Taking Things for Granted

I will often come on to a project and be amazed by the number of decisions that people take for granted. Bedrooms have to be carpeted, bathrooms have to be stone or tile, but this is not always the case. Take the Bathroom above for example, I used a distressed walnut wood on the floor. What could be more luxurious to walk on in the morning? Obviously the first question, is "how do you keep it from getting destroyed?". Well, you do have to be a bit ingenious, in this room, I used marine varnish on the floor, to protect the wood, and then in an especially tough area, just outside the shower, I used a stone slab.

The point of this post is to have you think twice about decisions you make around the house, that you may take for granted, but needn't be that way. Here are some other thoughts, that may help you look at your hose decisions in a fresh way:

• Try using real candles in a sconce or chandelier, the quality of light can be much warmer than what you can ever get from a bulb.
• Use masses of candles in your fireplace, rather than a roaring fire, it will cut down on smoke and make a romantic alternative.
• Use annuals in pots inside the house, instead of cut flowers, they will last longer, and are equally as pretty.
• Use old bath towels to recover your favorite bathroom chair, it will be as comfy as your robe
• When you redo your kitchen, use a wood top on the island, it is softer than stone or tile, and can be a nice old world element in any Kitchen.