Home Improvement Project No. 1

Happy February!  I saw on the news that there is Spring-like weather in parts of the U.S.  If you are lucky enough to be in those areas, I hope you are enjoying the warm weather!

Last week, I had a consultation with the instructor (Michele) who taught my interior design class this Fall.  I have been thinking about painting some of the rooms in our home and wanted some professional advice before I began to get quotes from local painters.  I knew the colors I wanted to use for each room but, because all of the rooms seem to flow into one another, it was hard for me to decide where to "end" a color.  Michele was very familiar with the floor plan of my home and it really only took her a few minutes to tell me where to start and stop each color.  I borrowed some of her paint sample "fans" and spent most of last Thursday deciding on the exact shade of each color I had in mind.  Friday morning, I went to our local "Home Pro" (a VERY basic Home Depot-type of store) and was able to communicate well enough to come home with 1/4 gallon samples of each of the three colors I selected.  Saturday morning, I painted swatches on different walls in different rooms so I could see how the paint looked as the light changed during the day.  By the end of the day, I decided that the three colors I selected were PERFECT and just what I had in mind.  So, without further adieu, for the dining room, I chose "earth henna".

I think the paint looks to be more red in these photos than it really is. 

For the family room, I chose "pistachio".

And for the formal living room, staircase, entry and the upstairs & downstairs hallways, I chose "mandolin gold".

Some of you might recognize these colors as almost the exact same colors I used in our home in Virginia.  I guess my taste hasn't changed much over the last seven years if I am still drawn to them.  Not sure if that is a good thing or not...

Now, I just need to decide on a painter and a day for them to begin.  The biggest expense will be the cost of the paint, which is comparable to the price of paint in the U.S.  I expect to pay about 2,000 TB for the labor which is (depending on the exchange rate) about $60.00 USD. Labor is so incredibly cheap here.

I went downtown on Friday and just happened to walk into one of my favorite antique shops and fell in love with this piece...

As you can tell from the photos, it is in our home so, obviously, I bought it.  I have been looking for something to put in the entry way to replace the small table the Embassy gave us.  I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time (although Kevin might not agree with that statement!) and snatched this up!  Of course, had I known what would happen to our computer the very next day, I would not have been anywhere near the antique shop.  Sigh.  

The shop owner purchased this piece on her recent trip to Tibet.  It is about 50 years old and was very well cared for.  There is a lot of storage space and all of the drawers and doors are very solid and open smoothly.  The photos make the green seem much brighter than it really is and the painted detailing on the front is very warm and colorful.  I really like how it looks in the entry way.  

Have a great Wednesday!