Twenty-Ten ToDo's

After the Christmas decorations are put up, I always want to simplify my surroundings.  Clear out clutter, look to the future and begin projects that I've been eyeing.   It just feels right.  It feels like I have waited the appropriate amount of time and now I'm making my move.  God willing things are about to happen.  

First on my list, and an impressive list it is I'm talking major painting projects this year, is the dining room. 

During the building stage and on paper this room was a "sitting  parlor".  We decided that we would not have a formal dining room because we never use it so this was going to be a library/reading room.  

But -- I had this dining table that I still loved

 and was not going to get rid of it.  It's a double pedestal ball and claw foot table.  

I got to thinking (note: can be very dangerous during building projects, just sayin) and wondered, "how many places can a girl sit in one house?"  

So I told the electricians to put a light in the middle of the room and ordered a fixture. 

I like her, I think she is interesting, pretty even.

and wa-la dining room.  

So far the this room and the table has only been used as a place put seasonal decorations. Here are the Easter decorations from earlier this year.

A little wishful thinking for Spring already.

And, I have recently added drapes to the room.

Luscious.

Here is a picture from the construction period before we moved in.  It shows you the room before the shelves.

And the front door entry area.

Okay, so now the dilemma.  I don't like the room.  Period.  I don't like it.  I didn't post this years Christmas pictures because . . .  I don't like them.  And I don't like the room.

It's like I'm practicing telling you so I'll be ready to state my case to my honey.  Note, he likes the room, hello.  I had already bought the shelves when I made the change.  They said they were "antique."  I don't know about that, but they were stupidly expensive, not one of my better buys.  When it came time to move the furniture in, I could not see another place for the shelves to go and thought they might be okay in the dining room and so, here we are.

 

Here's what I'm thinking.  

1. move the shelves out of the room.  I want to re-texture the room, it has a very smooth texture on the walls right now, re-paint and glaze.  I have had my eye on some Ralph Lauren carpet that is needlepoint leopard print.  

2. Sell the table and chairs.  Put two big, overstuffed wing back chairs with an over sized ottoman and let it be the parlor.  (Question, will that make the chandelier out of place?)

Or

3.  Paint the shelves.  And then choose an option. 

One thing I feel about this room is that it's not really big enough for the shelves and the table and chairs and also that it is confused about what it's function is.  Is it a dining room or a reading room or both, or neither one.  See, I need help.  

If I move the shelves, I can put them in my master bedroom.  It is a large room, rectangle in shape and I have not finished it yet.  I have very tall, very dark headboard and foot board.  I'm thinking the shelves will help to balance the room.  

 This is the only picture I have of the bed, it was when we first moved in, now there are tables beside it and pretty linens and pillows on the bed.  

So that's the first project for 2010.  I could use some input, what do you think?  

Next the vent hood.

I'm thinking darker, maybe a metallic finish, like a bronze.  

That's enough for now, but I am just barely scratching the surface, there's the master bath redo, the ceiling in the entry that's just asking for some stenciling and glazing,  the Christmas storage organization room redo (ick, yea like that one's gonna happen), the courtyard landscaping, the . . .

2010, I'm planning a busy year.  Praying for busyness, projects baby, keeps me young.