I’ve decided to introduce a series called “Home To Do” which will consist of pictures of various rooms in our home with their (very detailed) “to do” list attached. All part of my new attitude to expose my home in order to motivate myself to make some moves on my lists. You see these lists already exist, written, typed, in the back of a notebook, everywhere! I just found one titled “32 Things To Do Before I turn 32″ and think I finished maybe 8 of them. In my defense, I made the list less than a month before my 32nd birthday and some of the items were pretty ambitious. So in this series I am going to break down my lists by room, put them in picture form with numbers and everything and let you guys hold me accountable.
Let me introduce you to our den. This is technically supposed to be Jeff’s room so the color, fabric and furniture choices are ultimately his, but you know I dream up all kinds of ideas as you can see in my Current Attractions post here. We also use this as our television watching space and have put quite a mix of found and given items in here to create a seating arrangement. In a nutshell, it is quite hodge podge and I’m itching to streamline it so there is a recognizable cohesive design.
This is an overview of how the room looks on any given day. Boots out, blanket laying across sofa and chair seat, tennis rackets, guitars, movies and other things that do not have a home. The theme is loosely centered around music and art, with show posters from shows Jeff promoted at the Cain’s Ballroom or his own venue taking center stage. They are the starting point for the design and create some interesting details to work with. The plans are to keep things warm, comfortable and funky with a touch of old Hollywood glam.
1. This says “Artwork, Girl Getting shot with Arrow” and it needs to go. It was a gift and has beautiful colors and interesting subject matter, but doesn’t say “Home” the way I would like.
2. A friend’s unfinished drawing. This lady has always been missing a face and I’ve wanted to re-frame it will a nice matte and create multiple faces that can be interchanged. Not sure this will still happen, but if so, she may move over to my gallery wall and be available for visiting guests to re-arrange if they so choose.
3. Door opening is now closed off and needs to be finished. This is on my January organization projects list, so we’ll see how that goes, so I’ll leave the details for another post.
4. Jeff has a tiger collection from his childhood that needs a decent home. I’m thinking of including these in my grandmother’s refinished glass curio cabinet. It currently houses part of my pottery and rock collections and might be just the place. I think they need some sort of home to be displayed on. Perhaps I can make a multi-level display out of different colors of scrap wood. (Mental note: make a sketch as soon as I save this post)
5. This media stand (term used loosely) is actually the lower half of my grandparent’s dining room hutch. I have plans to build a top for it, paint it and I’ve been toying with the idea to put some simple bun feet on it. That would make this small room feel a little more spacious and definitely help with the cleaning.
6. This huge honkin’ television has never had a home in any room I’ve designed so a new flat screen TV is on the list. I’m positive that someday one will just appear at the secondhand store for next to nothing!
7. I have a surround sound system with my old stereo and hope that once our media collection moves to the doorway-turned-built-in-shelves, we’ll have enough open space in the media console to house all the equipment. Then we’ll only see some small shelves in the corners of the room holding the small speakers.
8. Ah, the attention grabbing light switch is quite white on that wall. I had hoped to create a copper switch plate in the shape of a guitar when I was in a class at Garden Deva’s. But my attempt turned out much too small so was reassigned to Christmas ornament status. I still have a few options up my sleeve for this and I’m hope a new artwork arrangement combined with moving some furniture and maybe a new switch cover will solve this problem.
9. The artwork on this wall will be rearranged and possibly re-framed in simple black with white or gray mattes. Since the wall color and music poster art is already so bold I think some non-competing frames and a symmetrical arrangement will calm things nicely.
10. Hmmm, things that need a home include the tennis racket, guitar, a random throw pillow, boot stretcher, lap desk, box of CD’s and a couple of other small boxes of who knows what. I guess this is what happens when you don’t have a junk drawer.
11. I already have fabric I would love to use on the ottoman and the plaid chair. I’ve got a half-finished chair cover cut out of an old light brown sofa cover. Once the chair is solid, I’ll place some festive pillows for interest. I want the chair to stay (it is very comfortable) but need it to be less of a focal point. The ottoman needs the cushion cut down since it is about 2 inches taller the sofa seat and elevates your legs. It will be recovered with something much more appealing and hopefully just as durable.
12. This poor rug has seen much better days. It ended up in here because we moved in in a hurry and needed some soft rugs to help absorb the sound since the house is really just one big open space. I think there is a rug out there that I can borrow that will be neutral enough to work until we put a new rug in the budget.
13. These were quick drop cloth curtains put up when we moved in. They still have the manufactured seam down the middle. I plan to re-sew that seam and correctly hem all edges. It might be nice to put a screen printed medallion design across them as well. I will also make tie backs and roman shades for the individual windows. I like lots of options for my window coverings depending on the weather and time of day and in these old houses (1920) the layers certainly help in the winter.
14. This is one of the original light fixtures in the house and I just need to clean it, screw the canopy in properly and I’ve been thinking of a way to modernize it just a bit with an etched glass column slipped around the bulbs to soften the light. This light is the reason for the “bit of old hollywood glamour” in it’s no apologies gold and I love it.
15. Like I said, hodge podge. These pillows are just some my Grandma was getting rid of and are quite soft and comfy, but just don’t fit the other criteria.
16. Yes, the throw blanket needs to go, but in the coldest part of winter and the hottest part of summer we always leave a blanket down. I’d like to attempt quilt making and put together something reversible that could be draped down the back and seat of the sofa. That one sounds like quite a project, so don’t be surprised if you see me brainstorm on that here and there.
17. This rug is just temporary and is actually gone now, so one thing crossed off the list already!
18. Ah, well this is more like user error. I always have piles and piles of books and just need a better system and/or more accommodating side table. In all honesty it’s usually worse with some crochet or embroidery project piled on and topped off with a glass of tea. Anyone else have this problem?
19. My lamps do not coordinate. You know, with each other, the room, or the shade with the base. They’re just ones we had that fit on the tables and that was that.
20. Oh this is the best artwork and needs to earn a spot opposite on the large wall. Jeff’s grandma made him these “Michael Jackson” gloves for him when he was a kid and they’re great. She beaded them! Close-ups to come soon for that’s a project I should be able to tackle quickly.
Anyone still with me? Wow, sorry for the exhaustive list, but you know, the motivation doesn’t work unless it is all out there for me to look back on and see how the progress is. Just typing it out has my mind reeling with ideas and how-tos!
