The Art of Stretching A Door

It’s been a long time since I posted anything about the guest room makeover, so long that I forgot I had started to write about it back in January of this year.

It has been a long five months in the making…but it is finally habitable— not completely finished, but livable at least.

One of the primary things that needed to be installed was a door to cover the opening for privacy between the guest room and my husband’s office.  We actually found an entry door back in November and decided it was just the ticket for our sliding door. Except the door was a standard 6’8” door and the opening was standard for a typical inset door, to cover the opening it needed to be s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d for full coverage.

My handy husband began cleaning up the door that is 80+ years old, by filling the door handle, lockset and deadbolt openings, sanding down much of the eight to ten layers of paint and adding about three inches to the bottom of the door.  I think he used poplar to extend the door; this was done by cutting and glueing pieces together to make the extension.  Once the door had been made to the exact size to hang over the opening and offer complete coverage, top and bottom and side to side, it was nearly ready for priming.  

But, before that, the speakeasy needed to be recessed so it would pass on the wall side of the guest room when it was completely open and not scar the wall.  My husband needed to chisel out the stepped configuration of the speakeasy to match and make the depth flush with the exterior of the door.

Now, it was ready for some heavy duty priming.  I used an oil based primer, since it offers the best coverage and would prevent any ghosting of previous colors.  Priming and painting took time, since both sides of the door needed to be painted, and with this winter and all the glorious rains, it was a challenge to get good drying time.  I wanted the door painted two different colors, since one side would face my husband’s office, it would be white to match the trim in that room.  On the guest room side, I decided that I would set it up like the entry door it had been in its glory days.  Painting it the same color as the sleeping alcove, a deep blue, against a cool, pale blue on the walls outside of the sleeping alcove, allowed it to stand out on its own as a showpiece.

I was fortunate to have had a small armoire, complete with hanging space, shoe rack, shelves and drawers; perfect for the space on one side of the door.  The other side of the door was large enough for some kind of furniture piece, and went back and forth about what would be the most serviceable.  I finally found a small dresser that looked more like an entry console, perfect!  It is small enough not to crowd the available space and large enough to be serviceable for storage of sheets and towels, until guests come and then it serves well for their clothing storage; one guest gets the “closet” and one gets the dresser, they share the hanging space.

With a generous platform serving as the step down, it feels more comfortable than a small awkward step, and there is an electrical outlet in the riser for plugging in an additional lamp by the chair.

Flooring, operable windows, and at the air conditioning unit will be the next big expenses.  Guests say the room is quite comfortable, except that the newest cat can open the door!  So, maybe it is not so private after all. 

Commitment Problem

Everyone has a problem with commitment at some time or another whether it be personal, financial, family, or design.  Design commitments will have far less impact, hopefully, than family issues or employment decisions,  but hesitance to make design commitments seem to result in people doing nothing rather than something or anything, when it comes to changes in their home.

I, too, have commitment problems with some design challenges.  My solution is to find an option that will give me more choices.  The most recent dilemma I faced was what to do about the inside of my upper cabinets in the kitchen.  The doors on the upper cabinets are glass and therefore expose my dishware, which is white; with the interiors painted white, there was no contrast and hardly made an impact.  A few weeks ago, I emptied the upper cabinets of all the dishes and glassware on both sides and painted just the back wall of each of the upper cabinets the color of the kitchen walls: a soft sage green.  While I liked the change, it was barely noticeable.  At least that exercise forced me clean all the glass shelves, and the new color did give it a fresh look.

Still not satisfied with the lack of impact in those cabinets, I had toyed with the idea of painting the backs of the cabinets black—yep, black.  I can imagine what many of my readers may be thinking, “Is she painting the entire house black”?  I do like a bit of drama in design.  The kitchen is one of my favorite places, and I thought the introduction of a little more black would give me the impact I wanted.  Painting the backs of the cabinets is not an “in your face” dramatic change; it is more subtle.  In fact, people hardly notice it; but I do, which is the point.

As for the lack of commitment, I decided to use black foam board cut to size before painting the cabinets and then painting over the black if I did not like it.  I have suggested to clients over the years that to add a little color in bookcases or glass fronted cabinets, first use foam board painted the color they want, to see if they liked it, before painting the back of an entire bookcase.  This option also allows for seasonal changes for displays for Easter, Halloween and Christmas.

I will confess that painting would have been cheaper and take less time than I spent on cutting foam board and going back to the office supply store for more material.  I was pretty sure I was going to like the black, but thought I would give the foam board a try.  I am glad I did.  I like the smooth texture as opposed to the less than perfect plaster walls behind my cabinets dating back to 1938, and all the things that have been done to these cabinets over the years

I still have some black paint plans for my home.  They too will be subtle, but will make an impact.  If you have considered taking an old entertainment unit or bookcase, and using it as a room divider or as a display area for some of your collections, you might consider removing the back of the cabinet and painting it a bright accent color that you are using elsewhere in the room.  Painting an old cabinet or dresser that you are re-purposing, is a win-win project, with little to lose and a good exercise in trying something new.  Try it, you might like it.

An Entry With A Little Pizzaz

This is a good news, bad news dilemma.  The good news was that we have an actual entry in our little house, something that has always been important to me.  I suppose it is because my father always wanted one in our 1950s house, but by then entries were given up in favor of more living space elsewhere in the home.  We had a covered front stoop; and eventually, my father enclosed it and made a formal entry to our little home.  

The bad news regarding our entry was that it was tiny and dull.  It was painted the same color as the living room— a color that I love; but since the entry was so small, I felt it needed to have a little pizzaz.  In truth, as you enter the house, you never see the only wall that does not have a door in it or an opening to the living room.  

As I sit in my office and look out across the living room, I can see into our dining area with windows that give me a view of our mountains, and into the living room, as well as the one wall in the entry where the only interest on the wall— the three brass pipes that give tone to the door bell, but they are not very interesting.

What to do?  I pondered this question for a short time, thinking paint is the quickest solution to my problem; but I was not certain that paint would be enough.  I remember, when we first saw the house, I was thinking I could put a gatelegged table in that space.  Then I realized there was no space for any furniture, paint would have to be enough.

This thought left me so unsatisfied that, I began thinking around my depth problem and decided I would find an image of an entry table and tape it on the wall to trace it with a chalk pen.  After finding the perfect table for my aesthetic, I took it to a photocopy store and had the staff enlarge the image.  This proved not so simple, since the aspect was not quite right.  I ended up taking the image the photo shop provided, and cut the legs crosswise and extended them to table height—voila!  Since I did not expect the table to be taken seriously, its rangy legs were not an issue.

I used chalkboard paint on the wall and a chalk crayon to get the image onto the wall.  Actually, I had an artist friend come over and draw the outline, thinking that if I did not like it, she could draw something that would be suitable.  It turned out that I liked it, as it was, not perfect, and a bit whimsical.  

Entries are important in homes, and I have spent quite a few hours creating them in my client’s homes, when there is not a designated entry with traditional walls.  Entries can be “imagined” into rooms that open directly into a living space, by placing a large table to stop guests from simply walking all the way into a room upon entering.  A decorative screen can also be used to stop the eye from roaming about the family living space, and sometimes a bold paint color will serve to delineate an entry space.

An entry gives a homeowner a sense of privacy to anyone coming to your door, either invited or not.  Sometimes, a homeowner may not want to have a visitor actually enter personal living space, so an entry is a way to hold them to a more confined area, even from looking in from the outside.

I am so happy to have my little entry, and now I love it even more that it offers some interest to me and my guests, once they come into the house.  More likely, visitors will not see my little table until they leave; nevertheless it is more interesting than bland walls.

Tea Tables Give Way to Coffee Tables

The tea table came into homes in the early 18th century, and the coffee table 200 years later.  What is the difference?  Over thecenturies, differences have developed in the way we enjoy our favorite hot beverage, be it tea or coffee.  Most modern coffee and tea drinkers head to their nearest name brand hot beverage shop to enjoy a cup or mug of their favorite caffeinated or non-caffeinated beverage; but centuries ago, “modern” families were just beginning to enjoy the exotic flavors of the Far East.

Tables, dishes, and pots were designed for imbibing these new culturally fashionable drinks, not to mention new silverware pieces.  Manufactures were all too happy to deliver something new to homeowners who needed to show their neighbors and friends that they had “arrived” and were up-to-date with the latest and greatest.  Apparently, not much has changed since the 1720s.

While tea tables were typically something you pulled a chair up to while dining on small sandwiches and sweets, they needed to be tall enough for ladies and gentlemen to sit with their knees neatly tucked beneath the table.  Remember ladies were wearing full skirts with bustles, no less; and gentlemen had buckles on their shoes; if the buckles were not properly shined, they were discreetly hidden under a tea table.

Skip ahead a couple of centuries, and you have the modern coffee table, following the importation of coffee from Latin America.  The practice of sitting around a tea table or now coffee table as a form of entertaining in the home was more relaxed in the 20th century.  The coffee table sat low and was found in living rooms or other leisure spaces in the home.  This lower table was to encourage a more relaxed atmosphere and casual living.  In fact, by the 1950s, the coffee table was a staple in most homes and was used for displaying the family’s extensive magazine collection.  I know in my house, those magazines were fanned out on the coffee table that sat in front of the sofa.  Teen and Seventeen Magazine were not considered suitable for display; Look, Life, Sunset and The Ladies Home Journal were magazines of choice in our home.

Today, we still see and use both of these tables, sometimes even to hold a cup of tea or coffee.  Often, the taller tea table finds itself at the end of a sofa or chair holding a lamp, with space for a cup of tea or coffee or cocktail.  Both tables continue to be of service and can be fashionably fun as well as useful, with coffee tables often being a favorite spot to rest feet while watching TV.

I have an artist client who loves color and whimsey.  She asked me to paint a tea table, and a small coffee table to add some color to her predominantly black and white living room.  Each piece I painted for her, had a particular detail that I thought I could enhance with some gold or silver leaf; she chose gold leaf, and the added touch brought the pieces up a notch in the interest factor. Her home is such a fun place to visit, with such interesting pieces, and she is fearless when it comes to accepting decorating advise.  I think her only regret to her downsizing, is now she does not have the room for all the things she loves to collect.  But, color is her signature.

As with most wood furniture that may seem outdated in its look, a fun paint color can bring more years of enjoyment; especially if you were just going to kick it to the curb and buy something new.

Spalted Maple Artwork

The wonders of nature never cease to amaze me.  On our trip to the wine country last month, my daughter and I visited a gallery and were mesmerized by some of the collections; but what captivated us and held our attention was the spalted maple turned to art.

The gallery representative was anxious to tell us that spalted wood is caused by a fungus that occurs primarily in dead trees, and the artist is careful to use only felled trees. 

Spalted wood is divided into three types: pigmentation, white rot and zone lines.  The artwork that my daughter bought is zone line spalting, which is characterized by thin lines of black surrounding heavy, black, irregular spots that appear very hard, almost like stone, called dark mycelium.  While all this is somewhat technical, the effect on the wood is simply beautiful, almost like thin ink lines shakily drawn around the heavy black spots.  In the gallery exhibit, the wood was cut into unevenly sliced slats and mounted on thin strips of wood to hold the piece together.  

My daughter bought the two pieces that were in the gallery to place over her bed’s headboard.  I suggested we paint a solid rectangle on the wall a very dark color to form a frame and place the work inside, the rectangle, of course, being larger than the two pieces together.  We did that, but once the art was up on the wall, it seemed too flat.  My daughter wanted more color, so we repainted the rectangle right over the original color, but without care to cover the sharp lines completely, while staying within the original shape.  She thought she would like to add a frame of molding to the painted on wall and paint it the same color, for texture.  Then she decided the irregular color on top of the dark color was interesting and she would leave it for the time being.

Artwork, of course, is a matter of very personal choice; fortunately we share similar tastes.  Her room is coming together nicely and I think she is beginning to feel it is just about right.

If you look up spalted wood on the Internet, you will see some amazing pieces of art, that are not only beautiful but useful too.  Spalted wood is used for musical instruments, bowls, tables and cabinets.  Some of the images show inlays of turquoise and metals.  Artists find uses for this wood in jewelry and furniture; their creativity seems endless.  Please be sure to take a look, next time you are at your computer, I think you will be amazed at this oddity of nature.

Salvaged Goods—New Uses

In recent weeks and months, I have felt like a small animal foraging in the world, collecting items tossed aside by others, to put in my own nest.  My daughter calls us, “roadside bandits”, but since these items are set out for pick-up by anyone, we are hardly bandits in the true sense of the word.

Some of these items are small, some are large, but all are useful and fun additions.  The smallest of these items was actually salvaged from our own stuff: a small shelf that was originally in the Hoosier Cabinet’s lower inside door.  I removed it years ago in order to make better use of the cavity under the pull-out counter.  I store all sorts of stuff under there, and the shelf was more in the way, so it has just been on a shelf in the garage for years and years.  The addition of the farm table allowed for much needed counter space and overflow eating space when needed, but using it as a landing spot for my husbands keys, sunglasses and change was not a good solution.  

I found the shelf and put it under the table top on the apron and discovered the space was exactly the right size to hold the shelf.  It just needed a backing, since it did not have the back of the cabinet door as a stop.  I knew we had some of the decorative metal screening we used to make the backyard lanterns for my daughter several years ago, and the screening turned out to be the perfect solution to keep all the loose change and keys from falling off the shelf.  The shelf is convenient and out of the way, not really even seen.  

While in Phoenix several months ago, my friend spotted some very cute shutters with the quarter moon cut out, and I had just the place for them!  Initially I thought I would put them on either side of the door inside the garage’s three piece bathroom, but there was not enough space.  However, flanking the bathroom window on the outside was more appropriate, and helped identify where a bathroom was located for a quick stop without having to go inside the house.

I put another salvage find under the bathroom window.  Along with the farm table, I had purchased a baby bathtub, and will be an ideal spot for washing my paint brushes outside, once the plumbing is extended through the exterior wall from the bathroom, in what had been a guest house addition next to the garage.   I will be able to attach a small hose to the drain spout and allow the tub to drain into an existing drain in the patio only a few feet away.  The tub is a great container for ice and cold drinks, when we have backyard parties.  The farm table journey was a positive one for sure.  I was able to pick up an old wash basin stand and enamel basin to use as a succulent garden and add a spot of color to a dull entry.

A number of friends now keep an eye out for me in my pursuit of doors for my fence idea.  A friend of my daughter’s spotted some french doors on the side of the road, and notified her.  My daughter picked up her Dad’s SUV and headed out to locate and load the doors; the bonus was an antique chair and some windows. 

I am currently using a couple of our old reclaimed doors as a backdrop for some climbing vines by attaching small nails to the door frame, allowing the vines to climb up the door and add interest to the plain garage wall.

All in all, these salvaged items have proved to be useful, sometimes simply as decorations, but at other times, providing a very useful function for my family.

Try to look at the ordinary with an open and creative mind; a simple box can be so much more than just a box.  Oh the possibilities!

Reclaimed Wood Shelves

The pretty bathroom that we added onto my daughter’s house a couple of years ago has been finished for sometime, with the exception of some reclaimed wood shelves she had always wanted to add.  We spent some time researching reclaimed wood, drove to a salvage business in downtown Los Angeles, and found what might be a good fit.  Then, as other projects moved forward, the salvaged shelves were put on hold.  

Finally, the wood was purchased, and the shelves were added to the area above the commode.  My daughter wanted this rustic look to relate to the natural weave of her laundry basket and to add some relief to the fancy turned legs of the reclaimed dining room buffet we made into her vanity with the addition of a vessel sink.   The beautiful faucet set and vanity, along with the custom tile band for the shower, are the show stoppers in the bathroom.

The ceilings are tall in her 1930s Spanish home, and my daughter felt the commode area needed a little special attention.  She added the stenciling on the commode wall for a little sparkle, which adds to the elegance of the rest of the bathroom; the rustic shelves are a juxtaposition to this design element.

Dressing the shelves was the next project.   We found a fun little wire basket at the “Junk Bonanza” in Del Mar a couple of weeks ago in which she could store her spare bath towel.  Then she added some of her favorite things from trips abroad and down under.  The memorabilia are a nice reminder of fun trips and outings with friends and family.

Additionally, we picked up some fun pieces during our salvaging outings.  We picked up vessels for planting succulents on the patio along with an old bedspring she will use as a planting screen for added privacy behind her outdoor patio furniture.  I will share more about these and other items in another article, so stay tuned for more of our salvaging exploits.

Good Fences Make Good Neighbors

“The Mending Wall”, by Robert Frost, is a poem I studied during my high school literature days; I remember well discussing what the author meant by good fences make good neighbors.  Now, my family and I are trying to be good neighbors as we face a fencing issue of our own.

The neighbors behind us have a couple of large dogs that seem to want to tear apart the fence when we are in the back area of our yard; and when our daughter’s dogs come to visit, the neighbor dogs sound like attack dogs.  This problem seems to stem from the fact that there is a bit of space between the grape-stake fence that is fastened to a chain-link fence.  The grape-stake fencing, no doubt, was intended to add privacy and improve the look of the link-fencing.   While we have plans to make improvements in the back yard, the fence falls far below the top of the list—except when we have dogs visiting.

The problem seemed to be that the dogs could see and smell each other through a space in the fence; so my immediate solution was to block that area, which I did with a large trash can.  Never intended as a long-term solution, it seemed to work initially.  Next, I bought an old gate from a local salvage store, and my husband clamped it to the fence—a was a good solution for a time, but the smaller of our visiting dogs could nose her way under the gate enough to be a perceived threat to the dogs behind us.

Next, we decided that a series of old reclaimed doors would take care of the problem.  The plan is to link several old doors of different styles, to create a strong, closed barrier and paint them a mossy color to blend with the ivy growing from the neighbors fence.

We have a start of this new “fence”, already.  My daughter and I were driving around after going to the salvage store and found some doors beside the road, clearly needing to be picked up and carted away; we were obliging.  Maybe we will get lucky and find more doors that are someone else’s trash, but ones that can become our treasure.

My goal is to create a secret garden look with odd styled doors and unite them with a common color, keeping the gate for added interest, and to help create that secret garden aesthetic.  Naturally, I have to embellish the plain gate until I can implement fully my plan.  I rolled some tree stumps that were on our property and set them on either side of the gate, then added some pots and plants for color.  A wreath gives the gate a touch of holiday spirit; I felt it was no longer an inside wreath, but it would do for the garden.

So far, my investment is the cost of the gate, and a quart of paint and a few annuals.  I will keep you posted on the fence project as it progresses.   We might get it done very soon since we will have all the kids home for the holidays—another family project!

With thanks to Robert Frost for his inspiring, thought-provoking poem, we too hope that a good fence will indeed make us all good neighbors. 

When In Doubt, Paint It

I have several pieces of furniture that no longer fit my home, and I figured they were likely in need of an update when they didn’t sell on Craigslist or during a yard sale.  I decided to give them a coat of paint to see if that would make them more interesting.  The first two pieces I have finished, the rest are in a holding pattern waiting their turn at my brush.

In addition, there was a jewelry box that was given to my daughter by her brother after he spent time in Japan.  He did not purchase it overseas, but it reminded him of his time there and thought she would enjoy it.  My daughter has caught the decorating bug for me and wanted to incorporate the box somehow into her eclectic, Spanish— style home.  Many of my followers are familiar with my mantra, “If you don’t like it, paint it”.  So with that in mind, I decided to make a drastic change in the box.

This project will no doubt offend some, while others are happy to know that something can change so drastically with only a can of chalk paint, brush and some clear and dark wax.  I proceeded to paint the piece, hardware and all with a soft Paris Gray.  It was not all that great looking after the paint went on, so my interest lagged a bit.  I wondered if I had made a mistake.  The first coat of clear wax, did little to assuage my concerns; but with a coat of dark wax applied, I could see the possibility of it fitting into my daughter’s Spanish cottage.  Once I had buffed the final coat of wax, I called my daughter over to see if the change; to say she was shocked would be an understatement.  After a month of careful purging in nearly every room of her house, I knew the box would have to be useful to find a home in her home.  It did!  The main bathroom has a cabinet that will hold this large box, and it now contains contact lenses— all lined up on the left and right side of one of the little drawers; it is easy to tell which to pick up, even without glasses.  The rest of the little drawers are suitable for tweezers and other little things that can get lost in a larger drawer.  The gentleman of the house seems quite pleased with this new addition and all its possibilities.

Another piece, I worked on is similar to a piece I did for a client last year, a two-tiered end table from another generation.  I had used it as a side table next to my bed; it held all of the necessities: the land phone, my glasses, pad and pen, and a ton of books, along with the bedside lamp.  It suited me and the room well, but I just don’t have the room for it in this house, so now it is painted in the same soft Paris Gray, but I used a bronze glaze on the top to give it some depth.  The glaze is easier on my hands.

I find this kind of work not only rewarding, but fun, I simply plug in my headset and listen to the latest book downloaded from the Library and go to work, hopefully giving new life to something old and tired.

It Is Time for Some Black

Most readers of this column will not be surprised to learn that I love a black wall— somewhere.  I have a designer friend who asks me fairly often where my blackboard wall is going to go.  I have not yet decided, but you can be sure I will have one.  

I had determined, early on, that one of my office walls would be black.  I have several black and white prints that I especially like, and think they will be stunning on a black wall.  The French doors and frame are white, so there is a nice contrast and boldness without being too bold.  The black wall is visible from the living room and adds dramatic relief to the soft, soothing taupe walls in the that room.

My black wall is hung with nine, mostly all black and white sketches.  There is a pair of bird drawings with very subdued coloring— the birds must be the female of the species.  The subject matter of the collection is varied.  The frames are not identical, although the frames of the three Aubrey Beardsley drawings all match, and the three bird drawings have matching frames.  Consistency in color, size or subject help a collection achieve a cohesive feel.

A black or very dark wall of blue or plum or green— something very close to black can give drama to an ordinary room.  If your room has a great deal of light, as mine does, you will see sharp contrast that does not make the room seem gloomy.  

The TV room is painted a very dark blue, but not dark enough to be mistaken for black; it is very definitely blue, and the white trim keeps it lively.  The TV room has no direct outside source of light; the two long windows that flank one wall, borrow light from my office.  Without the white trim and the borrowed light, the dark blue would make this room a bit depressing for me; but it is a perfect room for watching TV with no glare on the screen. 

A home office or study, where you want quiet solitude, might be a good place to consider very dark walls.  Decades ago, a man’s office or study would have been paneled in dark wood and probably would have had walls lined with books, with a window looking out onto a shady garden— all lovely, but hardly practical today.  Most houses do not have a space for a separate library, but the thought is still very appealing to those who treasure reading an old fashioned book, in peace and quiet without any electronic hum.  You might be able to achieve a similar look for a reading nook in a room; if you can find a “quiet corner” in a room, paint two of the walls a dark color and section it off using an area rug or seating to visually close it off from the rest of the room.  Some tall bookcases can become walls within a room and add to the quiet effect.