whynottryit

Personally, whenever someone mentions a particular regions style, my first question is when? If the answer is during this decade, my response is "builder friendly". Regardless of the area, unless the price range is upper echelon, the typical style is whatever cookie cutter design the builder has found easy and cost efficient to use. Unfortunately, this attitude translates into many interiors as well, especially since the builder typically choses those items as well. If the time frame goes back five to six decades, the styles would exude more regional taste and uniqueness. Sadly, the "global" world has fused styles, particularly in the US, to the point that it is difficult to look at modern homes and place them in their environment.

Arch Digest had the Bush's ranch in their last issue, it is what every Texan would feel right at home in. We like layering, rugs on the floor, tile or wood floors, comfortable tables and chairs. Yes every true Texan has a star of some kind along with our Grandmothers soapbox glasses. Mexican decor fits right in, we love their adobe bricks, silver frames and hand blown glass. Most of all we love to make people feel comfortable when they visit. Whether it's iced tea and sandwiches or coffee and pecan pie a true Texan will always love to visit with you.

I like the green idea too but I would put the paint on the walls instead of the cabinets. The wood cabinets will give you warmth in the room, and the white countertop will contrast beautifully with the green. You might want to consider some glass doorfronts in some of your upper cabinets to give some added depth. Particularly from the second picture angle, I think an expanse of white upper cabinets, counter top and wall would be a bit much.

Or you could try white and red! :D Or white and green with red accent pieces on the counters.

You have a pretty neutral slate, so it is really about your preference. If you went with a bold color for the cabinets, stick to keeping it on the lower cabinets, that way it isn't overkill since the space is a little tight. The red is beautiful, but here are some other colors you could do too. The gray in the laundry room attached is more of what we call a "greige" where it is a taupe-gray. May work well with the neutrals in your kitchen floor. Hope this helps and good luck! -Chelsea Construction
South Orange Grove 1
San Pasqual
South Orange Grove 2

The most important comment you have made regarding your couch is that you "fell in love" with it. So go with your gut. Don't play it safe. Go big and bold. Just remember, balance, texture, and in this case, fun! I can see it playing well in a tropical scene, or maybe Moroccan or even British India. But mostly, I see you making more fun quirky finds and just having fun with it. Don't get waylaid by "safe" choices. Your instincts will guide you to what YOU love. They obviously already have.

Your rug sample is a perfect start. You are probably going to be looking for second hand ottomans - if you like the shape and price, look for fabric remants and most can be easily recovered. Good luck.

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Similar color scheme but more traditional styling.

gray horse wall paint

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Last one... This is gray horse paint as well and look how well the wood beams (the color of your furniture or close) works with it. I also love the sage sofas that could transfer into the textiles for your bedroom. You really don't have a dilemma...you have a gem of a project started. :)

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What color bedding, drapes, etc., did you initially plan to go in there?

a grayed green or sage green would tone down the furniture.

If you're going to change curtains anyway, why not give her the lime on the window wall. On a personal note, my mother was a very wise woman. She taught me so much by letting me do things. From the time I was old enough to voice an opinion, she allowed me to decorate my room the way I wanted (within budget restraints, of course). My room was my haven and reflected my tastes at the time. I went a high gloss red and black phase, a pink and green phase, and even decorated doors to some built-ins by cutting out newspaper print and covering the doors with it.

All that to say, let her do it her way. She'll learn some important lessons; her confidence in herself will soar; and you'll be the coolest mom ever. What do you have to lose?

I was staring at the bedspread and had an epiphany for the windows. If you look at the owl just right, you can almost see it as a window treatment. Valances and sides in a printed gold, sheers in the pink and the green on the wall. Now that would have me "hooting"!!!!

Genevieve, I love that green and black bedroom. I've seen that bedroom before and just love it.

I like the existing curtains, too, but I think my daughter is wanting a big change. Her room is on the east side. The "room darkening" blinds aren't very room darkening. I added room darkening fabric to those curtains. She leaves them open for school mornings, but likes to pull them closed on the weekend so she can sleep in.

I'm going to wait until she gets home this weekend and we can discuss it. She played a major role in her bathroom remodel and I'll let her do that again in her room. However, I would like to keep things a little more neutral this time so it's easier and less expensive to change when she's tired of it.

A lime green ceiling is a bit too much for me and I don't think she would go for it, either. There's a black corner computer desk where the chest is in the pic I posted. I'd post a pic of it, but I haven't gotten her room camera ready yet. LOL! I just thought it might look odd with the window wall lime green and the other wall white with a black desk in the middle.

These curtains come in bright orange, too! Oh, my!

Love the orange! :)

Now THAT's the picture to go on your wall. Get a great shot of your own 'gator!

Good morning chook ;0), sometimes it seems like I am married to a chair, when I am speaking to him. I think it must be a husband condition and it's called "selective hearing" ;0(.

I found Grover's chair!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! http://www.villavici.com/product/32327?category_id=589

Check out this ideabook from Houzz that appeared a while back. There are several ideas that I think could work for you. I hate the idea of hiding that gorgeous rug and you have chosen some spectacular pieces and color combinations already. With two seven year olds, I would totally stay away from anything glass. Setting aside the safety factor, you're going to have a minute by minute problem with little handprints. I made the mistake of having a glass top dining table when my kids were young and I swore never again. Using a cluster of small tables seems like a great solution for you since you can move them around and space them appropriate to allow that rug to shine. Hope this helps.

Oh my, I love that room! I dig the weathered wood tables P Marie posted, and I've also seen acrylic tables that would both let the color of the rug remain the center of attention, while also being kid-friendly. ;)
http://www.cb2.com/peekaboo-clear-coffee-table/f699

I'd stick with a glass top so you can enjoy the rug design all the time...like looking at a painting.

@daffodilmama...and others: "authentic" Shabby Chic to me is taking those yard sale and flea market finds and restoring them back to their former place of glory regardless of the nicks and stresses of previous use. For that reason, I think Shabby Chic has encouraged many people to "recycle" old furniture and forego that "first world" attitude of throw away furniture. For that, we should be thankful.

My problem with the misuse of the style is, as others have mentioned, the poorly made reproductions of "distressed" furniture that seems pervasive in many areas. I have several pieces of my parents that come from their "early marriage" days and would not change anything about them. I see their lives in those nicks and dinks. That to me is the essence of what Shabby Chic is about. I don't like slipcovers or ruffles or pastels but can understand that some do and that's just fine. This style, as with any style really, should be an outgrowth of a family's personal experiences not a blueprint to be replicated piece by piece as though for a designer showcase home. There is nothing personal or emotional or comforting in a showcase.

@Colleen Rockwell. Thanks!!

Not my thing..but really nicely done...and the chandy in the living room...whew- LOVE IT!

Yes.

why not try it? jk... thanks for the advise!!!

lol...you're welcome...just been there done that one and three is definitely a crowd when it comes to exteriors - unless of course it's the front door.

Have attempted to read all posts but I may have missed someone suggesting this already. Have you considered swapping the FP screen/insert for something like stainless steel or anything lighter than the black that is in there? Even with painting the brick (which I would have a real hard time convincing myself to do), I think you're going to still have a large "black hole" there. With the way that brick wraps around into the kitchen, I would think you'd need to paint there as well and, frankly, I'm not sure if the result will be worth it. There are many other ways, as have been mentioned above, to achieve a lighter look in your room and, personally, I would try that before thinking about painting the brick.

Painting paneling is almost as hard to do as well. I would suggest pulling off the paneling and replacing with drywall or even beadboard rather than all doing all the prep work that will be required to paint paneling. I've tried to paint over paneling and I can tell you from experience, it's not as easy as HGTV and the Property Brothers make it look. If the surface is not sanded and prepped exactly, the paint will also have a tendency to peel and slip quite easily. Definitely not something I would recommend unless you are or have a professional on call. Good luck.

suekat, I think some others have mentioned removing the fan. Personally, I can't think of a better invention than the ceiling fan for warm weather. True that style is dated, but if the light were removed, a cap put on and lamps were used (most people don't use overhead lights in the living room) I think they'd get the most bang for their buck. The fan blades can also be changed or painted if they preferred.

Definitely white wash the brick it'll make the room pop. But I wouldn't paint over wood. Ever!! My father has been a professional wood worker for over 30 years. I would just stain the wood a little darker and the with the brick white washed, it'll look amazing! Good luck

Just a few options for the console table since you didn't use your horse picture.
[houzz=Old World Ceramic Horse with Base]
[houzz=Uttermost Coral Horse Sculpture 19877]
[houzz=Design Toscano Racing the Wind Wild Horse Statue]

Michaels is okay when they go on sale which they do often and it's 50%. The issue I have with that store is I don't like their florals or much else. Moss or stick type branches are okay but their silk flowers don't seem believable? Pier 1 gets pricey with their branches as well. I do like the preserved. I thought I was going to try and make the arrangement with the flowers I have and the willow branches?

Another floral link http://www.aldikhome.com/

Oh, one more thing, I was looking at the pics on the left of the fireplace. Have you considered using orange mats the color of your shelving to bring your orange over that side? I wouldn't paint either. You've got the pieces it's just a matter of details.

Lamp looks like it belongs now and the chairs look sooo much better!

With the chairs so close to the coffee table, do you actually need the small table between the chairs? Is its function necessary? If not, you could move it and use the coffee table for drinks, etc.

Ermmm, I think I'm going to respectfully disagree re: chandelier/fan. Form, in my opinion, should follow function and I'm not sure I understand the function for either. As for a valance over the windows, again, function? This room seems to give a transitional/modern (though not MCM) vibe that begs clean lines and not so much fussiness. Covering that window, I think, would really negate much of that feeling. I love the light it adds to the room as well as the architectural interest.

Ohhh....noooo...love that orange! I think you just need more of it. Not much more but one more area to complete the flow. The orange is what lifts the room from the cookie cutter to the personal, from anyone's to your own personality. Think in triangles for color just as triangles in the kitchen. One more pop of orange and your triangle will be completed.

I would reverse the position of the couch and the chairs...make the space feel more open with a 'open sit and chat' feel instead of a visual barrier of a couch back (think Feng Shui). As well, you need some sort of long narrow drape that mounted on mini-rods at each side of the large window. A color like you purples or orangey tones (or a combination of both) sitting behind your neutral couch would help connect the newly arranged furniture (chairs away from the window). You also could then change the blinds to a more contemporary tight woven solar screen shade in a neutral tone; right now the wood tone is too dominant and doesn't quite fit with the rest of your color scheme.

Hope this helps!!

In case you're interested the art all came from etsy.com

@glschisler, the large exterior plate glass windows in the great room face south. Any thoughts about that?

@Natalie, that's funny, my wife and I picked this exact color and saved this very photo in an idea book if, in fact, we do end up pulling the trigger on darker ceilings. I've never used Benjamin Moore paint before, but it seems like they have some really great colors.

On seeing the Jane Lockhart picture and your response to it, I am wondering if you should replicate that idea. You could use a lot of white around the edges and place the charcoal in the center with some sort of unusual shape. Something with curves to smooth out all the angles or if you want to accentuate the existing angles perhaps squares that mimic the cut outs of the room. This way you get the drama of the dark ceiling without the heaviness it may cause.

Speaking for the wives of the world, I want my own! Give me a place to have the ladies over for movies and cocktails, comfortable and airy, chic with a touch of bling. No woman wants to share a man cave with the boys. Girls just want a place of their own!

What are the room dimensions?

Why can't you modify slightly - less dark and masculine, more neutral so you can both enjoy the cozy cinema room.

Well, Mark, if you love stuffed polar bears, have I got the place for you! My daughter's FIL is a taxidermist. Their house is filled with stuffed deer heads, pheasants, and even a standing turkey. Eight deer heads in one room. My daughter started putting Santa hats on them at Christmas. I rarely go there because it is soooo very creepy to have all those Bambi eyes looking at you. Each to his own, I guess, but put me down as a "no" on the polar bears. :)

3 to 3 now.

Where do the pot plants come into it?

Try the flokati going horizontally on the bed rather than vertically. For some reason I think that will add more interest and give less of a heaviness to the bed. As for windows, I would keep it simple to serve as a foil for those gorgeous floor lamps. Solid but luxurious lightweight fabric that has a slight sheen, possibly duponi silk or something similar, in a simple, sleek treatment. Having that gorgeous view, I would be hesitant to add an enormous amount of additional color to the room (although I'm normally very pro color). I would also forego any treatment of the sliding doors unless you have a need for privacy though it doesn't appear to be the case in your pictures. You've done a wonderful job so far and apparently have great instincts. Just a tweak here and there and I think you'll be pleased for a long time to come.

That is so interesting! Since the photo was taken we've moved the flokati so that it goes horizontally. I love the duponi silk idea. Also share your concerns about too much color competing with the view hence my design dilemma! thank you so much.

I hate to agree but adding the wicker anywhere close to the glass and metal table is going to clash. I'm usually all for mixing woods, styles and just about anything else but I'm afraid that none of your existing pieces are playing well with the wicker. Unfortunately, the wicker is tipping your other furniture into the realm of hodgepodge not eclectic. Even removing the wing chairs is not going to do the job.

Painting might help if you can convince hubby the white was really just a primer coat (?) but I'm afraid even that isn't going to do the trick. You said you have eight pieces of the wicker. Do you have an extra bedroom or study that you can "wicker up"?

Thank all of you for your suggestions and frankness. It's given me a lot to think about. I may remove all wicker and use on the back and front decks. If I do that, what would work with the wing chairs, or should I get rid of those and start over?

See ideas for wing chair slip covers and adding an ottman might be an idea as well. Whatever color you are using to reupholster the dining chairs, incorporate in wing back. Good luck.
[houzz=Blackstone Edge Studios - Philip Clayton-Thompson]; [houzz=Traditional Wing Back Slipcover];

I'm with the majority (I think) on this one. Love, love, love your mirror - size, style and all. I too like the column idea but am concerned you may not have enough room to allow chairs to be pulled back from the table when seating guests. Normally, I too would want a mirror to have something to "hang over" but with the narrowness of your room, I think the dining table takes on that responsibility. For serving purposes, you might could put the column table to use as a buffet in front of your windows. My best advice is to keep it simple. With statement pieces such as you have in that room, less is definitely better than more. Happy decorating!

Thank you! I purchased the art that I noted earlier in the conversation so that should arrive in just over a week! I love the idea of topiaries - basically anything green! I'm hoping to purchase the chairs in the next few weeks.

"the more I look at it the more I love it"
that is a direct quote you made and for that reason alone, you need to make it work as you will enjoy seeing it EVERYDAY!!!
best reason of all to incorporate it.
..... my two cents..

One more small but, to me, important point. The exterior should draw you into the pub but I'm not sure, as a customer, I would want those outside to be able to see in, at least not clearly. Pubs seem to me to have a more intimate feel than just a bar and, for some reason, part of the appeal is to find out what's going on inside. It may just be my own quirk coming to the fore but, again, your client can make the call there. Good luck and do keep us posted. :)

Can we assume from your username that this is an Irish pub in the sense of a pub in Ireland rather than an "Irish Pub" located in another country? Nonetheless, I'm submitting two of the latter, one in Mexico and the other in the US. Both chose deep shades of color and some sort of art that represents the name, for whatever that's worth.

That town is very colorful, judging by the pics from the website you took the picture from. I'd say that anything goes.