Finishing Up Is Hard To Do

Ok, well it is for me.  The post-reno decorating stops me in my tracks.  Then I'm in denial and I leave it for later.  Which turns into never. 

So why not put the pressure on and schedule get-togethers where people will come see the clutter and exposed wires and empty niches and poorly hung drapes? 

That will light a fire.

Clutter you say?

If there's anything great I can say about our new kitchen is that it's functional.  Wow.  Ikea kitchens are amazing for the organization options.  And I'm all about the organization.

That's my junk drawer on the right.  Junk drawer!  This is heaven compared to what it used to be: a shoebox shoved in a drawer with everything dumped in it.  Now I have a special section for the tape measure...I'm in love!!!

And so are the kids.  They have their own little organized drawer, too.

Moving on to those wires...

Now there's a chandelier in it's place.  Yowza! 

Ok, so this item wasn't hard to do.  It was just delayed a bit.  But getting the fixture and the installation coordinated ahead of company arriving was part of the denial process for me.  I was starting to enjoy the kitchen without the finish.  What hole in the ceiling?

I was skeptical when the fixture first went up - it's the only gold element in a very stainless steel kitchen...!  But the glow from the gold foil inside is perfection.  It's the warmth the kitchen needs.  And it covers the hole in the ceiling quite nicely.

(About the chandelier...it was designed by my friend, Kirsten, who took on the design of our whole renovation.  It was made by the very talented Dean, of Lampcage, in Toronto.)

Next?  Niche!

There was nothing but emptiness and now there's this.  The little 2'x3' space that stressed me out more than most of the renovation.  My goal was to get something gold in here to tie in to the kitchen chandelier...but no clutter and no competition with the walnut. 

Here's why I think what's here works for me: The frame works because it's not wood.  The print works because it's gold.  The candlesticks work because they don't compete and they have texture.  The little guy makes it a group of 3 instead of only 2...and he's kinda interesting & shiny, too.

(The sandstone candlesticks and tealight holder are here.  The frame is here and the print is here.)

Lastly, those drapes.

Here's a brief history.

Move In

First Attempt

Second Attempt

At this point, Kirsten came for a visit and I knew it.  The drapes were not right.  That window is not as big as the wall, nor is it centered.  So those drapes need to go wall to wall.

Fail

We lived like this again for a night because while rehanging the drapes, I lost all will to live.  True story.

Done Forever

But then I figured out how to go wall to wall while still screwing the bracket into the stud.  So I'm still alive and the drapes look much better.  Phew.

There's still more finish to be done in the rest of the house but...wait.  Hold that thought.  I hear the doorbell!