Photoessay #1431 - New elements

I'm involved with some house projects in my living room/dining room/hall. Other than making decisions and moving stuff, I don't do it. That's for James, our contracter that we've worked with for a long time.

We decided that it was time to replace the living room carpet. It wasn't new when we moved in in 1987 so ... um, could be time. And we don't have an old dog nor a puppy, nor 4 young children with all of the attendant barfing, peeing, spilling, and who knows what. I mean, really bad bad things have been done to this carpet over a long period of time. It's time to go.

We remodeled our kitchen and dining room about 20 years ago and I never did like the flooring we used. Too light. It was a value conflict between myself and my husband around the principle "Do you want to see what you are stepping in or would you rather not know". I didn't, he did so we had this light rather premium flooring which has not held up very well. Also we have worn out the pattern on parts of the formica countertop. It is possible to do that.

So the plan is to go with flooring that looks like wood but isn't for the whole area. Stuff is really tough and quite pretty. Then we will have two area rugs in living and dining room in the pattern shown in the picture. Almost all of my living room furniture are nice wood pieces. This is what happens when your parents die :( We bought the couch 4 or 5 years ago. It really was our first furniture purchase ever as we always had hand-me-downs. Dennis parents in their antique dealer days were always on the look out.

The antique chair shown and my dining room chairs all have hand done needlepoint done by my mother and grandmother. The chair is really not that purple and it's mostly underneath desk. Turns out you can order that carpet in specific sizes with a matching border to make it look like the real thing. The tones mimic the dirt tracked in so things 'will not show'. The old fashioned design goes with my furniture.

Update on the fireplace. James determined if we tore out the fireplace we would have to replace all the ceilings. Which maybe should be done but I just couldn't face that. Current plan is to look for a gas fireplace as an insert (not currently located). But we get get rid of the hearth. I added in painting today.

James thinks that maybe he can do things when we're gone but I think that's optimistic. Wouldn't that be so great.

Updates for next 10 days will be spotty as Dennis and I head for the high Sierra.