Up Next - A lady room

I don't know what to call this next project I want to get started on - I'm calling it my "lady room" (she said, in voice that sounded a lot like Amy Sedaris).  My goal is to get this finished by Christmas.  I have this random room in my house - it used to be my master bedroom.  But after my divorce I needed a change and I switched my master bedroom to a room far at the back of my house that used to be - well first it was an office, and later an art studio.  It's small - but it's cozy.  I love it because it feels secure and rather cocoon like in there (I've blogged about it before - here).  Adjacent to that bedroom is a small walk in closet and next to that is a large master bathroom.  And before you walk into the master bath you pass into this other room that USED to be my master bedroom.  That room is full of a random assemblage of things right  now - an old clothing rack, cedar chest, chair, old desk sewing machine and a books shelf mostly full of jewelry plus a bunch of other odds and ends mostly related to crafts or sewing.

I want that room to be an extension of my bedroom to some extent - like part of a "master suite".  I want it to be comfortable, I want to be able to leave my sewing machine out (I use it more than I ever thought I would and I don't even really sew), I want more room for books that I am currently reading - and books I'm using for grad school and after, I want a comfy area where I can read or write, and I want enough comfort that I could have a friend over and we could sit in there and chat without having to go to my bedroom and sit in my bed all the time (with the somewhat open floor plan of my house it seems I often end up having to drag my friends to my bedroom if we want to have a private conversation away from children.

So I don't know exactly what I want this to look like.  Step one will be to get new carpet in there and paint.  I think I should paint before carpet - so painting is probably next.  Then carpet.  Then figuring out books shelves, seating, etc.  But I feel like I don't know exactly what I want which is handicapping me from starting.

Here are ideas I like:

tons of books!  Looks comfy!  Looks like a used bookstore or something!

so chic, and I love the books displayed like that

Just a small little nook for the sewing machine - I'd like to accomplish something like this 

I actually like the dark paint here - I wouldn't mind having a little desk but I plan on keeping my main computer desk where it is in the kitchen area - I like being around everyone else in the house when I'm on the computer 

I like the interesting chair - I would love to find some affordable cool chairs

SO MANY BOOKS

I have a chalk board wall in one room in our house and I love how I'll find cute things the kids drew 

In my bedroom I have a dresser I painted yellow and I really would love to do something like this again - I think I may paint my cedar chest a bold or pastel

I like the idea of the wallpaper in the bookcase

I'm probably not patient enough to do the Chevron's but they are cute.

when I see stuff like this I just swoon over it - I would LOVE to create something fantastic like this next to to the window

this would be awesome - and I totally dig that neon

this feels very sophisticated 

this looks like closer to what I was imagining though

Again, if I have a desk, something smallish like this

I feel like I know guys who could build me something like this...I'm really feeling the idea of a window seat

I just aesthetically love this chair

I like the idea of lots of random stuff on the wall that sort of represents me - which is what I did in the bedroom too 

Decisions Decisions!

Peacock Room Remodel

I have had this idea rolling around in my head for a while.  But then my ceiling in my family room started to leak.  Which required it being ripped into.  Which meant we would have to paint it.  (you know that book...if you give a mouse a cookie?...it feels like that).  So we had to repair and then it would have to be painted, and as long as I'm painting we might as well do something new right?  (and by "we" I mean more like my handyman...because let's face it, I didn't really paint this time around).  And if I'm going to do new paint that is going to require a whole new look somehow, which meant moving art work around my house, repurposing some things, and new pillows or re-covering old pillows.  And in the end, I'm pretty happy with it!


Before:

(and what you don't see in this photo is how dingy the paint had gotten - it really did need to get re-done, especially the cream which I think I avoided doing when I did the green, I think the cream paint was going on 10 years old)

And AFTER:

Yes, it's a bold paint project, and not to everyone's taste.  I get that.  But I really like it.  It's definitely fun and I like the red and blues together.

But remember that whole "if you give a mouse a cookie" thing?  Now I need new tile around the fireplace and on the floor leading out the doors and also - the room adjacent to this one absolutely has to be redone as well now too!

It's never ending.

Ongoing Project: A New Office & Library

Remember last month when I blogged about this  if you dont remember you're welcome to go check it out.  But basically I was announcing my intent to start a new project.  Projects take me time.  And the first part is always just the idea part.

So I know I want an office & library, and I know I want it to feel really great and polished, but also comfy and a smidge sophisticated girly maybe.  But that's about all I was sure about.

I was totally torn on color.  But for the past two years I have been obsessed with the idea of a peacock blue room.

Yesterday I came across two pillows the EXACT PERFECT peacock blue.

Kinda like these colors:

You have no idea how excited this made me.  I have been looking for something in the exact correct color all this time.  I now have something I can take into Dunn Edwards and get them to match it to the exact exact color I want.  So now that is making me want to re-paint my family room in these colors too - white with at least one accent wall in this strong color.

Guys.

I'm so excited.

Now to empty out the room and start painting.  I'll keep you updated.  I'm sure it will take me months to get it all finished.  But sometimes coming up with the perfect idea is the hardest part.