Valley House Tour: The Laundry Room

You guys. Can I just tell you how insanely excited I was to have a laundry ROOM!?! I have never once in all our homes and apartments had a space that was dedicated to the sole purpose of cleaning, ironing and folding our clothes. This is major business for me. So, so exciting.<br /><br />When we were walking through the Valley house for the first time, heading down the hall, just past <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2013/07/valley-house-tour-office.html" target="_blank">the office</a> and before the <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2013/07/valley-house-tour-master-bedroom.html" target="_blank">master bedroom</a>, the realtor said "And here we have the laundry room..." and everything went into slow-mo. The door seemed to inch open and there I saw it:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo Before4.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/Before4.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />Forest green buffalo check. Everywhere.<br /><br />(More after the jump)...<br /><a name="more"></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo Before1.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/Before1.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />Countrified cabinets with that horrible gel stain just sitting on the top layer.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><img alt=" photo DSC_0357.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/DSC_0357.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />Seafoam green laminate countertops with a forest green beveled edge!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo Before3.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/Before3.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />And more brick. Always more brick!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo dDSC_0362.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/dDSC_0362.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />Also, no appliances.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo Before2.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/Before2.jpg" /></div><br />This laundry room was a time capsule from 1986. But on the plus side, there is great light and it is pretty large for a laundry room. I like that there is a desk that I can use for my sewing machine. And even though the countertops are super ugly, at least there is plenty of counter space. Like, literally three times as much counter space as our kitchen in Brooklyn! Ha!<br /><br /><center></center><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo fDSC_0372.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/fDSC_0372.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0348.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/DSC_0348.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />I recently finished redoing this laundry room and I am so excited to share all the afters with you tomorrow. It feels like our savings account is really hurting this month after buying a new house and a new car for Michael and taking on some of the bigger reno projects (like the floors). So I was on a <i>super </i>tight budget for this room redo. Lots of cool projects to share tomorrow!

Valley House Tour: The Laundry Room

You guys. Can I just tell you how insanely excited I was to have a laundry ROOM!?! I have never once in all our homes and apartments had a s...

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Valley House Tour: The Master Bedroom

On the second-to-last stop on our house tour (just the laundry room left!) is our master bedroom. (Isn't it funny that we call it the master bedroom? Always makes me think of Les Mis.)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo dDSC_0517.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/dDSC_0517.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />The room is on the first floor, just around the corner from the stairs up to the girls' rooms, which I am super excited about. I love that we have privacy away from the kids, but quick access in case they need us in the middle of the night.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0497.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/DSC_0497.jpg" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo dDSC_0510.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/dDSC_0510.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: left;">(More after the jump...)</div><a name="more"></a><br />The room is long and it's definitely bigger than other bedrooms we've had over the years. (finally room for a king-sized mattress!) And I couldn't be more excited about the extra space, but I'll confess that our new closet is getting the side-eye from me.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo dDSC_0513.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/dDSC_0513.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />I've been hoping for a really functional closet for me and Michael for a long time now and this one falls a bit short, but I think we can come up with some work-arounds.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0515.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/DSC_0515.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />As it is, it's definitely long enough, but it's a bit narrow with hangers coming at you from all sides. And while it's nice to have all that high storage, what would I put up there and how would I get it easily on the regular? And most importantly: shoes. Where!?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0516.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/DSC_0516.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />So, since the bedroom is so long, we're planning to add a bank of storage closets for shoes and accessories along this wall that is shared with the closet and is right by the bathroom. I'm hoping to come up with a really pretty design for these - maybe something mirrored?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo dDSC_0530.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/dDSC_0530.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm thinking of maybe putting <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2012/02/chinese-wallpaper-in-acrylic-frames.html" target="_blank">my chinese panels</a> here on this wall, behind where the bed will be.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0532.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/DSC_0532.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br /><center></center>And I'd love to put a pair of slipper chairs here in front of the fireplace. I should have snagged <a href="http://instagram.com/p/bohRfjQWz4/" target="_blank">these</a> now that I'm thinking about it! :/<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo dDSC_0518.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/dDSC_0518.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />We're going to frame out this fireplace <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2013/07/valley-house-tour-living-room.html" target="_blank">as well</a> and probably also <a href="http://instagram.com/p/bmVnFRQW8D/" target="_blank">pull out the hearth</a> here so that the firebox is flush with the floor.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0529.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/DSC_0529.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo dDSC_0534.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/dDSC_0534.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0535.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/DSC_0535.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On the wall next to the fireplace is this funny double door that goes outside to a little side yard.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo dDSC_0522.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/dDSC_0522.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">At first I was like "Close it up!" and then I got to thinking about how it would be the perfect potty yard for Linus since it's a self-contained space.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo dDSC_0736.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/dDSC_0736.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">He likes to sleep on the floor in our room anyway, so we could just put his bed by the door here and it would be easy to let him out to go to the bathroom. Keeps the backyard where the kids play free from Linus landmines. :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo dDSC_0731.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/dDSC_0731.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I think we'll put a pair of long, low dressers here along the door wall.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0519.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/DSC_0519.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And then maybe a pair of cute hampers on the little wall by the bathroom (<a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2013/06/new-hair-and-sneak-peek-of-our-master.html" target="_blank">which I showed you here</a>).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo dDSC_0520.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/dDSC_0520.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm hoping this room will feel cozy and peaceful, but also fresh and bright. Our <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2012/11/coral-velvet-bed.html" target="_blank">last</a> <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2013/02/swan-prints.html" target="_blank">two</a> master bedrooms have been on the dark side, so I'd love to really bring in the light in here. I think <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2013/06/valley-house-tour-case-for-new-floors.html" target="_blank">lightening up the floors</a> will help a ton and then painting out the super-warm wall colors and framing out the fireplace will really change the feel of the space. I can't wait to move in here once the floors are finished. <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2013/07/valley-house-tour-play-room.html" target="_blank">This playroom living</a> is getting a little stale. :)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo dDSC_0517.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/dDSC_0517.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div>

Valley House Tour: The Master Bedroom

On the second-to-last stop on our house tour (just the laundry room left!) is our master bedroom. (Isn't it funny that we call it the ma...

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Valley House Tour: The Office

One of the most exciting spaces in the new house for me is the office. It is open and bright and a pretty large space. I think it will be a perfect new headquarters for Jenny Komenda Interiors for another year or so. We might want to move out to an offsite office space a little down the road, once the dust settles around here (literally -- so, so dusty at our house!).<br /><br /><center></center><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0485.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/DSC_0485.jpg" /></div><br />The room is just down the hall from the front entry and to the right.<br /><center></center><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo dDSC_0420.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/dDSC_0420.jpg" /></div><br />(more after the jump...)<br /><a name="more"></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo dDSC_0486.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/dDSC_0486.jpg" /></div><br />This is the other room that needs to be skim coated, but the ceilings are so low in here that I think I can tackle this one by myself. Some crown molding would really make a big difference in here too, I think.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo dDSC_0487.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/dDSC_0487.jpg" /></div><br />Another place for a new ceiling fan. :)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0488.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/DSC_0488.jpg" /></div><br />We're looking for a new desk right now, which I think will help me figure out the layout a little more. I think we're going to float a big desk in front of the bay windows and then have a second longer and more narrow desk against the wall.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo dDSC_0492.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/dDSC_0492.jpg" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0493.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/DSC_0493.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Can't wait to pick curtain fabric! I love bay windows.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo dDSC_0495.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/dDSC_0495.jpg" /></div><br />There's room for a big storage piece here, which will help hold a lot of fabrics and trims and samples, etc, etc.<br /><center></center><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_4558.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/IMG_4558.jpg" /></div><br />The closet will be the main storage area though. This will look like a fabric avalanche in another week or two when our stuff arrives. :)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo fIMG_4553.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/fIMG_4553.jpg" /></div><br />And then just to the right of the office in the hallway is the downstairs guest bath.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0497.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/DSC_0497.jpg" /></div><br />Which features more of the lovely brick paver tiles.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0498.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/DSC_0498.jpg" /></div><br />And the most ridiculous, huge tub in the world. I would love to take this out and replace it with a claw foot tub. You see straight into the bathroom and right at the tub from the front entry, so I think it would be cool to see the profile of an antique tub (rather than this beast of a thing).<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0500.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/DSC_0500.jpg" /></div><br />The vanity in here is not my favorite. The previous owner had all of the cabinetry in the house gel stained and it didn't absorb well in some places (as we learned in the laundry room redo - which I'll be sharing later this week!). We had to put layer upon layer of primer and paint to cover the stain in there. So when I tackle the cabinets in here, I'll probably opt to pull them out and start fresh rather than strip these back. They're not the highest quality around, so I think we can come up with something more sturdy and more my style. I like the idea of converting a dresser into a vanity.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0504.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/DSC_0504.jpg" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0501.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/DSC_0501.jpg" /></div><br />Almost done with the house tour! Last room coming up tomorrow - our bedroom!

Valley House Tour: The Office

One of the most exciting spaces in the new house for me is the office. It is open and bright and a pretty large space. I think it will be a ...

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Valley House Tour: The Living Room

Just on the other side of <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2013/06/valley-house-tour-entry.html" target="_blank">the foyer</a>, through <a href="http://instagram.com/p/bRWmmeQW8V/" target="_blank">the archway that we're tearing down</a>, is the living room.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0406.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%206/DSC_0406.jpg" /><br /><br /><img alt=" photo fIMG_3225.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/fIMG_3225.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />The room is long and sort of makes the furniture placement awkward, especially for TV-watching. But I love the high, beamed ceilings and I think eventually the fireplace will be a really pretty focal point in the room... (more after the jump)<br /><a name="more"></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo dDSC_0393.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%206/dDSC_0393.jpg" /><br /><br /><img alt=" photo fIMG_3221.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/fIMG_3221.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />The way the room's currently set up, the tv (and the cables) to go on a console at the east end of the room. I feel like this set up doesn't really work though. Either a sofa would have to sit right in the middle of the traffic flow (the door to the kitchen is smack dab in the middle of the opposite, west wall), or you'd have to put a sofa against the south wall as the previous owners had it here.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo dDSC_0396.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%206/dDSC_0396.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;">But this way you're sitting about twenty feet away from the tv and having to majorly turn your head to the right and squint to watch a show.</div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo dDSC_0401.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%206/dDSC_0401.jpg" /><br /><br /><img alt=" photo DSC_0404.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%206/DSC_0404.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />So we're going to mount the tv to the fireplace after framing out the faux rock and tearing out the hearth. <a href="http://instagram.com/p/bmVnFRQW8D/" target="_blank">We've already starting working on that</a> (since the hearth needs to be gone for the new floors) and I'm getting really excited about how this room is going to look. :)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_3220.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/IMG_3220.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo dDSC_0403.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/dDSC_0403.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To the right of the fireplace is this sort of funny nook situation.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo dDSC_0402.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%206/dDSC_0402.jpg" /></div><br />I'm not sure what its purpose was originally, but I like the idea of having a little window seat in the room. We have plans to add shelving in the open space and make it a little reading nook for the girls.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0407.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%206/DSC_0407.jpg" /></div><br />We might also put a small door in on this side of the opening to house all of the tv components. We'll use a sensor to operate the tv remotely, but it will still be nice to have the components handy.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_3240.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%208/IMG_3240.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />Now I just need to round up fireplace inspiration photos. Have you seen anything really cool? We're going to take the firebox all the way to the floor and I want the surround and the mantel to be relatively simple and modern so I can go crazy with the other elements in the room. I have this vision of a concrete mantel that I *think* I could maybe make myself if I could figure out the right mold to use.<br /><br />So, planned changes to the living room:<br /><br />New wood floors (working on those now! what an adventure I have to share with you there!)<br />Walls, ceiling and beams painted<br />Close in the high cut out about the entry<br />Raise the entry - adding an arch with chunky trim<br />Frame out fireplace with wood paneling or just drywall and reconfigure the firebox<br />Figure out a really special mantel that will also help protect the tv from heat<br />Add shelving and a cushion to reading nook in window<br />Long storage piece along east wall for DVDs and VCR tapes (yup- still have and love them) :)<br />Eventually skim coat the walls to remove the texture (this is one of only a few rooms that the previous owner didn't skim coat)<br />New ceiling fan and wall sconces

Valley House Tour: The Living Room

Just on the other side of the foyer , through the archway that we're tearing down , is the living room. The room is long and sort of mak...

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