RNM's Profile

Agree, I would take out the grass in favor of a stone/brick patio and then definitely build a nook along the far wall if you like that look. I think it's cozy and a very good use of space instead of individual seating - if you entertain a lot or like to eat outside, you could even do a full U-shape style benching (with storage underneath) around a small table instead of the deep bed-like nook in your inspiration. Would give more seating and open up the rest of the area for more walking space and plants, but depends on what you'll use it for. If it's mostly just you wanting to curl up and relax, the deeper straight nook is great as well.

I use my iPad in place of my laptop about 90% of the time I'm home/not working. I would whole-heartedly recommend one in place of a new laptop, but maybe not if it was the only computer in the house. I echo what Ian said about space limitations, user accounts, etc. Also, despite the fact that I use mine for more than JUST media consumption, there are some activities that aren't ideal like word processing/Excel/Office-type projects, more involved photo/video management and editing, or serious research (ie schoolwork/academic stuff). You can do it all, just not always as easily.

You don't mention what your family is. If it's just you, your husband and a toddler, you very well might be able to get away with an ipad until your kid is older, if you're comfortable with the limitations on some of the things you mentioned (transferring photos, scanning, etc). If you have older kids, I don't think I can imagine a whole family sharing one iPad vs. sharing a laptop. To me it's like suggesting you replace your home land line with a single iPhone. You have your own apps, your own stuff, it's by your side constantly....totally usable by other people, just doesn't feel as natural.

Maybe it's because it's looking a little "rental apartment" with the very plain white cabinets and builder basic hardware, black granite, etc? I had this issue when we bought our place. Not to say it's not the paint color at all, but I would focus on things that help it feel like a more custom kitchen: add crown, a backsplash, new cabinet hardware, new faucet, under-cabinet lighting, maybe convert some of the uppers to have glass or be open?

I would personally swap out that sink - we also had granite counters and an overmount stainless sink and while I like SS undermount, it bugs me in overmount..so we bought a black silgranite sink and it's one of the biggest impact things we did. It minimizes the overmount look and blends into the counters for a more seamless effect.

Paint color is important, but I found I wasn't happy with our kitchen until we made more of these kinds of changes. Then the finishing touches - paint, rug, window treatments!

@bkhomebody - Completely agree, everytime you read something about best practice, they're saying the opposite of the last thing you read. The only one I abide by is going through at least one charge cycle a month (letting it fully drain). This is a recommendation by Apple, and I've owned iPhones since the first gen and it seems to work for me, and I haven't noticed issues with major drainage or anything. However, my husband is a person who always plugs in at night and never drains his battery despite me reminding him and his 3GS had terrible issues holding a charge by the end of 2 years. So I'm sure there's something to it, though I'm not sure if it's nightly charging or lack of a charge cycle that was the problem in his case.

I think you're thinking the sofa color is an issue just because it looks a little lost and sad in that empty room and blends in with the wall. I'm not in love with the color or anything, but from the pictures it seems like it would be a totally fine base for other colors and patterns. It's fairly neutral. I just wouldn't a) try to go too cool with the rest of your colors to mask the couch b/c it will just stick out, or b) try to go too earthy to go "with" the couch because it sounds like you don't really want to go down the beige/browns/tans path.

Despite the polarizing nature of Restoration Hardware in the last couple years, I would look at them for some ideas of how to style a room around beige-ish couches without having to go heavy on the earth tones and keeping it light and sophisticated.

I like a second island for the idea of it taking the place of an eat-in dining area (breakfast nook, etc) in the kitchen, but it allows for more storage and a second workspace when needed.

However, I would personally like to see them done with more distinction between the two. I think an island usually commands the focus of the room and when there are 2, it becomes a little more visually confusing. Making one feel more like the "kitchen table" area and the other the prep area through materials would be nice.

Like edmarch, I was also going to suggest a bar, though I don't think you would need cabinet necessarily - maybe line the shelves in some fun removable wallpaper and then have glassware on the top two shelves, the next shelf could be a bar "counter" with bar tools and a couple commonly used spirits and glasses for styling and convenience. Rest of booze on the shelf below that. Not sure what you'd put on the floor in that case, though.

Alternatively, I like the idea of putting books in front of baskets/bins that store uncommonly used items, or putting the books in the back and styling in front of them with decorative objects.

I don't know if I like the idea of putting a small desk in there, mostly because I think unless it fit perfectly, it would look like you tried to shove a desk in a tiny closet. Could you build something custom that would slide in there and look more like it was built-in, or could you just remove the bottom shelf and use the second one for the desk top? I would also worry about any electronics. You wouldn't be able to put a lamp or anything in there that needed to plug in since there's no outlets.

I don't know that I'm seeing the point of a chaise if it will be against the back of the wall anyway...? I mean it's a cute look for your purposes in other ways but if it's just going to be against a wall just like a couch I'm not sure I like the idea. If you're liking the lightness/openness of it, I feel like there are small scale low-arm options out there that would work and not feel as odd placed against a wall. Now if you could float it, I'd say do it!

I agree, I'm not getting this. I find most of my kitchen appliances verge on single use to some extent. I'm not really sure why we're talking about normal appliances. How else are you supposed to make coffee? And the last time I saw a coffee maker/toaster combo it was some POS at Target that was $12. I'm not sure why I would want to buy that over a good quality coffee maker just because it only makes coffee. Personally if I came upon a combo rice cooker/bread maker/ice cream maker....I don't know that I would really trust it could do any of those things well.

I do understand the discussion for things like the hot dog toaster, the corn-butterers, etc. - the goofy things that are simply novelties that perform a function there's no reason the average person can't do manually and easily and don't somehow improve how and what you're doing. I don't think most of these fit into that category.

I still like RH, but as individual pieces and not a whole room. Some of it is definitely ridiculous, but then again I think a lot of PB, DWR, etc. can be ridiculous when you look at entire rooms of it as well, though RH is far and away the WORST offender of this. It's way too much themey stuff and it's all too similar to each other in scale, color and finishes. The way they style their rooms and cram every absurd piece all togethe is insane...whoever is styling their catalogs is an idiot.

Having said that, like I said I still like it for finding individual pieces - a few accessories, a chair, a sofa, a table, bath fixtures. But would never buy more than a few things from there at once for a house...way too much. Also, they did a good job remaking themselves to be different from PB. No one's talking about PB and I'd much rather peruse the RH catalog than the other, despite finding a ton of laughable pieces, copywriting, and moments :)