New Projects At Hand

I may have finished all the other projects I've mentioned on here. Maybe I didn't. Ok, it's very highly unlikely.

As I'm sure I have mentioned before, my dining room is big. It's also empty. I have a decent sized dining table that opens up to seat 12 or more. Right now, and most of the time, it sits 6-8. It takes up a lot of room, but just not enough. Thank you, Jesus, for my big dining room! I've had mostly small ones in the past and complained the entire time. Now that I have one I can work with, I won't complain. I'm sure you know by now, if you have read any of my posts, that I also have a fireplace in there. I love it, but it could use an update. That update will come. One day.

All the walls in my kitchen, dining, living room, and hall all run together. That leaves me with little choice in choosing paint color. So, when I painted my living room with the color I HAD to have, I was forced to do all the other rooms the same color. No, you say? I wasn't? Yes I was. The color I chose is very difficult to coordinate. I even tried to get a darker shade of it for other walls, and that didn't even work. The only color that looks great with it is red. I wasn't going to paint this dining room red. I refused. First of all, because the walls are still paneling. I once painted a bedroom of mine with paneling walls, red, and it looked good from afar, but not when you were actually in the room. It looked cheesy. Also, if you have ever painted with red, even with having red based primer, you don't want to do a large room. Trust me on this one. It's too much work!

So, I got a new toy the other day. I got an ipod touch. Yes, I'm in with the times now and do understand the hype. On it, I found a home decorating app. I can choose colors I want on the walls. I've tried it at other places online but never had a picture so easily accessible as the ipod. So, fiddling around with it, I decided to see what the wall where the fireplace is, would look like being an accent wall painted in red. Um, yes. It looked faboo. Nice and warm and with the fireplace, cozy. So, I'm thinking that'll do. I can paint the rest of the walls a neutral color that will tie in together with the red and the color I have in the living room. Tada! Yeah, I can see it now...buying another can of paint that will sit under my carport with the rest of the gallon gang because it didn't work.

I also have a major problem with window treatments. I feel confident enough to pat myself on the back when it comes to interior decorating, but windows give me fits every time. The bedrooms are the only rooms in this house with lots of windows. My dining room and kitchen together are fairly large for just two rooms and all they have are the window above the kitchen sink and double patio doors in my dining room. Oh, and two light fixtures to brighten both rooms. They try, but they just can't do the work. My patio doors are Pella, which have the blinds inside the glass. Neat idea, but terrible when it comes to wanting to decorate. For me anyway.

I FINALLY found something that suits me for window treatments for the patio doors. Yes, I did. Drum roll please....

I love this style! Mine won't be these colors, but definitely the design. No doubt. I want to add drapes, but not sure yet. Under it will hide the screen to the overhead projector we use for school. See, now that's SMART.

I also have my desk in my dining room. I can not like it. I'm not one to enjoy looking at a computer as part of my decor. Clayton built a computer armoire for me a few years ago, but it was finished in oak. I can not like oak. I loved it at the time, but times change...as often as my styles. So, I painted it a chocolate brown. It was pretty, even though Clayton cringed at the thought of me painting oak. I know. I know. I painted it again to match another decorating change I had. This time, I painted it black. Partially. It's been hiding in my craft room since. I do believe it's time to pull it out and completely strip it. This time, I'm going to stain it in an ebony stain, which matches all my furniture in these main rooms of my house. The thought of all that work makes me cringe. I think it'll be much, much better than the desk (which was a temporary thing that has become permanent for over a year now. Such an eyesore.

Oh, and just for kicks, and to add more pictures to this entirely too long blog, I have to share with you something I bought myself at Hobby Lobby the other day. I have no idea where I'm going to put it yet, but there are many places to choose from.

Shhhh, pay no mind to the dustbunnies. They are still sleeping. They've been dormant for a while now.

I don't know when I'll start this little project. I'd like to this week, but I'm so far behind on things around here, including schooling with the girls. Education is much more important than having a dining room as an eyesore. Then again, can I really concentrate on teaching when I teach in this distracing dining room? Priorities, priorities. Inny Minnie Miny Moe....