Need decorating advice!!
It looks like we're going to start working on clearing out and painting the sunroom this weekend. (My mom will have two rooms completely to herself, the sunroom and the large room behind it.) I've decided to move all my 1950s-era aluminum porch furniture in there (loveseat/glider + 2 rocking chairs), since the dogs and cats can't really hurt it (I hope!)--as opposed to my vintage wicker furniture, which would probably become a lovely scratching post. I think I'll also put my vintage enamel-top table in there--it has chrome legs, so again the pets shouldn't hurt it much. I'm thinking of painting the sunroom a pale, jadite green and hanging sheer white curtains, and then sewing some red tropical-patterned cushions for the chairs. There are windows on three sides, so it's really a lovely little room to sit in and read, etc.
I'm not so sure what to do about the main room--right now, it has 1950s-era wood paneling (the *real* kind, thin sheets of wood, not fake wood grain). Should I paint over it? I feel kinda bad about doing that, since it is real wood, but it would certainly lighten things up in there. What do you think?
The room is a little dowdy (and full of boxes), but my goal is to make it feel airy and comfortable. I'm having a hard time coming up with a decorating scheme, though. The carpet is ca. 1960? and has a textured pattern. It is kind of an oatmeal color. Unfortunately, I don't think we're going to have the time and/or funds to replace it or remove it and refinish the floor, so it stays for now, but I'll steam-clean it as well as I can:
The ceiling is covered with acoustic ceiling tiles. God, I really detest those things, but again, I don't think we're going to have the time or money to afford to remove them and replace them with sheetrock. There are pipes going into the ceiling because they were used to hang clothes from (it was the work room for a tailor). Fortunately, they're attached to a piece of wood, so rather than repairing the acoustic ceiling tiles after we remove the pipes, I think we're just going to patch and paint the strip of wood and leave it where it is.
The room has its original door, which is kind of cool. But my mom has two giant dogs (ugh), so I need to find a way to protect the door from scratch marks. Larry has suggested that we tack up a thin sheet of metal over the bottom 4' of the door. What do you guys think? Can you think of any alternatives? Here's the door:
I really need your advice, my friends! How do I make this room comfortable and breezy without spending too much time and/or energy on tearing everything out and replacing it?? What do you think absolutely *must* be replaced, and what should stay? Should I paint the paneling? Should I paint it white, which would hopefully make the room seem larger, or something else? Help!
I'm not so sure what to do about the main room--right now, it has 1950s-era wood paneling (the *real* kind, thin sheets of wood, not fake wood grain). Should I paint over it? I feel kinda bad about doing that, since it is real wood, but it would certainly lighten things up in there. What do you think?
The room is a little dowdy (and full of boxes), but my goal is to make it feel airy and comfortable. I'm having a hard time coming up with a decorating scheme, though. The carpet is ca. 1960? and has a textured pattern. It is kind of an oatmeal color. Unfortunately, I don't think we're going to have the time and/or funds to replace it or remove it and refinish the floor, so it stays for now, but I'll steam-clean it as well as I can:
The ceiling is covered with acoustic ceiling tiles. God, I really detest those things, but again, I don't think we're going to have the time or money to afford to remove them and replace them with sheetrock. There are pipes going into the ceiling because they were used to hang clothes from (it was the work room for a tailor). Fortunately, they're attached to a piece of wood, so rather than repairing the acoustic ceiling tiles after we remove the pipes, I think we're just going to patch and paint the strip of wood and leave it where it is.
The room has its original door, which is kind of cool. But my mom has two giant dogs (ugh), so I need to find a way to protect the door from scratch marks. Larry has suggested that we tack up a thin sheet of metal over the bottom 4' of the door. What do you guys think? Can you think of any alternatives? Here's the door:
I really need your advice, my friends! How do I make this room comfortable and breezy without spending too much time and/or energy on tearing everything out and replacing it?? What do you think absolutely *must* be replaced, and what should stay? Should I paint the paneling? Should I paint it white, which would hopefully make the room seem larger, or something else? Help!