AbbeyK — On Interior Design

Trim Color of Stain, This Old House

The wood trim in the house was dark and dirty. When the painters cleaned it, it revealed a lighter wood with yellow tones in it. The problem? We had not planned on stripping and re-staining the trim. The trim was to stay as is.

OK so plans change and usually for the better.... the issue at hand was that all of the decor choices were decided with the trim color in mind so the trim color becomes a major design feature to consider. And there's a lot of it -- crown moulding, window trim, base board, , openings to the room, pocket doors, built-ins, fire places, stair way.

We picked fabrics and wood tones for the coffee and end tables to coordinate with the wood tone of the trim. A huge trickle down effect, we'd need to have the stain tinted to bring back some of the rich tones.

So we had a meeting in the morning to discuss what we were after. We liked how the wood lightened up, but didn't like the yellow factor. Then Maurice mixed up some samples and put them on the opening around the pocket doors. We met again at the end of the work day to approve. With just 2 weeks left, we're on a tight deadline.

Here's Maddy next to the 3 of the 7 options. We picked the bottom right. Not too dark and not too light. Just right.

Paint Color, This Old House

Good-bye red walls, so dark and somber.
You will not be missed.
Soon you will be a nice appealing green.

In the mean time, all I can say is "Oooh, Aaah," what a difference some primer makes.
Yes, it's the same room, just a slightly different view.

Mud Room Color, This Old House

So what's a ripped piece of paper on a board got to do with anything you ask?
OY Vey is all I have to say.

Well, the ripped piece of paper is a sample of Cotton Fluff by Behr. This is our trim color in the kitchen, mudroom, and family room. A company called New England Woodworking out of RI is supplying the built-ins for the mudroom and the paint they use is a special type of paint.

We needed the colors to match.

So Dave, the sales rep, picks up some of the paint we are using from the job site. One of the painters gave him a Coke bottle full of paint. They took the paint and matched it. They delivered a board and it was bright white. Our cotton fluff has a creamy yellow undertone. Not a match.

I called Dave and asked if maybe they matched it to the wrong color. We think they matched to the basement trim color which is bright white.

No bother, really. Our solution? Get the formula from Behr. So I called Home Depot, got the code, emailed Dave. Also I FedExed a piece chip with the actual paint of the cotton fluff. Paul ,the homeowner had made test boards when we chose colors. (Did you know most paint companies have chips that are printed, not made of actual paint? So when you are using those little chips from the hardware store, the colors are close, but not true.)

Take two. Dave had his finish guy color match based on the formula. They made 2 new boards based on the formula. Then he drove up here to deliver them the next day. Those were still not right.

We decided that clearly there was an issue with formulas and different paint chemistries. The solution? A custom, hand blended color. What we were after was not an exact match, but a close blending of the undertone of the Cotton Fluff. Our eyes seek our similar, so as long as it was close, it would be a go.

Third time was indeed a charm.

Tiling the Kitchen, This Old House

Tiling of the Kitchen backsplash has begun.

First we had to plan. We had done a layout to scale, but it's not until you get the product on site and do a hard layout that you know. Those of you who read regularly know that I often proclaim that scale and real life are two things.

Joe Ferrante sketched out the design above the cook top.
You can click on any of the pictures for a larger view.

Maddy and I agreed that we liked the look of it.
But there was still work to be planned. Which tiles would go where in the tableau design above the cooktop?

If you click on the images, you'll notice on the design we wrote R and S. "R" for rosette and "S" for star.
That's because there are 2 different 6 x 6 tile patterns in the tableau. On the border of the tableau tiles will be cut in halves -- making a triangle shape. Mark Ferrante took over the project after his brother's passing. He suggested we consider which of the two tiles will look better as cut in half and build from there out from the edges. I wouldn't have thought of this, but it was the way to go. I love when I learn a new trick. One tile worked well cut on the diagonal so we used that along the edges and developed the pattern off of that.

Another tip? start the tableau higher than you think you might like it. Why hide a tableau with pots and pans.

Once we decided what we wanted. Mark and his son got to work. Here's Eric as he started tiling and it's all about the details.

See all the little pieces? The tile comes mesh mounted on a sheet, but to end the run, each little tile must be pulled off the backing and cut by hand. That's a lot of work.

It's coming along and lookin' good.

Lamps, Cause of Stress

I don't know why, but lately I am very stressed by lamps.
This must be some kind of occupational hazzard. Sometimes I am stressed by carpet. But lately it is lamps. Maybe I need a lamp therapist. Anyone know a good one?

Here are some really nice ceramic ones. I keep telling myself: Keep it simple.

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Little Break for Thanksgiving

Hi Folks,

Taking a break for the turkey holiday to spend time with my family. Will be back the last week of November.
Don't eat too much!

Abbey

A Tribute to Joe Ferrante

This Old House put together a beautiful tribute to Joe Ferrante.

Check it out here.

How to Accessorize

Accessorizing your home got you down? Keep it simple and you're sure not to miss a beat.

Go with opposite shapes
If your table is round, put something angular on it. A rectangular tray or a square dish on a round table is interesting and creates contrast.

Stick to odd numbers
This works every time: on a side table, place 3 items. Here's one classic solution: a vase, some stacked books and a picture frame with someone you love.

Bring in the outside
Greenery or your favorite flowers add some life and lighten your space. Don’t have a green thumb? Permanent botanicals are not your grandma's silk flowers. They can look so real, you have to touch them to know the difference.

Look to materials
If you have a glass table, put a glass bowl might get lost in the shuffle. A great place to balance materials is with accessories. You can fill in any missing gaps. See if you can get wood, metal, glass and ceramic in the room. Too much of one material, and it wont feel balanced.

Sad news about Joe Ferrante, This Old House

It is with a very sad heart that I share this terrible news: last Friday, Joe Ferrante, the wonderful tiler on the project, suffered a massive heart attack and passed away.

In the short amount of time I knew Joe since the project began, I grew fond of him. It was a pleasure to work with him. Thoughtful, talented, and talkative, he loved what he did for a living and it showed.

My thoughts go out to him and all his family, and to his brother, Mark, and nephew, Eric, who work with him. May Joe rest in peace.

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Here's a story I posted from 11/12, but am reposting here.

I got a call from Joe that he had placed the "rug" design of the tile for the master bathroom and I should come look at it.

When I got there, I liked it. With the rich tone of the cabinets, it was a nice look. Nice contrast. One issue: it was too big. So we took out a full piece of border and it was just right. Here's a picture of the floor and one of Joe and the floor.

We also reviewed the backsplash design and made some changes there as well. It never ceases to amaze me that construction and plans are two different things and adjustments at installation always happen.

Glass Tiles on the Floor, This Old House

Oooh how I love glass tiles!!

These are for Spence's bathroom and are graded for the floor. Not an easy installation. Just wait until more than just a corner in the back shows.