Painting The First House

Thinking of Making Some Changes

Do you ever feel like this?

Just before we went on holiday I found out that I had it all wrong with the interior of my home. I needed to change it but it felt so much time and effort wasted, I almost felt guilty to all the hard work we had put into it. But I decided after a big swallow that I needed to make things right…

Yvonee has been working on making changes that will make her happy. Can you relate?

Painting the trim is helping in my case. With each room that I finish, I’m more certain that it was the right decision for me. The second floor and the basement are done. Brandon’s office already had white trim when we moved in, and I’ve added the kitchen, dining room, and my office. Soon I’ll tackle the living room and front entry, and the painted trim project will be complete.

Brandon and I have no plans to move right now. The house is always changing in little ways, but I do miss the flurry of new decorating that takes place when you first move into a home. I’ve been thinking about that more and more lately, and I’m coming around to the idea of making some changes. Someone wants to buy my orange Astrid chair, and I’m thinking about selling it and getting this one to replace it. I still think about finding new chairs for the dining room too.

What if I treat this house like I would if we had just moved in?

The color palette of my home has a lot of muted color. Maybe it’s time to go a little more bold? More bright? (I say as I sit in my newly painted muted green/blue/gray office.) I know I mentioned recently that I feel like I need to shake things up a little, and Brandon’s on board too. What do you think?

Sources & Paint ColorsNeed design help? Let's work together.

You Might Also Like...

  • Dee
    July 18, 2011 at 12:23 pm

    Just found your blog, beautiful dinning room, as someone who is also decorating at the moment I will definitely be back for more.

  • Mandy Ford
    July 18, 2011 at 12:30 pm

    I can totally relate to missing that new house decorating frenzy. I got to that point with our first home, and then we moved. :) So now, even two years later, I’m still in that mode again. I have a lot of trim to paint too and need to get to work! Love what you are doing with the house, and I’m all for shaking things up a bit!

  • liz @ bon temps beignet
    July 18, 2011 at 12:31 pm

    I know how you feel! I get the itch to rearrange, redecorate, repaint (the same room for the 4th time in 3 years)… just do SOMETHING. I just rearranged all the furniture in our master bedroom over the weekend. Even the clothes in our dresser got relocated to different drawers. I needed it THAT bad. I blame it on early nesting symptoms.

  • Alison
    July 18, 2011 at 12:37 pm

    Interesting…I kind of feel the opposite. Having lived in 3 apartments in NYC over the last 7 years, I am always looking forward to the point at which I am DONE and can enjoy my space.

    Sure, I want to add things here and there over time, but I find it a bit of a relief to not be running all over the place looking at lamps, or searching for just the right rug, or agonizing over whether to get the Anthropologie bedspread I love or one of the many cheaper knock-offs.

    But I guess that’s why I don’t have a wildly successful decorating blog :)

    • Making it Lovely
      July 18, 2011 at 5:36 pm

      That makes sense. We’ve been here since February 2007, and before that we lived in the same apartment for five years.

  • Jules
    July 18, 2011 at 12:37 pm

    Nester had a great link to someone who one day decided to completely change her home from traditional to modern. And then went and it did it by selling everything she had except a large oil painting. I’ll look for it and email it to you.

    I know you dislike blue for your home–dislike may not be the right word–but I see you moving towards that color. Many of the items you’ve been talking about lately have at least a touch of blue in them.

  • Jill Browning
    July 18, 2011 at 12:40 pm

    I went completely bold (especially with the wall color) in our new home, and I don’t regret it for a second! Bright colors are so exciting to me, but I don’t consider myself a peppy person. If you love that chair, you should get it!!

  • katherine@katherineoliverphotography
    July 18, 2011 at 12:44 pm

    I believe that when you are passionate about interior decorating, it’s your art. You don’t have to stop doing it just because your home is seemingly “finished”. You can always do new projects, you can always have new ideas. It will evolve over time. And just like any form of art, you get better as you go along, you grow…and thus, your tastes change and improve all the same. :)

    • Jules
      July 18, 2011 at 5:14 pm

      I agree. Frankly, I can’t understand people like my mom, who has had the same furniture (all of it very well made, of course), paint, and decor for the last twenty years and wouldn’t dream of changing one thing. Actually that’s not true. Sometimes I go from not understanding her at all to being somewhat jealous of her constancy.

  • Erin
    July 18, 2011 at 12:45 pm

    We have slowly been remodeling our home, a foreclosure we purchased in October of ’07. We’re relatively close to being finished, but as I’m seeing the process draw to a close, I’m already rethinking the things we’ve finished. I would love to repaint most of the rooms we remodeled first. Fortunately we *only* buy furniture secondhand (love craigslist!) so we can switch things out often.

    I can’t stand seeing things stay the same for too long…I’m always rearranging, moving furniture or knick-knacks, which my husband tolerates. He is not too keen on me repainting, though. :)

    • Making it Lovely
      July 18, 2011 at 5:38 pm

      Repainting is a chore. One that I happen to like though!

  • Heidi S.
    July 18, 2011 at 12:52 pm

    I hear you on needing to refreshing the house! We have lived in ours for 11 years now and I am on the second and sometimes third color for each room. I also finally decided to paint the trim white in our bedroom. We have 2 room downstairs that are stained oak and pine (which I am going to leave) but the bedroom trim has never looked particularly good (it has already been stained/painted/stripped/stained in its 120 years) and I am excited about freshening it up!

    By the way, I still admire your clothes closet (we are going to install PAX too). Do you still love it? Any tips with the layout now that you have had them a while?

    http://www.statelykitsch.com/our-bedroom-part-2-the-closets/

    • Making it Lovely
      July 18, 2011 at 5:41 pm

      It looks like you’ve got the closets all thought out! I’m still really happy with mine and the way I set it up.

  • Katie
    July 18, 2011 at 12:54 pm

    Go for it! Not only because it is fun to experiment and will make you happy, but also because I always love seeing your decorating choices. I have learned a lot about decor based on the choices you have made for your home – and I would love to keep learning more!

  • Carla
    July 18, 2011 at 12:57 pm

    I am feeling much the same way. I need a big change with out a big budget or huge effort. Paint seams to be the ticket, if I could just decide on a color! Then maybe the easy to change things like curtains and pillows. With no move in sight, I’m craving change and questioning a lot of my original choices. Nice to know I’m not the only one!

  • GoHausGo
    July 18, 2011 at 1:07 pm

    Go for it! You have fabulous instinct and you should trust those feelings of needing change. Ok, I’m also dying to see that new Anthro chair in your house. I have been since you posted it awhile back!

  • Ryan
    July 18, 2011 at 1:13 pm

    We’ve been in our home for almost 2 years and can completely relate to what you are talking about! And I know my husband is feeling it too because he keeps wanting to knock down walls :)

    I love your color choices so I’m sure whatever you choose will look wonderful!

  • lea
    July 18, 2011 at 1:14 pm

    I personally like bright and bold. I just painted our bedroom this bright green: http://bit.ly/rabxlF

    Definitely not everyone’s cup o’ tea, but it has made our bedroom so fun and lively.

    • Making it Lovely
      July 18, 2011 at 5:42 pm

      That is SUPER bright! Brighter than I’d go, but I’m all for making yourself happy in your own home. Go you!

  • Kathi Sophiea
    July 18, 2011 at 1:16 pm

    I know how you feel! I feel the same somethimes. We moved in our appartement a year ago and we painted all rooms new. but now we paintet the hallway again and I can’t wait do do our bedroom all over again..

  • jen
    July 18, 2011 at 1:30 pm

    Oh yeah – go for the bold! Personally I tend towards the blue family. We bought a new house a year and a half ago and painted EVERY room – lots of them are fairly neutral colors in the gray/green spectrum as well. They work, that’s for sure. My favorite by far though, is the shade of turquoise we used in our bedroom. It’s bold and it looks great with the white moldings around our windows. I think it goes great with the dark wood dresser I inherited from my grandparents and the white fringey bedspread too, and I like to switch out little accessories in red or lime green or tangerine orange. Have fun!

  • Jessica at Lavender and Lilies
    July 18, 2011 at 1:49 pm

    I completely understand. I paint my house constantly. We have lost inches of square footage with the amount of paint I’ve put on the walls. I also love the white trim.

  • katie
    July 18, 2011 at 2:02 pm

    I think we’ve all been there and I can imagine you would feel the “need the make a change” sting more then anyone. I would put a little note on your calendar to revisit this post in 30 days, try not to think about it in between now and then and see how it makes you feel in a month. Your house it amazing, a model home but if it needs a little boldness then you are just the person to bring it, if it’s comfy for the time being, you’ve done great work!!! Either way I’ll be checking in daily to see what happens!

  • Sarah
    July 18, 2011 at 2:07 pm

    I am totally at this point, but I am pretty sure it has more to do with the 13 weeks old gestating fetus than anything else! Suddenly everything in our house should be a different color. If only the baby came with a giant check for redecorating… *sigh*

  • brooke
    July 18, 2011 at 2:11 pm

    Change can be refreshing.

  • Hollyp
    July 18, 2011 at 2:15 pm

    Decorating can be addictive. You get to the point where you need a fix of the high you get from buying or creating something new.

    I’m at the same point, of being nearly all done with my house. This is my 3rd house, and I’ve been in decorating mode for the last 20 years. I’m actually looking forward to being done with everything, and I adore the way my house turned out. However, I’ll need a new hobby to take the place of redecorating!

  • tracy
    July 18, 2011 at 2:16 pm

    BOLD!! Do it!

  • Jill
    July 18, 2011 at 2:16 pm

    I am astonished by this notion of not being happy without buying more and more ‘stuff’. The price of the chair boggles the mind. Oh well, it is good for the economy and certainly a far cry the cutting back we hear many are doing.

  • Kristin
    July 18, 2011 at 2:17 pm

    I have been feeling that exact same way lately. I kept telling my husband if we buy a bigger house now all my problems will be solved. :) not true and being only a family of three our 3 bedroom is plenty big enough. But I just told him I want to decorate and change things so I absolutely love them. I think it’s the decorating itch since I no longer have my decorating business since my son was born! Have fun! I am a firm believer in the fact if your not happy in your home than no one will be.

  • Cathie
    July 18, 2011 at 2:17 pm

    I’m also in a decorating dilemma. I really want to paint, change out the curtains and strip and repaint some of the furniture in our master bedroom. We’re also contemplating building a new house in the next 1-2 years. Is it worth the time/money/energy? Or should I just wait for the next house? I’m still undecided.

    sustainingmama.blogspot.com

  • Querencia
    July 18, 2011 at 2:19 pm

    Not knocking anyone else’s suggestions but I think you’re in many ways in a league of your own with decorating and home styling. You already are highly aware of and write a regular feature about Making It Yours and you seriously OWN your style. You’re beyond the point of switching out where things live in your home and mixing it up for a change of scenery. I think it makes sense.. You’ve owned your style for years now and in that time your life has changed. It’s not that I don’t think you could maintain that beautiful light look or that your ventures into bold or brighter would ever devolve into a plastic primary Toys R Us toy explosion but a brighter look with the active little people who are a huge part of your life seems natural. I also think you’re going to grow and evolve style wise even if every single poster cheered for you to Nooooo Don’t do it. But I’d guess your style really will evolve.. holistically and naturally. My guess is you’d go bonkerz either trying to do it all at once or having one room so disparate from the others that there was no flow. And you wait for what you really want, not bending to trends constantly but acquiring the pieces that already fit your aesthetic. I’m saying your home will continue to change and it’s the backdrop for EVERYTHING you do and comes across as nearly another family member that supports everything everyone does. :) family, friendships, play, work, inspiration. That’s my total overstepping of looking at someone I don’t -really- know but just read what you are willing to share over the years with your many appreciative readers. Yours is one blog i ALWAYS read because you are one of the bloggers who is so SURE and consistent with their aesthetic vision. Just because your aesthetic evolves … My guess is the underpinnings and foundation of your decisions will remain and I will continue appreciating how you stay consistent with the eye that sets your work apart as yours and unique. Cheers with however you go.

  • Jessica
    July 18, 2011 at 2:25 pm

    I’m totally in change-up mode right now – spurred by moving my son into a big boy room and changing the nursery for a little girl. When I start making a few changes suddenly I want to change everything! And I’m also thinking I’m ready for something bright and little more modern. I have lots of tan, brown, black, gray – classic, but boring – I thinking orange!

  • Querencia
    July 18, 2011 at 2:26 pm

    Holy cow! I’m so sorry. Usually there’s a limit on length!! That needs to be deleted I think. figured I couldn’t have written that much if I didn’t hit the limit!!!

  • Beth C
    July 18, 2011 at 2:40 pm

    I understand how you feel. We’ve been in our house for seven years, and while it’s mostly done, there are still things I want to change. Last year we got new living room furniture, redid the office, and updated the bedroom. Now I’m itching to tweak (but not totally redo) the dining room.

    I also want to update the kitchen with new counters and backsplash, new lighting, a new sink and faucet. And maybe add some windows to bring in more light. But I don’t know if it’s worth doing any of that in this market. Maybe it’s better to stick with buying things we can take with us if we ever move.

  • samarahuel
    July 18, 2011 at 3:00 pm

    The way Yvonne verbalizes it scares me a little, speaking of a home’s decor as being “wrong” or “making it right.” I think it could be easy to put too much weight into material things and the way your home looks, I’ve gotten caught up in that myself and have only made myself miserable and more and more discontent. But I don’t think there’s anything wrong with change, and continuing to tweak your home to make it a reflection of your heavenly home. I know that sounds annoyingly religious and I cringe to say it, but honestly I believe that is the only motive I can be at peace with when I’m decorating. OK, that sounds religious too…I hesitate to go on. What is a reflection of your heavenly home? A haven for family and guests, which includes keeping things clean and organized enough to function there and also feel relaxed. It’s good to have nice things to look at, and to spend money that you can afford on things that are of good quality and design. (I’m convinced that heaven, and in fact churches and temples, are built beautifully to give honor to God, who is ultimately glorious and deserving of the most gorgeous surroundings.) If I slip into an attitude of superiority though, I think it can have the opposite effect, and I never want to have the majority of my home be untouchable for my kids or make my guests feel like they are inferior. So, there is a balance. I’m lucky now in that we are renting, so every home I’ve had has gotten a big decorating rehaul, and I haven’t yet experienced that guilt of revisiting “finished” things, because there is still so much that needs help to begin with. Also, I’ve been really happy with the projects I’ve completed while nesting, but if I don’t have my dream home by August, when this baby is due, I think I will still be content. Little things will get done here and there in the months to come, but for the most part I think I will be too busy admiring (and holding, and changing, and feeding, and entertaining…) my new little one to notice the imperfections of the things around us.

  • K
    July 18, 2011 at 3:01 pm

    For eight years we lived in a mid-century 1100 sq-ft bungalow and when the kids came, things started to get tight. I often would take on a room (or several) and rethink the whole space. Move all the furniture out and try again. Set a budget and buy some new things to make it feel new. I loved it–would highly recommend.
    And as for grey–I just painted every wall in my new home the most lovely shade of of soft gray. And it in now way stops the house from looking bold–gray is a great background for so many brilliant color options. Enjoy.

  • amanda
    July 18, 2011 at 3:25 pm

    isn’t the issue really just money? once you decorate your house it’s hard to keep re-decorating for financial reasons.

  • Heather Banks
    July 18, 2011 at 4:07 pm

    I feel the same way – I think us creative types are sometimes cursed with the needs to keep changing and creating, to the dismay of our wallet sometimes…but hey, paint is cheap, right?

  • Audra's Ally
    July 18, 2011 at 4:08 pm

    I feel your pain. I just posted a project on painting trim in my hallway. It’s so much better after! Keep up the momentum. :)
    -Audra

  • Lauralou
    July 18, 2011 at 4:10 pm

    Check out Susan Sargent’s The Comfort of Color, or any of her books for that matter.

  • Molly
    July 18, 2011 at 4:59 pm

    I found your website when I was looking for opinions about painting the oak trim in my house. Your post about painting the wood trim in your house convinced me, and I’ve been reading your blog ever since! Painting the trim white made a huge, wonderful, bright difference. Best decorating decision I’ve ever made!

  • nanne
    July 18, 2011 at 5:01 pm

    this is one of the curses of being a compulsively creative person–you can always see what could be. so many, many possibilities! your house looks great, but it would be interesting for your readers to see ongoing changes…might not be great for your marriage :) !

    i’m the same way, but it’s very cyclical for me. in the winter, when i can’t get outside, i obsess over what i could do in the house.

    in the spring, summer & first of fall, i take all of that creative craziness outside and focus it on my gardens, landscape & home exterior. plants are much less expensive than tearing down walls! the holidays bring on decorating frenzy….

    i look forward to whatever you do, your taste is unique & lovely.

    nanne in columbus, indiana

  • Amy
    July 18, 2011 at 5:06 pm

    DO IT! Of course, this is coming from someone who wants to change everything the second we’re “done” with a room!

  • Ali
    July 18, 2011 at 5:34 pm

    I say go for it! And of course I add…that I’ve been pondering the same thing! All my walls are a pale blue gray color and I’m wanting something different! Not sure what’s next for me but, I’ve been thinking a lot about a change!

    ~ Ali

  • Emily Anne
    July 18, 2011 at 6:25 pm

    Feel free to shoot up Oak Park Ave. to my house on Linden if you are itching to redecorate! We’ve been here a year and a half and I’m still not sure what to do with the first floor. It’s not a typical Oak Park house. The strange (but ostensibly workable) 1950’s layout and random window placement are really stumping me. This heat is also not good for inspiration, but I remain hopeful!

  • Naomi Bulger
    July 18, 2011 at 7:16 pm

    I completely understand! When we bought our 100 year old house in Enmore last year, I went crazy with the nesting/decorating. Then we had to move away for my husband’s job, and we’re in a rental. It’s the WORST not to be able to paint or redecorate. I substitute by moving the furniture around every other day to get it “just right,” creating hazards for anyone needing to get up in the middle of the night.

  • HannahJ
    July 18, 2011 at 8:23 pm

    I say Shake it baby Shake it!
    For me, color always livens things up- and regardless of how neutral I think I want in my mind- my heart always brings me to color- it makes me happy:) Give it a whirl!
    and I totally hear you on the trim paint- although tedious- it makes SUCH a difference!

  • rachael
    July 18, 2011 at 8:43 pm

    the second i paint trim in a room, i immediately love it. it makes the room feel so much more modern.

  • Bring Pretty Back
    July 18, 2011 at 9:13 pm

    Shake things up girl!!!!!!! YES!
    I just painted my entranceway HOT pink and white – and it is amazing! You wouldn’t believe the compliments I get~!
    When I said hot pink – my friends almost fell over. I didn’t care. I wanted hot pink.
    Guess what I am doing this weekend… painting the walls white – and one wall the same hot pink. Right now the walls are a dark beige.
    Go for it!
    Have a PRETTY day!
    Kristin

  • Nick Klaus
    July 18, 2011 at 10:24 pm

    I know the feeling. I’m at the stage where I’m going to be done with decorating my apartment very soon. Once that hits I’m going to be confused because there really isn’t anything left to do, but I still want there to be things to do.
    In any case, I’m really looking forward to the relaunch of pink loves brown. That’s a great outlet for those creative juices.

  • joy
    July 18, 2011 at 11:16 pm

    I have a six week old and I’ve been dying to do SOMETHING. Today I tore out all the old wallpaper in a spare bedroom…it feels GOOD. :) Now for the painting….that will probably take me the next two months….

  • melani rae
    July 19, 2011 at 3:14 am

    When ever change is an option I always say ‘go for it.’ But that is because I THRIVE on change.
    We just renovated our kitchen which turned into changing other parts of the house as well, and it felt great to freshen it up.

    (and now I have an excuse for house re-warming party:))!

  • erin
    July 19, 2011 at 6:51 am

    We moved into our house 2 years ago and haven’t finished painting our main floor yet…and I’m already wanting to change what we HAVE painted.

    Right now we have slate blue walls in the kitchen, but i either want to go to an inkier slate blue or a fuchsia-y purple. I think a purple kitchen (although it would be hard to get the shade right…as with every color!) would be fun to be greeted by in the summer (we enter here), but the inky blue would look so nice in the winter (against the panoramic snowy landscape). So I can’t decide.

    We don’t have many warm colors in the home, although I do like warm colors in other people’s homes. For me, they are too busy and chaotic. But now I’m onto the thought of chocolate browns and khaki tones….

    My husband doesn’t really get why I want to change it. I may have to cram it in the next time he goes on a business trip. ;)

  • Alison
    July 19, 2011 at 6:55 am

    Not sure if you’re pondering going bolder with color through wall color or fabrics, accessories, etc. In case you’re thinking wall color, you might want to think about the impact bolder color on the walls could have on your photography… think color casts and white balance issues. : ) I have tons of color and crazy patterns in my house but am keeping the walls mainly white (for now) because of my photography hobby/obsession.

  • marlene
    July 19, 2011 at 7:06 am

    oh man. if your buyer for that astrid chair falls thru, i am here for you! man i love that chair :)

  • kelly
    July 19, 2011 at 7:55 am

    I think its only healthy to crave change. As people we are ever evolving, and its insane to think that what reflected our style and needs at one point in our lives will continue to do so as our lives themselves change. I personally think that it is absurdly hard to resist that desire when design happens to be a key element of your career and life. When we spend a significant amount of time immersing ourselves in all the beautiful ways that others have and are interpreting interiors–its hard to resist that urge not to want to reinterpret those ideas and concepts ourselves. I say, embrace the desire to do something different and let your style evolve into its next phase!

  • itziar
    July 19, 2011 at 8:39 am

    It is great to have a plan always in your mind, I have living in my home for 4 years and we are thinking about changing the chairs of the dinning room, the color of the front wall of this room and redecorating one the bathrooms… And as we will live here for some more years, sometimes we call to ask for apartments we see on sale, apartments out of our options! But we dream about living on them…

  • jamie
    July 19, 2011 at 11:55 am

    I just got married and my husband moved into my house… so I have also considered treating my house as if it were a “new” house to us but it just seems so daunting! Good luck to you in your quest to freshen things up – although I think your house looks amazing already. :)

  • Megan @ Are We Wed Yet
    July 19, 2011 at 1:00 pm

    This is exactly how I feel right now!!! I’m right in the middle of revamping our apartment and it feels like I’m taking forever just because I’ve already done this once. I feel a smidge guilty for the time wasted but I know the improvments are going to be so worth it. So, I push on! :D

  • Sarah Hettervik @ http://agirlintransit.blogspot.com/
    July 19, 2011 at 3:30 pm

    It’s always nice to give a home a good face lift every so often =)

    – Sarah

  • jen
    July 20, 2011 at 3:47 pm

    Went home the other night and got my new issue of Real Simple out of the mailbox. You may want to check it out – the letter from the editor is about ‘chromophobia’:) I don’t think that’s exactly what you’ve got but this issue is sure full of color!

  • Livermore CA drapery furniture paint consultation upholstery creative interior designer
    July 22, 2011 at 1:55 pm

    I think changing up a room or home is a great idea. It can never hurt, and I think simply just painting the trim is a great place to start. Good luck!

  • Heather
    July 22, 2011 at 11:41 pm

    I took a few days to post but this has been in my mind mulling it over as I often feel the same way about craving change in my surroundings. And I do think if you’re sort of hitting your 30s especially and have moved every few years in your 20s, it can be hard when you find yourself staying in a home and settling down with a family. I think a huge part thought too may be the family – kids are awesome, mine have just turned 5 and 3 but they come with all this constant consumption and repetition – you cook, it’s eaten, you clean, the toys reappear, etc. – and often making changes around the house or sewing, knitting, whatever becomes this lifeline because the end product is not instantly consumed. You actually have something to show for your time besides the two growing little angels at your feet. I find myself though sometimes feeling dissatisfied with home or making a sewing to-do list a mile long when it’s really the tedium of some days that I should really be focusing on changing or improving or myself for that matter (there are more than a few pounds of baby weight still left to lose all these years later). So, for what it’s worth, I think you should change up whatever you like in your space to make it comfortable to you but pause for a moment at least to make sure those changes are the ones you really want to be making. Or is it finding new ways to adjust to this new phase of life and motherhood. Honestly, I wish I had spent a little less effort and money on home improvement and a little more energy on me and the kids and improving our quality of life.

  • Kirsten
    July 25, 2011 at 4:41 pm

    My mom has lived in a house with all-white walls for 10 years. This summer she finally had the living room, dining room, bedroom, and two bathrooms painted in pretty bold colors. She is positively giddy about it. A couple times I’ve caught her accidentally calling it “her new house.” Change is good! :)

  • Changes in the Living Room | Making it Lovely
    September 28, 2011 at 12:43 pm

    […] room had stayed fairly consistent over the last five years. I still like the room, but I had been feeling the need to shake things up a bit. So I’ve been making some […]

  • Vivian Rippy
    May 7, 2012 at 11:23 am

    So glad I stumbled on your site!!! The wood in your home looks a lot like mine!! I have stripped a builtin hutch in my dining room and the fireplace in the living room. All the wood is different in every room and I have been scared of comminting the ultimate “sin” by painting it. Thanks for your inpiration!!