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You all have been very helpful with suggestions for upgrading the kitchen. So I'm going to ask about the den. Any suggestions welcome. The only thing that for sure is changing is we are taking out the hearth (I think that's what the brick "seat" is below the fireplace) because my son may fall into it and the floor is being replaced with wood looking tile because you have to walk through the den from the garage and the carpet does not hold up well under the traffic load from the looks of it when we saw the house. It's a smaller den then we currently have. Our current one is a gigantic great room with vaulted ceilings so this is very different for us. I love hearing all budget options because it gives us a plan of what to do now and what to save for. And the vertical beam is load bearing so I can't get rid of it. The kitchen I asked about before is right next to it, I'm standing in it while taking this picture.
Thank you!
Den:
I like your plan of laying wood look tile down instead of carpet. I am not sure what FF22 is referring to with a fireguard. Those don't usually shield a hearth, I don't think.
I frankly don't like the wood thing over the brickwork. I'd take that down, and paint the drywall above it. If you like the looks of the brick, then I'd just clean it and use the colors as part of your overall color scheme. If you want to paint it, then that is different. A permanent thing in the room needs to be part of the overall color scheme. Your brick work is actually pleasant, and you could pull some of the grays and reds out for the rest of the room.
If it were me, I would consider painting it, I think. I feel that it dominates a small room too much. (That is an opinion. You might not feel that way at all. And I am only going by one picture.) With your narrow wooden trim, I'd not paint it white. Perhaps a warm ivory like this: Precious Ivory 185 Paint - Benjamin Moore Precious Ivory Paint Color Details This would leave you scope for adding another color to the walls and ceiling.
However, I admit that I am on the fence about your fireplace. I don't mind the brick and it looks like it is in good shape. I think you could go either way on that. I would choose a cool color for the walls though. I would want it to look good from the kitchen, so I'd choose those two colors together, if possible.
I'm not crazy about the bookcase thing over the brickwork because it really makes the room look shorter to me. However, I'm sure it was installed b/c the former owners wanted to free up floorspace (for TV components, DVD storage, etc.) since the room is on the small size. I understand taking out the hearth w/ a small kid. That's a head gash waiting to happen from one bad tumble.
I'd play around with some easy photoshop/paint techniques. Is it worth it to remove most of the brick so you only have a 2' surround around the fireplace itself? Replace some of that with lower-level shelving for toy storage and the like? Could be pretty costly to do that, though.....but makes for a cheap garden path! ;-)
Thanks everyone. I really appreciate the help.i would love a grey or blue grey in the walls (house on outside is light blue) but I dont think that gray is gong to work with a medium/darkish wood looking tile. I don't know how to make wood color look good with gray.
Thanks everyone. I really appreciate the help.i would love a grey or blue grey in the walls (house on outside is light blue) but I dont think that gray is gong to work with a medium/darkish wood looking tile. I don't know how to make wood color look good with gray.
What would you say is your preferred style? That would make a difference in the suggestions offered.
The wood built-ins and all that brick overwhelm the room.
The built-ins they go. Ditto most of that brick.....except leave a perimeter around the fp.
Then I would get/build a normal traditional white fireplace surround/mantle. You said your style is traditional. Matching white built-ins.....12 inches deep on either side of the fp. Open shelving on top...doors on the bottom for storing toys/games etc. Shelving would be adjustable. TV to go left of the fp.
Pale (read that as hint of color) color on the walls. White trim. White plantation shutters.
If it were mine, I'd get rid of the fireplace and the ugly brick in the room. If you like the wood work above it, then finish the wall below in the same fashion. Brick walls inside homes dates them back to the 60-70's. If you think later on you want an alternative heat source, consider a Franklin type stove after your son gets older. You can apparently leave the flue in place, just close it off.
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