Friday, January 11, 2013

You are cordially invited to join the decorating committee

But before we start decorating the sunroom, here is a picture of yesterday's progress: 

The framing is done, insulation was placed in the walls, and posts were set for the new garden fence.
Maybe maybe maybe the windows and doors will be delivered today – my fingers are tightly crossed.


Another big part of the project is a brick path from the garden gate up to the new room. My did-it-myself gravel path will not befit the splendor of the new entrance, so I've asked the contractor to add his professional touch.

Anyway, now that the walls of the sunroom are in place, my decorating plans are coming together. I will be using the room as a sleeping porch, satellite office, and casual dining room. So basically I'll be able to do everything I do in the rest of the house in this one small area. Which begs the question, why do I need the rest of the house? I don't have an answer to that, so let's move on.



I'm hell-bent on having a hanging bed in the sunroom. It doesn't have to swing, but having it hang off the ground will make the room easier to clean, and there's something instrinsically relaxing about a bed that floats in the air. The bed on the left retails for the obscene price of $1,500 and I don't want to think about how much shipping would cost. The bed on the right is home-made, I think. My plan is to ask my contractor if he, or someone he can recommend, can build something similar.



For the casual dining area, I think a small (30" diameter or less) round pedestal table with two chairs would work best. I found tables A and B above on Amish furniture sites. I can't handle fake wood, but I'm not sure my budget can handle Amish craftsmanship. Another option is buying a steel table base like C and finding something cool and unique for the top. Once I get the table figured out, I'll worry about two chairs to go with it.




Every sunroom needs a rocking chair, right? I'm envisioning myself rocking back and forth, working and blogging away on a laptop computer...and staring across at the hanging bed and saying screw it, I'm taking a nap. How much actual work will be accomplished in the sunroom remains to be seen.




I will also need two light fixtures: one for above the dining area and one for above the hanging bed. I'm liking these two. The one on the left is a pretty seeded glass; the one on the right is made from one of those antique electric pole insulators. They're similar but not too matchy-matchy, so I think they might work.

I seem to be spending all my free time lately shopping but not buying anything. I need to start making decisions, but I don't want to make the wrong ones. That's where you come in. If you're a Pinterest person, I've got a sunroom board started over there - here's the link - so you can get a better feel for my style, which, if forced to describe, I might call "cowgirl bunkhouse chic." If you're so inclined, send me links, send me pictures, send me new ideas – I'm listening!

27 comments:

  1. Dang it, Carson! Now you've got me wanting to clean off the front porch!!!

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  2. Table issue: Mosaic on plywood. DIY, personal, and durable. All items are available at your favorite Big Box store. There are a million YouTube videos to show you the best way. We have friends who started with mosaic on their roof gardens and soon, it took over all the furniture as well! You could do the logo in the table top! A portrait of a donkey! The gorgeous vista you have. You are limited by your imagination.

    As for the swinging bed--girl, if you can build a CHICKEN COOP, you can build a bed! Start with the mattress and measure it. The most important thing from the contractor is the blocking in the ceiling framing to keep said swinging bed from being the FALLING bed. We mounted 2x12 blocking in between the joists and then lag bolted them in. We have a suspension trainer in the ceiling of our new living room and it would have been bad for it to rip out during use.

    Have fun!

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  3. out of these I would choose, bed on the left, b and c and both these lamps are fantastic. that round table you could build, find a post and put a round circle on it from home depot... i bet someone could build that bed for a lot less than 1500.

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  4. i am back, looked at your pinterest and now who knows, there is so much to choose from YIKES

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  5. Time to start watching those "decorating on a shoe string budget" TV shows, if you ask me.. :) Good luck.

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  6. Now I know that it gets fairly hot and sunny in the summer at your place and I just thought about window coverings for those days or hours you might need to shut out the sun. I can't imagine doing that now in January however July and August is another story. Just keeping up!
    Best always, Sandra

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  7. Ceiling fan? I sure hope so. That's the single most important thing on my sleeping porch and in my sunroom. After that, important to have dimmer on any overhead lighting.

    LOVE idea of hanging bed and agree you could DIY.

    Wanted to write before looking at Pinterest as suffer from sensory overload when thinking about this sort of thing.

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  8. P.S. Canvass drop cloths from Home Depot are GREAT for window treatments and slipcovers and upholstery. VERY durable and very inexpensive. Wash and hang to dry prior to using this way. (I put a long wooden closet pole near my basement ceiling which is wonderful for hanging tablecloths and large pieces of fabric to dry without a ridge like you get when you hang it over a line).

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  9. I vote for Smooch a window seat so she can better do her job of ranch security. As for heat from the windows, there is a film that goes on the glass that blocks the heat and keeps it warmer in winter.

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  10. So many lovely options.....A bed made from an old head and foot board in a cowgirl turquoise distress sounds yummy. I'm building a bench out of a twin headboard from the junk store for my front porch. And I have two of the old glass telephone thingies (they are clear with no color)....they are yours if you want them. And I would say that with all the lovely Mexican tiles that are available close by....a table top out of whole or smashed and reassemled as a mosaic on your steel base would weather well and be gorgeous.
    So exciting. I'm going to your pinterest next.....Oma Linda

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  11. Look for a hanging couch on this gals page.
    http://www.theblueridgegal.com/

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  12. Would it make any sense to put a ceiling fan/light fixture in that room? Air would circulate on hot hot days. Otherwise, the insulator light gets my vote. Ditto metal table base/make your own tabletop. Mosaic would be great looking and fun to make. Maybe you could incorporate part of your bovine skelelton collection in the design. Whatever you do, we all know the room will look spectacular.

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  13. Wow - a floating bed! Excellent idea. It looks like you're already well on your way to having a uniquely beautiful, yet practical new room in your house. I understand the reluctance to take that leap from idea to action. I'm stuck here too and I'm just selecting paint colours.

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  14. The Pioneer Woman site has great-looking hanging bed (search "Home and Garden" for hanging beds, it's in the post about re-doing the girls' bedroom) that were locally built. Probably not cheap, but also not eight states away - only two! :-) Anyway, combines wood with wrought iron, etc. Nice. Have fun! Deb

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  15. Your Pinboard is full of pretty things and lots of good ideas in the comments. I'm still thinking of blocking the summer sun until sunset and moving air. Do you have outlets for stand fans? Maybe matchstick blinds or the kind they have at Cracker Barrel so you can still see out?
    I'm excited for you.

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  16. Seriously, I'd be inclined to hire a decorator. Many you can pay by the hour and they can help you with the choices, and often save you money. They also give you a much better chance of being happy with the finished product, especially when there are so many things going on in that one room. It's critical that it be done right so that it doesn't look busy and clutterd - it's for relaxing - so needs to feel quiet. Love the hanging bed idea. Can't you just take the legs off of a day bed and attach whatever you're goiong to use to hang it with? PS - I am not a decorator: -)

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  17. I'm going to suggest (as others have) a mosaic table top (the DIY variety) but then for the pedastal I would use cholla skelaton's. They are much stronger than you would think, ad a nice rustic look, and it gives you (or it does me) a certain satisfaction to see one doing something besides stick in my dogs, horses, or to my pants leg. It is sort of like taming a wild beast!

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  18. Oh, your new porch is going to be amazing! I love the hanging bed and your choices for light fixtures are stunning. I can't wait to see it come together! Will Wynonna being hanging out with you too???

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  19. Have you tried Jakolope in ABQ or Santa Fe? The one in Cerrillos is huge and there are a ton of kitschy shops along that road!

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  20. I do mosaics, so for the table, I'd have someone make you a mosaic top with the 7MSN logo on it. And don't forget to check out http://ana-white.com/ for DIY plans. Can't wait to see it!

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  21. not on pinterest... so can't help you with ideas.... but I'm thinking a good bottle of Tequila for margaritas or a nice bottle of red wine will compliment any decor; I'll see what I can do :)

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  22. I say go the rustic route; but that is my taste and well you live on a ranch...so rustic it should be! I love all your picks. I vote for the rustic looking swing bed, steel table base, (i like that idea of the mosaic top), the middle rocking chair and those adorable lights. You will need to collect some vintage quilts for sure. That whole room screams cozy...and a portable fireplace.

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  23. You are very capable of decorating this room on your own. If you love the pricey bed best of all, why not get it. You can cut a lot of corners in other places. The table, chairs. Do you insist on having it decorated at one time. Better to just take some time and shop around. Yard sales? My middle name! Cruise some good neighborhoods and see what you can find. Have some fun with this!

    Cheers,
    Jo

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  24. I like either bed, the one looks like its for two and the one on the right is a little smaller. I know you could build one yourself, but having one built would be so worth it!
    I like the black wrought iron base, ( don't want solid wood everywhere) mosaic looked good on the porch before and it incorporates color without being overwhelming. You could pull in color from it or change in the future if you want to. I switch spring and winter, pillows and curtains, from lighter fabrics to warm and cozier.
    Love the lights and that color would look awesome in there.
    I think you are on the right track on your own!

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  25. Rather than a traditional rocking chair, my suggestion is a glider with a matching gliding ottoman. With a glider you do away with the chance of rocking over lovely Smooch's paws or tail.

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  26. I love the lights! I also think the table C with a nice aztex style tile circle home made top would like great...fit in with the home too.

    That is going to be one slick porch.

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  27. Just noticed your remodeling project. For your table, you can buy thick plywood circles from a good lumber yard. They come in different sizes. Go cut a dead tree for the trunk, pedistal for the center. Take a small square board about 12 X 12 and glue bolt it onto the top of the log with good sized square top bolt, screws. Can't remember the name for them. Then glue and screw the board onto the top. The whole key is to make your joints as strong as possible.

    It's really easy to make a brick path. You can get the instructions when buying your bricks. You'll save many $$$$$

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