While my post title may hint at some sublime — nay, ecstatic — state of being, I am most assuredly located squarely in the seventh level of hell, a level reserved for poor souls unfortunate enough to buy and sell a home at the same time. Our bank account is hemmorrhaging faster than a hemophiliac at an acupuncturist, and coping with little sleep and loads of msg laden takeout for the last few weeks has left me with a (hopefully impermanent) visage that can only be labeled as cryptkeeper chic.

Let’s talk about stairs.

So, fresh paint is up at New House and it’s looking jazzy, but the decorating dominoes have begun their inexorable tumble towards complete and total overhaul. Now, please. Ok, not everything can happen now, but the glossy barf oak stairs are particularly offensive, and that must be dealt with. Paint is the solution to every crisis, yes?

This is my dreamboat banister. White balusters, black rails and black… end thingy. I know it has a name? Bueller? Bueller?

Look how much better things can be! I think the mocha stain looks rich with the light floors.

No way am I covering up my fancy new treads with a runner (sorry future baby’s knees), but I like everything else about this.

Painting everything black would probably make my life easier, right?

Ok, so my question for you is: how hard is this going to be on a scale of 1 to mf nightmare? Pretty close to the bad side, right? Do I have to sand all that crap?????

Should I paint the balusters white and the rail and end post black? Stain rail and endpost dark? Paint everything charcoal?

Lock myself into a hidey hole and never come out?

[Living Etc, House Beautiful, Centsational Girl, Lonny, Richard Powers]

Your comments and feedback have been the wind beneath my wings, yet I have repaid you with petulance and neglect. All I can say is that it’s 100% nutz up in here, what with trying to sell our dopey old house (actually it’s awesome — I’m just getting tired of this shit), destroying my back, plus choosing paint, wood, and carpet all in the span of a week or two. That’s right — I said the C word. Because when I saw the numbers attached to my fabulous wood floors, I decided to do carpet in the upstairs bedrooms. And let me tell you what: carpet has been the easiest choice of all. Not only that, but I’m kind of in a fever for the flavor.

Sorry to repost this old picture, but hopefully you won’t remember my musings on carpet way back when, so this is all fresh and clean like a summer’s eve to you. I was considering getting seagrass or sisal installed wall to wall, but the price scared me. Well, that and the texture — harsh like a bag of stems and seeds.

Anyhoodle, I’m getting something that looks a lot lot lot like sisal — so much so that it’s even called “Sisal” — but it’s carpet. Soft, delicious carpet.

In case you are concerned for my mental health, rest assured that the effects of huffing paint fumes are known to be totally reversible.

At least that’s what I’m telling myself.

Headed out to play paint party with Karlyface. Updates tomorrow.

Thanks for your continuing support of Paint Color Waffler’s Nonanonymous.

Apologies for not giving y’all the attention you so richly deserve, especially since I truly appreciate all the feedback and comments you’ve offered on our quest for the perfect floors. Let me just say that I’m so busy I can barely remember my name anymore. Having our house on the market has been INSANE. Like, we don’t live here anymore insane. I barely have internet access, we are surviving on salt and grease laden take out — despite which I have lost several pounds from stress — and Ike isn’t sure where to call home. Still we’ve managed to decide on flooring. Drum roll please…

It’s engineered white oak in a 6″ strip with a natural, matte finish. I’m hoping it will look like this floor:

Because that floor is sex on a stick.

I was (ok, and still am) more than a little worried about the wide plank, but it was the best quality material I could afford and that’s the only size it came in. Luckily a kind commenter directed me to these floors, which have renewed my lust for big booty planks:

Freaking orgasmic, I tell you. Dinesen makes some of the most fabulous flooring I’ve ever seen, but I’m betting the farm that it’s waaaay more pricey than what I bought.

Those boards are ridiculously long, and look at how little variation there is… gajillion dollar floors for sure.

I’m still a little nervous that I might tire of the bigger is better look, but these photos are going a long way towards convincing me otherwise.

What do you think? Fat or skinny?

Don’t worry — I’ll be taking this issue up with Sanders the Paint God very soon. But for now I’d like to know what you think: When is it ok to paint your walls white and when is it a bad idea? New House has fabulously high ceilings in the family room and big sexy windows, but it also faces North and is very shady.

I think I could even be happy with a warm cream — something translucent but still palpably present.

Light colors in dark rooms — yes or no?

Hardwood floors always give me… hard wood. I can’t think of anything sexier than light gleaming off a set of bronzed, well oiled, shapely planks. Mmm hmmm. Obviously I have my heart set on wood floors for the new house — the real stuff, please. None of that ersatz laminate or engineered and oddly beveled woodish product will do for me. But guess what? Wood is expensive. And there are waaaay too many choices. But look how pretty it is:

Yes. This is the house I want. But maybe with less expensive flooring.

Or maybe darker?

Wait — maybe lighter…

Except the grooves kinda freak me out. Dirt traps?

We will probably do strip oak like this, but is this finish too light and modern for a Tudor?

Ok, here is your homework for today:

Please tell me whether you think we should go light, dark or somewhere in between.

Prefinished or site finished?

And finally, does anyone have experience with oiled finishes — like tung oil or Waterlox? I love the idea of a matte, European style finish.

Stay tuned for an MLS tour of Old House this week… I have been a busy girl.

A white back I posted a most delicious bathroom swathed a glorious rainbow of tiles. Smitten at the sight, many of you asked for the source and I was forced to declare my ignorance. Well as luck would have it, I came across the maker after asking The Queen of Tile herself for some help finding fancy new ceramics for the inlaw’s kitchen.  And…. tada!

Thanks to Miss Nelya of the fabulous blog Head Over Heels for pointing me to a post she wrote on Made a Mano, a most amazing purveyor of all things glazed and good.

I am OBSESSED with those white herringbone floors. Texas homes are filled with barfy saltillo and — even more loathsome — screenprinted ceramic tiles. I bet the labor to lay those suckers was outrageous, but I say it was worth it. As long as someone else is footing the bill.

Later, gators. Sick cranky kid = no time to type.

Wouldn’t it be nice if I actually bought something instead of just talking about buying something? Well, today is my birthday and I think I’m going to spend that capital on a fancy new bed. I’m currently agonizing over two options, and I know you fine people will happily tell me what to do. Let’s check out the playas:

I know I know, the styling and photography make me want to claw my eyes out, too. But this sucker is only $255 for a king from Overstock. I have black nightstands so I would definitely go with the black frame. It’s only 11 inches high which is ok, but it could be lower… maybe I could saw the legs off? I’m also worried about the corners jabbing my shins in the middle of the night.

Then there’s this guy from West Elm (thanks for the tip from kind commenter DMS). I love the proportions, and it’s only a shade over nine inches high, which is perfect. But it’s $400 (plus shipping and tax), and I’m not sure how I feel about the white with my black furniture…

You can kind of see my nightstands in this ugly picture I took for craigslist when I posted our bed for sale.

So, what do you guys think? Black or white? Or something else? I’m open to anything cheap and low slung platformy. Headboards need not apply because I think once lowered the bed will sit just beneath window. Then I can switch out the curtains for some roman shades and this room will be done. Hooray!

But first I need to choose a bed. Help.

If you ask a decorator where to hang your tv, they will probably say nowhere. A tv is like an indoor ceiling fan — an ugly necessity. Now I’m sure there are many among you who a) do not watch tv and can therefore ignore this problem and b) do not live in Texas and can therefore laugh at us poor suckers who would surely melt into flesh puddles without our fans. You guys pat yourselves on the collective back and go find something else to do. Maybe paint something?

I’m not even going to touch the fan problem, for which there is no elegant solution. But I am going to post a few ideas that may help you tackle the tv conundrum. Buckle up, friends — this may be the longest post you read all day. Perhaps even all year. But this is an important topic, right? Ok, maybe not peace on earth important.

Gilles Mendel

First of all, the old rules say, “No tv over the fireplace.” Speaking as someone who had a tv over the fireplace for a year or two, I think I can tell you why: it’s too high. Optimum viewing height is at seated eye level. However, these days you can buy a swivel mount to tilt that puppy down for easier viewing.

Vicente Wolf

And then there is the actual fire issue. We didn’t light up the fireplace the entire time the tv was mounted on it for fear of melting all that high dollar plastic into nickels and dimes. However — in the interest of full disclosure — we haven’t used our fireplace since we moved it, either. Have I mentioned it’s hot in Texas?

House Beautiful

See, this tv is way too high, but it does look nicely integrated into the design, what with the restrained palette and gallery wall. It is obviously the focal point of the room, but it shares and plays well with others.

How about that snakeskin surround? I have a feeling this fireplace is never used, so heat is a non issue. Also, every tv looks smarter when playing Fellini.

I think the bottom line regarding tvs over the fireplace is that it can be done, and well. But it’s not as easy as just plunking your tv onto the mantel. The fireplace is often the heart of the room, so room design has to accommodate the tv’s design, also. And most importantly, don’t arrange all of your furniture to face the tv unless you want your living space to look like a stadium.

House to Home

How about just next to the fireplace? I know a number of people have chosen this option and generally the lack of symmetry bugs me — but then I love symmetry.

Steven Volpe

But this is perfection. Boom. This room is so well balanced (asymmetrically). I appreciate that not every single piece of seating is turned to the tv, and the tension pole is such a simple, elegant solution that keeps the tv off the wall, thereby enhancing its 3D object quality. It’s so much better than this:

Ralph Lauren’s apartment

This looks like a high school AV cart. It’s so very wrong.

Lonny

Built in solutions can be very attractive, from traditional and sophisticated to ultra mod.

OWI

Instead of hiding the tv away in an armoire (which I say should be avoided, because you aren’t fooling anybody with that giant, hulking piece of furniture), a built in solution makes the tv an integral part of the room. The problem I see with this is that it’s an expensive custom solution. Also, what if you decide to get a bigger tv? At least the Lonny image above leaves space for that possibility.

Lonny

For us regular folk who can’t afford built ins and choose to flat mount our tvs to the wall, the gallery wall can be an interesting possibility. I like that the paint color blends in with the black border of the tv, diminishing its visual footprint.

Brick House Tumblr

White walls + white tv + white art = a barely visible tv.

Sidenote: most tvs are black because black borders enhance the perception of contrast. Obviously they can be purchased in other finishes to blend into surroundings as in the above image, but you can expect to pay a premium for a fancy finish.

I suppose the most popular choice for a tv is over a credenza, which hides the cables and cords of modernity. Alex approves.

Laura Day

And of course it helps if you can position your tv over the most glorious credenza known to humankind, and then pause the tv to a color which matches your art perfectly. Again, I think the fact that not every piece of seating is turned toward the tv helps it to recede immensely.

Magnus Marding

But you can take that last piece of advice to the extreme.

For pretty much ever tvs have been the scourge of decorating. They have a restricted shape and palette, and formally speaking they often clash with furnishings. While I agree that it’s best to avoid making tv the absolute focal point of a living space, that doesn’t mean we have to hide our loves away. Unless you are a Mennonite or like to watch stupid reality tv on your iphone, you probably have a tv and it’s got to go somewhere.

Marie Claire

Best learn to live with it gracefully.

As the proud parent of a very energetic toddler, I can say there are a few things I will never own: 1) a white sofa 2) a fabric sofa 3) another chesterfield sofa (you would not believe what secrets those button tufts can hide). I know a lot of people have their little munchkins trained to eat in (gasp) the kitchen or dining areas, which is right and good since that’s where food should live. And it’s not that I am trying to raise a wild animal, it’s just that life happens. Well, that and I have a hard time standing over an 18 month old in the kitchen, watching him take his sweet time (like, at least an hour) futzing with four squares of PB&J.

On the other hand, could this be the solution to all my problems?

Are you guys sick of all the Belgian linen slipcovers yet? I have to say I kind of love the romance of it all. Of course, you could throw a burning pile of poop in the middle of this gorgeous room and it would still look fabulous. But would this super soft look work in a more casual space or just come off as sloppy?

I do generally prefer a more tailored look for a sofa. I’m all for comfort, but I’m also a little concerned that the super flowy white slipcovers look like Aunt Martha just closed up her Hamptons home for the winter.

Now this looks kidproof. Black covers, they never get dirty — the longer you use them the blacker they get.

I kind of always thought I wanted a white sofa, but I find this refreshingly different and super easy to pull off. Just think — that fabric could be anything. Something that matches jelly would be preferable.

Happy Monday, dudes. I have a craaaaaaaaaazy busy week coming up, but Ima do my best to shower you with blog love. Maybe even every inch of my love.

[Marie Claire Maison and MR Architecture]

There are many things that keep me awake at night: wondering if Ike will grow up “right,” trying to decide whether we should move and how much to spend on a new house, fear that the world is about to erupt in a blazing ball of apocalyptic doom, oh — and raccoons. Raise your hand if you’ve ever awoken to a big bang crash in the middle of the night, only to find a pair of masked bandits grazing on catfood in the kitchen and pirouetting across the living room.

Jeff Andrews Design

They are cute little bastards, but they better watch it… or else. I’ve been wanting a fur blanket for a long time, and I’d planned to go faux, but I could be persuaded otherwise. Ha! Just kidding! Not really.

Elle Decor

But for seriously, the thing that’s really making me toss and turn all night long (all niiiight, yeah, all night) is our piece of shit mattress — the mattress that we spent boatloads of cash on. I hate it.

Kara Mann

It’s some latex pillowtop concoction by Sealy (who I will not be trading with again), and in the relatively wee span of three years (although the problem started much earlier) it looks like Mount Everest has cropped up between two valleys. I mean, the dents in this sucker are so low that if I roll any further downhill, I will be sleeping on the floor.

Elle Decor

So now we have to break out the benjamins for ANOTHER king sized mattress. And so, fine friends, my question to you is: what should we get? Karly and I have discussed the finer points of memory foam, and we both worry that it may start out the bee’s knees only to break your heart — and your back — a year later. And what about latex? It’s delightfully polyurethane free, but mine has certainly sucked. Did I just get a bum bed?

Commune Design

Or should we just get a plain old innerspring set and call it a day? I’m not getting another pillow top, but I suppose we could always add a topper for some extra squish. I like a soft bed.

Help, people! I need suggestions. What are you sleeping on? How long have you had it? Do you like it? Was it expensive? I am open to any and all suggestions regarding brands, types, etc.

I’m so tired, my mind is on the blink.

Stuff is expensive. Cool, unique stuff is both hard to find and exceedingly expensive. So it’s really no wonder that interior designers have a short list of favorite finds that are either purchased for multiple clients, or — just maybe — shuffled from home to home. It must be nice to find that you’ve got the cherry on top ready and waiting, especially when the sundae already cost a small fortune.

Fornasetti Moro chair, Michael Haverland Architecture

Creepy black angel, Darryl Wilson Design

And it must be even nicer to put that special finishing piece into production, so that every Jane, Sue and Sally, can own a piece of the magic (for a price).

Hot pink lacquer coffee table, Atelier Abigail Ahern

I totally understand the attachment some designers have to their favorite pieces, kind of like a decorating security blanket. I myself have a golden boy named Brian, and even when everything else is shot to hell, Brian makes it all better.

Do you have some special piece that makes every room feel finished, whether it accents a clinically modern room or a chintz blitzed extravaganza? Spill the beans, please. And I will try not to copy you.

Welcome back, me! After a long and lovely family visit, I’m easing into the daily routine. Which means that I’m still feeling a bit lazy. I’m looking forward to catching up with y’alluns, but first I would like to thank the fabulous Collyn of ModFruGal for sharing her amazing, inspiring home while I was away. If you were a naughty imp and you missed her home tour, catch it here.

Greetings and formalities are out of the way, so let’s get down to bizness — rug cruising.

Rug? Who? Wha? Yep, it’s a little hard to see past the tongue, but there’s a rug in there. Somewhere. Designed by Bartoli, the Rosetum is part of Nodus Rugs‘ enormous, eclectic rug collection. Featuring everything from the merely mundane to the beyond bizarre, Nodus stands at the forefront of the art rug movement.

Take, for example, this twist on the traditional by design duo Studio Job.

Perished Persian’s pattern is formed by tiny interlocking forms.

This one’s named Eros. Since we are a familyish blog (cough), I’m not going to zoom in on that.

Nodus does feature an array of more classic forms, like these fine specimens:

But their most interesting offerings seem to fly in the face of traditional warp and weft rugs.

And then there’s this dude from the ever zany Brothers Campana. Computer: zoom in.

Gold star for the best caption. And…. go!

Tags: brothers campana, nodus, nodus rugs, rugs, studio job
Posted in Accessories, Basics, textiles | 10 Comments »