To kick things off, we’re going to go on a tour of the house before I work my magic. It’s technically a small house, but to me it feels big enough to get lost in. Since Blue and I are in quarantine, we’ve got nothing but time at home to get stuff done!
The house was built in 1950, and has some vintage charm to work with which should make things fun. The important parts of the house are already in good shape (flooring, appliances, finished basement, etc.), so most of the work will be making the house functional and cute. So, let’s check it out, room-by-room!
The Galley
After a few weeks in the house, I’ve definitely worked on this room the most. I needed to give it a good scrub to start, so I scrubbed until my nail beds fell apart. Other than the dingy feeling, it’s in pretty good condition. It has a big window in the front which will be perfect for me to get my plant-lady on. The floors, cabinets, and appliances are great. It even has a big pantry off to the side. There’s an awkward space behind and next to the oven that’s gotta go. I’ll keep you updated on that when it comes to it!
The Pissoir
Here we have the area of most opportunity, the hideous bathroom! It’s pink, almost a salmony shade. And orange floors. With some lovely black trim to contrast. *Ew.* Why anyone ever chose this combo is beyond me. I’m going to start by painting the tile walls and/or floors and see how it goes. The tile is in excellent shape, so I may be able to get away with just changing the floor. On the bright side, it’s small enough that Blue has a hard time maneuvering herself in there to sit on my lap while I’m on the toilet.
The Boudoir
The main bedroom takes up the entire top floor of the house, as 2 queens’ quarters should. It also has 2 walk-in closets, some built-in shelving, and 2 creepy attic spaces! I’m pretty sure there are squatters hiding in there but as long as they keep on keeping to themselves we won’t have any problems.
Now for some bad news: the entire bedroom is covered in knotty pine, or as I like to call it, naughty pine. Yes, that old-school wood paneling from like the 60’s. It’s basically orange, to match the bathroom floors. My first thought was that I need to paint it or cover it. All I see is wood. I feel like I’m living in the Walmart version of That 70’s Show.
PLOT TWIST: it grew on me, and I decided to keep it as-is. Call me crazy. Maybe I am. Maybe it was the thought of falling off a ladder and down the stairs while painting, maybe I was born in the wrong era. Who knows. Instead of worrying about having to wash, sand, prime, and paint every inch of my bedroom besides the ceiling, I decided to just work with what the house gave me, and choose a decorating scheme that will complement the walls and look groovy.
The Parlor
Not much to report here, it’s a very standard living room. It’s pretty small, and I need to fit your average living room stuff, plus a space to eat, and a drop spot for all the crap I carry about me when I come in the door. Plus a 100lb dog.
That being said, the first and most important thing I need will be a large padded bench under that window for Queen Blue to sit on and people watch.
HQ
Spare bedroom #1 is through the hallway and to the left, which is going to be my office. It’s going to be pretty empty besides a desk and chair because I have way too much space for my own good. Currently it’s a dump zone for everything I’ve moved in so far. The office looks through the sunroom to the backyard so I can keep an eye on Blue.
The Studio
The second spare bedroom is going to be my home workout/studio space. I started getting into pole fitness (strictly fitness, I promise) so I’m going to put up the pole in the center of the room. It’s a small room but I think it’ll be a while before I’m pulling any tricks where I could reach the wall. I will also put my sacred meditation space in here, and room to lay out a yoga mat or do any home workout!
The Solarium
The Studio leads directly out the back door into the sunroom, which might be my favorite room in the whole house! I love being outside so I plan on spending a ton of time out here. There’s screened windows on 3 sides for a nice breeze. Also, my junk couch that Blue chewed a hole in fits perfectly between these walls, so it’ll be like an outdoor living room. It’s technically a 3 seasons room but I think with a space heater we can make something happen out here in the winter.
The Den
This might be my other favorite room in the house. It’s completely finished and even has a fireplace! As of now I’m planning on putting a big tv and couch down here to make it the main tv space. There is still a ton of space to fill after that so we’ll see what becomes of this den. As you can see, the basement is also decked out with naughty pine walls. I think down here it makes it feel cozy and kind of like a billiard room so the walls should fit the vibe.
This basement has a ton of weird built-ins. The big one was clearly some type of entertainment center before, then they painted it this horrible aqua blue color. A coat of paint should fix it.
I don’t even know what the middle one is, it looks like a trophy case and has a light inside it? Who knows. Then ANOTHER one, for some random knick-knacks. I’m assuming the previous owners displayed their collection of kitschy salt and pepper shakers here. Or cat figurines.
But its redeeming quality is the mini-bar in the corner, heckin’ right.
Spooky Room
Last but not least, the worlds sketchiest laundry room. I have no words. These pictures speak for themselves.
And that’s it! I can’t wait to get started on everything, check back for updates!
