upandaway's Profile

Oh yeah, dill Havarti is fantastic. Thanks for the reminder, rmrez!

Why let the pros have all the fun? Cutting mats is a precise craft, and certainly someone who does it several hours a day is better at it than I am. However, I find mat-cutting and framing to be a relaxing activity, and I get a lot of satisfaction from it (as with many other DIYs). Plus, I can easily switch prints into different size frames/different color mats, thus saving me the agony of deciding on the perfect mat/frame combo for a particular print.

I've never done a kitchen or bath remodel, but I would apply my approach to the smaller projects that I have tackled: do it right the first time. The owners here can do a superficial update-- replace the appliances, paint the cabinets, redo the floor and wall coverings-- but after all that work/expense, they'll still have a poorly-lit kitchen with drawers that stick, plus their appliance options will be limited due to the retro sizes/placements. If they cook at all, I am betting they won't be happy with this outcome.

I think they just have to bite the bullet and redo the entire kitchen-- gut it, wire in new overhead lighting and plenty of GFCI outlets, install new cabinets & countertop, get new appliances, and fix the walls and floor. Save money by DIYing when possible and go for a mid-range solid surface countertop and builder-grade/IKEA cabinets. Postpone the potentially big-ticket items like a backsplash and under-cabinet lighting, but plan for them and add in when finances permit.

Or at least, that's what I would do. But then again, that kitchen would be a deal-breaker for me when house-shopping, so it might just be that I prioritize a functional kitchen higher than these folks.

I've been reading Sweet Juniper for over a year-- LOVE the blog-- and I don't even have kids. Thanks for the interview-- nice to get a peek behind the scenes.

Above all, paint! (Like Pi said-- even if you like the current color.) If you have the physical space, make a little area for yourself with a comfy chair, reading lamp, throw blanket-- someplace you can relax away from the fam. And this might be difficult, but try to not buy everything new at once (or from the same store). I think one thing that characterizes a more "grown-up" space is that ever-elusive "collected" look.

Oh, and depending on the situation, if your family plans on using your room as a guest room after you move back out, you might be able to convince them to invest in some of the new furniture/window treatment type things. Then they can have an updated guest space when you're gone, and you can get some nicer furniture without committing to it. :)

I like the extra space on one side of the vanity.

I agree with the previous posters, and also suggest adding some more color/interest with a couple of ottomans/footstools to fill up the middle space a little better. A floor or table lamp (in addition to art & moving the deer head) would help fill the vertical space, and you could find/make a fun patterned drum shade.

@katiebot -- and to think that this was "edited from a post originally published on 06.05.10"!

Nice article! You should visit Watershed too-- agree, love their gin.

The first summer in our house, we tried hanging a swing from two eyehooks that were already in our porch ceiling-- then sat down on it, had a brief moment of false triumph, and crashed to the ground. OUCH. A-frame it is. :)