Renovating interior doors - This (our) Old Modern House - Project #1

We have a very long list of repairs and renovation with our new old house.  Projects that are beyond our scope of DIY ability.  It's a bit overwhelming but we will take it one project at a time.  Priorities will help us manage the list although often priorities are shifted as new issues develop.  For instance, we had already committed to having our interior bedroom/bathroom doors replaced (Project #1 details below) when a big ol' rock fell from our chimney and through a skylight that runs the length of our firecplace.  We now have a gaping hole completely open to the elements.  Ka-ching, a custom skylight needs to be installed before it begins to snow.  Project #2 (to be posted).

So, Project #1 was to replace the aforementioned doors. Why?  The doors we inherited were louvered.  Many of these will remain in our house (all our closets).  Louvered means no privacy.  This may have worked for the previous owners who had no kids.  Not so great for us.  So, we are installing solid bedroom doors and frosted glass bathroom doors, all with locking mechanisms.  Here are some before photos.  I'll post after when this project is complete.

An example of the louvered doors (these happen to be in the studio/office).  Each slat is open so sound, air (smells), dust becomes an issue.  You get my drift.

 

 This is our replaced master bathroom door.  I already love the look. They'll all be painted black with nickel hardware.

The boy's bathroom had double sliding doors. One door was always completely off it's 1968 track.  The entire wall is being replaced and not easily, I might add.  Apparently the counters (you can see one in the background) were built into the wall.  Thus the wall could only partially come down.  This confirms that everything in the house was built on site.  Good news and bad news.  You can see one of the glass doors leaning on the wall.  The frosted glass will allow all that natural lighting to spill into the hallway. Gotta love that!

Believe me, there's more to come!

Open for Business - OM [one moment] meet up

Ethan got a new bed this week. His room is the smallest of the bedrooms but has fantastic built-in bookshelves. His two twin beds were just too much for the room. While E was in school, Chris and I rearranged his room and "spiffied" it up for him. He was so excited when he got home that he spent most of the evening lounging in his new digs. I loved how excited he was.

The next day, when I picked him up from school, he asked me if I made his bed as he had not had a chance.

Me: "Ummmmm, no. That's your job."

Ethan: "Aw, man. Now I'm going to have to make my bed, leave my room and then walk back in it so I can experience the same new exciting feeling I did yesterday."

: )

[I need a nice bed skirt if anyone has suggestions.]

Tell me about your week.  Did you have a moment of levity?

Using Kimonos in home decor

Main Entry: ki·mo·no

Pronunciation: \kə-ˈmō-(ˌ)nō, -nə\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural ki·mo·nos

Etymology: Japanese, clothes, from ki wearing + mono thing

Date: 1886

1 : a long robe with wide sleeves traditionally worn with a broad sash as an outer garment by the Japanese

2 : a loose dressing gown or jacket

— ki·mo·noed \-(ˌ)nōd, -nəd\ adjective

Merriam-Webster.com

 

 

 

Years ago, a friend of mine brought me a vintage kimono from Japan.  Made of silk and in vibrant colors, I wanted to display it rather than wear it.  So, I found a slim curtain rod, some large black hooks and fashioned it into a display over my bed.  It is simple, elegant, and dear to my heart.   

Decorating your home with kimonos couldn't be easier.  You can find them in local vintage and antique shops or online.  Two other ideas to get the same look without buying a kimono:  simply drape fabric onto a rod in the shape of a kimono (the shape is just two rectangles) or cut colorful paper into rectangle shapes and frame them. 

Here are kimonos I found on Etsy:

vintage postcard by Global Texture

vintage kimono from HapaHaus

kimono origami card by Nina Martell

original print by Crystal Smith

kimono sleeve linen dress by annyschoo

kimono necklace by Something Kawaii