Capitalizing on the Lake View in the Living Room

March 11, 2016

Capitalizing on the Lake View in the Living Room

I have news that I couldn't wait to share with you, but first - a warning: I'm about to make the lakehouse living room a little less attractive, in the name of actually living in it more enjoyably.

Hubby and I have always tried to find that perfect balance (for us) between form and function when it comes to decorating our home. We've picked a cushy sofa over a better looking, firmer model (is it just me, or do some of the best looking sofas look hard as rocks?). We've found ourselves eschewing the modern dining chairs I love, in favor of something incredibly derriere-friendly. Even our most polarizing choice - open shelving in the kitchen - was made in pursuit of eking out more storage. Of course, "function" is highly subjective and what feels practical for one family might be an absolute nightmare for another (I always wonder about the inconvenient television placement in design magazines: the homes where no chair in any room actually faces the TV)!

Hubby and I spend a lot of time thinking about how we live in our spaces and what we want from our home. This slows down our decorating process a lot but we really want to maximize every space. This small house stumps us sometimes because every room needs to work double or triple duty.

But we have finally committed to some big changes in the living room and they're directed by our new life by the lake.

When we bought the lakehouse, I immediately envisioned the fireplace painted charcoal grey (check!) with the television mounted above it and a mid-century modern sectional facing the new TV/fireplace and the lake. I wanted to be able to see the fireplace during our TV binge watching sessions (read: winter hibernation), but also be able to sit, chill and just look at the lake. I pictured us reading and sipping tea, watching the otters skitter across the ice in the winter and using the binoculars to ~~people~~ bird watch in the summer. I'm making us sound like the laziest people on the planet, but I'm not shamed of loving downtime. There's something about living lakeside that makes people really chill...

Despite this vision for our new lake life, after the house became ours we moved in all of our old furniture from the townhouse - our secondhand sofa, our splitting at the seams tufted ottoman, our beloved Ikea Besta wall unit, plus my pretties: the minty chair and velvet chair I had recovered - and faced all of the furniture away from the lake, toward the television. With these pieces, we also moved a mid-century modern sectional I bought (fourth photo down in this post) on impulse the day before we moved. Although I love it and it fit the plan, we hesitated getting it recovered and so it's been languishing in the garage. Although Hubby initially like it, he longed for something a little more cushy.

I Need Your Thoughts: Can We Make Pine Paneling Work?

Better Homes & Gardens

Because we've been showering out there, I end my nights thinking about how to decorate the guesthouse. I've logged a lot of hours out there, pondering.

Last time I showed you the building , my Mom and I were moving the Etsy shop out there, but it turned out to be kind of inconvenient (and cold in the winter). I ended up stashing everything on shelves in my otherwise useless, 5 foot tall basement and now the guesthouse is purposeless again. It's filled with some random furniture and some odds and sods. What would be more practical would be to turn it into a proper guest room, because it even boasts its own three piece bathroom!

The only downside is the pine bonanza happening in there. The floors are a faux wood laminate, but the walls, trim and ceiling are solid pine. I was originally going to paint it all a bright white, but I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by how much work - and paint! - that would be. We have a laundry list of projects and renovations still to tackle all over the house so I don't really want to commit the resources or time. Plus, the bathroom out there is what really needs our attention: a new shower, floor, and vanity will take a chunk out of whatever budget we can allot to this space (which will be tiny). We also need to build new sauna benches (and reinforce the sauna floor), because I insisted we rip out the existing benches for reasons that I won't mention here. (Rhymes with "cold ban walls").

So...in an effort to save some time and cash, could I leave the pine and go for a rustic, Scandi feel? Here's some inspiration, before I flesh out my exact plans for the space:

I can't believe I'm arguing for keeping the wood...

Although it would be fun to go kind of dark and moody with a rustic feel, I'll be adding the white bed and white bedding from the guest room in the townhouse. A faux fur throw would be a cozy touch at the end of the bed - maybe my spare faux lynx one?

Then I'd add some throw pillows with this black and white Marimekko Kanteleen Kutsu print, which has a woodland theme but a mod, Scandi feel:

I'd do white curtains and white curtains rods - not that using towels as curtains isn't a genius idea (I'm serious). I'm thinking of painting the laminate flooring a dark charcoal grey (or maybe a pale grey or white?) and adding some cozy faux sheepskin rugs my Mom is trying to fob off on me.

Ultralinx

A pine Ikea Tarva dresser, painted or stained white, could be placed across from the bed for some storage. It would be brighter and lighter, but the same grain as the walls would peek through the finish.

I haven't measured, but it would be awesome if my black wool organic chair could fit out there too - although it's doubtful (it's such a small space!).

White desk with black chair // Black + white accessories

Then I'd update the lighting with something modern and simple. Finally, I'd put my black/white abstract out there, because it's been displaced from the bathroom, and maybe add some smaller textural pieces in creamy whites and soft greys. My black tree painting is still homeless, too, and it might look great out there.

It would be a quick and relatively easy makeover and my thinking is that by covering up the fake wood floor - and adding LOTS of white - I could make the natural wood walls and ceiling work. It would be a fun way to experiment with a somewhat different style than the lakehouse - no aqua (ACK! Okay, maybe I'll paint the exterior door aqua) and maybe even some rustic accessories with a Scandinavian feel? Ultimately this is a sauna building, so that could feel right.

Am I totally crazy (and lazy) with my plan to keep the pine? Be honest!

Sconce Mirror Sconce Mirror Sconce

Many of you have been with me since I was working on my PhD. After all that schooling, you would think I might be a sparkling conversationalist, right? Nope. For the last weeks (okay, months), anyone who talks to me gets about ten minutes to blather on about whatever non-bathroom topic they favor before I pounce on them with a dizzying array of questions. Do you think I should go with chrome or brushed nickel? Should I buy this sconce or this sconce? Sconce mirror sconce mirror sconce, or sconce mirror sconce sconce mirror sconce? Or no sconce? Who did your tile work? Is this too tall for a stone backsplash? What half of this quartzite slab do you like better? Do you know anything about towel warmers?

Don't tell my friends and family that you got to hear about tweed, my office, agate coasters, and even a funny Szuka story to break up the bathroom monotony - I haven't been so kind to them. There has been no reprieve.

The bathroom reno is coming along, slowly but surely. You'd think most of the decision-making would be done by now, but I have this sinking suspicion it will never end. I recently splurged on something fabulous and made a pretty big adjustment to the plan. Originally I wanted sconce, round mirror, sconce, round mirror, sconce. An extended version of the two bathrooms, below. Cute, right?

Sarah Richardson

My Domaine

I picked out the Purist Sconce by Kohler, so the finish would match the faucets perfectly (matchy-match-match). But when I measured everything out, there wasn't room for that arrangement unless the mirrors were very skinny rectangles, or we ditched one sconce and then mounted the remaining two very high, like in this bathroom (although I think they still have more room to play with than us). We didn't have room for any gaps between the tower and the first sink, like in this bathroom, because we wanted to maximize the storage in the walnut cabinetry I picked out.

I jettisoned the sconce idea and decided to go with lights above the round mirrors, but then I saw Kristin's bathroom makeover. She used the purist sconces and they look as good as I thought they would. I know that many people have grown weary of sponsored posts on blogs, but sometimes I like when brands partner with bloggers to review products. I appreciate the chance to get a better look at items I'm considering purchasing, especially because many stock photos of products don't have a context, or are heavily edited, so it's difficult to get a good feel for how something will look when it's installed/used. Seeing Kristin's photos definitely sold me.

Bliss @ Home

Those SCONCES! So good. And there's a nightlight in the bums.

I decided that I had to make them work. I didn't relish the idea of super skinny mirrors though and, truthfully, once we start dismantling the bathroom, I realized that I really didn't want to part with my large sheet mirror at all. I've grown accustomed to how much light it bounces around, which is nice in our bathroom which, although it has a window - luxury! - isn't terribly bright. Without that big mirror, it felt a lot smaller and darker. So I decided to go with something a little nutty. We're going to keep a large frameless sheet mirror (we'll get a new one cut to fit the space) and mount the sconces directly on the mirror, like so:

I know that many folks don't love large, unframed mirrors; they are often dismissed as "builder's basic," but I happen to like the look - as long as it's a LARGE mirror. I think it suits the modern, mid-century mod space I'm crafting. But, more to the point, I want to push the sconces as far to the edges of the mirror as possible (with the third in the middle) so they don't obstruct our view of our lovely mugs in the mirror. Plus, I don't want to pull attention from the gorgeous grain of the walnut, the busy quartzite counters, or the aqua sinks (yay!). The vanity area will pack a punch, so a simple mirror situation - as opposed to a frame in yet another material - won't compete for attention.

If you're a little dubious about my frameless mirror choice, I promise - it can look really good. In fact, many of the inspiration photos I've been sharing throughout the bathroom planning process boast this look. I'm excited but also a tad nervous. We're got a lot of the wiring changes done, but we still need to move the wiring for the new sconces, which means some very, very, careful measuring.

I'll share reno progress photos soon, but right now it's just bare studs and wiring, so it's hardly riveting. Although I did get an exciting delivery yesterday (aqua sinks, be still my heart)!

A Colorful Home Office in Progress

You've barely heard a peep from me about our home office in the last year and a half. So far, you've seen the Expedit - twice (after the Expedit hack, round two and when we made the plywood magazine files) - and the closet-turned-nook. But that's all I've shown you - for good reason. The office was our dumping ground when we first moved in. When it was cold outside and we were working on the kitchen makeover, the office became tool storage (the garage seems so much farther away when it's 35 below out). When the kitchen was done and order in the house was once again restored, the office took on a new role: acting as guestroom for a visiting friend. (I drove to my parents' house with my truck and literally stole a bed from their guest bedroom). You might recall that last year I wanted to use the guesthouse for our Etsy shop, but it became too expensive to heat, so the guest bed was sheepishly returned and all of the Etsy merchandise moved into my office. Eventually I set up shelves in the basement, and now the Etsy goodies are organized and orderly, but before I could finally see our actual plans for the office come to fruition, it started housing the displaced dresser and chair from our bedroom.

We really have big plans for the space - I swear! It won't remain a forgotten room forever. I'll detail our plans, including the crazy thing we intend to do with the nook, soon (I want to get your feedback on some DIY desk designs too). Today, though, I wanted to capitalize on the cleanliness and give you a tour, so you can see the space. I recently dealt with the paperwork crowding my desk, washed the floors, and even hung the drapes from the bedroom - just until my Mom and I sew the new aqua tweed ones. One day this room will be more than simply where furniture and accessories come to languish. But today it's clean, so take a peek!

This is one of my favorite paintings by Hubby's Grandpa. Hubs had this already when we met - reason enough to marry the guy ;)

Even if they are temporary, I'm loving curtains in here. I'm embarrassed to tell you how long I've been staring at an empty curtain rod...

You have no idea how tempting it is to pack those dresser drawers full of stuff! The dresser is going back to my Mom's, as soon as she makes room for it. After I stole it (having a truck makes me such a furniture thief), she rearranged all of her bedrooms and no longer has a spot for it. She's getting the last laugh.

A softer pair of Bert's paintings hang above the dresser, where they will stay when we build new desks. It's hard to tell in photos, but there is a lot of soft aqua and pink layered in. The paintings are more colourful than they always look in photos.

The Expedit looks largely the same, except the top shelves are getting a bit crowded with framed prints I can't seem to find a home for; I just stood them up behind my pottery to keep them safe. I stashed my sewing machine up there one day, also hoping to keep it safe, and there it has stayed.

The nook needs some work - melamine shelves are awfully weak. Sometimes in photos it looks like shelves are sagging because of lens distortion, but these shelves are actually sagging. We are actually thinking of using this space in an entirely different way...

There you have it, a look at the mysterious second bedroom! On the horizon: DIY desks, luxurious office chairs, a more practical nook, fabulous tweed curtains, a decluttered Expedit, plus clever ways to hide unsightly tech stuff (looking at you, hulking printer). For a little walk down memory lane, here's what the room looked like when the former owners were using it as a bedroom, and then when it was empty:

A Great Source for Colourful, Mid-Century Inspired Tweed Fabric

If you follow me on Instagram, or caught the recent post about my new poster purchase, then you might already know that I'm swapping the teal DIY back tab bedroom curtains...

...for an absolutely perfect green tweed!

From Instagram

I know that some of you are Team Teal, but the tweed has won some hearts too. Before I show off the new drapes (they're gorgeous, but a little too long - oops!), I wanted to explain my reasoning - and how I suddenly became totally obsessed with tweed.

Finding the teal patterned fabric in the bedroom was so tricky! I was committed to more colourful textiles in the lakehouse, and I really pushed myself out of my comfort zone of sheers, sheers, and more sheers. It helped that Hubs wanted "real curtains" that would block light and offer privacy. I searched for a long time, but couldn't find a shade of green/teal that worked with the posters. Eventually I found a teal print that had a modern feel and looked nice with the posters, although it complemented the middle poster best. I thought (and still think) these curtains were gorgeous. Trying something different (for me) really paid off!

When I moved the middle poster out of the room, all of a sudden my beloved curtains looked wrong. I casually started the search anew and was looking for curtain fabric for the office at the same time. I had a contender in mind for the office, but I really wanted the curtains in both rooms to have a similarly scaled pattern for some continuity. I corralled all of the viable options in a Pinterest board to show my Mom and she ended up finding this photo I had pinned a long time ago, from the show house Young House Love did:

I was really smitten with those luxurious aqua tweed drapes, but because they didn't suit the bedroom I didn't think twice about them. Huddled over my Mom's tiny tablet, we clicked over to U-Fab. I was positively giddy when I found not only a bevy of gorgeous tweeds (Hubs would like me to say a "gaggle of gorgeous tweeds), but also what looked like the perfect shade of green for the bedroom - shot with teal, like it was made for me! I immediately ordered a bunch of samples, trying not to swoon at my $15 bill (one reason I've stuck to buying fabric locally for so long). The folks at U-Fab were so sweet, and generously sent over some freebie samples, which was a lot of fun. What is it about getting something free that makes people so happy?

I taped some of the contenders up on the wall and spent a few days and nights contemplating - I like to see fabric or paint swatches under different lighting. This was my original short list for the bedroom (clockwise from the top, Dapp Cloud, Dapp Peacock, and Dapp Elephant):

"Elephant" was too dark, but the silvery, creamy "Cloud" looked SO good, especially with the bed skirt and the off-white background of the posters. It definitely harkened back to the townhouse, where creamy sheers and mushroom-hued silk curtains were de rigeur. In the end, the green "Peacock" was too perfect to ignore. In the office, there were no other contenders because the Dapp Aqua (which YHL used) looked amazing.

The office is still unfinished, but I'm letting the art work guide my choices. The turquoise looks perfect with the art in there (by Bert Weir):

From Instagram

I'm going to be honest and say that it really frosts my cake that it took me two tries to get the curtains in the bedroom "right," because the fabric for the first set, even thought it was on sale, cost about $100 at Fabricland. Spending money on something twice is such a disappointment and something I try really hard to avoid, but I couldn't have predicted my poster splurge. I'm really excited about the new curtains and I love that the office and bedroom will have coordinating drapes. I think that's going to look really chic and polished, and I'm realizing that texture, as opposed to bold pattern, might be a better fit for me in the long run. I think tweed will have more longevity too.

After the green and aqua tweeds were ordered, I tossed the samples on the dining room table. And that's when it hit me: these tweeds are upholstery weight! Hmmmm... would any of them be suitable for recovering our super comfy dining room chairs? I have kept my eyes peeled for comfortable, more stylish replacements for years, but no chair can hold a candle to these - they are lounge chair comfy, and they encourage us to sit and relax and linger. I've even dragged my laptop out to the dining room and spent whole days working there, drinking in the view, instead of clacking away in the office which, although it has a lovely mountain view, pales in comparison. I don't think our butts will ever allow us to part with the chairs, so recovering them might be the way to go. The "Peacock" actually looks pretty good with the living room, but I think it would be a bit much beside the aqua kitchen - it's a pretty saturated green. I think that with such bold statements in the living room and kitchen, the dining room chairs don't need to yell quite so loudly - although they do need to be a little peppier than their current brown, because they do seem out of place.

A creamy beige, shot with pale aqua (Dapp Crystal), caught my eye. It really picked up the creaminess of the leather sofa and the white stained maple counters, but I think cream dining room chairs might be giving us too much credit. It would be a disaster on spaghetti night.

After a bit more sample shuffling, I found "The Magic Tweed" as we call it (Dapp Blue Jay) - a blue-ish, grey-ish, slightly teal-ish tweed that, at first glance, doesn't seem bright or bold enough to strike my fancy. It's a chameleon, though, blending in and looking more teal, grey, or blue as required.

It is especially adept at picking up the teal of the velvet chair. We'd like to build a new living room ottoman, something a bit narrower and longer, with hidden storage, and this teal could work for that too. Carrying the same fabric from the dining chairs to the ottoman would be lovely - it would connect the two spaces.

I'm going to get some quotes from some local upholsterers to see how feasible it is, and how much I'd need to save up. In the meantime, now you know how I came to decide that everything must be tweed ;)

Dans le Lakehouse

March 11, 2016