Been pretty busy this last week at the store so progress at The New Althea Project over the last week isn't as dramatic, but wanted to give you a small update on progress.
Benjamin Moore's Cumulus Cloud is going up in my office. It's my new go-to color. I didn't want the house to be too white-washed, and this off-white, trending gray color is right up our alley.
We're also slowly tearing out the kitchen cabinets. Excited for how the kitchen will look. Remember to stay the road when doing large remodel projects. It takes time...but good design is worth the effort and hassle. And sometimes it is a hassle...
Great ways to make remodeling less stressful are to hire professionals (contractors, designers, etc.), break up your projects into mini-projects so you have achievable goals each day or week, and have fun with it!
And sheetrock is up! Sorry for the fuzzy picture, but excited about the progress in here. Raising the roof is giving us tons of great space...this room looks massive! Bamboo ceilings are still going in and should have a great progress shot by next week!
- Lynn
Working on some smaller projects as we wait for the bamboo ceilings to go in downstairs. Remember to break things up so you're getting little victories everyday to keep you motivated and on task.
The fireplace painting is complete and we hung the lady of the house at her appropriate height above the fire. I'm deeply/madly/truly in love with her and the two large urns on either side of her. This fireplace makes me happy.
We also removed this large mirror from upstairs and placed it in the hallway. I'm loving the reflection of the stairs. I'm working on shelling this mirror to complete the look. Will look amazing in the end.
And I got my Frosty Montgomery's up. You might remember them from the old house in a similar arrangement, and while I don't like to carry all of the old home's details into a new space, it's fun to keep some details the same for nostalgic appeal. And these just look great together.
Stay tuned for a lot more progress to come in the New Althea Project!
Some progress shots from The New Althea Project. We tore out a built-in bookcase in my future office. Gave us TONS of extra space (and cool to tear back the layers of paint to see what once was!). Really excited about prospects for this room. My home office is where I get all of my design ideas and brainstorm for future projects. Very important space.
I found some inspiration in this fabric from Sherry's Honey Pot. You never know what is going to bring you inspiration, but this little piece of fabric is everything I want in the new home...it's happy, textural, and wide open, baby!
And remember the fire place before...
Here's what it looks like with just the primer!!! Already a huge improvement. The final color will be Benjamin Moore's Cumulus Cloud!
And in here...lights are up and new bamboo ceilings are being installed. Long days, but so worth it.
Lots of work to go, but really enthusiastic about the progress. Remember to pace yourself and take each completed task as a small victory. Helps you to keep forging on for future design projects.
And as much as you can do yourself (Mr. Jimmy took out the bookcase in my office), you can save money for future ideas!
Decided that this hutch has found its home in the living room. It's a great statement piece, it fills up the space physically/visually/design-wise, and I love it. So it's time to bring in some accessories.
I love white china and serving pieces. It seems so clean and refined. And against a dark surface, the pieces really provide some great contrast. Doesn't mean you can't bring in colors or patterns. I would just recommend they coordinate/compliment each other. If it's a big mismatched mess, it takes away from the room. If you have patterns that speak to each other, or a monotone theme, you get a cohesive and concise story.
Also just loving the vintage tiles in our guest bathroom (below). I know that sometimes we are all moving towards slick/modern designs in a bathroom...but there's something understated and classic about a vintage look that, if it's done right, still translates into modern design.
Still feeling somewhat like squatters in our new home...but wanted to give a little progress report with this new piece of furniture in (love it!!!)!
Remember to keep your self (and your patience) in check when remodeling. It's a long process, but well worth it, so stay the course. Good design doesn't happen over night...so don't rush.
Very inspired right now for some new projects and bringing in pieces. Including this new mirror that we're going to use as a headboard...will look superb!!
We already talked about gradually moving furniture into a space. While you're bringing in signature pieces, remember to bring in art. Art both physically and visually takes up space, so you want to remember to keep it in your overall scope and plan for the room.
Surfaces you know that will not have furniture on them/against them (above the fireplace for instance), you can go ahead and throw a piece of art up there. And stay flexible. If it doesn't work, take the piece down and rotate amongst your collection.
This gal is one of my favorite pieces in our home, and she's stays my favorite because I can move her from room to room and she always "fits".
You can find great pieces of art at local galleries or through artists directly...sometimes the task of finding art for purchase can be daunting, so we have a series on Art You Should Consider Buying and where to purchase it on the blog! Happy hunting!
BEFORE:
MID-DEMOLTION:
AFTER:
Working on the den with our phenomenal contractor, Tim Michaels (if you're in Savannah and surrounding areas he is the man for your next remodel). The den's ceiling has some low acoustical tiles and exposed beams...we pulled those down, heightening the overall room and making it feel ten times bigger already!
Floors came up in the den, too, and we're really excited for the progress. Lots of work, but well worth it. Look forward to sharing the final product with y'all!
Whenever able, ease into bringing your furniture into a space that your redoing/redecorating. You want to make sure you have the bones perfect (paint, trim, window dressing, floors, rugs...etc.) and then you should bring in large pieces one at a time to really get a feel for the space.
I know we often don't have the luxury, but look into a temporary storage space (we're using a Pod now and we love it) or keep some of your furniture in your garage/another room for the time being. You can get a better overall feel for the space if you're not bombarding it with everything all at once and working in stages.
This photo is so killer. First off, the Plycraft Chair is a modern masterpiece (and super comfortable). Then, I'm just loving seeing this room take shape before my eyes.
Wallpaper is coming down all around us. And while I do enjoy a good bit of wallpaper [I prefer it in moderation on an accent wall or in a small guest bathroom], it can be a tedious process removing it.
I prefer a liquid remover. You can find a variety of them at your local hardware store or Home Depot. Just ensure you give the old wallpaper a good scoring/scratching and it will come off rather easily. We are fighting back a couple of layers of wallpaper in Althea, so while the process can be frustrating, the final look will be so worth it.
In the third photo down, you can also see our shutters going up which I absolutely love. Here's another photo of them...
More to come!
We always like to start a new project with getting a classic color of paint up. Our choice for The New Althea Project...Kitty Gray by Benjamin Moore. A vibrant, no-nonsense gray that really packs a punch. It looks excellent against the white trim...still will do some touching up and have plans for wallpaper (on the ceiling!...stay tuned).
Once the paint is up, you can get better organized and the space, overall, feels anew. Our first to-do was getting rid of that dreadful carpet. Those beautiful hardwood floors underneath we're aching to come out. They really are sharp.
Weekend One is over...paint is up and carpet is over. We have several more cosmetic touches on our long list of DIY renovations before we tackle the monsters that are the kitchen and garage. [That carpeting on the stairs will be up in no time!!] This home really does have some great bones and was very well taken care of. It just needs a little sprucing up.
We always recommend taking renovations in stride. Obviously, with a move, stress is already high. Manage your projects, finish one before moving on to others, and you really will deserve that Bud Light (for Mr. Jimmy) at the end of the day. And, when necessary, get experts involved. Not only with electrician work and other major muscle movements, but get a designer to come lend some advice. That is what we designers do for a living and thoroughly enjoy the process.
Stay with us as we continue with our new home and some styling tips from The New Althea Project!
