Finishing a Room? What?

Now that Christmas is over, we’re starting to think ahead to what’s next.

Truly, what’s next is refilling the bank account. But that doesn’t mean we have to stop working on the house. In fact, it’s really just a push to finish all of the unfinished bits from previous projects.

Our friend Jason came to visit for a few days (he plays trumpet in the Navy Band in Japan), and he was looking at the Laundry Room and said, “Since no room is every REALLY finished, what didn’t you do in here?”

That’s so right, you know. Being involved in a project as massive as this, you tend to get things 90% of the way done, and then move on, because you “can always do those last things later.”

So, we’ve made a “Free and Cheap” list of things to do throughout the house. Some are SUPER exciting and thrilling, like installing new light switches where some are faulty. Others are more fun, like stripping some wallpaper and hanging some windows. It’s a really, really long list. But the good thing is, we can improve the house and keep ourselves busy, while saving and planning for the next big project.

Next Up : Finishing the Butler’s Pantry.

That’s right. We’re going to finish a room.

There is a decent-sized list of things to finish in here, but just a little to spend. We’re actually tying this room into our anniversary present to make the funds go further. We always do the traditional anniversary gift, and if we can, we tie it into the house. We’re going to do that two ways in the Butler’s Pantry, plus a few other things along the way.

The Window : It’s large and lovely, but the curtains were just thrown up before the bank inspection, and are way too short and not Victorian enough.

The Kitchen and the Butler’s Pantry are primarily black and mint/apple green, with touches of pink. We went antiquing with my mother about a year ago, and found this perfection of a stained glass window. The colors are amazing, and we’re going to build it into the window in the Butler’s Pantry.

I’ve had this glorious Victorian-esque fabric for about a year and a half now, and it’s WELL past the time for me to make curtains with it.

Sidenote – this fabric is what led me to the entire Laundry Room design – this is what ties the Kitchen and Laundry room together to live together in peace and RIDICULOUS AWESOMENESS.

CLEARLY, though, that’s not enough for curtains. Queen Anne’s require layers. And Layers. More is More, people.

So, there will be black fabric as well. And Trims. And the most gorgeous black lace with the prettiest scalloped edge. Lace is the traditional gift for the 13th Wedding Anniversary, so here it is!

Also, there is a little bit of baseboard work to do. And the built-in is going to be stripped some and sanded, and painted black to go with the cabinetry.

One of these things is not like the other one. I am going to ATTEMPT to strip the basement door down, and stain it to match the Study and Dining Room doors. I hope it works, if not, a fresh coat of paint will go on.

The servant stairwell door has been off the hinges for a while, so we want to get that back up.

This is what the stairwell side looks like. AMAZING.

And this is the Pantry Side. TRAGEDY. I’m going to attempt to get this stainable as well. I’m so mad at whoever looked at the gorgeous door and said, “Yeah. That should totally be white.”

I have this lovely mismatched collection of green glassware. At Jackson Street, it was displayed in the kitchen.

Here at Martin Place, the goal has always been to display it in the Butler’s Pantry, but we didn’t have the time or the money to get it done before the bank deadline. This is the biggest item on the punchlist.

This is the area that the shelves are going to go in, so all the glassware will be lit.

The top will be a mirror project, which involved me and a ventilator two summers ago. Finally, this project will be done!

I ordered some tile samples from The Tile Bar, because the bottom half of the nook will be tiled. I love the bottom center choice, because it’s the same pattern as the kitchen floor.

Also, it involves marble and MOONSTONE, which is a Modern Anniversary Gift for 13 years on some lists. And the squares are mirrors! I haven’t ordered this yet – so it’s not 100%, but I really love it.

And this side of the Butler’s Pantry will remain the same. Mostly.

There you have it! That’s what we have going on next. I’m really excited about getting a room 100% finished. I have no idea what that’s even like.