More Rendiitions

Rhode Island Design Center's website has a great little gadget that lets you plan out a room. Unfortunately, I'm not very good at working the colors or getting the windows plumb and level when I play with it. As long as the framer figures it out, it doesn't matter much how well I do.

I inherited the basement (dungeon) for my office space and I couldn't be happier. It's a huge space with two Bilco wells attached to the windows. That will let in plenty of light. I think we'll be going with blue and gray tones in here, and you'll just have to trust me that all this periwinkle blue and prison gray won't be the final outcome.

Along one wall, we'll install a countertop with cabinetry underneath for my files and and other "junk" that grows in offices. I can't stand to have the clutter on my desk, so we'll add three tall bookcases with doors to hold office supplies and what-nots.

This room will double as a "hobby" room for my photography and for Frank's ship-building.

A table in the center with chairs will come in handy.

The floor will be ceramic tile anchored with an area rug in a better shade of blue than what I came up with.
Below is our guest bedroom on the second floor. This room has windows galore on three sides and a pocket door in the center which leads to a private bath. Again, my RIDC limitations prevented me from placing the silly door where it goes. That "armoire" in the corner is really a closet. More limitations.... what can I say?

Frank has a wonderful bed that is as contemporary as the King James Version of the Holy Bible.

I didn't care. I like that bed, and I like the blanket chest he got from his grandmother years ago. He has an easy chair that will work beautifully in here in a lovely shade of pink. Drapes and bed linens in sage and pink will pull it all together.

I suspect we'll be using this room for some time while we try to figure out what we're going to do with the master bedroom.


Below is the Chainlocker. That's what we've come to call any space that is definitively Frank's space.

This room was a bit of a challenge for me in my head.

I had certain things that I had to incorporate that I was less than crazy about, starting with an old, old rug that Frank picked up in one of his travels to Pakistan.

My problem with the rug is that it is RED. Red has no place in a home or garden. Red belongs in shoes, lipstick, and nail polish.

But the rug is important to Frank so I knew we had to incorporate it in a way that would satisfy him and satisfy me. (Laying it out in the garage was not an option, although the thought did cross my mind.)

Frank also has a wonderful table that his mom gave him that he likes to use as a desk and a leather couch that is worn and comfortable and masculine.

Add some of his prints that he's collected over the years, and the space will be complete.

Because having a television in the living room was not an option, we've decided to use this room as our TV room as well. He'll have the best view from the main level since he has windows all around and will see the courtyard and pond from his desk.

If I can get him to keep the clutter to an absolute minimum, we shouldn't have a problem.

All that's left to figure out is the master bedroom, and of course the three bathrooms.

Some may think it premature to try to think this out so early in the game, but we think it's the best approach. This way we know what to keep, what to toss, and what to donate.

The less we have to move, the better.