HUGE PROJECT

I saw two French chairs at The Perfect Thing in Wheaton last week and went back to take photos today. I can't have them... They're pricey and still need re-upholstering, and I have a plethora of chairs that have potential for lovely already in my house. Still, they would be perfect for my morning room... Yes, that's right Morning Room. CA and I are making some changes over the next months and maybe even couple of years.

My friend's sister is a designer, and for over a year now we've been discussing DV coming to evaluate and reorganize our furniture and decor. It finally happened yesterday. We will be re-upholstering a couch, four chairs, and two ottomans--just to start. Eventually another couch will get new fabric and move to the loft. That leaves us with one FlexSteel 75" semi-detached cushioned sofa and one Ethan Allen Chippendale sofa up-for-grabs.

We'll add a window covering to our French deckside doors, and eventually change-out the Luminette sheers on the two large front-facing windows to something fresher. I hate that. They were so expensive and I've loved the look and function, but they are sadly drooping and fading to a not-so-fresh dingy white.

My first steps are to get the electrician here, as contracted previously, to add under and over-cabinet lighting, a recessed light over the stove, sconces on each side of the fireplace and replacing the one that's damaged on the first landing. He'll add a couple of dimmers, hang pendant lights over the breakfast bar, and switch-out the chandelier in the dining area with the ceiling fixture in the library. And, because he's willing to do some handyman stuff, he'll repair a couple of screens on the porch and repair the curtain rod in the front guest room. Eventually, he'll build-in a glass-fronted cabinet under the section of the breakfast bar that faces our great room.

DV is moving ahead with getting an estimate to remove the carpet in our great room to add hardwood that will be uniquely inset to match the hardwood that exists in the bordering hallway and dining area. At that point the dining area and great room will be one cohesive room where we can arrange extended seating areas. No more dining area = great room with a morning room seating area.

Confusing? Yes! My head is spinning and CA's has exploded. Well, I can understand because yesterday I felt like mine would explode, too. The good news is that I know what I have to do now and DV knows what she has to do; and so we can move forward with first baby steps. Then, we'll plan, adjust, and continue forward as $$$ and time allows.

There are also plans to re-purpose our library into a study/dining room (it was originally designed to be a dining room but we added two French doors--from the entry hall and from the kitchen--so that we could have a library/t.v. room) where I will have a desk/dining table as my personal space. CA will continue to use the loft space. I virtually never work in the loft unless I want to print, paper cut, or spread things out on the floor for consideration. I'm so kitchen-oriented that I am thrilled to be able to perch next door.

At this time we plan to end up with two dining seats at the breakfast bar (already in place) and the possibility of seating six to eight in the study/dining room. CA and I virtually never use the existing dining table (Pottery Barn, 60" round--also up-for-grabs) for meals; preferring a seat at the breakfast bar or (embarrassingly) in front of the t.v. in the library. 30 - 40% of the time he's busy coaching or one or the other of us is out-of-town, so we either eat late or separately. No worries! Our relationship is intact (and thriving); each of us can happily eat alone, whether here at home or even in restaurants worldwide. We've been at this schedule for over 35 years and have weathered the necessary adjustments to develop this lifestyle that is uniquely our own.

So, we're making plans but we'll let real life guide, and re-adjust as needed. Experience has taught us that while we think we'll use spaces in our home one way, sometimes that never happens. And, sometimes what works for today (or did yesterday) changes going forward into an altogether different purpose. Stay tuned...

We're excited! CA actually gets the hardwood floor part and is cautiously optimistic about some (much?) of the rest.


(First post created on my new iPad II using a Logitech keyboard case by Zagg. This works! Can't use all of Bloggers tools with the iPad (yet), but it feels like the iPad II is going to be a wonderful traveling companion. We're off to the beach very soon. (The iPad does have a habit of pre-mature publishing. Seems somehow connected to the Caps Lock key.)