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    Foyer of the Future

    May 10, 2012 |

    IMG_6706

    I’m sorry I’ve held back. I’m super in love with the floors. I clean my kitchen and vacuum every night so it looks all shiny. I don’t have to dodge doors while walking in and out of the house (I never even knew I did that). But things have been a little nutso around here.

    I’m not gonna act like I’m the first person living through a renovation, or the first person with three kids living through renovation. And I’m NOT COMPLAINING. But it’s tough! Doug took a week off and is now left to finish the rest of it with any spare time he has. And with two biz-ness trips, and long hours, it’s been slow goin’ folks. I feel like we’re in a 2 br apt without the family room. I guess I could learn how to do it? No, I won’t do that...

    BUT! our foyer looks a little like this:

    IMG_6704

    Doug and his brother Daniel built the railing and they did an AMAZING job. That thing is so sturdy!

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    My dad came over and helped build us some wider stairs. We’re gonna go with the stained steps/white risers look, and have wood flooring down here in the foyer as well.

    IMG_6705

    Ultimately, we decided to not go the built in route. I love using these wine crates as shoe storage, so why not give them a comfy top and make em a bench?

    IMG_6708

    Here’s a little mock-up for ya. See that black shelf/hook combo? It’s gone. Getting out of there. That space will be so much wider as a result! We’ll put some hooks down here on one of the walls.

    IMG_6707

    The balcony will be perfect for playing Rapunzel, Romeo & Juliet, and belting out songs from Evita (thanks, Mark for that one!). Or throwing toys, that game works too. 🙂

    IMG_6711

    I guess we could work around the furniture when putting up trim and finishing things up, buuut I’m making things difficult. You see, almost as soon as we painted the kitchen, I’ve wanted to change the color of the kitchen.

    IMG_6698

    so to do that, we have to change the color of the whole family room and foyer (see picture below). Probably would have been a good idea to decide on that BEFORE we had the floors in (oops), but it’s a good thing we decided before the trim was in, no? 😉 I’m leaning towards Martha’s Sharkey Gray.

    IMG_6702

    So our family room furniture is still in our front room and basement, and our family room is filled with tools, boxes of flooring, and no furniture. We’re using this couch in here, I’m adding accents of butter yellow, wood, white, and robin’s egg blue. And I’m on the hunt today at the best neighborhood garage sale EVER for some accessories and swanky comfy chairs. Two of them.

    IMG_6703

    So while it’s far from an after, it’s definitely much better than the before!

    What do ya think?

    More 2012 goals

    • Top 12 Posts and Projects of 2012
    • Two Big Projects – Finished!
    • Giving Our Landscaping the Lumberjack Treatment
    • Tell Me What You Want (what you really really want)

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    Comments

    1. Rochelle

      May 16, 2012 at 7:16 pm

      I JUST painted my laundry room and 1/2 bath in sharkey grey!! I love it!!! My parents did a complete renovation on their house last year (after 32 years) and their main color is sharkey grey with dark wood floors and white cabinetry in the kitchen. Such a great color. Your house looks amazing!!! Can't wait to see the continued progress!

      • Ann Marie, white house black shutters

        May 17, 2012 at 7:44 pm

        Thank you for your sweet comment, Rochelle!

        I chickened out while at Home Depot and bought a lighter gray, and now I'm kicking myself!! It looks way lighter than I wanted. And I bought two gallons! 🙁

        I'm thinking I need to use those to paint furniture and maybe just suck it up and buy two more gallons of the Sharkey Gray. That color is just so nice. Does it look taupe in some lights when it's in your house? I liked that it was a taupy gray and not so cool. Help convince me to waste more money on paint... 😉

      • Rochelle

        May 21, 2012 at 6:23 pm

        looks like I got your e-mail too late!! Sorry about that. Yes-the Sharkey Grey looks taupy in some lights. In my parents house it looks grey for the most part, in my house it tooks greige. I LOVE it!

      • Ann Marie

        May 21, 2012 at 8:31 pm

        you weren't late, I was just impatient, haha! I went out that night 🙂 I'm so so so much happier with this color, thanks for giving me a push to get it!

    2. Mandi

      May 12, 2012 at 5:01 am

      I am so, so jealous of your new gorgeous wood stairs! Oh me, oh my.

      • Ann Marie, white house black shutters

        May 17, 2012 at 7:41 pm

        and I'm jealous of your mad trim skillz! I need some company to sponsor you to fly out here and help me out...

        thank you! 🙂

    3. cmichaelsny

      May 11, 2012 at 1:17 am

      Thanks! I had a blast today, spent a little too much,It’s looking great!

    4. Erin

      May 10, 2012 at 10:33 pm

      It looks so great, Ann Marie!

      But I have to say, I think you're allowed to complain/admit it's difficult taking care of three kids in a construction zone. I certainly would! Ha!

    5. Ann Marie, white house black shutters

      May 10, 2012 at 6:26 pm

      *hate painting walls that is. I looooove spray paint! Wouldn't it be nice if we could spray paint walls without making a huge mess of everything and creating ridiculous fumes? sigh. I guess a girl can dream.

    6. Ann Marie, white house black shutters

      May 10, 2012 at 6:24 pm

      I'm surprised this bugs me as much as it does, because I'm pretty "meh paint it whatever" when it comes to walls, which is why we're in this predicament to begin with. And I HATE painting. But it's so easy. I need to get over my fear.

      BUT. Thank you, Maria! And I'll take all the good luck you're willing to spare 😉

    7. Megan

      May 10, 2012 at 6:00 pm

      It is so coming together. It sounds like you have a great vision. Good luck on your garage sale hunt!

      • Ann Marie, white house black shutters

        May 10, 2012 at 6:21 pm

        and I'm sure once it's all said and done we'll want to switch something else up, right? 🙂 Thanks! I had a blast today, spent a little too much, having a garage sale tomorrow to make up for it LOL.

    8. Ellie

      May 10, 2012 at 2:25 pm

      Renos with little kids around are so hard! The floors and foyer look great! Can't wait to see it finished, but I know from experience that these things take time. 🙂

      • Ann Marie, white house black shutters

        May 10, 2012 at 6:20 pm

        Ellie, thank you! They do, and patience is a virtue I need to work on. Maybe this is what will help me learn it? 😉

        Your post sounds intriguing, heading over to check it out!

    9. AshleyD

      May 10, 2012 at 1:20 pm

      I think it looks great! And a sneaky way, to not have to paint the whole room,would be to stop, with the kitchen color, at the corner by the fridge.

      • Ann Marie, white house black shutters

        May 10, 2012 at 6:18 pm

        That would be quite sneaky! But I think I want an excuse to let me paint the whole family room, LOL. Shhh, don't let my husband read your comment. 😉

      • AshleyD

        May 10, 2012 at 6:34 pm

        I am on a painting mission. I hope, by the end of summer, to have almost everything in my house painted/repainted. So, I don't blame you one bit! 🙂

      • Ann Marie, white house black shutters

        May 17, 2012 at 7:40 pm

        Now you're the one that needs all of our good luck, lol. I don't know why, but the thought of painting that many rooms gives me the heebeejeebees. I need to get over that! GOOD LUCK!

    10. Angie in the Thick of It

      May 10, 2012 at 1:17 pm

      I think I love the craziness! This makes me love you even more! The problem i'm having though, is that my house looks like we are going through a renovation but... we aren't. I just haven't cleaned a darn thing in about a week. I was on strike. Now i am paying the price. This has nothing to do with your reno. I know. I just wanted to tell you that I shouldn't be here right now on the computer. I should be cleaning. And I shall go do that right now-ish.

      Good luck!!!

      • Ann Marie, white house black shutters

        May 17, 2012 at 7:39 pm

        It's like we're on Little House on the Prairie and have to cram all of our lives into one room. Maybe I do love it? No, most of the time I don't... lol. Don't leave me. I need you!!!!! 😉

        Cleaning is boring...

    11. Mandy

      May 10, 2012 at 1:07 pm

      Love it!

      • Ann Marie, white house black shutters

        May 10, 2012 at 6:16 pm

        thanks, Mandy! 🙂

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