I have designated May to be the month that I take care of things around the house, both inside and out. The garden is desperately in need of weeding, I have a few plants to put in and a few to move around. Must set up for watering as the pots are getting dry between rains. April was NOT as wet as the complainers would like to say it was. When the garden is drooping in April this is a not a good omen for the summer months.
I have some lavender, thyme, and some chrysanthemums and something I can’ remember that need to go in ASAP but must weed first. Some ice plants need to relocate to the front of the beds. The columbine are finally blooming after three years of waiting, they were planted from seed.
Inside I have plans for lightening up the mood. My little place is a duplex but it is also a cottage. Built in the 1940’s there is real pine wainscoting. The bedroom has a pine closet and the cupboards in the kitchen are also pine as are the built ins. Lots of pretty honey colored wood. I have wall to wall carpet in a dark rich green. Very pretty. But my furniture when I moved in was in dark reds and greens and overall the place is just too dark. I have a plan to change that.
Over the course of the rest of spring, summer, and early fall I plan on doing a lot of painting of furniture in pale yellows, greens, and cream. Lots of work. New curtains went in last night and will take a bit getting used to as the rest of the place is still dark. All accents need to lighten up. Table top linens need to be made as well…
The List
- Mantle cloth
- Paint coffee table
- Paint window bookshelves
- Paint jimmy buffet
- Curtains for bedroom
Regarding painting I’m in a quandry. I tend to always get mad at people who paint woodwork and vintage and antique wood furniture. But all of my furniture is dark wood. All of it. All of it (with two exceptions) is vintage/antique. And I want to paint it! I am just so tired of the darkness in my place. I need to sit on my hands for awhile in this case. I think what I really want is to paint the stuff I can’t paint, like the pine paneling and the brick fireplace. What to do…
Stitch Witch Cottage 
When it comes to good wood furniture, remember… paint can ALWAYS come off if you change your mind or want something different later. So, let go and paint what you want. If the place is yours, then you can paint the brick and the paneling as well. I’m pretty sure the paneling will be able to be sanded back to original if it is not a veneer. With the brick, you can always do a little sponge painting to add a bit of highlight or lightness without having to paint the entire thing.
I love redecorating! I’m getting very near the point of wanting to some things around here, but not quite to that point just yet.
Yes, I should have said. That is the problem. It is all veneer.
As for the paneling I am renting. I do not have permission to paint and goddess knows that last thing I would want to do when I’m moving out of a rental is to strip that wood. OMG. I can not paint anything that doesn’t belong to me.
So, I am stuck with painting veneered furniture forever and ever or not.
The other option you have is to cover your walls with fabric hangings. Something like floor to ceiling curtains except it is on the walls and can be removed when you get tired of it. Downside is the expense of using fabric. You can choose to do this on just one or two walls or even just in 1 section of an overly dark part of your room. You would be amazed at how much just a little bit of something that is light can brighten up a room. Even a large mirror hung on a wall can do wonders. Heck, you could even try to find some large canvases and paint them with wall paint and hang them up instead of painting the actual walls.
I considering just that for the closet in the bedroom. My place is so small that it would make it feel smaller to me AND that is simply too much fabric to purchase. Plus it feels too foofy. I’m trying really hard to go towards very simple, not total zen or anything, but defnitely to simplify. In fact I’m probably going to take stuff off the walls and simply that too. I’m feeling claustrophobic is part of the problem. Maybe it would help to just be able to keep the door open… 😉