New York Renovator

I’m going to finish the living room this year, Lord willing. This is easier than ripping out rooms and rebuilding them, but it’s still no easy task. The hardest and lengthiest job will be building the built-in bookshelf units. I have never done anything remotely like it, so I must study up and find some good plans. It involves precision carpentry which, I admit, is not my forte. I have little patience for slicing and dicing dove joints and picayune stiles, so…. I may go with some stock cabinetry pieces if I can find some cheap enough. My local store sometimes sells defective or broken units which are easy to repair.

I got this cabinetry very inexpensively. It doesn't look pretty yet because the set is not complete, but it's a start.

I also plan to move the gas fireplace unit to a better location. I will create a nice fireplace box and mantle and The Hubs will reroute the gas lines. I’ll paint the walls, the trim, and sew curtains (I’ve had the material for a year!). I’ll install carpeting (first time for this) and *hopefully* get new furniture. All we have is hand-me-downs (one huge couch and a broken but beautiful wing chair). There will finally be enough storage space and organized working space for all the home office, school stuff and laptops notebooks and all the computer stuff. The more I think about it, the more excited I am getting!

Of course, nothing is budgeted yet! I will have to take it on a pay-by-pay basis. That’s how I did the kitchen in 2010. So I have to make a list of needs and then start bargain hunting at the scrap yards. It’s amazing how much money you can save in the “dent and ding” aisle!

I’ve taken the teeniest, tiniest leap into building an official home office here. I’ve been working at home for over 3 years now, with a little desk and bookshelves showhorned into a corner of the living room. It’s so messy and my living room has become engulfed with stuff that I’m desperate to organize.

Well, I finally found some inexpensive kitchen cabinets suited for a home office. They are Aristokraft, in saddle oak. They are very plain, and are made of particleboard. But I don’t care– I don’t need a solid wood desk and the simple style suits me. The cost of the three cabinets with countertop was a fraction of the price of a new desk (one of those cheapo Chinese-made junk desks).

All I’ve got done so far is the bottom half. Eventually, I will build the top hutch portion when I can wrastle up the funds. For now, the base will have to do. Livvy likes it.

The area looks quite empty and sterile. Oh, I have plans, though! I am going to build my own hutch. It will have two narrow bookshelves and a pair of cabinets. Eventually, I will create a huge built-in bookshelf along the wall. I intend to convert the room (living room) into a library, with big wall bookshelves and a gas fireplace.

I also plan on installing crown molding along the top of the ceiling and placing LED white lights in the tray. It will give the room lovely ambient lighting.

The garage, once I have renovated it, will become the new family room where we will have sofas and chairs and the family’s huge assortment of musical instruments.

But before I rebuild the garage into living space, I have to build a barn in the backyard, to hold our power tools and auto equipment. Oh yeah, I’ll be busy for a long time. And then , of course, I still have to renovate the upstairs of the house and the downstairs bathroom….

Sheesh, who knows, maybe by the time I’m finally done renovating, I’ll be too old to maintain such a big house. I can then turn around and sell the place for a nice profit. It sure would be nice to enjoy the fruits of my labors here, though. I’ve spent most of my years living in a dumpy house!

My daughter snapped this on her cell phone. Where could that skulking kitty be?! She’s doing it rite! LOL

Well, another year is winding down. I haven’t been thinking of any thoughts on renovation lately until about a month ago. It was about that time that I really “let” my desk “go.” I have always been a neatnick with a super-tidy desk, but I’ve been SO SO busy the past few months (since October, really) that my desk is a SHAME. A cryin’ shame. I even took a photo for you to see how bad it is. lol

Yes, everything but the kitchen sink and the diamond necklace. Yow.

The desk is actually one of the best ones I’ve ever had, The thing is solid wood, an old teacher’s desk from the 1940s. But it’s not exactly computer-compatible, as you can see. I just juggle way too much stuff on this desk, and with all the paperwork for the home business, I’ve run out of places to put things.

Which leads me back to thinking about renovation again. I’m going to create a built-in bookshelf and desk system in the living room. We have tons of books, most of them in boxes, still! I think my living room will look beautiful with some elegant shelves and a nice tidy area to work. I’ve ordered a few base cabinets and am waiting for them to arrive. Once they finally do, construction begins. I will have to reroute one wall sconce light and make a bit of a mess with the existing furniture, but we can handle it. I think I’ve finally got a vision for the room. It will probably take us about a year to or more to finish it, as it also involves removing an existing gas heater and installing a gas fireplace to a more central part of the room. Because a large portion of this room is my “home office,” I can deduct some of the expenses on my taxes. Thank God.

Anyway, I’ll have more updates about this later. I intend on building my own shelves from wood, so the project will certainly take some time. But when it’s done, it will look and function SO MUCH better. And the new shelves will give Livvy all sorts of amazing new places to hide!

After the blistering heat wave a few weeks ago, and now that a murky cloud of intense humidity has settled over us (70% dewpoint and higher, yuk!!) for about two weeks now, I’m reaching a point of desperation. I can’t tolerate the heat and humidity, and therefore I have trouble sleeping. It wasn’t bothering me much until lately, when the temps spiked.

Those pillow cases are part of the new "medieval" sheets I got. I think they are cool! But not... cool... if you know what I mean.

I have a memory foam mattress, and while it is spectacular in comfort, the thing is like an oven in the summer. It absorbs heat, and it feels like sleeping on a warm loaf of bread. I’ve been trying to find some good sheets, but I’ve already spent a good amount of money on some… and I can’t say I’m very happy with my choices. Now, I’ve already got winter sheets figured out– flannel sheets RULE; that with a hotel collection comforter and I’m snug as a bug even when it’s 40 degrees in my bedroom. But during the summer, I’m at a loss.

I recently purchased a “modal/cotton” set. It’s very soft and stretchy, a little bit like a t-shirt. It’s very cushy and comfortable. but it’s almost TOO cushy. And what the heck is “modal,” anyway?

And then I bought a Better Homes & Gardens set (can’t go wrong with a name brand, right??). It’s a very, very attractive red design, with a medieval-looking pattern. They actually have some really nice designs; I’m partial to purple bedding sets. too. But these sheets are…. I think they are a cotton/polyester mix. It’s like sleeping between a lightweight tarp. They make a nylon-ish sound when you move around in them. They’re OK, but… they’re still kinda hot.

What the heck do you get for summertime bedding?! I can’t really find any answers online. IS there anything, really? Do you just sweat it out, or perhaps get nautical bedding to fool your mind that you really are cooler?

I have heard of Egyptian cotton bedding, but that stuff is $100! Before I get it, I need to know if it’s really worth it. Have you tried Egyptian cotton? Is it a “cool” sheet?

Sometime in the near future (after we get new windows and fix the front porch and maybe paint the house, lol), we’re going to build a very nice deck in the back of the house. Right now, we currently have no where to sit in the evenings, just the asphalt lot in the backyard (and have I ever mentioned how much I hate asphalt??) and the grass with the ever-encroaching weeds. A deck would be so very nice. I’ll have my grill on there. I’ll build big planters along the perimeter, to hold all my herbs and lettuce for salads. I’ll have a gathering of Adirondack chairs and a nice wooden table. I’ll maybe even splurge and get a few of those cool-looking, South American torch light thingys made from bamboo. And maybe, just maybe, I’ll get something like one of those outdoor patio umbrellas:

Actually, the style does not go with my old house– but then again, old houses didn’t have decks, either. It’s quirky enough for me to like it. Maybe I could even string a few cocoanuts from the thing! Talk about a conversation piece! LOL

It’s actually synthetic thatch. They don’t use *real* thatch for tiki umbrellas anymore, and good thing. The real stuff got moldy, old, and was flammable. This synthetic stuff is water and weather resistant and can be reused. They also have poolside cabanas and a very exotic-looking tiki bar (which would be a great gift for dad for Father’s Day, actually). The umbrella is very unique– it is a DIY kit and you can secure it to a wooden or even concrete deck (how about asphalt? :-p). The canopy span in 11 feet, and the wood is all cedar! It’s pretty high quality. And, of course, it shades the hot sun from scorching your skin.

Seriously, the models are probably more suited for a commercial establishment or a beachside home. But a girl can dream, can’t she?

Here’s the latest update for all you who wait breathlessly for the continuing saga in my pitifully mundane life!

I FINALLY got a clock.

Woooo I live dangerously, don’t I??

Seriously… it’s been a long time since I started chattering on about this. EVen before we gutted the dining room, I didn’t like the cheesy $5 plastic clock that hung there. After we renovated, I wanted something very elegant. It had to be readable, large, but traditional looking. All the ones I saw at my retailers were upwards of $40. Whoa.

I found a beautiful Kalvin Large Clock in Brown Cherry by Howard Miller at CSN Stores! They sent it to me for my review! Aren’t they totally swell!!! Here it is.

It looks so pretty in my dining room with the Grecian accents.

I LOVE the large numbers. No more squinting when I need to know the time!

It’s a very simple clock– it runs on one “A” battery and has the traditional plastic wheel that you spin to rotate the hands. The clock has a second hand, too (I love those). The case is acrylic. It’s a big clock– over 15 inches. The price was a little over $27 (it’s on sale) and that included the free shipping. Shipping was fast and the packaging was good. I’m pretty impressed, a clock this large and this nice for such a price.

Thanks to CSN Stores for sponsoring me. CSN Stores is a great place to shop. They have everything– home decor, furniture, bed and bath stuff, kitchen stuff, pet supplies, lots more. Prices are good, the selection is incredible, and the shipping is, in many cases, FREE and FAST. I kept the UPS man hopping this past week. I recommend CSN Stores, my experience was very good there. I’m going to become an affiliate, I like them so much.

So. IT’S DONE! I finally got my clock!!

Hee hee.

Doesn’t it look like a Cleopatra chair?

It’s actually called a “chaise lounge chair” *ahem*.

I am looking to replace the living room furniture in the near future. I’m tired of the cat-scratched sofa and the two funky, upholstered orange throwbacks from the 1970s that were found curbside…. :-p I don’t particularly like the straight-back chairs and I don’t like futons, bean bags, or Barca Loungers. I actually prefer to lounge on a long couch, but I can’t fit it into my small office very comfortably.

Lounge chairs seem to be very nice. There’s a lot of them at the Chaise Lounge Chair Store, with a variety of styles and colors. I prefer the more traditional styles (I’m not terribly find of contemporary anything), but the store has some pretty eccentric styles that are amazing! I may get one for my office some day, that and a papyrus fan and a slave who feeds me from a cluster of grapes….

No no wait. Not GRASS as in this:

Grass as in this:

SEAGRASS. As in Seagrass Rug.

Sorry, I misspoke. :S Seeing real, green grass is about two months away yet. :’(

But there’s plenty of seagrass to sea see at 1001SeagrassRugs.com. Seagrass is nice because it’s made of natural fibers. The rugs at 1001SeagrassRugs.com have latex backing for extra durability. And seagrass is WAY better than that plasticky indoor-outdoor carpeting. Seagrass is a plant that grows underwater– and therefore would be perfect for the floor of my front porch! :-p Our house is too old for gutters, so when it rains, it pours. And it all collects in front of the front porch, ugh. I have to rip out the deck and rebuild the rotting wood. And get gutters, of course.

Anyway, the seagrass rugs are so nice! Very affordable and some have pretty black or brown borders. You can also get bamboo rugs or jute rugs there, too. Check it out!

Well, have you finished your Christmas shopping yet? Maybe you’re stuck with a few of the “hard to buy” people on your list. Ooo I have got some great ideas for you! I found a wonderful website that has LOADS of home products and more stuff.

I have four teens. I NEVER know what to get them. I mean, they can *only* have *so* many mp3 players and earbuds sets, right?

How about some new bedding by Egyptian Peddler? I love these! The purple zebra striped set is stunning.

For the in-laws who seem to have everything… I’ll bet they don’t have this! Isn’t it adorable?! It’s one of the new products by Heritage Lace– a lace door panel for Christmas/winter season. I love it!

And how about a simply smashing gift for your favorite home improvement blogger, eh?

That’s a “Gustav Becker Cineca Melodies in Motion Wall Clock.” I’m nuts about clocks, especially Rivercity clocks. I love that one!

Anyway, the site is BedBathStore.com. They have some really nice stuff. Some of it is a little pricey, but there’s a holiday sale right now, and the prices are very reasonable. There’s free shipping on orders over $55 (which will not be difficult to obtain) with coupon code HOL55. Enjoy!

Not everyone can have a Bobi mailbox, you know. Bobi mailboxes are very cool— very sleek, classy boxes that can be hung on the side of the wall, or inserted into the ground as a stand-up box. They are best for urban areas (they’d get blown over or smothered with snow from our monster Upstate New York snowplows), but they are very classy contemporary mailboxes that are as functional as they are pretty.

But.. it’s pretty obvious that not everyone can have a classy mailbox. Since my husband is a part-time rural carrier for the post office, we are more sensitive than most to mailboxes. And some of the styles and sizes of mailboxes are… well, not so hot. Here are some of the wackiest mailboxes I have found on the Internet.

Don’t know what to do with your yard junk? Heck, weld it all together and throw it up front for the mailman to wrangle with!

I wonder why these folks can’t afford to get a nice mailbox…

Will the mailman dare open this for a nice surprise?

OK, where the heck is the door on this thing?!

:-p Bad taste. Most mailmen would cringe to use this one, but I dare say I know a few who probably wouldn’t mind…

This is actually kind of cool. Creepy, but very unique.

So, you thinking about getting one of those classy Bobi mailboxes by now? LOL.

Photos courtesy of UglyMailbox.xom, YPcommando.com, ArtCar.Blogspot.com, and ThinkersRoom.com.