Dad’s 99th Birthday Party
March 29, 2009 § 10 Comments
Hi Bloggers,
I’m off to NY to celebrate my Dad’s 99th birthday on the 31st and will be back blogging on Wednesday night, April 1st (no fooling, really!).
More soon. Thanks for stopping by my blog.
-Barbara, Your Home & Color Coach
Your Home & Color Coach 
Wow, your dad looks great! I hope you have a great birthday celebration with him. thanks for your advice on the wood trim, I think you’re right. Now I have to do the bathroom. It is about 10’x7′ with small windows overlooking the tub at the end of the room in the dormer. We also have a small 36″ corner shower that we will tile the walls. We’re getting a cherry vanity and I want to keep the room light. I like travertine and other natural stones, we are on a budget and thinking about doing tile for the counter and tub deck and front. I also really like some pale yellowish limestone. Our fixtures are all white and brushed nickel faucets. Also thought of soapstone for the vanity counter and tub deck cause my husband could install. But afraid that will look too dark, or do you have any ideas of what to go with it if I keep the rest light?
Hi Mary,
Natural stone is perfect for your bathroom and keeping it light is a great idea. The cherry vanity will really stand out, and that’s fine. You can tie in that dark color with accessories (rug, towels, etc). But I think you’r on the right track with your natural stone idea. As for soapstone, that’s fine and it looks very “green.” Send a photo if you can…
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Well, I found a pretty reasonable granite place and so now think we will do granite on the counters. My husband doesn’t think we should go with a light travertine or limestone on floor because we have a white toilet and white shower pan, white tub, white vessel sink. So when you walk in you see the side of the vanity on the left wall, the clear glass round corner shower is right next to the door to your right, and the toilet is next to it, the opposite end is the tub in alcove with two small windows above. I feel that with granite being more busy/colorful, that we should break it up with a light travertine and then have a little darker travertine on the shower and backsplash for the tub. What do you think? I’ve never done this before and it is all new territory. Or any ideas of other type of tiles that would look good? Also the vanity is a shaker cabinet with just 2 doors, no drawers, simple looking. I’m into more contemporary or spa look and wanted slab doors, but he wanted shaker, but i think that will be o.k. The windows are ordinary double hung type. We really need a bathroom designer, but not in the budget, so I really appreciate any advice.
Also, other cabinetry in the room will probably also be the same as the fir wood door with a med/lt stain. So we’ve got a door, vanity over toilet cabinet and also a tall recessed cabinet to the left as you walk in which maybe we’ll put some type of patterned glass into- maybe also do that for the one above toilet as we’re making both of them and the med cabinet mirror will be directly across from it.
Hi Barbara.
Your website came up in a search for roofing color choices. Your front page is lovely; then I saw the picture of your Dad’s birthday & I knew I was at the right place. The love in his eyes brought tears to mine. I just lost my Mom; she was 90. Good for you for being with him. I am helping my cousin remodel her mother’s home. She has moved her to be near her in MA, the house is here in NC. It needs some big ticket items & TLC. It is a typical 70’s ranch with vertical painted pale yellow wood siding, and dark brown trim and roof. The brick below has a kind of clay base with nice flecks of black, and a bit of white and a funny green. I think all the brown needs to go away. I have read many of your answers and believe I’m on the right track to go with an architectural shingle in onyx black – but it is not my money and I am very nervous. I can send a picture and donation, but I’m “net” challenged and have never joined a blog, so I’m not sure how.
Thank you, you are a blessing. Colette
Hi Colette,
Thank you for your nice note. People like you make answering blog questions really rewarding.
I do like the idea of an onyx black architectural-style roof for the pale yellow house. Getting rid of all the brown is a great idea. Even repainting the brown trim in the same pale yellow would be an improvement. That would give the house a little more contemporary look. Painting the trim white would give it more of a cottage look. Another way to update the outside is to replace the outdoor lighting with wrought iron. Make sure all the metals are black (no brass). You didn’t mention shutters and front door, but they can be black too. You’ll end up with a classic, dressed-up ranch, all ready to sell.
Best of luck to you and your cousin. Let me know if I can help with the inside.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara,
Thank you so much for your reply. Thank you. I am trying to send a picture of the front of Betty’s house from yahoo. Since the exterior needs painting and will get new lighting, windows (white) and front door (I love the idea of the black door, and shutters, what do you think of painting the house a soft cream beige instead of yellow? Perhaps Valspar Cream in my Coffee (3003-10C) or Lovely Buff 3004-10C? They both have nice companion colors. The garage is prominent so is it better to paint it, the columns, the vent, and soffit and facia one of the slightly deeper tones or keep it all uniformly light since it will have the black touches and the brick is pretty busy on its own? The horizontal trim board that is on the right side above the windows needs to be house color, yes? I wish I could think of something simple but classic, to give it a bit more depth on that high right side. I like the look of those simple toppers but there’s not room above windows to the left of the door, so I’m stumped; and how to treat shutters for the double windows? And if I haven’t completely worn out my welcome, I do have an interior question, for the kitchen, for next time. I appreciate your help, Colette
Hi again Colette,
You have great ideas for improving the curb appeal on this house. I do like the idea of cream or even a light taupe for the siding color — if it’s in the bricks, it will work. A slightly deeper tone for the garage and soffits/fascia would be fine. Anything like the horizontal trim piece over the windows and the downspouts should be house color to conceal them as much as possible. You can skip the shutters on the double window if you want to. But if it looks naked on the farmer’s porch without the shutters, then go ahead. Wow, you have a big project! Good luck. Let me know if I can help with the inside.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara,
Thank you once again for your expertise and generous help; how much I enjoy reading your blog! I like the idea of taupe. The house is an exciting challenge. My interior dilemma is the kitchen; am emailing photos. All paneling will change to a light painted sheet rock; new lighting (found a pretty family) that has some nice pendants for over the counter. Do you like that idea? She wants to do granite, and I think it would be the perfect punch the kitchen needs. However, I have compared several samples that are good with the cabinets, but fight terribly with the fireplace (same brick as the exterior, & in good shape). I love a fireplace in the kitchen and think it would be a shame to paint it just to make everything blend, do you? I wish a light granite would work in Betty’s house but if the fireplace stays as is, hmmm. I’m thinking the floor in the work area can be a sand colored ceramic since hardwood will be in all the rest of the house. I like the look of that black and natural kitchen I found online and would like to possibly adapt that look. (I must be in my black period). What do you think about a black granite? Of course the other granites are on sale; the black is not. I wanted to do something to dress the fireplace, like a simple surround and mantle, but since the firebox is off center I don’t know. I’ve heard the kitchen sells the property, and this one is visible from the entry so it has to be inviting. Ah, one last question: I am so drawn to that picture on your home page, is it from a print that is for sale? I think it would be wonderful on that fireplace and I could draw some accent colors from it. Then, when the house sells I could happily take it home with me. My thanks and very best regards, Colette
Hi again Colette,
So sorry for the delay! I found your photos! As for the picture on my home page, it was created for WordPress — I’ve had lots of inquiries about the artist, but the picture is not available to buy. It is pretty — I like it too!
As for the kitchen, I do like the idea of a black granite but if the cost is too high, try to find one that has just a little of that brick color in it. But with a sand colored floor, the black would offer the most contrast. Here’s a far-out idea: Have a look at the granite Rosa Porrino — terrific with your brick fireplace. Then do a gray stone floor instead of the sand and use nickel for the metal hardware on all the cabinets. The gray floor would tie in with the nickel and both the fireplace and the granite and the cabinets (with some orange oil) would warm up the place. That could look pretty nice!
Another idea is to go ahead and paint the fireplace brick (special paint for high heat) so that the attention is drawn away from the asymmetry of the opening (why do they DO that??). Then with a large pot placed strategically on the right side of the fireplace (with some sort of arrangement in it), the eye will be fooled. That will work whether you paint the fireplace or keep it as is. Creating an asymmetrical treatment around the fireplace will make the whole thing look intentional.
I do love that black and cream kitchen photo! Black is definitely coming back to the kitchen.
Hope that helps a little more. Feel free to ask additional questions and I’ll be happy to help you as best I can. Good for you for taking on this big project!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach