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Tuesday, November 3, 2009

New Things At That Old House!

Three Or More Tuesday, and I've got more than three new things to show you!

Join Tam at The Gypsy's Corner for more triplicate fun!

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Sometimes you do things to please yourself; sometimes you do things to please someone else.

Like your dog.

Our dear Dion DiPoochy is 10-1/2 years old, and he's having a little trouble now with slick floors. He does fine on carpeting, and on the stone tile in the kitchen, but on our old wood floors he just slides. His furry little legs just slip right out from underneath him, and he goes SPLAT down.

He has trouble sometimes getting his legs under himself without them slipping, and he can't get a foothold to jump up on the furniture. (And I hear you asking, "And this is a problem?")

Anyway, this can't be fun for him.

Since he spends most of his time hanging out in the wood-floored study,
we decided to put a rug in there, to give Mr. Dion a break. A big soft rug.


Months ago, daughter Anne and I agreed that the study, with all its shelves full of books and ambient clutter,
should be a riot of pattern and wacky pairings of color and texture,
rather like a traditional country English study or snuggery.

So, I began looking for a red rug, maybe a Turkish bokhara or other tribal-looking weave, to add more brilliant color to the quiet green of the walls. I ran into a problem. Nice Turkish bokhara rugs cost 'way more than I wanted to spend on a rug I was buying for my dog. My aging dog. My aging intact male dog. Get the picture?

I set my sights lower.
On Saturday, while shopping at a Big Box store, we found The Rug.
It is synthetic fiber and is crazily patterned and was cheap. Sadly, it is not red.


But it has leaves galore, as do the tapestry-covered sofa and loveseat.

This upholstery fabric never photographs true; it always looks off in color,
and shows way more blue in pictures than in real life. Odd.


Whatcha think? Now I need to work on curtains, and things for walls.
I wonder if Wal Mart still has those cute leaf plates? Wouldn't several of them in
different shades look nice on the walls in here? We can carry through a leafy theme!

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The next new things involve our kitchen.

Here are the bare bones of our kitchen, in a picture taken before we moved in,
when the painters were using it as their base of operations:


The kitchen is only 5 years old, but we want to switch a few things, and are beginning gradually. Eventually we will bring the kitchen back in time; it won't be historically correct but it will look as if it fits in with the rest of the house. Less 1980s and more 1880s.

Besides, the double sink is impossible for cleaning large stockpots and roasting pans, and the faucet now is leaking. Time for change!

Our first change involves three separate elements.

One -- a new sink.


Big, and stainless, and single bowl, and deep. Hooray! I can wash those big pots and big cookie sheets after parties! If by "I" we mean "Howard."

Two -- a new cooktop.

There is nothing wrong with the GE Profile smooth top cooktop that came with the house. Except that I loathe it. I have scorched enough food to know that the good Lord never meant for me to cook on an electric stove.

So, in its place, we are putting a 5-burner Thermador stainless cooktop. It's got the cutest star-shaped burners; they are supposed to distribute heat more evenly, but I like them because they are quite adorable.

And Three -- new counters!

The long L-shaped counter that is home to both sink and cooktop is going to be changed from dark green Formica edged in oak, to soapstone. I have been carrying around a hunk of soapstone since we placed the order, showing it to anyone who will stand still long enough to look at it. Have odd paperweight, will travel.


Ah, it reminds me of Mr. Oleha's 11th grade chemistry class --
all those soapstone counters in the high school lab.

As for the great big awkward counter to the left in the nekkid kitchen picture above, that too will get a quick makeover, including a butcher block counter. More on that when we firm up those plans.

We will have some of these projects done for Thanksgiving and the holidays,
but will finish the rest of the kitchen makeover after the new year.


I now need to surf the Web for a kitchen faucet I can't live without. Suggestions welcome!

Thanks to Mary at Little Red House for her endorsement of soapstone; I value her opinion highly! And thanks also to Rue at Rue's Peanut Butter and Jelly Life, for her endorsement of the IKEA wood counters. I trust her judgment, too.

So, ladies, no pressure there! :-P

I am still looking for a red rug for the parlor, as I don't let Dion hang out in there on his own.
I am an indulgent pet owner, but I am not stupid.

And today's Moment Of Awful Truth. Enlarge the picture, below.
Note the credenza that holds the TV:


On its left side, a bottle of furniture cleaner topped by a rag. Notice the dust UNDER the television. Hey, I had good intentions, but I ran out of time. . . I had to blog! -- Cass

27 comments:

  1. Hi Cass! Oh, you are just the best mommy to little Dion. Bless his little heart - just a slippin' and a slidin' all over the place. How nice of you to buy a rug for the poor baby!
    I do like your new rug. Sorry you couldn't find a red one.
    Oh, I'm excited for you to get to redo your kitchen! My needs so much but I do have the deepest kitchen sink we put in. I love it! Babies could swim in there! :)
    Your soapstone for the countertop looks great and I've always thought it had a look of oldeness!
    Can't wait to see it all put together. I love your home!
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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  2. Cluttered ambience...my word!! You have just described my den!! And I love it that way. The rug you have is gorgeous, but if you are going to contunue your quest for a red rug, try Overstock.com. You can even search: Red Area Rugs, so that you don't have to go through a zillion.

    I can't cook with electric either, call me a control freak, but I have to be in charge of the flame. I guess some people are just one or the other. Thermidor is a wonderful brand.

    Your kitchen is going to look lovely. I looked at soapstone and loved it when I did the lake. I fell in love with a Quartz pattern...And I love the look of a wood counter but hubby flipped. It's times like that I wish I were single! lol!

    As usual, I laughed a lot at this post! :-) Take care, Cass.

    xoxo
    Jane

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  3. O BTW, I didn't see your name at TOMT (Tam's)
    &
    love the sink...

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  4. I have marble but would have loved soapstone -- but couldn't afford it! BTW, I have an IKEA wood counter -- about 3 feet of it next to the stove -- it's my chopping block and I use it -- it has a great aged patina! If I didn't have an old piece of marble on my island I would have topped that with wood -- there is something about part wood/part stone on countertops that I like!

    I may have a brick floor but you have the soapstone!

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  5. Hi Cass,
    How sweet you are to buy Dion a rug, I'm sure he will love it!!

    I"d love a gas cooktop, the electric ones just don't give the control I love :)

    I can't wait to see your kitchen redo, the soapstone counters will be just gorgeous.

    Have a great week!

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  6. Poor Dion. I will be watching your kitchen redo closely. I need desperately to make some cosmetic changes here. As far as the clutter - if you could only see my dining area right now!
    Glenda

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  7. Haha! I loved the "just had to blog " part--the rug is sooo pretty!

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  8. Oh, I can't wait to see the kitchen redo. I would love to have your new range, that would be a dream. I know everything will turn out just gorgeous. Love the new rug too. Hugs, Marty

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  9. I think your new rug is perfect for Dion and for the library! Oh, I am so envious of you getting soapstone countertops. I LOVE soapstone! I can't wait to see all of the changes. (I'm not showing you pictures of all of the dust in my house-nobody stay around for a post that long!) laurie

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  10. I love this post, Cass! Absolutely love it!!

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  11. Hi again, Cass. Oh, thank you for the info on those egg cups. That makes sense shelling the egg and just putting it into the large cup and then you could just eat away.
    See? You know all things! I am so impressed! :)
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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  12. Hi Cass....Oh I feel for Mr. Dion...My Boo is 11 1/2 and the poor thing does the same thing on the wood-esque floors....I don't have the real thing...Home Depot said only Pergo would work on our crooked floors...It's like having a cheap t.v. tray all over the floor....I'm afraid he's going to break a leg one of these days....the kitchen is going to be fabulous...I know the range top you got and it's terrific...I love all the different heat levels it has...and the dust under the t.v. who would have noticed....I always take shots on Tablescape day from the second landing of the house and it never fails...you can see all the dust on the upper blades of the ceiling fan and I have to crop.....

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  13. Cluttered Ambience.....Oh I like that description!! Thanks Blondie

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  14. Hi Cass,

    The rug looks good in your snuggery,very cozy. Can't wait to see the look of your kitchen. I love the deep sinks, much rather have one big one than 2 little ones. You can always use a dish pan if you want (by you I mean a good dish-doing dude! Ha).

    Have a wonderful Wednesday!
    Valerie

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  15. Our almost 13 year old lab is now peeing herself on a regular basis so a rug is the last thing I want on my hardwood floors. I would prefer to see it puddled up on the floor than to realize later she soaked the rug on top of the wood.
    I wish I had the big sink but I let my husband make that one decision and ended up with a white double sink that is now stained beyond belief. Yuck.

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  16. Cass your kitchen makeover plans sound wonderful!

    I like the new rug and I'm sure little Dion will too.

    I soemtimes look at life now as "Pre blog" and "After blog" and housework has surely decreased "After Blog" ...lol

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  17. Oh, boy, do we have something in common -- kitchen redo! We just started on Tuesday. Tomorrow some of my new appliances arrive... they're all Thermador and possibly similar to yours.
    I'll be watching your progress, so if you have time come watch mine.
    Love your blog... AND your dog!
    Karen
    Ladybug Creek

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  18. How cute dog you have. He really doesn't look like a pensioner :-)
    We know his problem quite well...looking and laughing at small puppies sliding down the living room can be fun, but with this "older man" dog you should be careful.
    Btw. great taste..you showed that not only new houses are "furnishable".

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  19. Hi Cass.
    I just wanted to stop by and say hello. It looks like big things are in store at That Old House. My heart is actually beating a little faster looking at that gorgeous soapstone. ;) I can't wait to see how it all comes together.

    XO*Tricia

    P.S. I am having an Inspire My Saturday party on this Saturday, 11/7. I would love if you could join me. Just blog about something that inspires you and link up to join the fun. (You know. Something like women who choose to dust over blogging, which btw is NOT ME!!!) ;)

    Hope to see you there.

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  20. Our Mastiff, Zeke, is having the same problems. We finally purchased a huge (beautiful!) rug for the living room. The hardwoods still show which I didn't want to lose and he is more comfy walking around in there...all 130lbs!
    I can't wait to see the progress of the kitchen. last May we purchased a 1940's Maple drop leaf table for the kitchen nook. It lead to a total kitchen makeover! I was thrilled. You will have to ask J how he felt about it!
    Misha

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  21. Love the rug and your pup....can't wait to see the kitchen makeover. It sounds delish!

    Blessings,
    Spencer

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  23. This is a big job! Can't wait to see the results! I just want to let you know that you have been tagged for the Honest Scrap Award.
    See my post for more details. Please feel free to respond. Thank you,
    France

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  24. I must've missed that you were going to work on your kitchen- it is going to be fantastic w/soapstone counters! And I am envying a gas cooktop- I don't have a hook-up in the kitchen, and we are on a slab. I miss cooking with gas. boo hoo...
    Sue

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  25. Have you seen that TV advertisement about the faucet you turn on with a touch and off with a touch? Looks good to me. When your hands are greasy or you are holding a big soup pot, just touch with your wrist and it comes on.

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  26. Hi Cass! Had dinner with Joanne and she told me about your blog ... just started going through it but had to tell you I *love* your home and what you're doing with it. (Great choice on the study rug!) Dion looks wonderful ... hugs to "Dammit Dion", lol. Great blog too ... I'll come back to see more as time allows. Best regards to Alida, Annie and Howard. GReat to 'see' you again!
    Winnie

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  27. Oh Winnie! I am answering you here because I can't answer you by clicking on your name. But I'll find your email tomorrow!

    How wonderful to hear from you! And I will tell Dion that his Aunt Winnie, one of his favoritest people in the WORLD, says Hello. He is still the silly boy he was when he was a puppy. Only now with more skills!

    Thanks for "stopping by!" I have had almost no computer time this week -- this was a very happy surprise, dear Winnie!

    Love, Cass

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Thank you for visiting That Old House; it's always exciting to find new comments -- they are treasured! Because of increasing spam, I have reluctantly eliminated "Anonymous" commenting. Legitimate anonymous commenters, please forgive me! You might try using "Open ID" instead. Blogger's spam software worked for a good long time, but, sadly, no longer.