Thoughts please: Parents’ ’90s living room makeover
Kat 1809
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
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Comments (12)I think a really nice patterned quilt or bedspread. Try and strike a nice balance between your mums taste and yours. Make it like a little retreat for her... Include some nice hangers in the cupboard and a spot to pop a suitcase up... Like a nice wide ottoman or a wooden slat bench. I don't know what they are actually called but I picked one up second hand and they often have them at hotels. Maybe also put up some old photos of you and your mum from when you where a kid. I've seen framed old toys too... I guess just some touches to show your mum she is welcome and honoured. I have a few bedspreads and linens I inherited from my parents and my parents in law. I always put them on the bed when the respective parent visits. A dressing table would be nice too. With her own sets of toiletries. I would include in the cupboards extra blankets, a dressing gown, slippers, some extra coats and the sorts of things that the she might forget or not want to bring every time. I think its more about the little touches. What colours would she like?...See MoreLong room makeover
Comments (74)Well after a very (very very very) long time my Living Room is all but complete. There is some work to do behind the new steps and some trim to be put on the bookshelves. A light is to be put between the couches (that the electrical cable hanging down) and the wall lights are going to be removed. So just a quick rundown on what has been achieved; Two sky windows - Velux - roofing guy Sheeted under the beams - plasterer New carpet – Bunnings – carpet layer Closed off the old bar and put in a door – builder and plasterer Installed ceiling fans – Hunter, remote control, reversible – electrician Installed downlights - electrician Painted the endwalls – Solver Paint but Dulux Chine White colour - me Painted the ceiling – 2 x coats Solver Ceiling White over 2 x coats plaster board sealer - me New blinds (venetians) and curtains - from Spotlight - me Installed a gas bayonet heater (until I can afford a gas ‘wood’ fire for the fireplace – cripes they are expensive) – secondhand from Garage Sale - me Installed bookshelves – 2 x 202mm high + 2 x 106mm high Billy Bookshelf and 2 x Brimnes Cabinet - me Built and installed new steps and bench top on bookshelf – laminated Beech bench top, cut to size and routed, stained and oiled - me Sofas – Ikea Ektorp - me So some things I would have done differently. The downlights would be warm white not welding mask white. In fact I would re-think the whole light thing and possibly use lights with reflectors that were dark so that light was only reflected down. They would ‘lower’ the ceiling and make the room cosier I think. I kinda like the ceiling fans but had seen some which were awesome but really expensive. Then I saw ones very similar to the awesome ones but much cheaper but by then it was too late. I should have put bi-fold doors where the old bar was instead of a swinging door. I suspect that it will be unlikely now that I can use the room for its intended purpose. In fact with hindsight I coulda shoulda done the job myself rather than getting a builder in. It’s not as good as it should be and that has disappointed me. The bookshelves have come a up a treat – need to finish them off though with some trim. All from ‘Ikea’ except for the timber bench top. The bench top was a light bulb moment and breaks up the all-white appearance of the shelves. Also the white of the shelves and the white of the cabinet were slightly different and the bench has helped disguise that. The bench top and the steps were laminated beech panels from ‘Bunnings’ that I had cut to size. I stained them, put a router over the edge to round it off and then coated with Tung Oil. The bookshelves look bigger in real life than they do in the photos too. So now to sit and enjoy my handy work....See MoreNeed thoughts on complete house refit please!
Comments (68)Thanks for all the ideas siriuskey - I like being challenged with some left field ideas I hadn't thought of before. For colour schemes we're thinking of a white marble Caesar top with warm white laminate cabinets on the island, then charcoal laminate cabinets against the wall. For splashback we're thinking a high gloss white caesar. This is all just our initial thoughts and we'll probably get the colour consultant back to help us refine those plans and tell us where we've gone wrong :) With regards to getting the rangehood in over the island, I don't think I could swing the industrial look first idea, but the roof-mounted box to bring it down closer to the island top could work. Mounting some downlights into it as well should make lighting more effective too! I'm also warming to your idea of wrapping the cabinetry around onto the return wall and housing the ovens there. It does mean they're a fair hike away from the fridge, but it gives us a LOT more cooktop space which more than likely outweighs spreading the "triangle" out so far. So much to think about! I'm loving all of the ideas though :) I've been thinking of building some seating into the bay window (we've had a couch JAMMED into our bay in the lounge room and its a messy look) so maybe a banquette seat (never knew thats what they're called haha) would work. I just need it to sit relatively low-profile against the wall so that it doesn't make the gap between the seat and island too tight to get through....See Morefibro country cottage makeover help please!
Comments (59)Pottsy99 - here’s the pic I wanted to share. My original Reno floorplan - minimum disturbance of existing asbestos cladding inside & out - but extending footprint requires council approval so I reworked it into the floorplan I posted here I the first place. Thanks for your suggestions. That kind of thing is down the track at some point!...See Morejulie herbert
4 years agoLouise Medlin
4 years agoKat 1809
4 years agoLouise Medlin
4 years agoKat 1809
4 years agoKat 1809
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4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoNicolette Anderson-Chin
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