Finally, a Progress Report!

Designer Houses...it's always exciting when the room begins to look like the vision you've had in your mind for several months!

Sneelock and I arrived early with a truck load of supplies, tools and snacks. Yesterday was the delivery day of the basket upon basket of accessories from the store that will put the personality into the room.

Today's agenda: *install 8 drapery panels
*install the additional layer to extend the mantle (birthday gift from my son, Ryan!)
*pray expert wall paper hangar shows to complete the bookcase
*hang two over sized mirrors in plaster walls...ugh.
*hang large super glossy lacquer photograph over mantle
*unpack and sort a plethora of baskets full of possible accessories
*pull out my magic wand


The room is always a bit overwhelming with supplies, inventory, tools, and any number of "what if I need this" items...for now the dining room table serves as a catch-all for these things.




*Whew!*
Said expert paper hanger arrives and quickly sets up to get started. Karl Oerth, thank you! Sneelock draws the line at some tasks...thus, Karl to the rescue. I couldn't be in better hands.



Just to seal the deal, I came armed with a plate of my famous frosted brownies. One has gone missing early in the day...Karl, of course!



Okay. Take a look! The first photo of my design vision beginning to take shape. Just look at those high gloss walls and ceiling!! Yes, it shows imperfections, but what about that high gloss??!! Oh. My. The draperies are beginning to go up and you can see one window in this photo. You can also get a peak at my charcoal zebra rug!



This is a pretty good shot of the extra layer for the mantle that my son, Ryan, built. Often, when mantle is not sufficiently deep enough for my signature style of layered accessories, I suggest this fix. He did a great job and my 9" deep horse sculpture fit just fine. I'm trying out two different colors of phalenanopsis orchids...which do you like?!



Here's a closeup of the drapery fabric. Love. It. Oh, and the paint is Benjamin Moore Crushed Velvet. It's mixed in an industrial formula to achieve the super high gloss. Love. It.



Here's one of my side chests grounding the glamorous mirror and modern lamp.



Karl completed his somewhat laborious task, as all of the shelves were stationary. Good work, Karl! (Can you just adore that graphite tone on tone zebra pattern?! It will be the perfect backdrop for my books, coral and contrast accents. (Yet to come...)



I unpacked a few baskets and placed some possible accents in the bookshelves just to ponder...



Stood back and studied my mantle design...added several more options...stood back...pondered...stood back...you get the picture.



I'm planning on using these real preserved boxwood spheres. Dining room table accents have changed a bit in the last few years! This is just a peak... not completed by any means. *note the zebra rug*!!!



Doors close for work each day at 4:00pm. We worked down to the wire, tarried a bit and finally drew work to a close at the prompt of the committee chair on staff. *sigh* Another day.

This is the view from the hall outside our room as we left. Dust is a real enemy and our room is pretty central to dust from all sides! Double ugh.

All in all, it was a very satisfying day and one I always look forward to. Sneelock too...(just kidding)!

So, once again, he saved the day. It's beginning to look like the baby I created,

and there's more to come with the final additions.



What is it about a lipstick high gloss dining room, anyway?.........