• Cure Clock: 7.25 weeks remaining• Assignment: Read Chapter 1: Creating Your Own Vision
• Curees: 602...
Earlier this week Abby and Laure gave us a sneak peek into their personal style trays and inspired us to start the process of pinning down how we want our Cured spaces to look in the end. We (Sarahrae and Susie) will be finishing up the Cure week by sharing with everyone a show and tell of sorts. You've been busy sending us your photos, so click through to see what the other Curers have been up to...
This week, I (Sarahrae) will show you some of the great progress and frustrations that everyone has shared with us. Next week be on the lookout for Susie's update! On with the show!!
Girlysmack moved from Virginia to Colorado just in time to participate in The Cure. She's been busy in the kitchen and even with toddlers underfoot, she's managed to get the ball rolling! Curing a space when you are unpacking is daunting.
After my own recent move, I know from personal experience, all you want is to get things out of boxes. Although it's easy to focus on just getting the cardboard gone, it's more important to structure your rooms along the way. How many times have you said, "If only I could just take everything out and start fresh?" Moving is a great time to do just that, and it's ok if things don't all come out of boxes, but remember if it's lived in a box for more than a few months, chances are you don't need it around to begin with! Thanks Girlsmack, it looks great!
Chottomotto in Florida is like many of us and when life gets busy, so does the kitchen table. This is a great place for The Cure to start. Even if the rest of your house is still in progress, it's a great thing to be able to sit down at the table for a meal.
Having a refuge when you get down to the nitty gritty of the clutter and projects around you, is a fantastic thing. Just make sure to clear it back off each night before bed, so you wake up to a clean fresh space each morning! Nice work Chottomotto, you're a step ahead of me! (currently my kitchen table is covered in drying Print Gocco prints and supplies from my picture frame repair from last night)!
Valleygurrl in LA is buried (like many of our other Curers)! Sorting through paperwork and things that we've held onto previously can be difficult. In my own personal paper purges, sorting out only a few types of papers at a time has helped. First I put all the things (that later went into a safe) that if there was a fire, we would need to grab in a hurry. Birth certificates, social security cards, car titles, things of that nature. Next, out of the remaining pile, I sorted out sentimental things and work things. For the most part, my paper fit into these three categories.
From there I was able to trash/recycle what was left, and tackle each remaining box one at a time. Feeling like you are succeeding in a task comes with finishing it, even if it's in part. So knowing you have sorted through a box and everything that's left in it stays can be gratifying. Although I must admit, after having sorted things down and the end was in sight, I went back to some of my previously sorted piles and boxes with the realization that I didn't need some of what I had previously kept. (And a shout out goes to the TV show Burn Notice. Without it, the task of sitting on the floor in piles of papers might have been a bit more than I could tolerate. So find a good TV show (or netflix one) and get to work!
Although it felt awkward at first to be getting rid of things we had deemed "important" prior to sorting, it was a great feeling to know that we were free of some of it as well. We still keep our most important papers and sentimental papers in our home safe and the rest in a file box.
A personal note from my own home.... 
This wall is just inside the door to my loft on your left. My husband and I have decided to make it our gallery space and the placement of the frames had been bugging me for the last month or so. Yesterday I took it all down and repositioned it and am enjoying it much better. I would like to extend the artwork over the door (as the arrow indicates) and install lighting to truly highlight the fabulous pieces we have collected over the years. There's also plans for old crates making storage along the bottom of the wall and talks of a rug or "something" to ground the space. Painting the wall is also on the list, but we'll tackle that when we hit that part of the book! Baby steps!!
I do have my own style tray, but I also like to photoshop in my goals for certain spaces. Just in case I fall off the weekly band wagon, the file serves as a great reminder where I'm headed and what I want to accomplish. Plus, photographing your spaces (even if you aren't brave enough to share them with us) is a great reality check. To be the most successful in The Spring Cure, being brutally honest with yourself on the state of your spaces and the goals you have for each area is essential, and nothing is more honest than a photograph!
Thank you to those who have already shared their progress with us!
Please keep the photos coming as we love to see what you're up to. Don't be afraid to send us photos of problem areas or spaces that you'd like us to help you out with. We are here to help and love getting picture mail! Keep up the great work and we wish you all a great weekend full of progress and passion for making your home what you want it to be!
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Comments (23)
hmmm. interesting desk. i had considered doing that when i was looking for desks but i didn't them helmer would be sturdy enough. we have on eat work, and it doesn't seem tat sturdy at all...
the sink in the before and after kitchen photos changes but not for much reason
I swear it terrifies me to see that people will actually paint their cabinets...at least anything but white. That completely ruins resale.
Well, I can't speak for Girlysmack/Girlsmack (not sure which spelling is correct), but I can probably make guesses about her kitchen updates... I had a white sink once, and unfortunately over time it became stained (coffee remains, most likely) and acquired black marks from pots and pans. White sinks look great when they're pristine but they're tough to keep that way. Or maybe this family just likes stainless better, that might be the reason they changed their sink out.
I'm glad they chose to paint their cupboards a pretty color -- and something other than white if that's what they like, especially if they aren't planning on moving any time soon and don't have to worry about what the masses think on the resale market. I am a resale chicken and have white cabinets, and have suffered from a complete surrender to the Beige Family -- because I hope we can sell our house in the next year (2? 3?) I painted everything a shade of cream. Nothing could be more boring, and all because I'm afraid of resale-time, won't want the extra work to change everything to neutral before we list it. So in the meantime I can't enjoy my house that much, doesn't even feel like my own house, feels more limiting than when we rented.
Love these before and afters (hi chotto!).
Girlysmack, I painted my cabinets first aqua (too dark), then nasty lavender and white right before sell. The house sold and closed in five weeks in a terrible market last summer. Life's too short to live with something you can't stand!
Love, love, love the kitchen, Girlymack!(sp?) I'm so sick of boring JC Penny Catalog looking kitchens and people who are only thinking of resale. Why would someone be terrified of painted cabinets? I think it's environmentally responsible to recycle older cabinets and why not have a little fun while you're at it? Love the red accents, too.
If I have to hear anything about resale again I swear I will scream! I painted my cabinets white, but only because that was the color they would look best in with MY kitchen. If they would have looked better yellow I would have painted them yellow. Everyone should decorate the way they want to, and if blue cabinets make you happy-then go for it! By the way- they look fantastic! Houses aren't just an investment- they are your home first.
I laugh whenever I watch those "stager" shows on HGTV. Apparently, they believe all buyers are stupid. I personally WANT to see an empty house when I look at them. That way I can see all of the floor and the walls. I am smart enough to be able to measure, and I am creative enough to see where furniture will go. Plus, an empty house means that no owner needs to move out before I can get in.
lorijo, when we were looking at houses I loved it when they were empty, completely devoid of other people's furnishings, that was the best. I think I understand though why sometimes it might be a good idea to stage a home, some buyers might not be able to realize their queen size 'bedroom suit' (as they say here, not 'suite') or whatever will actually fit in the master bedroom unless they see it all set up.
I really wanted to paint my kitchen cabinets black but it's so much work I couldn't bear to do it if I'll have to change it to sell it in two or three years. Now, if this were our 'forever house' or someplace I hoped to stay for five or 10 years then break out the 'midnight satin', LOL. I'm just really glad Girl(y)smack painted their cabinets a color that was pleasing to them, period.
Hello! It's Victoria. The Helmer is definitely sturdy enough to be used as an light office/work space. It probably help that the board I've laid on top of it weighs a TONNE so it's not really going anywhere. I would definitely suggest trying it out if you like the look of it.
Gorgeous, gridpaper / Victoria!
Just a thought Chrisgal- not everyone is intending to resell their homes. At some point most people find a "forever" house, one they are going to live in for a long time, decades even. To fearfully decorate your home for 20 plus years based on the neutral taste of some unspecific potential buyer is just sad.
In this case, I doubt painting those dated cabinets is going to hurt resale anyway. It looks a million times better. It would be easier for potential buyers to see the painted cabinets painted another color vs. trying to imagine those ugly wood cabinets painted in the first place.
I really love the kitchen redo! The new floors look great and the KitchenAid really pops.
brocktontriangle, as a person with a white cast iron sink, I can understand replacing it. I also agree with the other commenter mentioning that they stain easily. I don't use bleach on many things but I've tried it on the sink. It temporarily removes the stain but since the sinks can become old and porous, they easily reabsorb color and it has to be bleached yet again. Also, dishes break VERY easily in cast iron. You drop a cup in a stainless steel sink and it's fine. I drop a cup from an inch up in my cast iron sink and it shatters into bits. I think the sink is very lovely but if I were to redesign the kitchen I might consider a material besides cast iron.
ChrisGal, for many people who want a pop of color, the cabinets are a good choice. Who wants turquoise wall tiles that aren't easily modifiable? You can easily repaint your cabinets for "resale value". It's better to live with the kitchen you love as opposed to what the next tenants may like.
"In my experience people tend to be afraid to do things to their homes that are different or bold but they like when others do." madsarah - thank you for that!
I'm a renter, so resale is not remotely a concern in the near future, but I did just buy some brighter furniture for my new apt. The number one compliment I receive is, "I would never have thought of that, but it looks amazing!" I agonized over the decisions, but I don't think most visitors would have looked twice at the tamer neutrals I thought I wanted. Go for what you like and keep up the confidence - it pays off!
PS - I love the kitchen redo. Those dark wood floors are gorgeous.
ihateacrylic - I guess it's because I hate ruining nice wooden pieces. I can't think of how many nice pieces of furniture I've bought that I'd had to spend DAYS getting all the stupid paint off so I could actually see the wood finish again. If you want to change the color, stain the damn thing - at least that's easier to remove without damages.
I'd rather paint the damn wall if I wanted a nice pop of color. Or buy a few accessories for the kitchen - or chair covers. I do prefer a white kitchen with darker cabinets (which luckily is what I have in my rental) since kitchens should be simple since you are using them to cook (and maybe dine).
I love the blue cabinets in the kitchen. It looks like an open floor plan so painting the walls blue would chop up the area between the kitchen and the next room. If the wood is a darker wood, refinishing and stain won't change it and make it lighter and brighter.
My rental has white walls, white countertops, white cabinets and white appliances. None of which I am able to change or alter. It's so very boring! Even with colorful towels, a plant, etc. I don't have a lot of space and too many accessories tend to look cluttered.
This paint/don't paint debate gets so tiresome. Just because something is made of wood, does not automatically make it a "nice wooden piece." Plenty of things are made cheaply from cheap/flimsy wood, and I've lived in plenty of places like this with cabinets built in the 70's/80's that fit that bill. There is nothing sacrilegious about painting wood -- the only question is which look you prefer. Obviously ChrisGal prefers natural or stained wood. I appreciate beautiful woodgrain in a zen or mission-style or mid-century setting, but in my own home I mostly prefer the look of painted wood, including cabinets, trim, fireplace mantles, etc. It feels crisp and lovely to me, just like Girlsmack's lovely aqua cabinets. And, as many have said, Girlsmack wasn't choosing between nice wood cabinets vs. paint -- she was choosing between ugly old cabinets, expensive new cabinets, or a cheery painted compromise. I am also a realtor and know that paint and bright colors do not necessarily cause resale problems unless they're done in bad taste. (Unfortunately, lots of people have bad taste.)
I firmly believe that not all wood is good. Some of the most expensive pieces of furniture are old painted pieces. Remove the paint and they are worth nothing.
That said, the minute that I purchase something, it's mine. I do with it what I want to. I paint things, stain things or strip them depending on what I want, I don't think about resale value or the the next (possible) owner.
When I see these re sale shows, I always end up yelling at the TV. The open house people comment on things that don't come with the house. "those drapes are lovely"-- stuff like that. Well, if that's what they want, then they should ask what store they came from. If they wanted the house, they would be checking out the windows, not the curtains.
I see a few of you have painted your cabinets before. Does anyone have any good pointers on how to DIY it right? I'm not new to fixing up my house, and have painted every room by now, but I've got these awful 1970s particle-board cabinets and no money to remodel, so I'm resorting to the poor man's remodeling tool: a fresh coat of paint.
As for the whole resale value issue, as some have said, let's face it... especially for the areas Apartment Therapy caters to (LA, NYC, etc.) we've been hit hard by the housing bubble and most of our apartments/homes are effectively worth squat for the next few years, so we're stuck with them. I say we embrace that, and turn our abodes into places we love from the moment we walk through that front door, resale value and bad economic news be damned!
LORIJO, OMG!!! I had to stop watching that HORRIBLE house hunters shows because all the buyers were friggen touched in the head! "OOH, That bedspread is nice - I wonder if we can get it in the deal?" 99% of those r-tards totally ignored the home and were dazzled by stupid crap like carpet and paint jobs.
And I agree with you on the wood thing. It belongs to you, do what you want... The only thing I would ask is, if it's an antique or a really lovely aspect of the home, like wood molding in a historic home, to really think about it before you paint it. There are so many houses in my neighborhood (Harvards Heights) who's history has been damaged by people who didn't look into the future.
I think the aqua cabinets are so pretty and fresh! One more thought about resale. My in-laws have never re-done their kitchen for fear of resale value, and have lived with virtually no counterspace and crappy wood cabinets for 50 years. Life is too short to live in a home that doesn't please you.
Is AT still thinking about new Cure posts on Mondays (and Wednesdays and Fridays)? Emails, too, I think.
It's always about resale...never know when you might need to move and it's going to be real hard to pay two mortgages when you can't sale your current home. Cabinets are something to be expected to be included in the sale of the home - along with flooring choices, etc. Or you'll be selling it real cheap once people realize just how much money they'll be needing to spend to make it livable again - think about how much you spend to put your choices in, that's how much money you will have to take off of resale. So when you're taking $10,000 or more off your bottom line when you need to sell it, you will be real sorry for the things you done since it will mean the smaller the place you will be able to afford in the move.
Asurroca--- Not that I'm an expert in painting or anything, but here is what my wife Girlysmack and I did to paint our cabinets in the picture above. First, we took off all the hardware and the cabinet doors. Then I took a sander and took off the ugly stain and 30 years of grime and residue until I got down to the unstained layer of wood. Then we cleaned the wood with water and a cloth to get all the saw dust off. After that we applied a thin layer of tinted primer (Kilz) and let it dry overnight. We followed that with one very thin layer after another of paint (three coats total) waiting at least a day in between coats to make sure it dried completely. That's VERY important, because if you don't do very thin layers and let them completely dry then the finished product will very easily scratch and the paint will come right off. And...that's it! Easy peazy!
And thanks to everyone for the comments! Our 1979 Colorado home was a disaster when we bought it. The previous owners didn't put a penny into the place in 30 years and completely trashed it. (Did I mention they had 7 cats and 3 dogs running around?). It's been quite an adventure just making it livable, especially with two little ones running around. We love being in a home where we can have fun and make it our own, without having to worry about catering to the shortsightedness of potential buyers. We had a house like that in Virginia and it looked like a Pottery Barn catalog: Pretty, but cold, pretentious and unoriginal. And I can think of few things worse than being unoriginal.....