Just bought a house.

[Big George]

Originally Posted by fishburn7

Hey everyone, I'm new to this forum, but I just bought a house in the city I grew up in. I am an engineer and I do not trust myself to make any interior design choices because I am terrible at it.

The house I bought is gorgeous on the outside and in the backyard, however the inside is a little older in styling (i'm 23). So I was looking for a little help and ideas for my house. I'll put pictures up below and say what my ideas are.

Obviously in the kitchen the wallpaper will come down and paint will go up along with a nice backsplash.

The brown carpet that is in the living room and dining room also goes up the steps. and that needs to go. All the doors are a dark wood that I think needs lightened if not painted white, and the railing going up the steps is a little darker than I like. but of course that is all the pictures I have for now. There is hardwood under the carpet under the steps.

Also I HATE the sunroom. it needs work bad.

Let me know what you think!
Thanks!

First of all, you need to realize that EVERYTHING about this thread deals in the realm of OPINIONS. What I like, you may not like. Also, keep in mind that there's trendy and there's classy. The two are not typically the same. Mostly though, if you have a friend(s) - especially a young lady with good taste - that can help you with this, she'll be of far more value than all of us.

That said, here are my thoughts, by picture.

1. The dining room is cluttered. Move out the giant hutch. Remove the "I'm a lady in my 60s" curtains. If you paint the trim - the base, chair rail, and crown molding, you'll have a brighter feel to the whole room.

2. Family Room: Remove that MASSIVE furniture, and it will have a whole different feel to it. A fireplace is always a focal point of a room, so don't fight it. Work with it.

3. Kitchen: The wallpaper has to go. A calming, non-busy countertop backsplash would be nice. Painting the cabinets and cupboards is an option, if you want to brighten up the place. But if you're going to do it, do it right. Use the right primer, and a semi-gloss paint, or you'll regret it. Maybe put a smaller table in front of the patio door. Anything else (like reconfiguring countertops, etc) runs into some serious money.

4. Living Room: It's boring. Different furniture, arranged differently, will make a huge difference. Repaint if there's a color you really like, but the paint that's on it isn't bad.

5. Master Bedroom: Repaint if you want. New carpet if you don't like Lilac. Or hardwood laminate might not be a bad option.

6. Bathroom: Paint the vanity and mirror. Paint the walls in a less "barky" color. Neutral bathroom colors are "in" now, with people spicing it up via the shower curtain.

7. Sun Room: Paint the ceiling a light color. Remove the valance, and the astro-turf all-weather carpet. But before you pull up the green carpet, know what you're going to put down in its place. If it's a concrete floor, maybe stain it. Or perhaps a heavy Berber carpet.


So there. Those are my initial opinions. My personal color preferences fall in the area of earthy neutrals. Just keep in mind that it's YOUR house, and what YOU like and want is what's important.

[Okey Dokie]

Originally Posted by Big George

1. The dining room is cluttered. Move out the giant hutch.

2. Family Room: Remove that MASSIVE furniture,

3. Kitchen: Maybe put a smaller table in front of the patio door.

4. Living Room: It's boring. Different furniture, arranged differently, will make a huge difference.

If that furniture is the OPs, I'll eat my hat. I've never seen a house that screamed "Grandma" as much as this one, furniture wise.

I love the sunroom. I'll love it more when the ceiling is painted and something different is on the floor. And please don't paint the brick, IMO.

[kinkytoes]

I agree Do not paint the woodwork. Especially not DIY... It looks inexpensive, so I would suggest having it replaced w/ thicker molding.

Hmm...engineer? guy? small rooms w/ low-ish ceilings?

I think it would look great painted stark white. Since the rooms are narrow, you may want to invest in built-ins and higher-tech stuff to reduce clutter of the tv, appliances etc.

[silibran]

I think you have found yourself a nice first house. I hope you enjoy living in it.

Yes, paint your doors and baseboards and other woodwork. White will update the look of your house and brighten it up. There are all sorts of whites to choose from. Decide if you want to alter the color of your fireplace before you paint. The fireplace, unchanged or altered, is a permanent fixture. Whatever you do should complement it. Since there are a million interior paint colors, wall color can be chosen after all other fixed items have been chosen, altered, or transformed.

I think the house has loads of potential, and I want to make a recommendation. Since you've never done this before, I'd hire a decorator to visit your house and make recommendations. She will charge by the hour, and can help you think about what you want, and what you can do.

Be sure to visit a bit on the phone with the selected decorator first, to make sure you two are on the same wave length. When you meet, have a list of questions ready so she can deal with your primary concerns. You need an overall strategy here.

Good luck!

[Hatetheheat01]

This house looks like how I remember my Grandma's house looking when I was a kid. Yup definitely lots of updating needed.

[Pitt Chick]

One post and gone... I wonder if the OP is even reading these responses....

[PennyLane2]

I just discovered something the other day that you might want to consider when you get around to updating your fireplace faceplate. If you want to change the color, you can have it powder coated as long as there are no plastic parts. I called about having mine done the other day, and it's not very expensive at all.

Good luck with your project. I love the sunroom too