Getting Started

Well, in the end we hired the apprentice to our Excellent House Painter, who it would appear is far too busy to help us with our place until after Christmas… so enter New House Painter. He aided our first painter on the apartment downstairs, and I think in our own apartment years and years ago, before Oliver was born. We like him. We’ll see how it goes!

I’ve been thinking about the story-board for our TV room, which so far looks much like this:

Our couch is loden green, but shaped more like the white one, with seating for three. Ours is an Ikea couch we bough off Craigslist when we were expecting baby #2, and our other couch had seen better days. I was totally uncomfortable sitting on it, but I suppose I was a bit uncomfortable anyway, being all pregnant and stuff. So we bought this extremely comfortable hide-a-bed couch (which we need for visitors) with washable cushion covers, which are key in a life with kids. I don’t love the rolled arm AT ALL, but it was a small(ish) concession for getting something we needed at the time. I didn’t think it wise to invest in a long-time couch (read: expensive couch of my dreams) while I had small people milling about, who are prone to spilling, peeing, and puking on furniture when you least expect it. So hooray for Craisglist.

The downside of this couch is I can’t buy a slipcover from Ikea. Boo! I would have loved a white one… but I guess you can’t have everything. And? Really, what’s the point of spending a bunch of money on a brand-new couch when no matter how much you scream at to SIT like PEOPLE, your kids totally treat it like this:

Yeah. How do you like them apples?!

We have a small pine armoire, in a similar fashion to the one pictured above – it’s an antique piece, and it’s on permanent loan from Martin’s parents, so I really can’t/shouldn’t paint it. (Though maybe a greyish wash or stain on it might be nice…) It houses a bunch of the toys and things the children play with. The room also houses a small Ikea kitchen for Madame, which is tres adorable (as these things go) but it’s in that white-and-birch finish… if we change our glass-topped coffee table to one like the Hemnes one, should it be espresso, or white? And the bookshelves? And if they’re both dark, can I have the white Ikea drawers (for all the farts & craps supplies) next to the couch? Oh, ack.

The wall colour will be Benjamin Moore’s Stone Harbour, which is a warm grey with a hint of green in it – the green hardly shows next to the couch anyway. It’s greyish and good. (I know these things look different on every monitor though.) The trim and doors will be Snow White, which is, you know… white.

No ideas yet on what sort of TV unit to look into, but that’s of less importance for now. Besides, though it’s the first room you get a good look at when you walk into our house, you don’t see the TV at all, nor the piece of furniture it’s perched upon. Maybe we’ll do a TV/unit that are wall-mounted? Later…

What I think I’m completely sold on is that enormous, excellent light fixture from Ikea. It’s from the PS series called MASKROS, and at $100, I think it’s a good bet, and not so much to spend on a light fixture. It reminds me of a dandelion puff, and it casts a pretty light pattern on the walls. It’s 32″ in diameter though. HUGE! But, our ceilings are over 9 feet high, and it will hang over a coffee table, so it’s not as if anyone will risk banging his or her head into it. (We’re a house full of small people, anyway.)

Our wood floors are stained very dark. I think some kind of gray carpet will make the room cozy and might muffle some noise at the same time.

I’m also really digging so excellent wall decals at the moment too… but it’s just an idea for now.

I wouldn’t want things to look all busy and confused with the light shadows and everything. Might need a different light fixture all together if I go that route.

And maybe, just maybe I should talk some of this over with Martin before I go buying everything. Heh. But if you’ve got cool ideas, just shout ‘em out – I love new stuff.

Oh, and hey! Did you know that I’m writing over at Urban Moms these days too? Well, I am. Check me out (On Top Of The) Mutherload. My last post was about my Halloween pumpkins. Come see…

G.G.