Home Decoration for guys
Keegan Alex
I have what might be an off-topic question, but I don't know of any other
group this would fall under.
I'm a single guy, and I just bought my first home. It's nothing fancy - 3
bedrooms, two baths, and about an acre of land. It was built in the early
'80s, so it's got the green/yellow bathrooms and kitchen, old linoleum
floors, white walls, and many outdated features. It's totally livable
as-is, but I want to do some major remodeling/redecoration.
I'm fairly handy when it comes to fixing stuff up, painting, etc, but I'm
tone deaf when it comes to design, colors, etc. I guess like most guys, I
don't know what looks good :) So, as with most dilemmas, I hit-up my
Barnes and Nobel for some decorating books. The problem here is most
books show off Andrew Lloyd Wright type homes or homes with TONS of
character, nooks, and lots of space which I don't have. My house is very
boxy with not much definition. Also, most of the books and magazines I've
checked out are much too foofooish for me. I don't want folks to come in
and think an old couple lives here or 'and I hope this doesn't offend
anyone' think I'm gay. I want something that suits me, but fairly
masculine. No flowers, pastel colors, etc.
So to my question... Does anyone know of any books, websites, resources
or ways of getting ideas for such a project? I'm still debating if I'm
going to do a small project (replacing floors, counter tops, painting,
etc) or a major project (get loan and add to house, move walls, etc).
Probably the first since just moved in.
Well, thanks for any help or ideas, and take care.
Keegan.
Lauri
wrote:
>I'm fairly handy when it comes to fixing stuff up, painting, etc, but I'm
>tone deaf when it comes to design, colors, etc. I guess like most guys, I
>don't know what looks good :)
It's not just guys that have this problem. I like the way you
describe it as "tone deaf". :) I'm this way, too, and want to
redecorate, so I'm calling upon my sister who has decorated her home
very tastefully.
If you don't have a friend or sister who can help with ideas, you
might try a furniture store. At least one of the nicer furniture
stores around here will come to your place, for free, and give you
ideas on how to decorate. I'd go to a store that offers such a
service and wander around while taking notes on what types of
furniture and accesories you like, then solicit the help of one of
these decorators. He/she will take into account the kinds of things
that you like, and will have great ideas on accessories and paint
colors. Obviously they're hoping to sell you some furniture, but most
of them also understand about budgets and will help to create a
"staged plan" if that's an issue for you. That way, you could start
out with basics such as a good sofa, chair, and lamps and then build
on that. You're already several steps ahead of lots of people,
because you know what you *don't* like (flowers, lace, froo froo).
Good luck!
Lauri in WA
I like my email spamless
Steve Christie
"Lauri" <res0...@spamlessverizon.net> wrote in message
news:2jrg5vgh7q47un63f...@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 23 Feb 2003 06:25:50 GMT, "Keegan Alex" <keega...@yahoo.com>
> wrote:
>
> >I'm fairly handy when it comes to fixing stuff up, painting, etc, but I'm
> >tone deaf when it comes to design, colors, etc. I guess like most guys,
I
> >don't know what looks good :)
>
> It's not just guys that have this problem. I like the way you
> describe it as "tone deaf". :) I'm this way, too, and want to
> redecorate, so I'm calling upon my sister who has decorated her home
> very tastefully.
>
any of the decorating shows and you wil see what I mean. If you were to say,
take a Martha Stewart style. All you need to do is go to K-mart in the US,
or Zellars (soon to be Sears) in Canada and it will all be there. Most
furniture and decor stores have vinettes to help you along. The staff are
more then willing to suggest paint colours and fabric choices. Books can
help, but magazines are cheaper, and goigng to a few reputable stores is the
best way to get the job done. The most inportant hing I learned was less
clutter, and to paint the rooms a colour.
RamblinOn
Keegan Alex wrote:
I would live in it at least a year before doing anything major. If you
won't always be living alone, keep in mind that the decor may change
when your status changes. Don't ask me how I know :o) If you know a
style you like - black/chrome modern, tufted leather traditional,
mixture of classic/antiques - look at furniture stores to see what
colors you like and what is comfortable. I hate hate hate "package"
sets of furniture, with sofa, love seat, two end tables and coffee table
that all came from the same box. Classic furniture and neutral colors
(beige, taupe, earthy browns and greens) can mix with a lot of other
colors. I would buy a good sofa and chairs once you have a better idea,
and start building while you get used to the house. There are color
books at HD, which might give you better ideas. If you're extroverted
you might like strong color schemes, but they have an effect on
"comfort". A neutral scheme can be changed a lot by changing
accessories like rugs and pix on the wall. If you're in a cold climate,
winter can be really dreary and the house feels that way without warm
color and comfy furnishings. Red and bright yellow tend to make you
feel like you don't want to stay in a room; too stimulating. Cool blues
and greens are supposed to be relaxing. A lot depends on how
adventuresome you are, and how much disposable income you have. Mags
advertise, even in the feature articles. So do books. See what's at
your library, especially in color and in furniture styles. Check out
some antique shops; there is great old furniture that was meant to last
forever. I read once that you should decorate according to colors in
your wardrobe, but I think that is more of a girl thing :o)
Phisherman
wrote:
>Hi Folks,
I bought my house over ten years ago. It was a new construction. I
thought I was going to "decorate" but left all the walls white, never
bothered to hang pictures, no draperies, no coach or lamps, and still
have three empty rooms. It makes cleaning the house fast and easy.
I spend most of my time in the basement, garage, or gardens. When
relatives/friend see my house they ask, "Did you just move in?" or
"Your house feels so cold." My style is not for everybody, I just
happen to like that way. And the best part, visitors done stay here
too long.
Kellie J. Berger
likes ...
order some of the furniture/slipcover catalogs to browse thru and see what
they have done with the rooms... most don't do a lot with the background,
just enough to let you get a "feeling" so you can focus on the
furniture...run with the feelings you like!
go to HD or Lowes or somesuch and grab a few (large?) paintchips in various
colors you like. Tape them to the wall and look at them for a week or so in
every light during the day. Pick one or two colors to have at least a
little bit of them in each room to tie the house together.
find one focus item you like for each room (couch, painting, rug, planter,
wallpaper or border, etc.) and work from it.
Get neutral color seating - you can change it/spice it up with
pillows/throws anytime your heart desires....
check out these websites:
http://interiordec.about.com/cs/designbasics/index.htm
http://www.free-interior-decorating-ideas.com/
Good Luck!
--
kellie
"RamblinOn" <ramb...@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:3E58DA39...@mindspring.com...
Keegan Alex
starting point.
Someone suggested that I wait a year or so before doing anything, and that
is a great idea. Someone else suggested that I leave everything white and
bare. I've actually done his in most of my rentals -- no pictures, empty
rooms, etc, but this was basically because I just don't have that much
furniture. Being a single guy, my decorating has consisted of movie and
astronomy posters, some nautical pieces, and cheesy stuff from high
school, which won't go back up in the new place :) So starting with a
clean slate.
Kellie, thanks for the two links. I'm reading through them now, and they
are awesome. I spent some time searching Google for sites like this, and
I didn't find much. These are great. Thanks.
And finally, another avenue I never thought about researching was
antiques. I do have one of those boxed livingroom sets (two couches and
tables bought at once), but after living on these for 3 years, I'm finding
they're not quite my style anymore. So I'll be hitting some of the local
antique stores and see if I can find some furniture that better suits me.
Also, as mentioned earlier, I'm into nautical and astronomy themes, so I
might do something based on this for the main living areas. Is that a
theme?? hehe
Thanks again to everyone that replied... you've really got me going on the
right track. Take care,
Keegan.
Don Phillipson
news:pan.2003.02.23....@yahoo.com...
> I'm fairly handy when it comes to fixing stuff up, painting, etc, but I'm
> tone deaf when it comes to design, colors, etc. I guess like most guys, I
> don't know what looks good :) So, as with most dilemmas, I hit-up my
> Barnes and Nobel for some decorating books. The problem here is most
> books show off Andrew Lloyd Wright type homes or homes with TONS of
> character, nooks, and lots of space which I don't have. My house is very
> boxy with not much definition.
1. Pick a neutral colour (ivory white, beige etc.)
of good quality and easy to keep clean. This gets
you started, using the things (curtains, pictures,
couch, etc.) to give the room(s) colour; and one
or two of these are easier to change if you later
focus in another direction.
2. Pick a style, e.g. industrial/modern or country
pine or neoclassic/federal. (Your books have shown
you dozens, perhaps too many.) This is not to build but
as a time-saver when shopping. When buying a table, the
neoclassic homeowner does not want to see steel legs
and glass tops but the industrial/modern homeowner does.
Unless the house is empty and you want it filled this
year you can always change your mind. The different
rooms can be in diffferent styles (up to a point . . .)
--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada)
dphil...@trytel.com.com.com.less2
DH
can hire a decorator for about $150 USD, who can give you two or three
"floor plans" based on what is important to you. For example, you don't
want pastels or froo-froo, and you might prefer certain colours, etc. Then,
you can go out and buy pieces and place them at your leisure, and as funds
become available.
I actually have gotten really good ideas from magazines related to my
hobbies. You might tone down from "decorating" mags to the things you like.
For me, it is gardening, parrots, and cooking. By looking at mags related
to what I like to do, I see pics of interiors that would be functional for
me, as opposed to what might possibly make the cover of Homes and Gardens,
but would be totally wrong for my lifestyle.
I clip out things that look interesting to me and thow them in a plastic
container. Then, when the mood strikes, I thumb through and try to recreate
what I can. You might do the same, but show the clippings to the decorator
so he/she gets an idea of what you like.
TakeThisOut
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
TAKETHISOUT budysbackagain(@)THAT TOO a-oh-ell dot com
Larry Caldwell
> I'm fairly handy when it comes to fixing stuff up, painting, etc, but I'm
> tone deaf when it comes to design, colors, etc. I guess like most guys, I
> don't know what looks good :) So, as with most dilemmas, I hit-up my
> Barnes and Nobel for some decorating books. The problem here is most
> books show off Andrew Lloyd Wright type homes or homes with TONS of
> character, nooks, and lots of space which I don't have. My house is very
> boxy with not much definition. Also, most of the books and magazines I've
> checked out are much too foofooish for me. I don't want folks to come in
> and think an old couple lives here or 'and I hope this doesn't offend
> anyone' think I'm gay. I want something that suits me, but fairly
> masculine. No flowers, pastel colors, etc.
KISS. Avoid clutter in the living areas. A simple group of couch and
chairs and an area rug in the middle makes a nice conversation area.
Pull the furniture away from the walls, and go shopping for wall art or
decorations. The big problem men have is clutter, so avoid it.
You didn't mention a family room, so if you do an addition, consider
building space for that home entertainment center. I have had a surround
sound stereo entertainment center for 15 years now, and it really
enhances the viewing experience. People come over to watch a DVD or
sporting events, and one of the biggest problems is enough seating in my
small family room.
Stay with neutral colors and easy to maintain flooring. Orange walls are
a fashion statement. You may not like pastel colors, but they are
unobtrusive. If your house is 80s vintage, your flooring is vinyl, and
probably needs redone. When you re-carpet, stick with Berber and a plush
carpet pad. Swap out the avocado appliances, sinks and toilets. Add a
few under-counter lights and build in the microwave.
Add a skylight to the bathroom or your office. Pay attention to yard
work, and develop an outdoor entertainment area, maybe with a gazebo or
outdoor fireplace and a hot tub. If you can do house plants, get
started.
Tim Fischer
> books show off Andrew Lloyd Wright type homes or homes with TONS of
> character, nooks, and lots of space which I don't have.
Andrew Lloyd Wright? Did the musical writer and the archtect merge now?
-Tim
TakeThisOut
I've always maintained there's just too many Lloyd's being used for middle
names.
So who is it?
Andrew Lloyd Webber or
Frank Lloyd Wright
Keegan Alex
my part :) Sorry 'bout that.
Keegan Alex
magazines out and see how other folks have their stuff decorated. I'll
definitely go down this avenue for ideas. Thanks.
Keegan Alex
You're correct... the '80s house has lots of vinyl which will be gone
soon, plus as much green as possible will be replaced. I do have lots of
stuff (aka Junk) which will be closeted/atticed, so that should help some.
I'm also making one bedroom my office, and I hope to add built-in shelves
and a huge office space... and much will go here.
I do have one living room, and though it's small, it will do for what I
have. And an entertainment area is another goal. My stuff was state of
the art maybe 6 years ago, but I see an HDTV and nice 5.1 digital surround
system coming in the next year or so, so I'm holding off on hardwiring
anything until then. I'm also a computer junky, so first big rewire will
be network drips in every room.
I'd love to add a skylight, and I actually read-up on how to do this on
diynet.com today, but the way the roof/attic is laid out, I don't see how
I could do it without some major modifications... which I'm not ready to
make quite yet.
I visited my local Lowes, and a guy I talked to said they could install a
hardwood floor for me, so I'm getting measurements to them this week for a
quote. That will make a world of difference alone. Also, I'm debating on
whether I want to go with hardwood floors in other rooms outside the
kitchen and dining area. I might add them to the living room, but I dunno
if that would be a good move since they cause echos when watching loud
movies :)
Anyway, thanks for the comments and suggestions. You'v really got me
thinking in other avenues I hadn't considered.
Take care,
Keegan.
Kellie J. Berger
and yes, nautical can definitely be a theme!
--
kellie
"Keegan Alex" <keega...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:pan.2003.02.23....@yahoo.com...
> Thanks a ton to everyone that replied... you've really given me an awesome
> starting point.
>
barry martin
KA> I have what might be an off-topic question, but I don't know of any other
KA> group this would fall under.
Sounds on-topic to me! :)
KA> I'm a single guy, and I just bought my first home. It's nothing fancy - 3
KA> bedrooms, two baths, and about an acre of land. It was built in the early
Wow! Lots of space!!
KA> '80s, so it's got the green/yellow bathrooms and kitchen, old linoleum
KA> floors, white walls, and many outdated features. It's totally livable
KA> as-is, but I want to do some major remodeling/redecoration.
I'm thinking the green/yellow scheme has got to go!
KA> I'm fairly handy when it comes to fixing stuff up, painting, etc, but I'm
KA> tone deaf when it comes to design, colors, etc. I guess like most guys, I
KA> don't know what looks good :) So, as with most dilemmas, I hit-up my
KA> Barnes and Nobel for some decorating books. The problem here is most
KA> books show off Andrew Lloyd Wright type homes or homes with TONS of
KA> character, nooks, and lots of space which I don't have. My house is very
KA> boxy with not much definition. Also, most of the books and magazines I've
KA> checked out are much too foofooish for me. I don't want folks to come in
Yeah, the "home decorating" magazines aren't generally for real
houses. Go with what looks good to you, but keep "a theme". Local
television commercial (may be national) has a voice-over in a couple's
bedroom remarking on the mix of woods in their bedroom furniture ==>
oak headboard, pine dresser, maple table, that sort of thing.
Generally stay with one wood.
You can mix styles from room to room; not necessary to have the whole
place the same.
KA> and think an old couple lives here or 'and I hope this doesn't offend
KA> anyone' think I'm gay. I want something that suits me, but fairly
KA> masculine. No flowers, pastel colors, etc.
Dark colours will make a room look smaller while light ones will
optically expand. OTOH dark paneling and furniture seems to be a Very
Masculine thing.
Be sure to try the furniture. If you like to snooze on the couch be
sure it is long enough -- stretch out on it in the showroom.
KA> So to my question... Does anyone know of any books, websites, resources
KA> or ways of getting ideas for such a project? I'm still debating if I'm
KA> going to do a small project (replacing floors, counter tops, painting,
KA> etc) or a major project (get loan and add to house, move walls, etc).
KA> Probably the first since just moved in.
I'd go with the first too. :) If you do plan on moving walls be sure
they are not load-bearing: don't want the roof to fall in! Moving
walls may also end up moving your HVAC (ductwork to other rooms),
electrical, possibly plumbing.
I would wander around and see what strikes your fancy. Around here
there are numerous furniture stores but they all tend to sell
furniture we're not particularly liking of. There are two stores (one
about a 30 minute drive and the other almost an hour) which offer the
furniture styles to our liking. Both offer delivery to the house.
May be worth your time to investigate.
-
¯ barry.martinşATşthesafebbs.zeppole.com ®
* Sign of bad a computer: the only chip inside is a Dorito.
---
ş RoseReader 2.52á P003186
ş The Safe BBS ş Bettendorf, IA 563-359-1971
---
ş RIMEGate(tm)/RGXMod V1.13 at BBSWORLD * In...@bbsworld.com
Larry Caldwell
> I do have one living room, and though it's small, it will do for what I
> have. And an entertainment area is another goal. My stuff was state of
> the art maybe 6 years ago, but I see an HDTV and nice 5.1 digital surround
> system coming in the next year or so, so I'm holding off on hardwiring
> anything until then. I'm also a computer junky, so first big rewire will
> be network drips in every room.
One nice thing I have is a high impedance stereo feed to the bedroom and
a second surround sound system there. The bedroom TV is smaller than the
one in the entertainment center, but it is very nice to have the good
sounds in the bedroom, either music or TV.
For a computer network, go wireless. I fed telephone and CAT-5 to the
gazebo in the back yard so my wife or I could take the laptop out there
in nice weather, but being tied to a network cable is really irritating
sometimes.
Cable TV in the garage is really handy for catching those Saturday games
while tinkering.
no1herenow
house. Basics such as vinyl and green are easily and inexpensively
replaced. The return-on-investment, however on some of the other
things are questionable, especially if you do not plan on staying
there for some time (Also, you can over-improve your house, and at
that point, the ROI on each over-improvement is zero.) You need to
assess how much you want it, over how much work/expense it is to
install. Much of it depends on how much you will DIY; Hardwood floors
are mostly labor. If you DIY it should be about 25% of a contractor's
price. In this scenario, the ROI is good. Once you get them, you will
never go back to carpet (it's one of those acquired-needs things). To
cut sound reflections, a large area rug on the floor will help. You
can get highly decorative rugs for the floor, adding character to a
relatively spartan room, and since the rugs may go with you when you
move, you can invest in a high quality rug, not worrying what the next
owner likes.
Hardwiring many things (such as the home theater and network
connections) can be a considerable chore in existing-construction.
Hopefully you put in the drops down from the attic, and up from the
basement, with a main trunk running from attic to basement.
Personally, I don't mind doing it, though I had to collect an
interesting assortment of tools, such as 8 foot long drill bit
extensions, etc. The ROI on this is basically zero. For network
connections, the only reason I hardwired them was for gigabit
ethernet. If you are willing to settle for 10/100M, wireless is a lot
easier.
In terms of home theater, these tend to need a fairly large room, for
the full effect. Typically I hardwire with 8 separate channels, so
that there is room for expansion. If you DIY you should be able to do
it for less than 10% of what a professional service would charge.
Of everything you mentioned, the skylight would require the greatest
amount of work/skill.
Just my opinions (have done what you are doing several times).
"Keegan Alex" <keega...@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:<pan.2003.02.24....@yahoo.com>...