My house remodel

[TheArtist]

Well I have been in my new home for about 3 years now. Still not done remodeling. Doing it all myself as extra money comes in so it takes a while. If I had known it was going to take this long I wouldnt have gutted quite so many rooms all at once lol. Its a 1950s split level ranch. I am slowly turning it into a little Italian Villa style home. The over all lines of the home are actually conducive to that style.

But needless to say things are finally coming together and starting to look like a place a human might actually live in. There is still 1950s yellow linoleum on the floor in the kitchen, couldnt rip it up and havent made it to the kitchen yet on the remodel front. The master bath is getting there. It was 2 tiny baths next to each other and is now one small bath, but trying to do some tricks to make it feel larger.

The one room that is juuust about done is the master bedroom so I thought I would share some pics of my hard work.

The master bedroom was 2 bedrooms. I ripped out the closets in between, (that is where the arches are in the pics) then the smaller bedroom was turned into a kind of sitting area and large master closet. The lattice, mirrored wall is the wall I built to split that room into the sitting area and the closet is behind that. The 2 doors that originally went into each room are now walls and the end of the hallway is now the door into the bedroom via the sitting area.

In the sitting area I ripped out the ceiling and went up as far as I could and added a dome. The mirrored wall and the dome are both used to make the master bedroom appear larger and of course add interest. I have kept the colors in this room light and monotone. I stripped the floors, replaced part of the floors where the closets were ripped out, painted them an off white, stained them and clearcoated. The walls were stuccoed, then while the stuccoe was wet a large bristle brush was scraped vertically over it, then a spatula was gently run over that. Then everything including the trim and the dome were primed, painted then had a Ralph Lauren "tobacco" glaze rubbed over it. I wanted to create kind of a soft, aged, stone look to everything. The painting in the gold frame is one I started and still havent finished lol, but I wanted the bedroom to have the same feel and tones.  

I still have to do the ceiling over the bedroom area. Will put an intricate hexagon/square pattern of trim all over it. Except for perhaps an open part in the middle where I may do some artwork. Since I am going more monotone, I am using texture and patterns to give interest and depth. Excuse the little round table its a file cabinet with a round board on top and some stray fabric and such coverint it lol. The other table by the bed is a card table with a leftover curtain panel over it. Stuccoe, paint and trim are cheap. Furniture, I have to be patient with.  [8D] Though that urn on the round table, thats my one splurge so far. Saw that in a clients house, had to have it, and when I found out they were moving, I sold my soul for it in labor. They got it at Harods of London. Dont ask how much it cost lol. [8D]

Been a lot of work, more than I would have thought, but sometimes ya just have to jump into it and not think about that, then just keep plugging along. I think its turning out to be worth it. Once the ceiling is done in the other part, that will finish the whole effect.  









I will try to get some pics of my dining room soon. Its very different. The walls and ceiling are black. The trim and large medallion are gold leaf with a large wrought iron and crystal chandelier. Kind of a classical Italian, modern mix.

[RecycleMichael]

It looks just like my house. We must shop at the same dollar store.

[sgrizzle]

I keep looking for the little felt rope and "don't touch" signs...

[Conan71]

Hey dude, if you need any help I know this guy who does faux finishes and kick-donkey Sistine Chapel-style murals if you can't find anyone qualified on your own...

[tulsa_fan]

OK, SOOOO not my style, but it is breathtaking.  You should be very pleased.

[RecycleMichael]

So, when is the party?

I got some 40s and a bag o' Cheetos in the car...ready to go.

[TheArtist]

What are 40's?  I was actually thinking about having a TN get-together at my place in December or January.

[Conan71]

This would be a "sixty foh" and a "fohty"

[RecycleMichael]

I love the idea of a party at your house (or anybody's house for that matter).

I am good at parties and I have a nice collection of lamp shade hats to prove it.

[Wilbur]

That is amazing work!  It that really real?

[Conan71]

He's the real deal, I've seen his work in a friend's house.

My biggest problem I ever had with trying to attempt art is lack of patience.  

Give the man his props, he's excellent.

[RecycleMichael]

I have been in the Artist's home and it looks really beautiful.

I felt like I was in Italy.

[HoneySuckle]

Do you live at Philbrook?[:O]  Wow! That's just lovely.  My goodness, we really need to have our Christmas party at your place.

[TheArtist]

Wow, thanks for all the kudos. My house is quite small. But I am doing my best with it. I figure with an income that fluctuates as wildly as mine is it was wiser to get something small and inexpensive so that I can afford the mortgage on the slow months and years, and when I get an extra penny or two fix it up myself. Live small but well is my motto.

Just last week I had to go to a past clients home and do some touch up work where they had some water damage. I took my sister who is helping me on some mural work I am doing and gave her the tour of this home. Its easily a 10+million dollar new home in the midtown area. One of the nicer infill homes if ya ask me. Very well done, very beautiful and elegant. But after I showed her around we went back to my place. I pulled up in my drive and we both looked at each other and laughed. My house seemed so pitiful after admiring that other home. We went inside and I looked around and didnt know whether to laugh or cry lol. The contrast was absurd. Their entryway was larger than my living and dining combined, their walk in freezer larger than my kitchen! lol. I told my sister. Imagine working in houses like that every day and then coming back to......THIS! lol. She consoled me and said my house is fine. Definitely an exercise in contrasts though.

[Breadburner]

Saddam would be proud......