groovypumpkin's Profile

Thanks, everyone, for the great advice! I think I will try to go with the 'kitch' of the piece instead of trying to hide it. The current plan is to paint the entire room bright white, and paper over those shelves with some green-on-white toile wallpaper. I think sticking with 'French country' will help us just go with the flow of the room and its cabinet :)

I might remove a couple of cabinet doors as per one reader's suggestion and put in some cute document boxes, guest towels, etc... I think the rest of the hardware on the cabinet will be switched out just as soon as we paint. I think painting will be my middle name this summer. Virtually every room in this house features a similarly, ahem, interesting selection of colors.

I repainted my apartment's dusky blue kitchen floors white when I moved in, and I've had a mixed experience. They are quite high-maintenance, especially if you've got dogs (I have 2 huskies) or plan on whiting out a high-traffic, high-mess area like a kitchen. That said, with a fresh coat of paint every spring and a 5-minute once-daily sweep and mop with a little vinegar and water, they look fantastic. there's no question I'd have stuck with natural wood if stripping had been an option, but the paint job was a simple solution for me to an ugly shade of painted blue floor.

scoobydubious-

the quality of a dog's life isn't measured according to the square footage of the apartment it sleeps in or the yard where it spends its days. i rescued my husky from a hellish life chained up in a farmer's yard where he was starved and forced to live through 3 freezing Canadian winters outdoors. i give him daily runs, nourishing food, vet attention when he needs it, daily companionship because i work from home, and yes, a small living space in an urban environment. like the dog pictured here, he seems perfectly happy. if you've ever been to nyc you'll know that the dogs there are among the most fawned-over, and the most well taken care of. i think your sanctimony is better reserved for those who actually abuse and neglect their pets.