mary o'g's Profile

I will admit that I am not a fan of two different cabinet colors..but I still think only white cabinets would reduce a lot of the darkness...plus the lighting suggestions others have made. Have you considered a solotube if it is a one story house? Lighting over the sink would also help in dark days...Mirrored tile or backsplash?

If you have children what a great area for trikes etc. or storing baby strollers, bikes. What about a carpentry bench or potter's wheel? Loom? Piano? Of course the bookshelves and wardrobes are great too. big table on wheels for thanksgiving etc.?

I would get him the recliner of his dreams, with heated seats and a beer can holder and head phones , and put it in the lower right hand corner of the dining room and the tv mounted on opposite wall..that way he would be comfortable, living room would be more for visiting etc.

another bathroom would not hurt if there were frequent guests or several people. The big room could be a studio apartment for rental if it had a bathroom, or it could be a nice master bedroom or guest room or office to see clients, with separate exit. I would put in a bathroom in lower right corner, have a covered porch connecting outside door of house to addition, and perhaps cut a door to nearest bedroom so they could use the porch to access bathroom...

People are perhaps just sniffing the scented candles..but they aren't lighting them are they? That would be a big no no in hospitals I have worked at and I can't imagine allowing electric teakettles either..both for fear of fire and explosions. Otherwise, I am sure they would be very nice additions to a hosptial stay. I would make sure that any scents are not synthetic and are very very localized to the patient herself...perhaps some little rainbow lightcatchers near a window would be nice to watch.

I think dwarf fruit trees..some edible things..perhaps hazlenuts, blueberries. Also roses grow great in NW. Looks like you have a big rhododendrun in front. THey get so mangy but do grow well. The trick is to keep them pruned into a tree shape. Same with camellias. Just cut off the underbranches and branches growing straight up. This one does want to block your windows. I have had great luck with irises, lilly of the valley will spread like crazy, real carnations that have actual smell to them...If you want year-round flowers, some types of camellias bloom early, like February. R oses might bloom until November..not sure what for intervening months. Flowering cherry can bloom in January.

Since it is an income property and probably not the house of your dreams, I would leave the stone alone for now but I would paint everything else I could to match the split house attached to it. I check with neighbor to make sure he/she is not planning to paint their part of the structure hot pink anytime soon and then I would just try to match their colors, and ask if while you are at it you could paint their white ironwork as well..that is what makes things look a bit jarring I think.

the tv looks too low for comfort..can you center it under the white ceiling thing and raise it? then you could go with the bookshelf idea, or just some framed art like 2 on each side on top of each other...not huge ones...computer table could be a bit bigger too for balance and comfort.

I think two things stand out..one is the wobbly looking coffee table..something more solid to go with sofa strength..and not white...and the kitchen cupboards. I think a warmish color for the walls that would go nicely with the floors and the kitchen cabinets, which are a similar tone. If there is room perhaps moving table in front of kitchen and using that nook for office??? It would be nice to not have sofa jutting out like that..perhaps if it comes apart something at right angles...I wish they had color samples we could just click on...I am thinking something light yellowish greyed green...sort of a neutral green..not too bright..light and soft.

I am wondering about the short wall by the staircase...it would not be a dominating wall with TV. If on swivel could be seen from many areas of apartment. I am also thinking chairs that swivel all the way around to look at fireplace, kitchen, window, TV..very comfortable ones..then a dining room table like a picnic table about the size of the kitchen counter...then some big curving over lamps. I think moveable, swivable, flexible would be important here.