Home: new paint job

We have lived in this house for a little over a year now and since moving in we've remodeled a bathroom, repainted just about every room in the house and rebuilt the deck.  A lot of work.  However, the part that leaves me feeling not so great are the main kitchen, family, and general living areas.

This is a split level with a sunken family room, an open kitchen with view to the family room and a really high ceiling in the upstairs hallway/landing.  The walls seem to go from room to room to hallway with little to no distinct division.  When I started painting I figured I could just take the color from one wall and felt like I had to keep going to the next.  I did that and soon after realized that wasn't going to work for me. Visually it was not comforting to have everything in the same shade of green.

I love the green in the dining room but not the hallway and certainly not into the family room and all other walls ...UGH!!!  So I decided to invest a little money had a consultant come tell me what I already knew.  He said to neutralize as many of the walls as possible, build my own division of walls, and most important, paint your ceilings a bright white. Low ceilings make rooms feel smaller than they are.  White flat paint will make the colors richer and the room will feel less small... hmmmm good idea.

I took his advice and decided to start with the ceilings. Oh My Goodness!! this is harder than painting walls. Yikes.  But I do see the difference.  Anyway... here's what I'm working on.  I hope to keep posting as I paint and hope to get any tips you all may have.

This is the right side of the family room view from the kitchen. That wall will be neutral as well.

wall from the kitchen flowing into family room, color: butter yellow/keeping that color

upstairs and downstairs hallway, three of the family room walls and adjacent green wall will all be a neutral color, something called oyster shell from Behr, I think.

downstairs wall with fireplace and windows will be my accent wall, can't figure out what one color I will have in that room... love green but the room lacks natural light so have to be careful what I do there.

a brighter white on the ceiling... I know it almost looks the same as the old, trust me, it's not.

By the way, did I mention I don't like painting ceilings.

OK Off to finish that kitchen ceiling already. Wish me luck and feel free to throw in your two cents on one accent color for the family room.

Terie

On the college trail

Oberlin Conservatory, OH

Westminster Choir College, Rider University, NJ

James Madison University, VA

Oh my gosh, I though we would never stop traveling.  I feel like the whole month of February has come and gone and it's only the 19th.  We decided that, since I'm the control freak (so they say), that I would go with our oldest son, the Musician, on his college interviews and auditions.  In a way, I thought, this is great for me I  only have to worry about one child and he's a grown up now or "an adult" according to the law, yeah, whatever!  

Turns out there was a lot of driving, traffic, snow, long train rides, sleepless nights, and emotional stuff going on during this time.  I never had a chance to just let go. I had to be strong for him - it's what mom's do- when he felt he did poorly and needed a shoulder to let it all just go.  Well, the shoulder was there but he didn't let anything go, not to me anyway. 

I found out recently how much he felt like a failure like he would never make it and how much anxiety he had about auditioning live in front of judges and a camera.  Oh well, I was there to listen and advice but I'm also a parent, I apparently don't get it because in "my day" things were different.  Huh, I thought emotions were around "way back then." Guess I was wrong again.  Oh well, some day he'll grow up and then I'll start to be right in his eyes, or not.

Now we're done with all the college stuff and the anxiety is placed on that letter we're supposed to get stating that he is accepted into that school and even better would be if the letter told him that he will be awarded a scholarship to help pay for his education - now that would be a sweet thing.

For now, I'm glad we're done with the driving; well I'm done with the driving, he's still as driven and ambitions as ever to become the best at what he loves to do most, vocal performance.  My heart just sinks at the thought that my little boy, my first born is on his way to college.  I don't feel old enough for this --OK sometimes I do feel it but time seems to have slipped on by.

I have three more sweeties to enjoy and eventually, hopefully, go on future college trails to get them on the right track to a great future.  I have a long time before the nest is empty.  Now I'm off to take a little break while baby sleeps.  Hot yerba-mate tea sound yummy right about now!

Ciao!!