Monday, July 14, 2008

One Room

(eeep, why the heck is the color so off in my photos? Grrr.)
...Is almost complete in the new house.

The walls are painted (BM Pale Oak), the drapes are hung and the new carpet arrived from Crate and Barrel!

Now, if only Hickory Chair would hear my plea..

"Please deliver the chairs I ordered 2 1/2 months ago"
These slipper chairs will replace the brown leather ones

And what to do about the fireplace?



The polished brass accents on the fireplace surround are just killing me. Unfortunately, it's a cheap-o gas unit that we aren't going to rip out and I can't just remove the lovely screen (I wish). I'd love to paint the brass black so that it just blends in. And what about the chintzy mantle? Should I paint it a subtle gray (slightly darker than the walls)? It's just so blah to me. Suggestions anyone?

17 comments:

Freckles Chick said...

T!! It looks so chic, like a page from a decor mag. Those new chairs are going to be the icing on the cake. *impatiently waiting*

pve design said...

love it and those chairs will be worth the wait
hmm, paint that brass or get a new flat iron screen with white birch logs.
I would love to see something other than the plants
and perhaps the sundial can go there - and a collection on one side.
looks gorgeous.

Pretty Little Things for Home & Life said...

Room is looking great!! I think you need something a little less "overwhelming" on the mantel would make a huge difference. I nice piece of art and some sort of small, very tailored vignette with obelisks or narrow pottery perhaps?

Teresa Meyer said...

Thanks for your comments and suggestions...keep 'em coming.

You know, I thought of putting the starburst above the fireplace, but there is a niche there (maybe the photo doesn't really show it?) and the starburst just doesn't fit inside of it. The painting that is up there is an old (antique perhaps) that used to hang in the hubby's g-mother's house - so he wants it to have a "special" place in the home. Maybe I'll just take the plants off the mantle. I'm not in love with them.

Teresa Meyer said...

Ugh, I wish I could remove the whole darn fireplace, it's a cheap gas one with no character. It's all one unit, so I just have to make it work somehow.

K. said...

Can you remove the black and brass screen? The sad thing is, that some people would consider that a beautiful fireplace.

Eloise said...

What an elegant room! The new rug and drapes are beautiful. Can't wait to see it with the slipper chairs.

If you can't remove the screen, could you paint the brass black so that it sort of disappears and then put some sort of decorative iron screen (without mesh) in front of it?

Is the mantle painted the same color as the walls? That might make it blend in so that the other features of the room are what catch the eye.

The sofa turned out so well. I love your pembroke tables and the coffee table too.

Anonymous said...

Your living room looks lovely - can't wait to see it with your new chairs. Is it just me (and/or the photos) but is that starburst hung a little bit high - to me it would look a little more anchored if it was closer to the top of the sofa.

I painted the yucky brass strips on my fireplace grill with heat-resistant paint (meant for bbqs) and it looks much better. An easy half hour job no less.

cheers,
Blueberry

Suzie said...

Beautiful! I really loved what you did with the Storehouse painting! And the chairs- I am anxiously waiting for them too, they sound so lovely!

Michael said...

I absolutely love it!

Mrs. Limestone said...

Looking gorgeous (and I would expect nothing less from you!)

I think painting the mantle will draw attention to the fireplace which isn't what you want.

What about finding a beautiful old fireplace screen to put in front of the polished brass trim. You'd have to move it out of the way when you light it up but unless you use it everyday, it might be a simple way of hiding the ugly until you have a chance to change it.

You could also paint it black using grill paint. Wouldn't look great up close but good enough from across the room.

Anonymous said...

Wow this looks great and very chic.

Anonymous said...

I would take the plants down, paint the fireplace gray like the rest of the walls, paint the brass screen black like you mentioned before. Then get a really chic bench, like maybe a Jonathan Adler-like X bench and put it in front of the fireplace to hide the screen, instead of the expected fireplace screen. This is what I did to hide the same yucky gas fireplace in my home and I don't even notice it anymore!
Sally

Joi said...

I love the room!

Neutral Dwelling said...

Oh how lovely your home is!

niartist said...

Beautiful - very chic, sophisitcated. I am looking forward to seeing it with the chairs you ordered, in lieu of the leather. I'm sure it's going to look even more fab!

cotedetexas said...

it all looks so beautiful - the new slipper chairs really finish it off - i have an idea for your fireplace. Buy a screen - a large, freestanding screen - either a square or rectangular one - not a three sided one - and put it in front of the fireplace. it really hides the brass that comes with the box - and then you just see the beautiful screen you bought. seriously - i've seen this done and it works great!!!!! try it!!! love the rug too.