I'm joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch.. ya'll do go see all the lovely transformations folks have posted for her party..Meta Monday ~!
As most know, I'm looking at homes in AZ , so we can do a whirlwind tour and decide which one to buy.
I kept thinking-- whats wrong with these places lol... I mean some are very nicely built- decorated and maintained but even on those there was something missing.. Definately on those that are unoccupied SOMETHING was mega wrong.. Then it hit me this morning.. the windows dont have grids or molding.
The rooms dont have crown molding.. Whats up with that??
I may not be able to change the outside since the HOA's there have their finger up-- I mean on your pulse every minute but I sure can change the inside to my liking. I mean seriously if you cant sit in your home and see what ya wanna see, then it just isnt much use to be on this planet anymore.. Or thats how I feel..
Some folks were meant to live in a Cape Cod home in Maine but since I wont be doing that, I'll just adjust where I am to what I need it to be.. My Grandma said there was more than one way to skin a cat:: sorry Kitty, no offence meant:: Can Ya'll hear me channeling frank Sinatra and singing " MY WAY" ..
I grabbed one of the empty rooms off the realty site and played with it a little.. took me about 15 mins to go from utter Blah to ohhhhhhhhhhhhh Yahhhhhhhhhhhh~!
It'll look a lot better in real life-- but these mock ups give you the general idea of how a plain space can get some soul in about a day for a cost of between 80.00 and 160.00 .. Since I can cut/nail gun and paint the molding myself , my cost will be 80.00 or less- even when I add the cost of the exterior flower box which I must have so I'm looking thru the window and something I want to see versus gray grass or brown sandy dirt....If I start early one morning I should have it done by dark.
I'm feeling better already knowing I have a plan..
I'll show the daytime mock up first and then the before photo.. I dont wanna scare ya with the before first lol..
heres the door window area with white 2 inch blinds and grids added and just some molding from lowes or hd... easy peasy.
here's what it looks like on the Realty site, which I guess is a good thing cause if it looked like my mock up they'd want twice as much for this home.. yea maybe this will be a new career for me.. ya never know, huh..
Just for fun I had to try to take my day time mock up to night time..
Already thinking about molding in every room- white painted cabinets and black knobs...
But for now heres the nighttime mock up of just one wall... I just noticed those skinny baseboards will need to go too and some 4 inch be put in, OR I may do that trick where I add a shim piece 2 inches up from whats there and paint the trim and in between section of the wall to make it look like 4 or 5 inch baseboard molding.... My mind is going a mile a minute, can ya tell..yes indeedy, now this I can live with and it;s such a simple change..
Ok , dont be shy- raise your hands and volunteer to come help me...
hugs
Sonny
Well, aren't you clever! I wouldn't know how to do this. Robert Frost's poem is my very fav, by the way.
ReplyDeleteBrenda
It definitely looks better with your changes. :)
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the house hunting.
Love the changes to it also! Very cool!
ReplyDeleteSome people do have crown molding. But I haven't seen much window molding. Remember that blinds, plantation shutters...are absolutely necessary as the sun streams in and is very hot. I kinda think that is why there isn't more window molding. My plantation shutters have molding around the shutters..and I will gladly have you when you are bored to help me put up some crown molding. I have always wanted it!!
ReplyDeleteSonny, you are so smart and so handy! It will be so much fun to watch you really transform one of these homes when you get to AZ! Your body may have trouble keeping up with your mind! laurie
ReplyDeleteOh yes, it looks much better with molding, Sonny! I plan on trying that base molding trick myself when we downsize. Unless it's been remodeled, a lot of houses here have that little bit of molding as a base. You have a whole new decorating adventure ahead of you when you move! I'm trying to look at it that way, too, as I'm calling the realtor next week for us.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a difference. This would be fun to play with!
ReplyDeleteI went through the exact opposite experience! Having grown up on the west coast I never saw molding until I moved East. So when we bought our house the contractors asked if I wanted crown and casings and, dumbo here said "no." So 3 years later I had it added at $$$. So smart to do virtuals first though. They are the most helpful thing ever.
ReplyDeleteI'm kind of going through the same process, but more in my mind & just some light sketches. We are in the process of selling a house & moving our home to a new house. I have to question the mentality of some of the people taking pictures for the internet listings. Wow, I've seen way more piles of dirty laundry & creepy-messy kitchens than I ever expected to see in a lifetime. I am able to look past most of that & can get complete pictures in my mind. Kind of weird, huh? I do like what you added to these photos. Oh, I'm a new follower.
ReplyDeleteCAS
Hi Sonny,
ReplyDeleteGood idea to be playing with ideas, good way to get yourself excited about your new living space and move. I have no doubt that with your talent you could make a cardboard box homey. So you will have this house whipped in to shape and looking cozy and homey in no time. Remember home is where you and your family are hon, it's not the house, it's the wonderful people who live there and the talented lady of the house
who makes it a home!! Enter you, sweet friend!
Hope you are doing well hon,
Love and Blessings,
Nellie
P.S. How soon do you think you will be moving??
Take care sweetie
Hi Sonny! You're absolutely the smartest one! I love the changes you made and can't wait to see you get your most tiny dainty fingers on the house of your dreams! I wish you continual good wishes as you look for your home!
ReplyDeleteThanks for popping in to see me.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)
Oops, at first glance I thought this was a place your had purchased then I did what is always recommended -- I read:) Good thoughts and plans.
ReplyDeleteHow fun! I love YOUR version...but I don't have a clue what grids are?
ReplyDeleteNow, Sonny, if you make my biscuits and KEEP THE DOUGH SOFT...so soft that you have to keep putting a little flour on your hands, your family will love them. The main trouble with biscuits is that the dough is waaaay too stiff and then the biscuits are dry. Try them...ya might just like them. :)))
Hi Sonny!
ReplyDeleteYep.... that's one huge improvement... I don't know why they leave windows un-trimmed. It was actually an option when we built our house a few years ago.... No way was I going to leave those windows plain. If you didn't upgrade they didn't even put in a windowsill..... ICK.
I tried, without success, to get a member of my family help me put up crown molding last year..... I couldn't get anyone to help me and you know you can't do that alone.... How am I supposed to hold that big 'ol long piece of molding AND measure by myself? I wish I knew how to do it virtually so I could show them the difference it would make..... :-)
Huggies!
Spencer