Watching Paint Dry...



Original 'Hooker Red' Colored Wall

Literally....watching paint dry. Because my great plans to complete the behemoth were thwarted over the weekend by Old Man Winter, I moved on to other items on my list. I had found the desire to paint (that NEVER happens) and since I could not do it outside I moved inside. Currently the the dining room is a lovely shade of 'hooker red' (thank you hubby for such a 'colorful' description). Although I had always longed for a sophisticated red dining room with lots of stark white moldings (and got that wish with this house) I didn't find the room to be inspiring enough to do anything more than cross through it on my way to the kitchen.  I have been finding the red walls to be a bit of a distraction in my efforts to envision a bright inviting room. Since I was inspired to paint I thought it might be beneficial to prime over one of the walls so I'd be working from a semi-blank canvas.

Primed Wall



OK - so that didn't really help and I ran out of time to finish even one wall before life and family came a calling. No matter. The intention was just to take the bold red out of my immediate vision so I could consider alternative color options for the room. Plus...I really wasn't planning on wasting time priming the entire room since two great friends have now informed me of the wondrous covering powers possessed by The Home Depots' BEHR Premium Plus Ultra® paint. It is is the only #1 rated paint and primer-in-one...at least that's what they say on their website.

 

Onto the next element in the room...one that doesn't involve paint. The floor. Presently the room has beautiful satin finished wood floors in mint condition meagerly covered by a hand-me-down oriental area rug. One rug in desperate need of a good cleanse and move to another location with less foot traffic. I've been on a mission to find a nice rug to ground my dining room since as far back as that perfectly colored cranberry coverlet that once so elegantly graced the cover of my bed...yes, remember the one that didn't survive the minor 'house fire' mentioned in an earlier blog (and yes...for those of you wondering I was able to find a more than suitable replacement at Pottery Barn outlet shortly after moving into my present abode 3 years ago). I've spent countless hours perusing discount websites (my favs www.overstock.com, www.ebay.com, www.craigslist.com), pillaging through discount stores (my favs Tuesday Morning, Big Lots, Home Goods, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Ross and the like) and also making a few uninspired trips to Goodwill and the local Habitat Restore. I've found a few looks I'm drawn to but having difficulty making a choice. I struggle with the ability to pull a room together which usually results in random purchases or acquisitions of odd and end pieces that are never united into a finished space. Those items are usually exiled to the attic or garage only to be forgotten about until we run out of storage space forcing me to purge. This time there shall be no purchase without knowing precisely what role it will play in my finished space. With that said, I'm giving a preview of those rugs that have made the cut so far. This rug decision MUST coincide with my drapery fabric selection and final wall color so it is an important one to make in a short amount of time....what a busy few weeks to go...



Shall I do bold pattern simple color....simple pattern, bold color?



How about a floral with LOTS of color?



Not even sure how to categorize these; contemporary, psychedelic,  wild???

There are many things to consider when choosing an area rug. The first of which is what size is appropriate for the space you are looking to fill. One rule of thumb is that you should allow 18-36" from edges of rug to wall to create a pleasant border space so the rug doesn't over or underwhelm the room. For a dining room you should also consider the shape of  any furniture that may be on top. In my case the room itself is approximately 13" x 11" and the behemoth that will soon become my 'table' is a rectangle. For this space I will be selecting a rug that is rectangle in shape no larger than 8'x10' and no smaller than 7'x9'.

Second thing to consider is the material of the rug you are considering. All materials will require different levels of care so it is important to take note of how much time and effort you can put into caring for a rug before making a purchase. I have learned that handmade and/or wool rugs may need more delicate handling than a machine-made synthetic rugs....some even requiring a shake to clean and special spot treatment for stains. Knowing I haven't much time for anything beyond work and childcare at this stage of my life I'm looking for little to no care requirements outside of a quick run of the vacuum. There isn't much that gets 'delicate' handling with 3 kid ages 5 and under running around this house! 

Hoping for a flash of inspiration to help make this decision easier than it seems at present...stay tuned.  Until next time...