When I bought the house, the inside was quite dated and I knew there would be many renovations to bring it up to speed. To be honest, this lady loved *ugly* wallpaper. The only room that didn't have a spot of wallpaper was my son's room and the downstairs den, which of course is paneling.
In 2008 I decided to tackle the smallest area of the house: the downstairs half-bath. The wallpaper looked like something you'd wrap a wedding present in- black and silver with squiggles. Man I hated that paper LOL. I had my steamer and fabric softener (which speeds along the process) and started to remove the paper. I soon discovered that the paper had been directly applied to the drywall. Even I know you don't do that.
So after much frustration, I applied a tissue paper technique I had seen on HGTV a couple of years ago. I primed the walls to cover the wallpaper and seams and then crinkled up tissue paper and un-wadded it to apply to the walls. After adhering that and additional painting, the end result looks like stucco, and I'm quite pleased.
Now to the kitchen. My tiny house is what I'd call a split level design. You walk into the living room, and on your side is one set of stairs that go up and next to that, a set of stairs that go down. The living room, dining room and kitchen are on one level (like a ranch design) and the bedrooms, den and laundry are on the double level side of the house. What's even more aggravating is the single level to the house is vaulted, which gives eye-pleasing height but now brings in my next problem...
The kitchen. *UGH* I have discovered that when this kitchen was remodeled, with it's beautiful pickled maple cabinets, the *ugly* wallpaper was hung BEFORE the cabinets were installed. I can understand the thought back THEN, but now a new owner wants the paper gone LOL.
So, I'm first having to prime the wallpaper to seal it (and cover the ugly wallpaper) so this pretty Gumball Red color will look good. I'm also doing the tissue paper technique because I can't afford to replace all the drywall in the house because some stupid contractors were lazy and skipped a crucial step in wall preparation. But being the forward thinking person that I am, I'm already thinking of curtains for the lone window. I was thinking cafe style, and definitely a vintage or retro theme. I have found a website called Warm Biscuit Bedding Company that has some darling vintage prints.
I'd like anyone who drops by this blog to give me their 2 cents with a comment. Keep in mind the walls are Gumball Red and my cabinets are a pickled maple (very light). My appliances are white and the countertop if a funny grey color (which will change after I saw this cool re-surfacing kit at Lowes!)
Option (1)
Option (2)
Option (3)
Option (4)
Option (5)
Option (2)
Option (3)
Option (4)
Option (5)
Oooh, that is a tough choice... It really does depend on your personality and what you want, but if it helps, fabric 1 makes me think fun, not serious, child at heart (all in a good way!), no2 is my personal fave for cafe curtains and would be perfect for a kitsch retro makeover, 3 is more country/rustic, 4 is lovely but quite busy and a lot of colour which might give you a bit of a head with red walls, 5 is what we call Cath Kidson in the UK, shabby chic in other words!
ReplyDeleteGood luck choosing and my sympathies on the nightmare you're having with the redec, its awful how someone has done that to the walls and its up to you to sort it, cheat it or live with it.
I'd go with option 2, the cherries. It really says retro kitchen to me. I think the strawberries & plaid is too busy as is #4. Option 5 might be too large a print for a small kitchen (Hard to tell the scale on that one.) and sorta reminds me of a bed sheet. Option 1 is a matter of personal taste.
ReplyDeleteMy sympathy on the wall paper. It's amazing what one discovers after starting a redecorating or remodeling project. (When trying to hang a new door in his kids' bedroom, my son just discovered that the builders had not attached the door frame to the studs on one side.)
I really like #1 and #4. #1 will go with a lot of colors, and I just really like #4 for the same reason.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with everything! This is why I just cut out pictures from home magazines, rather than actually redecorate.
I like #3 with the cherries and the tablecloth type grid that you see on vintage seersucker cloths. Good luck with everything!
ReplyDeleteThese are all so adorable! The last option is very similar to Cath Kidston prints which I am smitten about and the pinky bits could make a nice retro contrast to the red.
ReplyDeleteActually I really like option 3. Strawberries aren't as standard as cherry prints and I like the criss cross design behind them. 3 ... or 5! hard choice they are all sweet!
Well, here's my 2 cents!
ReplyDeleteI'm partial to options (2) and (3). I don't think you could go wrong with either of these.
Option (5) *might* work but it all depends on how the pink works with the paint color and, as Molly up there said, it's really "shabby chic". If that's your personal style it would work, otherwise maybe not.
Option (4) might get to be a little busy if you had to look at it every day and that might also be a *lot* of red with the walls and all.
Option (1) would be so cute in a nursery but I don't think it really works for a kitchen.