This thread was inspired by
@JellyBean and
@Geekengeneer's kitchen remodeling.
We're in the midst of a flat renovation.
The task: Remodel the 70ies time capsule we recently bought to an elegant, subtle, light-filled modern apartment.
We're doing everything on our own, so it takes some time. And we're on a budget, not per necessity, but on principle.
Until now we've laid parquet flooring in three rooms, two more to come.
Painting the walls (off-white), hanging wallpaper and bathroom renovation are next.
Because we're sick of laying floor we'll focus on the living room for now. It's a not too large room, with windows all over the length of it.
Floor already done: Beech parquet. Furniture we have so far: Built-in mahogany cabinets,
still-to-be-restored cherry Biedermeier daybed. White round Rokoko side table, green Jugendstil glass lamp. Basically what we found in the attic. And yep, I like mixing and matching
.
We just ordered wallpaper samples for the living room. I like the first best, but it's probably going to be too dark.
So if you're also in the midst of a home renovation project, feel free to post pics. We can bounce off ideas and share experiences.
And this thread is going to keep me accountable. I'll post regular updates on decoration progress.
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If you want us to be unapologetically feminine, be unapologetically masculine.
7
Comments
I admire people who can work with their hands and have good eye/hand coordination.
I have tried doing these things and end up covered in paint or bleeding and very frustrated. Great thread idea and love the wallpaper !
First one is also my favorite
Believe those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who find it. ~Andre Gide
"If you love someone, set him free; if you have to stalk him, he probably wasn't yours in the first place."
If you want home decorating ideas I suggest spending some time at the blog Apartment Therapy. There are zillions of inspirational ideas for all budgets.
Cherry and mahogany are both red-toned woods. Beech is also warm toned. I'd stick with the white, red-brown and green accents palette. The second wallpaper has light blue, which adds another color nd that might be too much. I'd need to see the third sample in person to see the colors better.
And @KatherineKelly, if you have the budget, I'd love to help you upgrade your place. I love fixing up old houses, and do much of the work myself. All I ask in return is an ensuite bedroom all to myself.
I'm looking forward to my next house, and fixing it up to my taste.
Enneagram 5w4. I'm researching what that means, before designing t-shirt art about it.
"I feel no shame in making lavish use of the strongest muscles, namely male ones (but my own strongest muscle is dedicated to the service of men - noblesse oblige). I don't begrudge men one whit of their natural advantages as long as they respect mine. I am not an unhappy pseudomale; I am female and like it that way." RAH
I love both wallpaper and paint. Wallpaper is such an easy way to make a room alive. The downside is that wallpapers get dated soon.
Paint is a quick fix to create so many different looks.
There's plenty of bold psychedelic wallpaper in the flat. We will put picture frames over some of the patterns and create "windows into the past" this way.
@HildaCorners,
the colours of the first paper are cream, gold and taupe, the second one is light grey, darker grey and cream, third one is cream and beige (too boring). All neutrals, no green or blue in them, but it's hard to see in the pics.
@KatherineKelly,
my family had a place just like the one in your pic, lol. Thankfully they had the good sense to burn it down in 1604, otherwise we'd probably still be stuck with it. I keep a stone from it on my windowsill. Indoor plumbing can't be rated too highly
If you want us to be unapologetically feminine, be unapologetically masculine.
So so the wall is coming down. A regular tub/shower is going in, along with a double sink and way more storage. We will keep it as a cheater ensuite. I haven't even started thinking about design beyond general layout, but I am really excited for this project.
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Fuck Culture. Live your life - Beatrice
I'm not much for wall coverings per se, but I would opt for your second one and stick to neutral tones if I was in your shoes.
If you really want to be modern, stick to light tones and neutrals and focus on keeping it clean, minimal clutter and focus on great details if you can.
To mix it up a bit, just a bit, you might consider a warm grey wall as a feature, that sets off everything else. Yes Warm grey, not cool grey, there are many greys to choose from so take so time to consider it.
I say this as an Architect and designer who infuriated my wife no end by painting all our wood floors gloss white on the ground floor. At first she was not happy but after not long she realized how much bigger it made the space feel. We had to up our cleaning game to keep up with two cats and three kids but it was a good move overall. It also made the house much cooler in the summer. With the right lighting it feels warm in the winter. The walls got set off by one feature wall in dark warm grey. Other walls in a very light soft grey slightly cool in the living space, with a warm very light sand tone in the dining area. Proper modern lets materials be themselves, so let a wood grain come through but don't be shy about staining something to get it the right tone. Yes, you can stain in very light colours too.
Consider some light sheer window coverings from ceiling to floor to accentuate the vertical lines and make things feel more elegant. If you want light in your space but also want privacy consider using a 3M frosted film on your windows. you get privacy and light at the same time with no need for heavy old school curtains. Fabrics can bring some softness to a space without overdoing it on the frilly.
If you're working on a tight budget, paint is your best bet for freshening things up quickly. Be very careful about yellow's, they can get way out of hand really fast. Consider sample tins of paint and do full swatches in place where you want to try any colours and consider them throughout the day, from full sun, to cloudy, to dusk, to night with lighting. High gloss on trims and doors for easy cleaning. Eggshell on walls that are in good shape. Don't be shy with the plaster, get in there and fix holes before you work, it's easy once you get the hang of it.
Lighting can also give you a big bang for your buck as well. consider the tone or feeling you want in each space, balance it with the task lighting requirements and don't be shy about mixing things up. If you have ceilings in good shape by casting light upwards and off a ceiling, you can make a space feel bigger too. Use warm incandescent lights if you don't mind using more energy. Consider spending a bit more on LED bulbs with a warm CRI or colour render index. Many contemporary bulbs that are less costly are very cold tones. Never use those in your bathroom or where you do your makeup or you'll end up looking like an old hag in the mirror. Investing a few extra dollars in dimmers is a good idea too so you can craft your lighting to suit different times of the day. If you use LED's, make sure they are compatible with your dimmer packs.
If you're not sure about general work around the house I recommend the big orange book from Home depot. For $20 it'll save you thousands in repairs etc and it's an easy read broken down into many different little projects.
The number one thing you need to make "modern" look good.....is good storage to hide away all the crap that comes with life these days. Or learn to live like a Zen monk.
Clarifying:
When I say modern, I mean "modern", compared to the pure Baroque or Biedermeier living-rooms that are still seen in Austria.
I'm going for a mix of contemporary and antique, as I need more warmth than a minimalist look can provide.
Walls off-white throughout the flat, wallpaper only in the living-room. I'm still waiting for the samples, but I think the second one is definitely making the race.
We won't have thick curtains, and definitely not ceiling to floor ones as the radiator is in front of the windows. My husband is an energy consultant: Curtains over radiator is not happening in this house
Instead I'm planning very light cream roller blinds or sliding curtains (don't know how you call the in English), similar to these:
For insulation reasons the lower third of the window front will be closed and wainscoted with white panels, so curtains will only need to go down to the ledge. We don't have a great view outside (but a balcony), so we're not missing out on a vista.
Thankfully we have lots of storage, we decided to not rip out the built-in cabinets that came with the flat.
Biedermeier daybed will be upholstered in cream fabric. It's a simpler version of this bed, with the back looking just as the arm rests, no padding in the back.
I'll make cream, washable rolls for the back and sides and got two of these cushions.
More ideas coming soon...
If you want us to be unapologetically feminine, be unapologetically masculine.
You could always paint them some other color, and even paint designs or patterns on them.
Remember to play!
Do the right thing, whether anyone is watching or not.
Be married, until you are not.
Email address: angeline.greenwood@att.net
The last six months has been an ordeal and I got fucked on my bathroom tile (the work was shoddy - I was prepared to live with it till I realized he had use a water soluble mastic adhesive. I am gonna have to at least redo the shower floor though I'm leaning towards paying a guy to rip it all off and have it completely re-tiled - I'm just tired of being under construction.
Still a lot of finishing touches that I have left to do, but overall it has come together.
I present The Kitchen: (We are thinking of using faux copper ceiling tiles as a backsplash - cheap and easy to install)
Out went psychedelic tiles in brown-orange, out went the lime-green linoleum floor and the green worktops. Instead we chose lovely terracotta tiles as backsplash, cabinets in the lightest of grey, wooden worktops. It's a very small, simple kitchen, but I love it. We designed it so that I have a great view of the Vienna Mountains when I'm cooking.
New flat has exactly, EXACTLY the same tiles as my old 70ies horror kitchen, only this time in dark green. And an eerily similar floor.
It feels like Groundhog Day.
If you want us to be unapologetically feminine, be unapologetically masculine.
Remember to play!
Do the right thing, whether anyone is watching or not.
Be married, until you are not.
Email address: angeline.greenwood@att.net
how durable is paint-over-tile finish?
I have already bought it as first aid, because I don't want to renovate 70ies kitchen from above right now.
I suppose it's going to work great for backsplash tiles, but I'm thinking of using it on bathroom floor tiles as well.
If you want us to be unapologetically feminine, be unapologetically masculine.
Remember to play!
Do the right thing, whether anyone is watching or not.
Be married, until you are not.
Email address: angeline.greenwood@att.net
We decided on a two-component epoxy product; it's smelly and takes longer to administer, but the results are said to be good.
There are also one-component synthetic resin laquers on the market, but they are not as durable.
We'll see. If it doesn't hold up we can always rip out the floor tiles I suppose.
If you want us to be unapologetically feminine, be unapologetically masculine.
They use a special epoxy paint, and show all the steps needed to make the paint adhere well.
Enneagram 5w4. I'm researching what that means, before designing t-shirt art about it.
"I feel no shame in making lavish use of the strongest muscles, namely male ones (but my own strongest muscle is dedicated to the service of men - noblesse oblige). I don't begrudge men one whit of their natural advantages as long as they respect mine. I am not an unhappy pseudomale; I am female and like it that way." RAH
Backsplash won't be a problem, but I'm not sure the paint will hold up on floor tiles.Our local DIY shops have tutorials for brands available here.
We looked at some of them and decided on the epoxy paint specifically designed for painting kitchen and bathroom tiles. I'll keep you posted on the results!
If you want us to be unapologetically feminine, be unapologetically masculine.
Step 1 - clean with comet, really well
Step 2 - Etch with some acid, be careful not to get it on good tile
Step 3 - Rinse with water + baking soda
Step 4 - Rinse again
Step 5 - Let dry, mask off the whole room
Step 6 - Spray 2 part primer which dries almost instantly
Step 7 - Spray 2 part paint in 2-3 coats
It was some nasty stuff, but it was damn tough. We had a exhaust vent thing we would run out the window while spraying and for a while afterwards.
The results can look really good, but the prep is the secret, as well as good spraying technique. We used to give a 10 year warranty, I don't recall ever that someone wore it out.