A Good Old Fashioned Church Hall Revival

This past summer, I was asked to consult on the overhaul of our church hall, St. Joseph's Hall, a room that holds many great memories and has always been charming to me. When I looked at it honestly, after taking off the sentimental sunglasses we all tend to wear from time to time, it indeed needed some real help.

I have been a member of Christ Church Episcopal since I was in third grade, nearly my entire life, and I had always wondered what was beneath that dropped ceiling. The lattice and tiles must have seemed a good option to conceal a collection of maintenance woes  sometime in the 1950's, but now its time had come, and I would finally get to see the bones of the room revealed, and its secrets told--so exciting. Could there be exposed beams up there? Beaded wood detailing? You never know....with all of the expense and attention to detail given the room when it was originally built (just note the gorgeous windows), it didn't seem out of the question to me.

Alas, it all came down, and there were no beams or beads, but just a lovely, simple plaster ceiling.  And, as suspected,  the reason that the drop ceiling had been installed in the first place--lots of peeling paint, cracks, exposed lath and evidence of old roof leaks that needed to be tended to--was there to be seen, too.

I had been away on our family vacation to Maine when the demolition had started, and was blissfully unaware that the original sconces and chandeliers were being removed and thrown away.  Still frustrates me.  If I had know this was being considered, I would have swiftly stepped in and asked all involved to reconsider. If the chandeliers had been salvaged, we could have possibly made the church close to $1000 or more in the resale of those cool old mid-century fixtures, and someone else would have had the opportunity to make use of them and love them for another 60 years or so....

A second great disappointment to me was that when the wall sconces had been removed, the wiring for them was also pulled--a change that, by the time I had learned of it, was impossible to reverse given the constraints of our budget. *Sigh* The lighting plan would have to go forward without the benefits and ambience that the wall sconces would have afforded such a large room.

As things progressed, a beautiful, smooth drywall ceiling was installed covering over the flaws that had been so evident before, new wainscoting was installed, other lovely trim work was meticulously put in place, and the old radiators were exposed and given a fresh coat of paint. I looked high and low for ceiling fixtures that would suit the scale and era of the room, as well as fit within the budget. I finally settled on Rejuvenation's timeless schoolhouse pendant with the 18" Opal Schoolhouse Shade- an understated but shapely fixture of excellent quality.

Next, a color palette that would bring the room to life & make the stunning windows shine needed to be selected.

The colors I chose (MAB) were tones that I hoped would be soft, muted,  sophisticated and able to pull the intense blues in the stained glass windows forward. The wall color (SW 6239 Upward) is a grey blue with a hint of periwinkle to it to do just that. The complimentary colors (ceiling:SW 6232 Misty, trim: SW 7002 Downy) keep a tone on tone quality to the room, and add depth to the blue so that it doesn't feel like a baby boy's nursery room palette. ( I did get a call from the painter asking me about just that the day he bought the paint. "You sure about this color"....yes, I am, she said confidently....)

These images of the hall (ones I quickly snapped after church this past weekend) don't show the room as clearly as I would like....but I think they show the new life that has been brought into St. Joseph's Hall. The kids playing  (one of those hooligans is mine...:), the gleaming refinished floors, the overall character of a vintage space renewed .....there will be many years ahead of service to our community, many more friendships made and strengthened,  many more questions of faith pondered, and many more happy memories created in this space.

Uncomfortable Where You Are, Unsure of Where To Go

Oftentimes, a new client will contact me because they know that their room or house in its current state is uncomfortable to them, and they are ready to make a change. What they are unsure of is the direction in which to go~Which path will get them to their destination? Which routes are too costly? They can even wonder what is the desirable destination, anyway??

So begins the process of finding our way! There are a number of things that help us on our journey. The questions below help to leave breadcrumbs, distinguish landmarks, and chart the course so that we can arrive at a space that is functional, beautiful, and just right for the people who will be using it. It is essentially drawing a map that we will use to ensure safe passage...

1. How do you want the room to feel when it is finished? It is important to be specific when answering this question, because a clear answer will help you to determine things that fit that feeling for you, versus those that DON'T.  For instance, a room in which you want to feel "carefree, and completely relaxed," should not contain a white sofa that has loose scatterback pillows always in need of straightening, and a coffee table on which you can't set down a drink without a coaster. Just sayin'....

2. What is the purpose of the room? What function does it provide for those who use it? Does this sound like a silly question to you? You would be amazed how often there are things in a room that have NOTHING to do with helping that room meet its purpose and support you. These things are there sometimes by default, they are taking up valuable space, and are just in your way. Answer that question with clarity, and move the clutter out.

3. What is appealing to you? Pages out of magazines that you are drawn to, rooms from favorite places in your past (like we talked about last week), types of fabrics, favorite colors, the list can go on and on. When you answer this question, go back to #1, and see which of these favorites evoke the feeling you want for the space. If it fits the feeling, then you can go on to see how you want to add that element to the room.

Vintage map image courtesy of BananaStrudel.

When Everything Changes

Change is a constant part of life. And, as I am sure you already know, change is challenging and often chaotic. In my own life, a year of earth-shattering change started on Memorial Day the year that I was 17 years old. On that Monday, my father died after a short and brutal fight with throat cancer. Just a few months later, in the early morning hours of  New Years Day, my mother died. She was swiftly taken by an aggressive brain tumor that had only been diagnosed that Fall, as I was starting my freshman year of college.  I was now 18 years old, had lost both my biological parents, and along with my stepfather, had two lifetimes worth of belongings to sort through.

I can't tell you very much about how we did that, or in what order. You would have to ask my then boyfriend, now husband, what day to day life was like that year.... I don't remember much of it.

After weathering many seasons of change in my life, I do know that when going through periods of transition-whether it is  happy, such as the birth of a baby-- sad, such as the end of a marriage-- or maybe a mixure of the two, such as when the youngest child has flown the nest---there are so many things that we have to deal with. Like real material things, along with all of our emotions. There is a lot of clutter that has to be shifted around, sorted, and gotten rid of.

At that time, it is important to remember these five things.......

1. Be Patient With Yourself-- You aren't yourself.  Things are going to be confusing, decisions hard to arrive at. Giving yourself a loving dose of care and understanding is just what the doctor ordered.

2. Dealing With Clutter Is Emotional--The STUFF we have in our lives, whether a precious family heirloom, or an old, obsolete baby car seat have memories and emotions attached to them. These things stick to us, just like the dust that settles on our clothes as we are cleaning out, and can make us feel weighed down. It can also make us want to avoid dealing with it all together. Refer to tip #1, and keep moving forward.

3. Keep Things Simple--Have a set amount of time that you will work on things each day. Set a timer, and when it tells you you are finished, honor it.  Don't think that a marathon session of sorting and organizing will do anything more than exhaust you.

4. Reserve A Calm Space To Retreat To--Designate an area that will remain stacks-of-boxes-piles-of-paper-heaps-of-crap--free. Preferably this should be a place where you can't even see the stuff you are working on, and a spot that is pleasant to sit in. You will need this when your timer goes off, and you are ready to be finished for the day.

5. Create A Vision of What You Want Things To Look Like Going Forward--Picture what you want your life to look like going forward now that this change has happened. I know this is easier said than done, but it is important to think about so that you can work toward that goal--a goal where your home can be a nurturing place that supports and facilitates your vision for you and those you love.

All Finished! (*whew*) Our Brick Cape Cod Gets Her Big Debut

Just this week, after many months of hard work, careful planning, and many answered prayers, our little project house was put on the market! WOOOO HOOOO!

I am very excited to show you some of the before and after pictures today!!

I know you remember her forlorn facade from before:

But take a look at her NOW!

As you can see there are now welcoming front steps with a rail at each side (you can read more about that in this post), a new roof where a blue tarp used to be, and beautiful colorful landscaping. Her front is so pretty and clean now too, due to fresh paint, a set of shutters, and a nice light scrubbing with the power washer. (If you are wondering what happened to that funny white siding/strange addition, you can read about that here)

Throughout this process there have been pleasant surprises, bitter tears, grumbles of frustration, shouts of joy, expensive shopping trips, slips and falls (don't ask), and now...... a wonderful result.

When we first viewed our little house, there were lots of things to weigh out and lots of things that needed attention. First the roof was replaced.  When we were no longer open to the elements and without heat, it was time to focus on the existing kitchen. The cramped and dark room lacked a dishwasher and and needed updating throughout. Older appliances and an awkward layout also didn't seem like it was going to make anyone feel at home...

Not to mention the cramped doorway that led to the dining room.

A totally redesigned kitchen with quartz countertops, new hardwood floors, all new appliances and cabinets, and a repositioned larger doorway make a huge difference.

Pretty, bright, and sparkly!

The living room had a fireplace, but it lacked a mantel shelf, had cracked and crumbling tile at the hearth, and was surrounded by dark knotty pine panelling.

With paint, beautiful carpentry work, a new stone slab, and staging for the upcoming showings, it looks like a whole new room:

The dining room also needed a little pick-me-up.  This is how it looked before.

And now it has a clean look that welcomes buyers to envision using the space to sit down for soup and a sandwich or to have an elegant meal with guests.

The final room I will show you for today is the Master Bedroom. It originally had been painted with bright pink paint in one area, and blue and white stripes in the dormer space.

Now with beautiful neutrals, new carpeting, and the right furniture and accessories, a buyer can see all the potential this room has to be a restful retreat.

I will be back very soon to show you the rest of the redesigned spaces!

What do you think? Do you like the look of our freshened up cottage?

Yes, I Know I Haven't Posted Anything in Two Weeks (and other reasons why it is a really good thing I don't blog for a living)....

Ordinarily, I keep my promises. However, in the case where each Monday I have promised to post some photos of progress at my project house.....well, that totally hasn't happened. Although, if you look at the "before" picture above, you will see that a lot of other things have happened with some predictability and skill.

In the past two weeks the painters have finished on the inside and the whole house is so much lighter and brighter. In the downstairs bathroom where the original 1950 tile was in such good shape (seen here before)....

the new color on the walls helps to clean things up and seems to add an Easter egg freshness to the room.

Upstairs we have been busy moving in furniture and other finishing touches....

so that it is easy for a potential buyer to be able to picture the rooms in use, and themselves living in them!

In just two more days, the curtains will be hung and all of the major furniture pieces should be in place. I will take pictures....but I am NOT going to post them. HA!

Yes, I will. And with any luck it will be on Monday.