Metamorphosis Monday -- A Conservative Conservatory

It's Metamorphosis Monday -- or at least it is for the next 75 or so minutes. It was a snowy crazy day here, and my computer was held hostage by a ruthless capitalist all day long!

But I'm sneaking this one in just under the wire, I hope.... and thanks to Susan of Between Naps On the Porch for hosting! Click here for more stories of magical metamorphii. Or whatever the plural is!

My story is simple, incomplete, and I hope some of you can help write the ending!

Once upon a time... ok, last March... we bought an old house. I love all its old spaces and nooks, but one of the best spots in That Old House is not quite ten years old -- the conservatory.



Previous owners had it built, replacing an open porch that ran along the kitchen "el" of the house. You can see it here, on the right side of the house, if you promise not to look at the peeling old yellow paint and crooked shutters!



Here's my husband, last March, strolling through the sunroom, carrying some unidentified large thing -- I think a shade destined for the give-away pile -- when we were in the paint-before-we-move-in phase:

This picture was taken from the kitchen.


An impromptu meal at a temporary table in the "eating" end of the room.
My girls home for spring break, and roped into house fix-up.

Hey, they went to Alabama to work on Katrina homes! Fair's fair.

:-)

Next picture .... moving day, May 2008, in the pouring rain. Ugh.
And, this room has off-white wall to wall carpeting.

Say it with me now, ladies and gents: "What were they thinking?"

By the end of this day, the room was full of boxes, mud,
exhausted wet people and dogs, and very dirty carpet.

I took down the lace curtains, decided we were not ready to replace the
off-white carpeting just yet, and decided to keep the gold color paint for the time being.

So we did a mini-metamorphosis.

In our book-lined family room at the last house,
we had two leather love seats. They are now in the conservatory here,
along with a club chair we moved out of our study when my husband
decided that he wanted (no, deserved) a recliner in the room with the TV.

Presto! A place to sit and chat:
And at the other end of the room, a wonderful old oak table.
Because, ummm boy, we do like our meals, and
so do our friends and family!

This old oak table has a very interesting past. . . but that is a story for a different post!
(Hint: I didn't have to pay for it.)

Don't you love the toe nails on the big feet?

This amazing table has endless leaves, and expands to about ten feet long. Wonderful for holidays, and thankfully there's enough room in the conservatory to let it stretch!

There's still a long way to go in this metamorphosis from empty shell to comfortable sunroom/family room/room off the kitchen.

Big decisions -- what to do about the floor? You walk right into this room from the patio, and it's the entrance most used by everyone, family and friends. Carpeting this pale is a nightmare. The kitchen next door has stone-look ceramic tile, and we'd never be able to match it. Wood? Pricey. Laminate? I worry about moisture with everyone using this entrance right from ground level. More carpet? Aaarrgghhh!!!!!!

The other thing... window coverings. We have none now. What should we get? Any? There's a limit to how much we want to entertain the neighbors, plus the windows get this reflective spooky-black-hole look at night.

See what I mean? Those black windows and ceiling are a little creepy.
One of my possible ghost sightings was in this room. . .
but that story, too, is for another post.

I don't want heavy drapes or shades, and the windows need to swing open, but I'd like something that would give at least the illusion of a bit of privacy when wanted.

What do you think?
Any inspiration?

And why am I so late with this post?

We got about 8-inches of snow today in my part of New Jersey, so my husband decided not to trek to Manhattan, and worked instead from home on my computer.


Sadly, he actually works when he says he will, so I didn't have computer access all day. Hence, the very late post, just squeaking in for Met Monday.

But, boy -- that snow is sure pretty. Howard took these pics; I stayed in with the conservatory heater keeping me nice and toasty!

And about that recliner Howard says he deserves? He is right.
But that doesn't mean he gets to pick it out!