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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 19 of 19. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Dinah on January 1, 2009, at 12:26:11
Or maybe just a contractor.
:(
My house is a wreck. I'd like to take my turn inviting people over to our house for potluck suppers, etc. But I'm too embarrassed.
We started paint projects. Our main room is almost finished after two years. But we removed the peeling wallpaper from the bathroom and we've tried to scrape off the glue several times. But we're still left with a mess of crumbly glue and torn sheetrock and no texturing. We want to paint instead of paper and I'm totally pessimistic.
The outside is peeling and needs painting too.
I'm almost *positive* I managed to do this stuff at my parents' house when I lived there, along with working and hobbies. Did the days get shorter? Did my energy just run out?
The *re*painting I can do I guess. But I have absolutely no artistic sense at all. Or skills. It's very discouraging.
Posted by Phillipa on January 1, 2009, at 13:39:48
In reply to I need an interior designer, posted by Dinah on January 1, 2009, at 12:26:11
How well I know the feeling. Empathize with you. Love Phillipa
Posted by Sigismund on January 1, 2009, at 17:37:45
In reply to I need an interior designer, posted by Dinah on January 1, 2009, at 12:26:11
Choosing paint colours is a total pain.
I would rather someone else did it, or failing that, would rather not paint. Classic white is an option.
The wallpaper thing I have, of course, not done either, but have seen done by an experienced craftsmen (from Venice!).
Painting though is *just* within the realm of possibility for me, which is to say once I have started I can keep going.
Posted by Phillipa on January 1, 2009, at 19:40:46
In reply to Re: I need an interior designer, posted by Sigismund on January 1, 2009, at 17:37:45
I used to wallpaper all the time was good at it til this what every you want to call it happened. Love PJ
Posted by fayeroe on January 1, 2009, at 20:47:59
In reply to I need an interior designer, posted by Dinah on January 1, 2009, at 12:26:11
> Or maybe just a contractor.
I've remodeled three houses. I would love to visit New Orleans. :-) You just have to hire good sub=contractors and watch every move they make.
>
> :(
>
> My house is a wreck. I'd like to take my turn inviting people over to our house for potluck suppers, etc. But I'm too embarrassed.I have paintings and photographs and antiques that I've never gotten out of the packing here in Texas. I'm embarrassed also.
>
> We started paint projects. Our main room is almost finished after two years. But we removed the peeling wallpaper from the bathroom and we've tried to scrape off the glue several times.Google the glue mess. There are ways to do it. I think heating it is one way.
But we're still left with a mess of crumbly glue and torn sheetrock and no texturing. We want to paint instead of paper and I'm totally pessimistic.
>
> The outside is peeling and needs painting too.My landlord lied to me when I moved in. I've covered as much as I can with vines and garden art.
>
> I'm almost *positive* I managed to do this stuff at my parents' house when I lived there, along with working and hobbies. Did the days get shorter? Did my energy just run out?Yes. And so did mine.
>
> The *re*painting I can do I guess. But I have absolutely no artistic sense at all. Or skills. It's very discouraging.I absolutely love putting colors together. My favourite thing to do when I framed at the shop was picking mat colors for people's work. Babblemail me. I'll "tell" you what to do. :-)
The Martha Stewart paint samples come three or four in a grouping. Her color sense is beyond ethereal. Pick colors from her line and then have another store match them. I found them to be ridiculously pricey.
Posted by TexasChic on January 1, 2009, at 23:19:30
In reply to Re: I need an interior designer, posted by fayeroe on January 1, 2009, at 20:47:59
I did framing for a short time and liked picking the mats best too - I LOVE working with colors.
If you'd like to include me, I'd love to help you pick colors. In high school I wanted to be an interior decorator, but then I found out you have to learn all this math and architecture, so I ended up eventually becoming a graphic designer instead. I still love interior design stuff though, I just don't know all the how-to's and technical things.
As for the room where you can't get the glue off, can you do some texture to cover it up and then paint it? Like I said, I don't know all the technical stuff, but it seems like it would work. Or did you say you wanted to paper it?
-T
Posted by Dinah on January 2, 2009, at 15:58:35
In reply to Re: I need an interior designer, posted by TexasChic on January 1, 2009, at 23:19:30
I am so lacking in artistic talent in any area of my life. Well, maybe gardens, when I have the time. But nature does a pretty good job with that no matter what I do.
I was talking about it today with my therapist, and I think my rise in dissatisfaction with the house is definitely tied to my desire to have a wider social base IRL. Hard to do that when you're embarrassed of your house.
The previous owner of our house did a great job with the colors. It wasn't necessarily in my favorite lighter shades, but it was nicely done so I kept it. But after all these many years, the wallpaper is peeling and the paint is a bit dingy. And I really did want to lighten the walls to get more reflected light. Plus, in this climate we try to avoid both carpeting and wallpaper because of mold. Sure, everything looks fine on the outside, but if you'd ever pulled up carpeting or peeled off paper, you'd know what I mean. Blech. Plus my husband promised me when we bought this house umpteen years ago that removing the decoy duck theme in the kitchen was part of the purchase. It looks lovely, but I'm not a hunter. :(
So here I am. I've been working on painting our living room for over two years now. I'm reasonably sure that part of my problem is that I just don't like the result. I redid the walls in a light shade of blue, with one dark accent wall of darker blue, and it just feels too... blue. Even with lots of color in the art. But my husband and son both love the dark blue. So much we're going to use it in the kitchen, with buttercup yellow.
But it's frustrating. Very frustrating. In addition to the too much blue, I think I'm missing all the little touches that separate a nicely decorated home from, well, mine. Never even mind the largely utilitarian nature of all our rooms. We've just got too much stuff and use too much space. I have pictures of our house from way back when and it looked so much nicer. I guess we'd been in it less time. :(
My therapist thinks we're nuts for even trying to do the mudding and texturizing ourselves. But we've had some major home repairs and just don't have the money to hire someone.
Sorry to whine. That's what this vacation was supposed to be for. Painting etc. And I ended up working for most of it, and not having any time to paint. So I'm frustrated and overwhelmed at the thought of finding time to do it. Never even mind the outside painting. I *hate* outside painting. I really do.
Posted by Dinah on January 2, 2009, at 16:00:57
In reply to Re: I need an interior designer » Sigismund, posted by Phillipa on January 1, 2009, at 19:40:46
Phillipa, for some reason I thought you *were* good at this sort of thing.
I actually love interior painting, which makes my two years of multicolored walls inexplicable. Either my energy level is shot to heck, or I just don't like this color.
Posted by Dinah on January 2, 2009, at 16:05:41
In reply to I'm envious - Fayeroe and » TexasChic, posted by Dinah on January 2, 2009, at 15:58:35
buttery, not buttercup.
I painted my parents' laundry room a cheerful shade of bright yellow once. My mother loved it, but it literally gave me headaches.
Posted by TexasChic on January 2, 2009, at 17:21:57
In reply to Re: I'm envious - Fayeroe and, posted by Dinah on January 2, 2009, at 16:05:41
Yeah, I like the soft yellow color that's a combination of yellow and ivory.
Have you tried breaking things down into small jobs? I'm sure the entire job seems overwhelming, but maybe if you plan small jobs, starting with ones that can be completed the quickest and will give you the most satisfaction, it might become more manageable. Once you get something completed that you can look at and enjoy everyday, it may inspire you to do the rest.
-T
Posted by Dinah on January 2, 2009, at 18:34:50
In reply to Re: I'm envious - Fayeroe and » Dinah, posted by TexasChic on January 2, 2009, at 17:21:57
Sort of like the background color on the board. Only without the glow. :)
Sigh. I was just combining colors with the shade of blue my family loves. It'll look great in the kitchen, I think.
I guess the quickest thing to finish is the room I've been painting for two years. I probably should finish that.
Posted by Phillipa on January 2, 2009, at 20:00:15
In reply to Re: I'm envious - Fayeroe and » TexasChic, posted by Dinah on January 2, 2009, at 18:34:50
Dinah vaguely remember a thread quite a while back with you decorating. I used to do a lot of it. No reason to now as house is strewn with ebay stuff which I try to ignore. Funny after a while if you start a project and don't finish you don't even see it anymore. If you know what I mean??? Love Phillipa
Posted by TexasChic on January 2, 2009, at 20:12:50
In reply to Re: I'm envious - Fayeroe and » TexasChic, posted by Dinah on January 2, 2009, at 18:34:50
For a long time I had several ideas for my apartment floating around my head, but it all seemed so overwhelming that I couldn't get started. So I made a list of all the things I wanted to do and broke them down into 'projects'. Then I started with a small project, like putting up a shelf and then placing objects on it. When that was done it looked so nice and made me so happy that I was more than ready to move on to the next project. So for me it was the reward of seeing my ideas brought to life, as well as getting to mark something off my list that kept me going.
-T
Posted by Dinah on January 2, 2009, at 20:41:42
In reply to Re: I'm envious - Fayeroe and » Dinah, posted by Phillipa on January 2, 2009, at 20:00:15
Believe me, I do! The first year when the spot of painted wall was in the main part of the room, I was reminded all the time. But the second year it's been in the shadowy part of the room, so I can look at it and not see it at all.
My issues do tend to be the same ones over and over again. Just the focus on them changes. My therapist wants me to bring a list next session of things I want to change in myself. I was less than enthusiastic since I have little hope that I ever actually will change.
Posted by Dinah on January 2, 2009, at 20:43:57
In reply to Re: I'm envious - Fayeroe and » Dinah, posted by TexasChic on January 2, 2009, at 20:12:50
I'll give it a shot. I'll aim to finish that room this weekend.
I'm so old now. I guess not that old chronologically, but I rarely feel *well*, and even less rarely feel well and with energy. I ran a few errands today and came home feeling a bit sick, headachey and groggy. Just from driving around a bit and stopping at the shops. All too many of my days look like that.
Posted by Midnightblue on January 2, 2009, at 23:55:12
In reply to I need an interior designer, posted by Dinah on January 1, 2009, at 12:26:11
Dinah,
I was going to suggest a shade of the background color! What you need to do is pick either a painting or fabric that you LOVE then take colors or shades out of it for the walls, woodwork, accessories, etc.
Will you be recovering any furniture? even something as simple as a dining room chair seat? Those are easy to do.
MB
Posted by Dinah on January 3, 2009, at 9:23:26
In reply to Re: I need an interior designer » Dinah, posted by Midnightblue on January 2, 2009, at 23:55:12
You know, I thought of that. We have a print above the sofa that we really love. Mostly shades of peach but with a lot of shades of blues and greys and some shades of tan. I asked my son the other day if he saw any colors in there that would be a bit more subtle than what we have now. Maybe I'll look again.
I was looking at the homes for sale site last night, and realized that I think it's moldings that are dissatisfying to me. Nearly all the houses around here have white crown moldings so I'm sure I'm used to seeing them and my house is probably looking like an unframed picture in comparison. We've actually got small ones, but I followed the previous owner's pattern of painting them the same color as the wall. I think that's definitely the problem I'm having with the walls looking unfinished. Apart from the fact that they're unfinished of course. I've got some white paint, so I'll give it a shot and see if I like it.
I really want to finish the living room and get to our bedroom. I've had new linens for a couple of years, but was waiting to use them until the walls were the right colors.
Sigh. I still want to hire someone to do the walls in the rooms that are currently papered. Maybe I'll look into the cost. That's the most intimidating thing.
Posted by Dinah on January 3, 2009, at 21:06:41
In reply to Re: I need an interior designer » Midnightblue, posted by Dinah on January 3, 2009, at 9:23:26
The living room is finally painted.
The downside is that the color is too light to have much contrast on moldings. The bright side is that the color is light enough to reflect light well. That shadowy unpainted corner wasn't shadowy at all once it was painted. :)
Well worth the tradeoff I guess, given the skimpy indirect lighting.
Ahhh... Now to the bathroom. My husband went and got instructions on texturizing.
Posted by Dinah on January 6, 2009, at 13:35:54
In reply to After two years and a few weeks, posted by Dinah on January 3, 2009, at 21:06:41
We're about to sink all our savings and more into a very expensive home repair that is *just* a repair and adds nothing to the appeal of the house.
It scares me, and I wonder if we've done the right thing.
I guess I want to find some way to make the house "worth it". Other than it is in a nice neighborhood that we absolutely love. The sort of quiet neighborhood where we're the youngest and wildest people for blocks and where silence is like a blanket. The house itself is nothing special. At one time the gardens were special, but even they aren't anymore.
Painting is about all we'll be able to afford to do for a very long time. Even the attic reflective heat barrier we were going to get to help with the air conditioning is going to be beyond our budget for a long time.
This is the end of the thread.
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