Terry's kitchen/dining room cure shows what a little editing can do... along with a fresh coat of paint! The chalkboard strip is a great way to divide the room. Nice work, Terry!
• Cure Clock: 6.25 weeks remaining
• Assignment: Read Chapter 2: Clearing the Path
• Kitchen deep cleaning & cooking a meal (roast chicken, anyone?)
• Working on your floorplan and establishing your style
• Curees: 780 and counting...
>> New Flickr Group: AT Home Cure
>> Submit your photos directly to AT
As you've (hopefully!) discovered, the assignments in Week 2 of the Cure can be so liberating. Editing your home - cleaning, sorting, and allowing yourself to detach from items you don't need - is an integral part of making your space more liveable. It's very hard to implement your vision when too much everyday debris (including dirt and dust) is obscuring the possibilities. From your submissions, it's clear that many of you are already making big leaps in this area, clearing the path with gusto! Check out some of your fellow curees' achievements after the jump...
In Providence, Casapinka has been hard at work on her pantry. Sorting through old food in the kitchen is such an important part of the week two cure; this simple task immediately ups the functionality of what should be the most functional room in the house. Once you know what you've got in those drawers and cabinets, it will be so much easier to decide what to cook! Attractive storage bins like Casapinka's are a great thing to bring home at the end of this cleaning process—a reward for all your hard work, and a perfect way to make the process easier in the future.
Here's what Bonnie in Tampa has to say about her dining area uplift: After MONTHS of living with a dining table and no chairs, and trying out every chair we could find in thrift stores, chain stores, antique stores... my husband and I finally found the perfect ones! We ate our first meal at the table (since November!) Saturday morning. Eggs and English muffins never tasted better!
Such a nice choice, Bonnie! The white chairs really lighten up the space, and I love the way you use the white in your little tablescape of vases too. As you know, getting in the habit of bringing fresh flowers inside is a big part of the cure, and in this photo you can really see why. The tulips bring so much vitality to the space.
Kiki, here in my hometown of SF, is curing her master bedroom. She'd begun to dislike her bedding and the artwork above the bed, and she needed a more practical solution for bedside storage. Check out what she's done so far...
Wow! The dark accent wall, the new all-white bedding, and the sleek task lamp all work together to really update the space. Kiki's chosen to use a planter for her bedside book storage. I think the shape of that planter is so interesting and modern; a perfect contrast with the more traditional chair (a craigslist find!) and warm wood furnishings.
In the bathroom, where actual renovation can be so costly and laborious, a few creative cosmetic changes can make a huge difference. Mary Ellen, who lives just a few miles south of SF in San Bruno, has a "no paint" clause in her lease... ugh. We've all been there, Mary Ellen! She wanted a new look for the bathroom but wasn't crazy about her shower doors, the most obvious feature. After finding a shower curtain she loved at Urban Outfitters, she rounded up some accessories and artwork to match and gave the bathroom a little makeover. What a pretty result! For a little extra lighting, she even installed a spotlight under the sink, pointing up at the bowl so that it glows at night. Clever girl.
Lorijo from Michigan cured her bedroom last year but wanted something new this time around. Here's how she describes her project: Over the head of the bed was a dinky little window that is too high to be of any use. I decided to build a frame and stretch out decorative fabric to cover it. I have tiny hooks in the ceiling and when I need to open the window for breezes, the frame is mounted with hinges, so it can be opened and hung from those hooks with a small chain. Then I simplified all the bedding and curtains.
This turned out beautifully! The white bedding is so fresh; when natural light is scarce, white is a good tool for brightening up a room. The new pendant light as a bedside lamp is a fun addition, too.
Another DIY, and another transformation from Casapinka (of the pantry above). Suddenly this dresser seems to weigh about half as much as it did before! Painting something that's dark wood can really affect its heavy footprint in a room. Once Casapinka adds the knobs, this dresser will be ready to go for spring!
For Bromeliad's closet cure, the DIY jewelry panels from Emily's house tour were an inspiration. For a step by step tutorial, you can visit Bromeliad's blog. Amazing job!
The closet can seem like a daunting place to start as you get going on your "outbox," but it feels so triumphant when you're finished! If you're anything like me, you probably use the closet to shove away things that have no obvious purpose or place in your home. Separating from those things is a key step in your progress with the Cure. Once you've gotten rid of the things you don't need, closets can be used to store items you actually use and love in your everyday life. To finish up week two, I'll let you in on my upcoming weekend closet project (be forewarned)...
Aack! What a disaster. Because this closet is in our guest room, it takes a hit every time my husband and I come across something puzzling that we just want out of our sight. An old, stained sofa slipcover (ew); a down comforter from my college dorm room (ew ew); a bag of miscellaneous Container Store schwag I bought a year ago before knowing what I would do with it (let this be a lesson!). Of course, there are also things that do need to go in a closet: sleeping bags, vacuum, banjo, extra sheets. I've just got to separate the wheat from the chaff.
And then there are the things I don't want to part with. Those lab coats hanging there were my dad's, and when he passed away three years ago I got them. At first I kept them all because it made me too sad not to; then I kept them because I thought they'd be useful for the mad scientist party I keep wanting to plan for Halloween (trust me, my dad would appreciate this idea); now when I open the closet it just seems morbid the way they're all lined up there, starched and grim. So I've decided I'm only keeping two (one for me, one for my husband, in case of mad scientist party). I'll send one to my brother and donate the rest. In a way, this closet has been the "outbox" for these lab coats. By hanging them there, in the place where objects in our home go to die, I was preparing myself to separate from them for good.
Good luck with your outboxes this weekend! And good luck getting started on Chapter Three. I can't wait to see what you all come up with next!
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- POST INDEX SPRING 2009
• Week 2.75 - Show & Tell
• Week 1.5 - Show & Tell
• Week 1 - Tips & Tricks
• Week 1.5 - Intro
- CURE INFO
>> Main Cure Page - Spring 2009
>> About The Book
>> Excerpt from Chapter I
- BUY A BOOK
>> From Amazon
>> From Powell's
>> From Barnes & Noble
Would the correct expression not be Curors?
view bromelia's profile
A little paint can make a HUGE difference!!!
Ashley
http://rainycitystyle.blogspot.com
view RainyCityStyle's profile
Curors sounds like something from Harry Potter. Keep the before and afters coming - they look great.
view inkstainedwriter's profile
I love the idea of the chalkboard wall, but could you do that in a rental and then paint over it when you move? Or does it change the texture of the wall?
view Superseal3's profile
any chalkboard paint I've used could be painted over without noticeable change in texture.
view Leigh Anne's profile
The black of the chalkboard paint against that gorgeous mimosa color (is it Pantone, she wonders...) looks crisp and wonderful. I usually think blackboard paint is kind of a gimmick and don't like it, but this time it works great!
view SherryBinNH's profile
My favorite part is the dresser! It's so fun and cheerful. Such a great easy update.
view dennisd's profile
the AFTER dresser is great. Before, it just had that generic look you see in all the malls/department stores. Now it''s super cute. If you get tired of the front, you can always put new paper
view chusmabilly's profile
Everyone did a beautiful job! It's such a great feeling to revitalize something you love! BEAUTIFUL! And for all you nay-sayers out there maybe you should follow the cures advice and revamp your space! (A cheerful color might "cure your rude negativity)
view Shutterbug678's profile
Casapinka, where did you find the lovely bins for your pantry?
view MonkeysInk's profile
Monkeysink, the bins are now 40% off at Joann's. I tried to get all white ones but couldn't and then I couldn't get enough of the same pattern. I tried to label them but I need to sew the labels not use adhesive, as it fell off. It's pretty easy to find stuff in the pantry. One bin each for:
cereal (2 bins), soups, canned tomatoes, vinegars/marsala/sauces, baking, ethnic foods (coconut milk, curry sauces etc. and rice, snacks (crackers etc., popcorn) and one for pasta. I'll prob. change the pasta to a clear cylinder bin and chuck the boxes - same with rice.
Thanks so much for the comments.
view casapinka's profile
I would argue that the Banjo doesn't NEED to be in the closet ;D
view matsayswhat's profile
Wow. Great makeovers. Inspiring to keep going.
Bonnie from Tampa, where did those cool white chairs come from?
view bromeliad's profile
Matsayswhat, of course you're right... where the banjo needs to be is out in the living room where my husband will remember to practice!
- Susie
view susiekn's profile
Banjo is a very noisy instrument.
view bromelia's profile
The before and afters look great! Casapinka - the colors in you use in your house are so cheerful, I like the bins and the dressers. I like Terry's sunny new dining area also, and Bonnie's table runner placement and the way the white ceramics work with the chairs. Bedrooms and bathrooms look good too! I'm jealous everyone has such nice after pictures to post already!
view SanDiegoAT's profile
i can see where you're trying to take the place... good job so far, keep going
btw: the dining room DOES look better, and the dresser is MUCH improved
view sunan's profile
Bonnie - it's so much nicer! It popped out at me right away. I think it'd be even better if you put a tulip or a couple leaves in each of the little vases and spread the color out a bit instead of it being concentrated in one blob. And those chairs make such a statement, especially with the shiny white ceramics in the background that stand out from the other neutral tones so vibrantly!
Casapinka - oh my, and I though my pantry was bad.... I LOVE the fabric your new bins. I've got a bunch of fabric left over from a quilt project. Maybe I'll have to try something like that.
Lorijo - what an interesting cross between art and window treatment! and it'd be so easy to switch out and change the whole look of the space if you ever get bored again :) Hope you didn't 'edit out' that lovely blue lamp though!
view Erin C's profile
bromeliad: The chairs are from DWR- I got them 15% off and with free shipping. They're actually outdoor furniture, and really reasonably priced (I think)- and super comfortable!
Thanks, Eric C, and good advice!
view bonnie van v's profile
Erin, the blue lamp is in the basement right now. I am going to store it for a future project. It's a great vintage lamp and I could never replace it.
view lorijo's profile
I LOVE that shower curtain! I'm going to have to copy! Such a cute idea! Also love those bins! Thanks for sharing where you got them!
http://www.carinagardner.com
view carinagardner's profile
Good going, everyone!
I like the idea of an under sink spotlight to make your sink bowl glow.
view wig3000's profile
the first before and after just cracks me up. out with pantone color of the year 2008 (blue iris) in with pantone color of the year 2009 (mimosa). i like both looks.
view healthyhome's profile
Curious about the shower curtain ...
Did you hang it over the glass door? If so, how did you hang it? I have an (UGHLEE) corner shower with those stupid crome-and-nasty-glass enclosures and have considered hanging a curtain, but I'm not sure how to go about it.
view bfootnovellista's profile
Bfoot, I used a tension rod and hung the curtain slightly above and in front of the doors. :)
view tomahto's profile
oh, just reread your comment...I don't think they have tension rods for corner showers, you would have to install something with screws...here:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=corner shower curtain rod
view tomahto's profile
er, that didn't work, but here's one: http://www.amazon.com/Corner-Shower-track-style-alt/dp/B001MQC2BG/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1238285158&sr=8-5
view tomahto's profile
Lol, thanks for going to the trouble, Tomahto :)
view bfootnovellista's profile
Today was a really productive day for me! I'm not following the Cure in the right order, but I'm going through my list in the order in which I'm inspired. I think it's working for me because our apartment is generally fine (I cured it before!); I just had a list of specific areas to organize.
This morning I went through all of my and my husband's electronics and combined them all into two small bins. Each type of electronic - extension cords, computer cables, cameras, portable hard drives, iPod accessories, etc. - is in its own ziploc bag within the bins.
Then, this evening I went through all of our files and weeded. It took about four hours, but now we're in great shape. Tomorrow I'm going to buy more hanging file folders and a new file box, since one of our two current file "boxes" is a milk crate, and the files don't slide well - which has driven me crazy for the past five years. Overall, I'm feeling good about my projects during this Cure, and we'll be ready to pack and move this summer.
view Lizzy's profile
Good job, Lizzy. I love the idea of going through all the cords/electronics and organizing them into Ziplocs. I'm jumping around a bit, too. I think whatever we can do to stay the course and be inspired is the right thing to do. Curing is a lot of work!
view casapinka's profile
Lizzy - I'm not going in order either, at least not this week. I HAD to do something about my desk and papers, which I've gotten behind on, so I spent the afternoon on it and maybe will do more this evening. I got so much done--my desk and desktop wire baskets (the to-be-filed basket is empty!) are under control, although I have papers on the coffee table still that I need to do actions on. I carted out a good bit of recycled paper, too. I'll be doing taxes this week. I've already got Turbotax installed and my data transferred from last year's file.
view Pixie's profile
Yeah, I'm not quite in order either since I don't have all the rooms listed in my studio apartment. I'm still moving some furniture so that I can cure around it. Though, I cleaned my kitchen pretty well!
view prairie girl's profile
healthyhome - we never chose the first color (the blue)..it came with the house. the orange was in our previous livingroom townhouse and i loved it so much that i needed it in the new house! funny that they seem to be the colors of the year, lol.
it's 'citrus blast' by ralph lauren in case anyone was curious.
view terka27's profile
nice chalkboard wall, but that light fixture has got to go! =)
view mrskayg's profile
BEAUTIFUL!!!
This 1st before and after is great the wall color brought such a drastic change in the space area.Also like what you did with small bedroom space.
Jeanne
view jeanne211's profile