ACHIEVING THE SUCCESSFUL OPEN CONCEPT

Earlier this week, I posted my musings about this week’s Fixer Upper episode

on my biz Facebook page.

I’m happy to report that it garnered a lot of interest, which I love!

Fans of the show recognize this project

as what I named the retro / West Elm re-do for Joanna’s sister + family.

Nailed it!

That couch can be found at West Elm.

Same.  Exact.  Couch.

HAMILTON

I could fling aside  those back cushions + spoon with my Dachshund.

And, that color of leather is such a favorite that I named it.

Baseball glove brown.

Please.  Why do you think my business is called Red Bird Vintage Home?

Anyway, yes, I do love West Elm,

although some of my FB besties said they thought it was too modern.

Oops.

Never fear, though — even I had a slight issue (imagine that),

+ proclaimed that this particular open concept, while stunning,

skews a tad too “gymnasium” for me.

Don’t get me wrong — I embrace an open concept as much as the next person,

but this had me pondering how one achieves one more to my liking.

Off to Pinterest I dashed, as one does,

+ I saw some awesome photos of beautiful, open plans.

LARGE ARCH

This is nearly as open as the errant gym plan,

but the small wing walls + beautiful arch visually create some separation.

Next method — CASE OPENINGS

Here

Once again, this is very open, but the woodwork says,

“I am a separate room!“

Here’s my  fave version:

Here

Isn’t it amazing what a little molding can do?

  Next version:  ISLAND COLUMNS

Is it just me, or does every homeowner on HGTV desire the open concept?

Seems like 99% of them end up spending $1,000’s on a huge beam

to keep the second story from crashing down.

I gotta ask why? — when a couple of columns on one’s island do the trick,

+ looking FABULOUS while doing so!

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

Surprise!  Here’s a pair of columns in a kitchen designed by Joanna Gaines!

The decorative brackets add a lot of  charm, don’t they?

And in conclusion, what on earth did we do before Pinterest?

 

 

Our Porch Ceiling Change Of Plans

Here is our front porch, in progress:

As you can see, G.O. is in the middle of stripping all the old paint

from our porch’s original bead board ceiling.

Our plans were to paint the ceiling a pretty pale blue.

Exhibits A – B + C:

Pale blue porch ceilings are a thing in the south.

I grew up in southern Illinois (which is very southern, BTW),

so I’ve been on board the blue ceiling train since I was a wee lass.

Anyway, just as we were discussing what pale blue paint to use,

this happened:

We were both surprised at how pretty the natural wood ceiling is!

And, speaking of something being a design thing,

natural wood exterior accents are wildly popular now.

Have you noticed?

I first saw this trend on HGTV’s FIXER UPPER.

Okay, that mirror she’s touching is painted white,

but here are just a few natural wood accents from the show.

Exhibits D – E – F + G:

So.

While we had our hearts set on a pale blue porch ceiling,

I think we’ve changed our minds.

That wood ceiling of ours is way too pretty in its natural state,

+ it wouldn’t be right to cover it with paint.

Exhibits H – I – J – K + L:

You can easily see the portion that’s not been fully stripped:

So.  This just illustrates why one must be flexible when working on anything,

or as I like to call it: heading to Plan B.

The natural wood is so warm + lovely, isn’t it?

G.O. is such a perfectionist;

this change in plans will no doubt have him going back

over the entire porch ceiling again, maybe multiple times.

That’s his thing, + really.

How many times can I say, “It doesn’t have to be perfect!”?

Fixer Upper Floats

 

So.  Here’s my face when I realized the project

on this week’s Fixer Upper was a house boat:

What’s happened to our show??!!

Calm down.  They’ve got this.

Exhibit A:

How could I have doubted these 2?

Before:

After:

Looks like Joanna’s chosen to combine black with warm wood tones again,

which she used in their recent modern house project.

Those black boards on the house boat’s exterior were not painted or stained.

Instead, they were literally torched + set on fire,

which is a form of preservative used in Japan.

+ + + + +

The black + tan color story is continued into the house boat’s interior,

where the kitchen cabinets + windows are black:

There’s that beautiful, caramel-colored leather again, in the bar stools,

with yet more warm brown/tan  repeated

in the butcher block counters, accessories + lighting.

Exhibit B:

That black + antique brass sconce

looks like this one from Restoration Hardware:

What are our thoughts re: the window-spanning shelves?

I vote yes + in fact, I toyed with the idea for our own kitchen windows.

I’m pretty sure I’ve pinned a few examples.

Exhibit C:

This Old House

What’s not to love?

They provide tons of storage + nice perches for some pretty houseplants.

Could that small farmhouse sink be cuter?

I don’t think so!  I’d love it!

+ + + + +

There is one bathroom on the lower level.

Its mirror is framed in black, + the shower walls are clad in black tiles:

I’m in love with the double sconce over the sink.

Here’s something similar from Restoration Hardware:

Surprisingly, Restoration Hardware’s lighting can be pretty affordable,

plus, I think there’s a big sale going on.

+ + + + +

Upstairs there are 2 bedrooms,

the first of which is this awesome bunk room

for the homeowner’s 4 young children:

I’m so drawn to the beautiful, warm wood tones.

It’s kind of refreshing to see it being used now,

after so many years of painted everything.

Do we think it’s a trend that will last for a while?

(I do!)  Time will tell!

+ + + + +

There is also a master bedroom on the 2nd story,

+ it sports this beautiful natural wood feature wall:

I think that interior window awnings

are Joanna’s signature accent for this season.

Just to the right of the bed is a pair of beautiful French doors,

leading to a balcony.

So.  What’s next for Fixer Upper?

Not a TRAILER, surely!!??

Wait.  What?

I would totally watch that, wouldn’t you?

Stay tuned!

FIXER UPPER GOES MODERN

Time to talk about everybody’s favorite HGTV show, Fixer Upper.

After an iffy start, I now find Chip very amusing,

+ I have always had a lady crush on Joanna.

I’m sure they’d both be pleased,

because it’s not like they don’t have throngs of super fans or anything.

Meanwhile, check out their latest Fixer Upper project,

which they’ve named the Pick-A-Door House:

Pretty ho hum, no?

Wow!  It’s so modern!

So modern, in fact, that I wondered if the show’s fans would embrace it.

Let’s talk about what makes it modern + whether or not we’re on board.

  I’m giving thumbs up for the wide paver + stone walkway,

that black metal roof, the dark gray paint + the double doors.

Have you noticed?  Joanna has a ‘thing’ for them.

Here they are from the inside:

Those light wood floors had me swooning,

as do the black metal sliding doors on either side of the entry.

There’s one set for the office, on the left:

Those light tone wood built ins!  Love!

The second set encloses the dining room, just across the entry hall:

Honestly, all I could think was that the doors were crazy cool

but not that functional or necessary,

WHICH is something I usually embrace, wholeheartedly

They probably cost more than MY HOUSE, though,

which is kind of a buzz kill, when you’re me.

Anyway, here’s another view from the adjacent living room:

Don’t you love the color of that leather with all that black + gray?

I call that baseball glove brown, + it’s my fave.

The original fireplace had some structural issues,

so it was replaced with this very modern, concrete one:

They have intentionally left the marks from the forms,

which makes it rustic + modern + industrial.

I vote yes.

But wait.  Look at the rest of the living room.

• There’s more concrete.  Or is it faux concrete?

Oh, dear.

I fear this has gone from industrial chic to cellar hideaway, so thumbs down.

An accent of concrete is good — walls + walls of it, not so much.

But wait.

 Look at that wall of black metal windows —

my favorite feature of the entire re-do!

So much natural light!  I live for it!

Please take a sec to notice all the groovy houseplants + their awesome holders.

They have me yearning to gas up the car + go plant shopping, a.s.a.p.!

+ + + +

Now, then, back to the house — with yet more concrete in the kitchen.

It’s the back side of that fireplace, + once again, I love it.

I’m still not digging the concrete on the other walls, though.

All that black + gray!   Does anybody need an anti-depressant, or is it just me?

Oh, cheer up, already.

The light wood floors, beams  + shelves really pop against all that dark,

 + there’s yet more of that fabulous window wall:

Isn’t that bar epic?

+ + + +

There’s an entirely new master bath + bathroom.

At first, Chip wasn’t on board with the bedroom’s black ship lap feature wall:

Oh, if I had a dollar for every time that happens in our little world!

But let’s get real — I think the black really works

when surrounded by all the light furniture + the white walls:

Thumbs up for all the modern ceiling fans, including this one.

But wait a minute.

Those plant hangers are having their moment,

 but that moment’s already taken place inside my very own hacienda,

circa 19 and 73.

I’m not sure I want to return!  What say ye?

+ + + +

While we ponder that, let’s have a quick glimpse of the new master bath,

with yet more black, white + light wood:

These large, black hexagon floor tiles are very modern.

They transition into smaller black hexes in the shower,

the walls of which are covered in large black marble rectangles.

Thumbs up or down?

I vote up.

Once again — a job well done by the Gaines-es.

Are you a fan,

or are you hoping the next episode features another farmhouse?

Stay tuned!

Metal Awning Crush

Let’s talk about my latest obsession

from this past week’s Fixer Upper project,

a.k.a. The Baby Blue House:

Beautiful, no?

Like I’ve said before, their landscaping is always wonderful!

However, that’s not the reason I find myself obsessed right now —

this is:

Did you notice the metal awning over the front door?  YUM!

There were no photos of it on Joanna’s blog,

so I snapped a few from my TV.

The awning project originated from that part of the show when this happens:

1. Joanna meets the homeowner,

2. Joanna shares that there’s $$ left in the budget,

+ 3.  Joanna gives the him/her three different design choices.

Looks like the awning cost $2800. Your thoughts?

That seems a tad high to me, but remember: I have G.O.,

who can do everything himself.

Meaning — yes, please!

 G.O., won’t you make me an awning for our Dutch colonial?

Our back door would be the perfect spot!

Oh, wait.  There’s a problem, + yes, it’s our light fixture.

The humanity!

Looks like the Dutch colonial is not going to have its highly-coveted metal awning!

Not so fast, though!

There’s always plan B, which is code for: our next house!

DON’T TELL G.O. I TYPED THAT!

Anyway, hold that thought + come with me, back to Pinterest.

This house has our siding + our black door color.

thefathydrangea.blogspot.com

Next, here’s one of my all-time favorite houses:

Please go to this talented designer’s blog:

 http://www.mollyfreydesign.com/

You’re welcome.

Meanwhile, here’s a close up:

I think those light fixtures are identical to the ones  I chose for our garage!

Hampton Bay Outdoor Cottage Lantern — $29

I feel so good about myself, right now!

Now let’s have a look-see of some more photos, shall we?

But first, a disclaimer.

It’s at this point where the sources get a tad sketchy,

meaning I’m not sure who pinned what.

i

However, I can tell you that most came from this British company:

http://www.garden-requisites.co.uk/products/door-canopies/

People.  Go there.

Once again, you’re welcome.

Meanwhile, check out this simple yet stunning awning:

It’s even better with a flowering vine climbing up + over it:

2 awnings, no waiting (below)

Please notice those beautiful blue Delphiniums!

The roses + lavender are some of my favorites, too.

 

There were so many wonderful examples

on garden-requisites website,

I had to just quit, before my blog post was too long!

Last but not least — for all you fun seekers out there —

is this shabby awesome or just shabby awful?

I think it’s fun, + I also think I wish I could remember who pinned it!

And lastly, one more awning.

If you can’t afford to hire Fixer Upper to give you a $2800 awning,

look what you can get for a mere $345.88 from Wayfair.com!

I think that’s doable, don’t you?

Thanks for reading — and go see those websites + blogs I suggested!

http://www.mollyfreydesign.com/

Door canopies

Tell me what you think!

Real Rooms?

I love the Oscars!

I always have!

Last night’s show did not disappoint.

My favorite movie of last year, Spotlight, won best picture:

Lady Gaga’s pants/dress combination looked great on the red carpet,

+ her moving performance of her song Until It Happens To You made me cry:

Singer Lady Gaga and Taylor Kinney arrive on the red carpet for the 88th Oscars on February 28, 2016 in Hollywood, California. AFP PHOTO / VALERIE MACON / AFP / VALERIE MACON (Photo credit should read VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty Images)

She’s so FAB!

But enough about that.

I was kind of stopped in my tracks this morning

when I saw this photo on Remodelista’s blog:

From The Lodge At Gallow Green in NYC

Does that library nook look inviting, or what?

Plus, it looks real.

If I do say so, I think my bookshelves look real, too:

I re-did them this past weekend (FUN!) + will share photos soon.

But what on earth do I mean by real?

I mean they’re books that were carefully chosen + which have meaning to me.

Yes, of course, I take care when displaying them,

+ this, to me, is very important:

A home with books is way cooler than one without them.

Even so, the way they look is secondary.

Or is it?

 Check this out:

Remember this photo?

It’s in the Farm Chicks gal’s kitchen, all decorated for Christmas.

I remember seeing it in Country Living magazine a couple years ago.

She covered all those books herself!

 Such a statement!

WOW, it looks great, + WOW, I could never pull that off!

Now let’s have a look-see at another, equally beautiful library.

I’m sure you recognize it from Fixer Upper’s new bed + breakfast:

 Visually stunning!

But I hate to be such a fun hater, but here I go.

Who on earth is really going to sit there + read any of those pretty books?

Nobody.

Oh, gosh.

This is a topic for another post but one about which I ponder

+ ponder often, frankly.

Rooms to look at or rooms to live in?

And am I the only one?

Stay tuned!

Dueling Tile + Artwork On Fixer Upper

It’s Wednesday, which means I must be mulling over last night’s Fixer Upper.

AND . . . yes, I AM!

(These photos are from Joanna’s blog: https://magnoliamarket.com/blog/)

We’re all on board with this charming house’s being awesome, no?

They don’t focus too much attention on their landscaping on the show,

but they always knock it out of the park, + I always love it.

The curves!

 Going to have curves out front

when we finally get to landscaping here at the Dutch colonial.

But I digress.

Let’s go inside:

And . . . welcome to what I am going to call DUELING TILES!

Yes or no?

First, let’s look at the kitchen’s back splash — painted tiles.

Since it’s (my favorite color) blue + vintage looking, I vote yes,

but not a very enthusiastic yes.

I fear they will be out of style sooner or later or I will tire of them.

I prefer the 2nd dueling painted tiles  — those on the bathroom floor:

I really love the painted tiles they chose for here.

I think it looks a little like a quilt pattern.

Thumbs up!

But wait.  There’s more.

I wonder how well were you paying attention last night.

Did anyone else notice these stunning botanical prints in the dining room?

(These photos were taken by me, off the TV screen.)

The prints were shown during the evening

when Joanna was finishing the staging of the house.

I was instantly smitten, + not just with the botanicals.

They were framed in such an unusual + interesting way!

Looks like each print was sandwiched between 2 panes of glass.

Any-hoo, at the end of the show, I noticed the prints had gone missing.

In their place, Joanna chose some galvanized metal containers,

with what looks like faux greenery “planted” inside them.

I wonder what she was thinking.

Were the prints too attention grabbing?

Would they have strayed too far from her go-to neutral design?

Maybe that rug might be the only strong item she wanted to use.

(Oh, + of course, that is a gorgeous herringbone brick floor!)

I wish to have said herringbone brick in our front sidewalk!

But I digress, once again.

So, anyway, did anybody else notice those prints?

Am I the only one who prefers the botanicals to the metal containers?

Vote early, vote often!

a. botanical prints

or b. tin containers of faux greenery?

Yes or no: painted tile kitchen back splash?

Yes or no: painted tile bathroom floor?

Thank you for voting,

+ as always, see you next Wednesday for more Fixer Upper chit chat!

2 Islands, No Waiting

I’m assuming that we all watched last night’s Fixer Upper episode on HGTV.

G.O. tried to watch but couldn’t stand all the Chip hi-jinks,

so he excused himself + took refuge in another room.

But that’s not what I wish to type about.

This is:

2 islands, no waiting.

It think it’s genius!

Here’s kind a blueprint-style sketch of the before + after:

Seems to me that I’ve seen this done before.

I tried to find Pinterest images of 2 islands in 1 kitchen, but came up empty.

Anyway, here’s a closer look-see:

The twin islands will work wonders

for the traffic flow between the kitchen + living + dining spaces,

 more so if there was one very long island

Like Joanna did in the French country kitchen, here:

Is it just me, or does anybody else think “too many footsteps!”

from the stove or the sink, all the way around the island, to the refrigerator?

Seriously, I noticed it right away, + I felt sad!

Perhaps the homeowners + Joanna were sad, too.

Perhaps Joanna then opted to break up the kitchen space in last night’s house

with 2 islands instead of 1 airport runway.

Nope.

 She said that the idea for twin islands was the single man homeowner’s!

Well, kudos to him, then!

Meanwhile — here’s a look at his living space:

Lovely, lovely, lovely.

I have always wanted a room with 2 couches facing each other

+ a pair of baseball glove leather chairs.

Also — did you notice the gray woodwork with the white walls?

Next house, for sure.

Stay tuned!

X Designs + Stairs

Yesterday I heaped lavish praise on this past week’s Fixer Upper project.

Its exterior makeover was epic.

Perfection!

The interiors were just as beautifully done, of course.

Let’s enjoy the new kitchen, paying close attention to the X as a design element:

Both the island + pendants above it are sporting their own X motif.

I love it!

But wait — there’s more.  Look at the staircase re-do.

Once again, there’s the X motif.

Here’s another before + after look-see:

I think we can all agree that the new stairs really nailed the X motif.

Do we love it, or what?

Of course I do, as I have always been a fan of the X design.

Here are some of my favorite photos of X’s:

Centsational Girl

Hooked On Houses

 Excellent, am I right?

 Now please view a most adorable cottage right here in my hometown!

Need I say that I love it + want it?

The only negative, for me, is at the railings of the porch steps.

See how the distance between the posts is wider that those at the top of the steps?

The X is getting too stretched out!

And yes, that’s my only criticism of those new stairs in the Fixer Upper house —

stretched out X’s going up the stairs.

See for yourself:

See the X at the bottom of the steps?  It’s cute, right?

But the X on the railings go upstairs gets stretched too wide.

My thoughts are that if the vertical posts were closer together,

the X’s would be more pleasing.

How about 3 X’s going up the stairs, instead of 2?

What are your thoughts?

Fixer Upper + Me + Scallops

I’m going to assume that if you read my blog,

you also watch HGTV’s Fixer Upper show.

You also love just about everything that they do,

especially the transformation of the exterior of this house:

Wouldn’t you know it,

there are so many before houses  in our town’s new-house neighborhood.

No offense, homeowners, but it’s kind of a buzz kill

when we’re riding around, looking at houses, as one does.

But let’s turn our frowns upside-down!

Let’s go inside this beautiful home , for another major LIKE by me.

Look at that darling white children’s table.

Can you guess?

Here’s a hint:

S C A L L O P S !

Bunny Williams baskets for Ballard Design — 3 / $199

I mean, who cares how granny they are?

They’re adorable!

Ditto for this charming ottoman:

 Sew A Fine Seam

Guess what!

We have an ottoman that’s just like this, so stay tuned!

Meanwhile, check out this charmer (ha — a pun — “check out”!)

The Budget Decorator

And now, for those who are sewing-challenged, this fun project:

Every.Day.Is.A.Holiday

But people.  Look at this:

Midwest Living magazine

Our own kitchen awaits its range hood:

I know that G.O. could make us one of these!

Here ’tis again:

Wonderful!

And now, for some full-blown granny:

I rest my case.