Lighten up

For the past five years, we've had some variation of the same color scheme in every room in our home: red, golden yellow, and dark blue. I like how classic that combo is, but in our new place with its lower ceilings and smaller windows, it feels too dark and heavy. When we redo the house, I'd like to work with a lighter palette and give the whole place an airier feel. I came across this living room and was drawn to how bright and cheerful it is. We have a dark brown couch to work with, but the other elements are doable: pretty patterned curtains, bright colored throw pillows, white bookcases. Ryan probably wouldn't go for so much pink, but I might get some purple past him.

I've already started on the new palette with the gorgeous quilts my friend Katie made for the little ones' room. It makes me happy just looking at them!

Treediculous

We love trees as much as the next guy, but this beast must go. It's unhealthy, structurally unsafe, and within about 15 feet of our back door. Unfortunately this isn't Alabama, so you don't just call your neighbor and his cousin to cut a tree down. The process around these parts goes as follows:

1) Call the city arborist and ask for a preliminary evaluation to see if there's any chance you'll be permitted to take down the tree. If he says there is indeed a chance, proceed to step 2.

2) Call an independent arborist. Pay him to look at the tree and fill out an official arborist report.

3) Fill out an application for tree removal. Attach the arborist report and a check for the application fee and submit it in person to the city.

4) Wait a week or two until the city arborist comes for the official evaluation. Use Southern charm and cross your fingers he's still open to approving removal. If he does approve it, proceed to step 5.

5) Wait two weeks while every neighbor who lives within 100 feet of the tree has an opportunity to appeal the approval to the city.

6) While waiting, get bids from four tree removal companies. Choose the one who has insurance and also, as a bonus, returns your phone calls.

7) Receive final approval.

8) Have tree removed.

9) Enjoy your less hazardous yard, which just cost you more than you paid for an entire year of college tuition.

We're at step 6. Stay tuned!

Yet another kitchen idea

I had to throw this into the mix, just in case we go with hardwood in the kitchen instead of checkered flooring. Many of the other elements are the same--white cabinets, some open shelving, apron sink--but the dark wood floors and dark countertops give it a more sophisticated look that I think would still work in a cottage-style home.

Here's the same idea: dark wood floors, white cabinets, white subway tile backsplash, soapstone countertops. This may well be my dream combo for a kitchen.

And last but not least, one more example. Ours would never look so pristine, but the key elements are all there and oh so lovely.

Attic "conversion"

OK, so we don't have an attic to convert. But if by some crazy chance we get to include an attic/half story on our addition, I have plenty of ideas about what to do with it. First we need storage, so at least part of it would really need to be used as an attic. But for the other space...

A little bedroom or office with some bookshelves like these would be wonderful-

And our dream of all dreams: a playroom. So many things to love about this one, including all the shelving and storage for toys, the comfy seating area, the craft/game table and chairs, and the great set-up for the TV (here's how we could get it out of the living room!).

Kitchen crush

Found this kitchen while looking through images of checkered floors--this one is done in cork. Love the vintage feel of this, the warmth of the cork, the subway tile. The color is more bathroom than kitchen to me, but otherwise, just adorable.

I like how they used open shelving in little nooks where cabinets wouldn't fit--clever, and it would be so great to have a place to put cookbooks!

The entire photo gallery of this kitchen renovation can be found here:

http://www.countryliving.com/homes/renovation-and-remodeling/diy-dream-kitchen-0905

Kitchen cabinets

Ikea has three styles of white cabinet doors that could work for our house: (L-R) Adel, Lidingo, and Ramsjo.

Unfortunately, two of them (on the left) are thermafoil and I would really prefer not to go that route--it just usually seems too plastic-like. That leaves me with the Ramsjo, which is painted wood. I like everything about it except that the "white" is more like a white-wash that leaves it with an awful pink undertone. I'm wondering if we could have the doors (and everything else that shows) painted a white of our choice before installing them. Because when done in the right color, these cabinets can look great-

Built-in ideas

Another of Ryan's requests (and something I'd like too) is to add some built-ins to the house. He'd also like to add a gas fireplace to the living room, which is a nice-to-have but not necessary. I think these built-ins are sort of what he has in mind.

My concerns are these: first, with a fireplace, where do we put the TV? We don't have another room to put it in, and we don't plan to get rid of it. It could be mounted above the fireplace, though I've been in homes with that set-up and I think it's an awkward position--it hurts your neck. If we did go that route, I like the idea of hanging a big frame and then hanging the TV in the center of it, like this-

But in a set-up like that, where is the DVD player? The Wii? It just doesn't seem that realistic for our family. An alternate idea I've been thinking of, especially if adding a fireplace isn't in the budget, is to create an area that is similar in feel to a fireplace/built-ins, but with closed cabinets in the center instead of a fireplace. Imagine something like the room below, except instead of windows on either side of the cabinets, bookcases extend floor to ceiling.

The closed cabinets would provide a place for electronic equipment as well as stashing kids' toys, and Ryan would still get his bookcases. It's a thought. This wall is the first thing you see when you walk in the house, and I want it to be attractive, not too cluttered looking, and still functional.