I shared over the weekend some of the projects I’d like to tackle in the back yard and I’m honestly getting really anxious to get some of the started. Mother Nature, on the other hand, has other ideas and so I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about what projects I’d like to tackle inside this spring and today I’d like to share some of those with you.
Before I get into the specific projects, I’ve been realizing lately that as we get deeper and deeper into the Coastal cottage project, I’m wanting for it more and more to be something completely different than our home here in central PA.
For years, we dreamed of beach living and wanted to bring our love for the DE coast home through colors, design elements, etc. Now that we have our dream cottage by the coast, and we are putting so much into the renovations and design, I really want it to feel like a vacation when we go, not merely an extension of our full time home.
Both homes need to feel like us, but as I look around our home I’m realizing that I’m ready to make some changes. I’ve actually been ready for a while but didn’t want to start any major projects at home over the holidays or make big decisions too soon and end up regretting my choices like I’m so prone to doing.
With so much going on with planning and designing (and working) at the beach house and juggling a busy shop, I decided to hold off until now and I think I’m moving in a different direction with my choices.
As I get older, I’m wanting more and more for our home to feel restful, comfortable and calming but also more timeless and classic. I’m tired of feeling pressured by trends that never last and never feel quite like us. Instead, I’m feeling the need to go more neutral with accents of color and pattern that can easily change with the season.
That brings me to project No. 1 – the Dining room.
Spring Plans for the Dining Room
As much as I love the bold color on the walls, it was a last-minute, rush decision and since I’ve been spending a lot of time in this room lately working on a big sewing project, I’m feeling like the room wants to be toned down.
I keep thinking that I am going to strip the brick back to its original color but recall that it had been painted long before we lived here when it was the exterior of the house. This might make stripping it more difficult and I may not be able to leave it natural anyway.
Either way, I’m considering a warm white with some kind of contrasting trim. Something more neutral that will allow me to really play up the decor and accents.
I’ve also been tossing around some ideas for swapping out the table to something smaller, getting a new rug and changing out the curtains at the doorway. I don’t have any design plans nailed down yet; these are just my preliminary thoughts.
Spring Plans for the Family Room
For the past 6-8 months, I’ve been toying around with the idea of changing out the stacked stone around the fireplace insert with some tile that has a more modern feel. Every time I start looking at tile options though, I get worried that if I go too modern or bold, I will end up hating it in a year and have to do it again.
While our homes do evolve over time, I feel like the stacked stone isn’t what is bothering me about the fireplace. It’s more of a classic look already. The colors are a perfect blend of cool grays and whites and softer tans and taupes that mix well with the warm, antique barn beam mantle and the cool blue-green walls.
Instead of changing out the stone surround, I think a bolder color for the wooden surround will do the trick. I have some ideas but I don’t want to share anything until I have a more solid plan in place.
Along with a painted surround, I’m also thinking that painting the walls and trim in the family room to something more neutral and soft will let the fireplace take center stage. I love the lighter walls and darker trim we did in our bedroom so I’m thinking something similar down here will give me the look I’m after.
Spring Plans for the Front Bedroom
Our second floor flooring project didn’t get completed last year. Between the unplanned porch project and buying the beach house, we put a lot of work around the house on hold. B informed me this past week that he wants to get the flooring installed in the front bedroom so now that room has also been on my mind.
It’s currently used as excess storage for the shop but lately I’ve been thinking about moving my vintage teacher’s desk up there as my office and moving some things around down here in the shop so it’s better suited for storage and order prep.
This is still very new in my mind so I don’t yet have much worked out as far as design or planning.
That’s it, three projects that will no doubt carry over into the summer too. I’m really looking forward to getting the flooring done upstairs (finally) and starting to make some small changes throughout the house.
What projects do you have going on inside your house this spring and summer?
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