When I signed off from this past fall's One Room Challenge
library/dining room, it was with the herringbone insert I had planned not quite finished, laying on the floor. Well, it's finally in! (Again, thanks to
Linda because I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be if it wasn't for the ORC Now follow-up) Notice all the little triangle bits of wood on the right? There's a way to avoid that and it has to do with better planning the size of your wood pieces in relationship to the opening but that's one of those "When I do it next time…" Which of course, in this case, there won't be a next time. Anyway, you'll also notice I've added in two green and white chinoiserie ginger jars and elevated one of the moss balls.
Right now the insert is raw wood and I've been on the fence about giving it a light weathered gray wood stain. So I would love it if you'd leave a comment -
Stain or No Stain.
As a reminder here's the before picture.
Update on
THE FLOORS
If you remember from last time, I really fretted about having painted my floors white. Well, now I LOVE them. I think it has to do with a few other changes I've made to the room. As soon as I have those ready for prime-time, I'll put up a post.
Now, be sure to head over to the
One Room Challenge Now where I'm betting you're going to find a lot of great updates. I mean, have you ever met a blogger that doesn't keep changing things?
.jpg)
.jpg)
.png)
.jpg)
29 comments:
I still love the brightness that the white floors add and the green color is so pretty. I vote for a subtle stain to knock off some of the rawness of the wood. But I have been know to paint or stain just about anything so take that with a grain of salt ;)
Fabulous, Michele!!! I've been waiting for your follow up. I say: stain!!! It will soften the insert. Beautiful!!
Good for you for following through on your intended project. I really like the herringbone--perhaps, instead of staining or painting them, you could apply liming wax? It would be a nice soft white to complement the floors and mantel.
Great work, Michele!
Love this Michele! I agree with Ashley...try the liming wax....it might bring out the grain in the wood. Otherwise I would use a wood stain because it always add warmth to a room....
I vote for staining the wood. I am loving your mantel decor, especially the green and white porcelain.
I love the herringbone wood natural colored, possibly with a clear coat to deepen it a tad. Those green chinoiserie jars are gorgeous Michele! You did a fabulous job. Yes, we are all fickle decor changers in this world, and I love it! xo Nancy
It looks fabulous Michele, I love the texture it adds and vote for stain as well!
I suppose some mathematical person has this herringbone thing all figured out. I love it! I like the idea of liming wax. I have used it and was happy with the results. I want white floors. Lovely room.
I really love it, Michele! I don't know that I would stain it ... I like the look. Maybe if anything a bleaching or liming to knock some of the orange out of the wood and have it relate a little more to the floor. It's gorgeous though. I emailed you a day or so ago about the DC trip. Talk soon!
xoxo,
A
It does make the room complete Michele! Beautiful room!
Wow! I'm loving the green additions! The herringbone looks amazing too. Yes, peer pressure can be a good thing I suppose.
Gorgeous! I vote for stain.
Stain! I love the green and the jars! I think adding a subtle stain would add some depth. Just for the record I love your marble footed bowl.
:)
Sharon
I would stain them a dark dark gray to give it the appearance of depth.... looking good!
Stain!! Although I love your room either way...
I LOVE this insert ... Stain it, YES!! I think it would add such depth! xo
I think the insert looks great and I vote for the stain!
I think I am the only one that votes no stain, but no stain. I love it like it is. It adds such a great contrast. Great to know about the floors. I've always wondered about them.
I love your floors! Don't second guess them! Wow tackling that insert looks like something I would not be good at! Luckily you figured it out and it looks great!
I love that it looks fabulous!!!
Gorgeous! Love the herringbone. I vote with the 'stain' folks.
It looks stunning. Love the ginger jars.
I vote for stain.
Thanks for sharing.
Hope to see you on my blog:)
Love it! Very dramatic. Stain it.
Vera
Gorgeous room, Michelle! Your fortitude is inspiring. I vote for staining the insert to help it blend with the white wood / trim in the room.
Deborah
I think a stain would look amazing. The herringbone turn out perfect! Do you mind sharing what color green that is in your fab room?
Hi Michelle.
The pattern & texture of the herringbone are a great, but the rawness of the wood looks, well... unfinished as it is. Pity, that, when you've put so much work into it. But those Bermuda triangles on the side? Oh, well. Swear to your friends that they were there the other day.
OK, onward to your question: which direction to go? Obviously, painting your insert white to match the floor & fireplace is out because the insert needs have some contrast with the mantel. But staining the herringbone gray will kill the cool, fresh vibe you have going on. The green is great, and I won't ask what it is because if you're like me, you mix up your own colors and have them matched.
Now I love the conversation between the various greens on your walls, in your vases & in the topiary balls. It's lots more interesting this way than it would be if everything were a perfect match in color. It's also more interesting than if the contrast were obvious & punchy--say, coral, or pink accessories. There is a time for subtlety.
Anyway, what if you took that mix of greens as your cue, & used several closely-related colors of green stain (of a slightly darker tone than your walls), and applied them randomly to the individual pieces of wood so that each one was slightly different?
A hundred years ago, Louis Sullivan was the first to popularize the use of what he called 'tapestry brick' to enliven a surface that, at first glance, reads as a single, uniform color.
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/363525001143984171/
Having fallen out of favor 75 years ago means that approach hasn't already been done to death on all the blogs. In fact, I've never seen it done before. I've certainly never done it before. But now I'm going to. But you could be the first!
OK, here's a green-skewed version of Tapestry Brick, courtesy of Artweaver
http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/6f/45/dc/6f45dce4e48afe19dd3b1368ebfd78b2.jpg
that is absolutely magnificent Michele! i love it
You did it!! Love the insert! I don't even want to fathom the amount of work (and math) that went into it! My vote would be a light stain and the liming wax idea sounds interesting as well... BTW, love the painted floors and the g&w jars!!!
Post a Comment