We’re gearing up for our reveal of the lounge on Monday, however the renovation and design strategy of the home was so overwhelming (within the typical trend) that I captured photographs/footage however usually didn’t share/submit as a lot as I ought to have in regards to the design course of. It’s prefer it occurred each so slowly (over 3 years) and but with a lot occurring directly I didn’t do one of the best job of rolling it in actual time. So we’re going to recap a number of the areas and deep dive/dissect a number of the design parts earlier than we reveal the rooms. At present is all about the lounge (with after all a sneak peek on the finish) and I’ve some extra readability round my conflicted emotions about our {custom} paneling. Settle in, of us. It’s a factor. Every thing is a factor.

After we first toured the itemizing in 2018 this room had a lot potential, clearly. You’re greeted fairly instantly by this room (after the entry – did you see the reveal on Monday?) and she or he is large, architecturally attention-grabbing, and the issues and options had been quick and clear.

What We Needed To Change:

1. She was DARK. Each with an absence of sunshine and darkish in tone/shade. Now after residing within the PNW for 2 years, I can say that there’s a case for the darkish/cozy room for positive (weblog submit, possibly?). However our first response was to lighten it up – in each manner potential – ceiling shade, add extra doorways/home windows, and paint the partitions. Once more, I additionally acknowledge this was my pure light-obsessed California mind speaking, however I don’t remorse something that we did light-wise in right here.
2. The flooring was from the 90s and never the worst, however not authentic or particular. We knew that since we had been opening it up with the kitchen we’d doubtless want to exchange all of it.
3. {The electrical}/arduous lighting state of affairs was not serving to – there have been solely 4 small sconces and you possibly can simply inform that when we’d attempt to change these we’d see much more electrical points (we had been proper).
4. It felt nearly unusably giant, nearly just like the foyer of a lodge. This room simply took up a lot sq. footage, with the kitchen being undersized for the home. How do you make this house usable for a household of 4 with out including 1,000,000 items of furnishings to fill out the house?

What We Cherished And Needed To Preserve:

1. The three diamond home windows had been so fairly, however we knew we wished to open that wall to the yard (and future porch). We salvaged them and used them upstairs and within the pantry. Now at first, we had been simply going to place one French door in between the 2 large home windows (which might completely have labored though I really like what we did).
2. The ceiling structure is so fairly – so many older properties have broken low ceilings so these being 9′ earlier than the beams was an actual deal with.
3. The hearth is nice – tremendous traditional, inoffensive, and appropriately sized for the room. It had a range insert in all probability for warmth functions and we wished to make it both wooden or fuel (so you may see the flame for ambiance).

So We Gutted…

Now nobody desires to intestine a home, however as soon as we received the inspection report again (which I’ll share extra about in a future submit) it was clear that actually the whole lot wanted to be accomplished to make it protected to stay in. EVERYTHING. She is 110 years outdated and wanted greater than a facial or a facelift and I’m not a plastic surgeon or a miracle maker. ARCIFORM clearly performed an enormous half in restoring this girl and transforming it from prime to backside – thank god for them.

The paint had lead, {the electrical} was harmful, and there was doubtless no insulation – all the conventional outdated home stuff. So after the demo, there was some hope of getting the room that we actually wished.

We knew that we wished to have a door to the yard and labored with Sierra Pacific on these attractive scenic doorways that wanted a HUGE opening. Then we flanked it with two giant double-hung home windows. Doing these modifications is an actual factor and requires correct engineering and permits in addition to putting in a big monitor for the doorways (so you need to fur out your partitions to be at the very least a foot thick, amongst different issues). The day they reduce that gap we might see our future, regardless of it nonetheless trying like a horror home. We had been extremely excited.

It felt like such progress and we had been stuffed with hope. The Soake pool is the place that pile of filth is now, a a lot a lot prettier view. We centered the doorways on the hearth which was the best factor to do (however did give us a competing focus and created some move questions/points which are actually resolved).

Right here you may see what it seemed like with drywall, white oak home windows (from Sierra Pacific), and Zena white oak flooring. This was proper earlier than any of the trim or paneling went up and if I’m being completely sincere I choose this no-paneling look (extra on that later). I even kinda prefer it with out window trim. However is it bizarre to have a 100-year-old four-square craftsman and eradicate the window trim and baseboard? Actually everybody mentioned, “YES, THAT IS SUPER WEIRD”. Additionally, we had the unique classic home windows upstairs that we felt wanted trim. I wasn’t pushing for this, however the level is I favored how clear and easy it was. Your eye went to the white oak and never a bunch of millwork. However after we had been designing this we had been residing in our timeless white oak, Scandi mountain home and I’ve grown to choose the no trim window look. I could also be very mistaken about this BTW – so many individuals who I respect disagree with me.

Okay, so right here is the place a hiccup got here for me (many individuals don’t agree with me). We selected to do horizontal giant beadboard paneling in right here so as to add some architectural texture, however solely as much as the window sill. After we fell in love with this look it was at Anne’s cabin the place she did it actually excessive up and white-washed it so you possibly can nonetheless see the knots and grain. We selected to as a substitute paint it. Superb. How might that go mistaken? It added a reasonably wall ingredient, after all, nevertheless it additionally made the room extra formal – one thing I’ve been battling since we moved in. You’ll see…

I really like the paneling when it was wooden nevertheless it was poplar and never stain grade (identical with the window trim). All of the millwork was {custom} run, btw, which was extraordinarily costly (over $60k only for the supplies for the entire home together with the household room, out bed room ceiling, mudroom, and the kitchen) – not together with labor to put in. Brian and I had been ADAMANT that this was an architectural ingredient we wished so badly. This wasn’t one thing we had been on the fence about – we had been POSITIVE. I don’t think about any of this a mistake, it’s simply trying again I don’t suppose we would have liked it for this room.

What Do I Want We Had Completed As a substitute?

Now, I wish to be very clear that Jamie and the ARCIFORM staff designed and executed this PERFECTLY. This was a design selection that Brian and I made. Now that the lounge is finished, I really feel otherwise however many many instances I needed we had accomplished stain-grade white oak window and door casing to match the home windows, with white baseboards and no paneling. I’m over it and I principally love this room, however I’ve this pathological compulsion to show myself to anybody that comes into my home or weblog. (I’m like that canine who instantly rolls over and reveals you her stomach upon first assembly. I really like a lot about this home – which I’ll yell loud and proud, however I’ve struggled with the paneling in right here SO MUCH. And it’s OK! This room is objectively SO PRETTY and I really feel like I’m allowed to point out and inform you all my regrets with out folks pondering that I’m complaining or that I don’t suppose that it’s so fairly. It’s. Very not often do you do one thing {custom} and costly and notice later you not solely didn’t want it however maybe would have favored it higher with out doing that costly factor. So when you’ve accomplished that in any manner earlier than know that you just aren’t alone.

However we needed to maintain shifting… we had been shifting in in a matter of weeks.

After we walked in after the priming I had combined emotions (accompanied by a pit in my abdomen). I used to be so pleased that the ceiling was vivid and white, however I missed all the heat of the wooden and realized that portray the paneling and trim work was not going to be the look I had initially wished. However when it was masked off like this you couldn’t see the wooden flooring, wooden home windows, or wooden cupboards. There was a lot wooden in right here!!! Certainly it was heat however we simply couldn’t see it! However I simply felt so upset in myself (these had been all my selections, BTW, not ARCIFORM – they had been principally right here for the structure and weighing in on my selections, getting sq. footage and drawings, and so on, however these design selections got here from us).

Okay, What’s The Largest Problem With The Paneling?

My greatest difficulty is that trim work can look extra formal and fancy – however going too easy can look builder-grade. I really like the profile that ARCIFORM designed for us (a 4″ with a tiny bead on each ends). Having the paneling solely put in to wainscot top (we selected window sill) made it arduous for me as a result of portray them the identical shade because the partitions would appear like we simply didn’t make a design choice – like we forgot to create a distinction between the painted wooden and drywall. And but portray them two completely different tones or wallpapering would certainly make the room look busier – so many doorways, so many strains, a lot distinction. It simply wasn’t what I had initially envisioned.

So on the 2 days earlier than them ending the paint job on, I pitched to Brian for them to color the paneling a lightweight tone of blue. We beloved the colour of our doorways on the second flooring (see right here), so in UTTER HASTE, we had been like, “Let’s simply try this”. This was not my greatest second, however doubtless relatable.

After we walked in after the primary coat, each of our our bodies and mouths screamed, “OH DEAR GOD, NO”. I feel Brian made some type of “Easter home” comment. Cool, cool, cool. We totally realized we had been speeding all of it and that’s not one of the best head house to be in. However as you may see portray and repainting paneling is a THING.

I used to be beginning to panic. Brian jogged my memory that our mountain home is 100% white and wooden and we find it irresistible. Proper! sure! White! Perhaps will probably be okay??? With actually ZERO time to make a special choice (with out holding everybody up) we requested them to return to the unique plan and simply paint all of it white.

After we walked in on move-in day (the completed cleanup the day earlier than) I beloved a lot about the home and this room. It was so reworked and I noticed a lot magnificence. However it’s like my abdomen knew earlier than my eyes did and I received a pit instantly. So many individuals had labored so arduous on this home, that for me to say something damaging out loud was not going to occur. However to me, the lounge seemed so unfinished. On the time the one answer was to construct a time machine to return and never put up the paneling and use white oak window and door trim to match the interiors of the window. In case you’re questioning why we didn’t try this it’s as a result of we simply financially and mentally couldn’t return into the development part. I couldn’t rip stuff off that we had simply spent SO MUCH MONEY to custom-make and set up. Paradoxically, it was a little bit of a darkish time for me as a result of I stored all of it inside apart from the occasional breakdowns to Brian. I used to be simply so upset in myself and stuffed with remorse, however nothing was so unhealthy that it was a mistake that wanted to be mounted. No pity right here – FYI, I had reverse reactions to the kitchen, mudroom, sunroom, and our toilet – all so lovely I wished to cry and may’t wait to point out you the remainder of them quickly. However this room!! I actually felt like I tousled on this room in a non-fixable manner and but I KNEW that it wasn’t an enormous deal that was price shedding sleep over.

We Moved In… August 2021

Our rental lease was up, faculty was beginning in eight days and I used to be DETERMINED to maneuver in and get the children settled earlier than they began faculty. It had been an extended, mentally tough yr and in my thoughts shifting in would clear up all my woes. So with out building totally completed (ARCIFORM busted their asses to get us that shut – THANK YOU), we moved in and determined to stay with the furnishings we had for some time, which was one of the best choice (and actually we didn’t have a selection)… As soon as I received artwork up on the partitions it was beginning to really feel extra like our house. I favored being within the house quite a bit however the phrases “stark,” “chilly” and “unfinished” all the time floated round.

A reader, Misty, reached out and supplied to photoshop the lounge with completely different paint/wallpaper choices.

Now these colours I don’t suppose are very consultant of the samples I had. Each of those had been meant to be WAY extra muted (or at the very least they appeared to be that manner in particular person). However my response was so unhealthy once I noticed them photoshopped that I didn’t even wish to think about pursuing or tweaking. However as you may see, for some time I considered portray the partitions a lightweight shade of the pink bed room upstairs which I really like SO MUCH. The photoshopping simply made it a tough no.

Then I requested her to place the entry wallpaper in right here (which wasn’t up but, clearly). Typically I feel it’s simply the rendering and now that it’s within the entry I’m questioning if I ought to have accomplished this paper as a substitute in the lounge, however the photoshopped photographs did NOT persuade me (and it might be very costly so not one thing you simply “attempt”).

I even requested Misty to do a special impartial on the partitions and paneling/trimwork that was not yellow, nevertheless it positive seemed prefer it was!

I nearly gave up on doing something till I discovered this mushy blue/grey known as ‘Mantra‘ which is absolutely fairly. We left for a weekend and it was accomplished in sooner or later. Portray drywall isn’t an enormous deal, it’s the paneling that’s (requires a lot paint, sanding between coats, and so on).

It does look fairly, for positive. And at this level, so lots of the different parts make me so pleased so I’ve stopped fixating on the paneling.

Shoot Approaching – Time For Furnishings and Equipment

In case you missed it we personalized our dream espresso desk (that we’re obsessive about) with two native makers (shout out to Purl and Billy). Learn this submit if you wish to learn the way we did it or how a lot it value.

The Format

Then we organized and rearranged actually every bit of furnishings to attempt to discover the best mixture… I wrote a submit about my dream couch and the way we landed on this one.

We even produced a Youtube video with Michael Raines to stroll you thru the structure points and present you the place we landed.

Sneak Peek

The complete reveal approaching Monday (if I get my act collectively to jot down it in time!). There are a couple of extra parts that I must stroll you thru that we’ll be deep diving into this week earlier than the reveal. So for all of us design nerds, we’ll be diving into our enjoyable window panels and artwork!

Geez, she is nothing if not wordy. This weblog began out 14 years in the past as a journal, so generally that’s what you continue to get. 🙂 Come again Monday!!

And an enormous because of ARCIFORM for the architectural design and ideal execution of the carpentry on this home. Simply because I don’t like each single of my very own design selections doesn’t imply that they didn’t do their half completely. Anne, Stephyn, and Jamie – THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF THIS LADY’S PROJECT 🙂

*The Fairly Pictures by Kaitlin Inexperienced