White Wash

Although right now I'm heavily into the planning stages for the upcoming trim & paint project in the living and dining areas, there have been other happenings in the new* condo. Just recently both the main bath and the ensuite master bath received a coat of fresh white paint. Although some might hardly notice, for me both rooms feel so much brighter.

The reasons for the paint were twofold. One, after the builders made drywall repairs, they covered the patches in the eggshell finish with flat paint. That is a sad no no :( Two, the walls were a nondescript shade commonly referred to as builder's beige. What I really wanted was for the room to read as pure white.

I chose a white that matched closely with the tiles and sink, and which didn't harbour any blue, green or yellow undertones. This is Para's Whitewash White (P2089-00) and it's the perfect white - it feels so bright and clean! As part of the mini facelift, I added a fabulous chrome hook from Home Depot for guests to hang a bathrobe or towel - something which had been previously overlooked. (Thanks for the tip, Debbie!)

The master ensuite bath received the same Whitewash treatment, and again, I can't get over how clean & fresh it looks. Even though both bathrooms are interior spaces with no windows (common in condominiums), they both seem super bright with this all white scheme.

I added a few details to make my ensuite bath feel special. There's something about fancy soaps and lotions that make me feel like I'm staying in five star hotel, and fresh flowers are a real treat! Plus I still love the "Swingers" carnival photo from Red Dot Design.

I made just one little upgrade in this bath wth the addition of a crystal knob on the linen closet door. I won an Elte/Ginger's gift certificate over at Decor Happy this past May and I splurged on this diamond crystal knob. Oh yes, it's all in the details.

 

*Can I still refer to this place as the "new" condo when I've been living here for almost a year? This coming Thursday is the first anniversary of the official move!

Dining Dreams

A lot of single folks can't say this, but I eat at least one meal at the dining table every day. Generally that meal is breakfast, and since it's the most important meal of the day, the morning experience should be special. Do you see where I'm going with this? Breakfast is an important meal...Enjoyed at the dining table....In a special space...

Since I'm already planning the moulding and wall trim for the living room, I also need to consider the dining room since the two areas are within the same open space. The idea is to be consistent with colour and trims, but add an element which I've wanted for so long and never had the chance to incorporate into my home: a chinoiserie pattern. I've mentioned my love of chinoiserie fabrics and wallpapers here, here, here and also here.

The colour choice for the walls and trim has been finalized, and I've decided on Marine Bay (P5156-75) from Para Paints:

The living room wall will remain low key, but the dining room wall is going to be a showstopper. I cannot wait to see this come to life!!!!! The plan is to insert two Griffin & Wong silk panels within the inset wall trim. It is going to be un-believable!!

I have yet to get a quote on these two panels, so my fingers are crossed that this will be somewhat affordable... 

Adding Character to a New Condo

There is another project brewing at home. I've decided that the new condo needs some character, and it's going to get that with some DIY architectural trim and mouldings. Despite being where I spend most of my waking hours while at home, I haven't done anything in the living room. I rolled out the rug, positioned the furniture, plugged in the tv, cable and Wii, and sat down. Done. But as a design blogger, I know this room could be and should be so much better! Here's what I'm working with (excuse the crappy photo - I couldn't get the whole wall in one frame, so it's actually 2 images photoshopped together):

"Bo" to the "ring", right? When I look at this, I'm actually kinda embarrassed by the lack of effort I've made here. Those 9 foot ceilings need to be highlighted, and I'm hoping that the addition of dentil crown moulding at the ceiling and picture frame moulding on the walls will make the height a true feature. A coat of navy blue paint on both wall and trims should make the room sing. Right now it's just so bottom heavy and blah :(

I'm currently in the planning stages, and I'm already finding it tricky to plan the layout. How am I going to work around all of the obstacles on this wall? The door to the master bedroom is on the left, the forced air unit is on the right with the thermostat above, two air vents are set along the top of the wall and a random sprinkler sits in the middle of it all. Ugh. Not to mention that the sprinkler and the thermostat are 100% un-paintable, which means two white blobs on an otherwise navy blue wall.

If you can mentally combine the three images below into one, it will give you a good idea of what I'm trying to create. Navy blue walls, double mouldings, maybe with a dash of gold highlight:

 Above images via Living Etc, House & Home, Lonny Mag.

I found this shallow dentil moulding at Home Depot and I think it would look great along the top of the wall throughout the entire space. Although this moulding is technically intended to be used as a chair rail, it works perfectly here because it will fit in the small three inch gap between the top of the vents and the ceiling:

And here's a quick sketch I put together to illustrate the possible layout of mouldings on the wall and door. I've snuck in a few little upgrades like a new crystal knob on the door to the master bedroom and maybe a NEST thermostat:

  
Anyone have advice about the layout? About the materials? About the installation? I'm all ears!!