim, ceiling, and walls (I’m STILL looking for the perfect color), we can call this room done. Wow, this room is actually going quickly.

Semi Flush

Published on March 15, 2013March 15, 2013 by Our Humble Abode23 Comments

In addition to looking for a not too green or orange yellow paint, I’m searching for the Goldilocks of semi flush lights for the guest room. Here are my top six:1. Kenroy Home Whistler

2. Livex Park Ridge

3. Possini Double Organza

4. Galaxy Chadwick

5. Designers Fountain Cordova

6. Soho Polished Chrome

All have diffused light with a close to the ceiling drop. Some are more simple. But I’m not sure which I like best. Or if any of these are the one. Care to cast your vote? Or nominate a different light? Of course there’s always a DIY option.