Room Redos Recap

There are few things that thrill me more than a proper room redo (also known to me as house porn). Not the kind you see in glossy mags that are all impossibly perfect - filled with the highest end furniture, designed by a famous decorator and fueled by a vault full of cash - the kind that "real" people create in their own homes. The rooms that you can tell just by looking at it how much time and effort and care was put into every decision until it all comes together.



So why am I bringing this up? Because next week I have a handful of room redo's brought to you by some wonderful guest bloggers. I can't help but be excited to share these but until then I thought its only fair I do a cliff notes version of my own room makeovers (apologies to the regular readers - I hope this isn't too boring for you). And while they are not perfect or even finished in some cases, I like to think they make some fairly dramatic before and afters. (mostly because the house was in such terrible shape to start out with but I'll take the credit anyway.)

Starting off with the main floor:

Easily the most startling before picture of all time, the parlor bathroom.
Long story short: It was pink and gross and smudged with mysterious brown stains. We gutted it and made it slightly smaller. We moved the clawfoot tub from the upstairs bath down here. Design choices inspired by the marble used in new york city institutions, I hung some of my favorite photos of Brooklyn in here.

Cliched but true, the most used room the house, the kitchen.

Long story short: Used to be a tiny water damaged bedroom. Blew out the wall and stole a few feet from the pink bathroom next door. Didn't try too match the original floors in the dining room next door - used a horizontal skinny plank instead. Maximized the vertical space to make up for the lack of square footage. White and gray and blue all over. Mixing metals = old world mets new.

Considerably less dramatic and still very much in progress considering I still haven't figured out a solution to the table dilemna, the dining room.

Long story short: Already a great room that just needed some tweaks. We moved the pier mirror from the living room in here for added drama. Found and refurbished vintage light fixtures, a repro ceiling medallion, refnished floors and shades of creamy white make a nice backdrop for whatever get together we are hosting.

And the much discussed 'i admit, i love tv' living room.

Long story short: Yes, I love tv. So sue me. I watch tv every single day so hiding the set from myself didn't make sense (although I agree the room would be prettier with a painting, just inpractical). Soothing tones of gold and grey (and mixed metals). It still needs a few finishing touches but I'll call it finished for now.

I'll recap the upstairs tomorrow.

Do you have a room makeover you'd like to share? I'd love to see it!