Need decorating advice!!

[la_sherazade]

It looks like we're going to start working on clearing out and painting the sunroom this weekend. (My mom will have two rooms completely to herself, the sunroom and the large room behind it.) I've decided to move all my 1950s-era aluminum porch furniture in there (loveseat/glider + 2 rocking chairs), since the dogs and cats can't really hurt it (I

Comments

[la_sherazade]

Oh, no, I have definitely sought out her input. I sent her some paint chips in the mail the other day, and I talk to her about a lot. It's just that she and I both are a little stumped as to how to make it happen. I mean, we have a lot of constraints to work around, so I'm just in search of good ideas. My mom did say that she wants it to feel kind of tropical/Southern in there, so I'm thinking light colors and not too much clutter--think beach house. But I don't want it to be too beige and blah, you know?

[gfrancie]

Maybe some sort of large but spare prints on the walls where the wood paneling is. So you don't have to actually paint it but kind of pull away from it a bit.

[gfrancie]

What about some sort of plexi-glass sheet over the bottom so you can still see the door but the dogs can do their thing?

[la_sherazade]

Yeah, that might be better than metal. I hate having to do it at all, but the doors are original to the house, and I know at her present house, the dogs have really damaged the back door...

[la_sherazade]

I'm wondering if we should get some of her photos blown up large. She is a fantastic photographer.

[webms]

Paint is your friend, and although people always complained when I painted over paneling, they always loved the new look of the room better than it was before. I hate to suggest it because I know it's wood but paint the paneling! White is a great color for a sunroom because you can change up the pillows/accessories and voila! New room. :)

I'd do plexiglass over the door rather than metal, I think it'd be good to protect it.

That was a great idea about the furnishings being cat and dog proof, and it all should pull together well, sanded and painted will give it all a new lease on life. The carpet's nice and steam cleaning should do. :)

[la_sherazade]

Thanks for the advice! Just a note, though--it's actually two rooms. Wasn't sure if that was clear in the post. The front room, the sunporch, has sheetrock and wood walls, not paneling (thank god). It's my mom's bedroom/living room that has paneling. And yeah, I am leaning towards painting it a nice, clean white... (but one with some color in it, I think).

[catsari]

What about a wash, that would let some of the wood grain come through but still lighten it up?

[la_sherazade]

Like a whitewash...?

[gfrancie]

Saw this plate/print and thought of you.

[la_sherazade]

Very pretty! I'm undergoing a temporary buying moratorium, but that's exactly the kind of thing I'm thinking of for the bedroom...

[gfrancie]

They seem to have a boat-load of plates so it should working with your moratorium I bet.
Simple but very pretty stuff.