Design Crisis: Now 100% Internet Syphilis Free

Sorry about all the drama with that login crap on our site... happy to report that is has been fixed up and we are planning to use condoms from now on. Seriously, what is up internet? How come you keep infecting us with your dumb herpes? Turns out the code in one of the pictures we used was pointing to another site. So rude. Anyway, I'm still staring at the fireplace and running through various permutations to determine the most excellent outcome. I had almost decided to tear half of that monstrosity down when Karly rekindled an idea first sparked by this picture:

This is commenter MB From Dallas' gorgeous home (featured in entirety at Head Over Heels -- check out the landscaping!!!). I keep thinking about how that fireplace extends all the way to the ceiling and wishing hoping wondering if I could possibly do that too.

A reminder of the horrifying vision that greets us every day. The ceiling actually keeps going for several more feet up there, so extending the fireplace would be quite a job.

Love the ziggurat of white brick, but I think we'd be better off just continuing the fireplace up in a straight line.

So what do you peeps think? Tear half of the fireplace down? Build it all the way up?

Shake me to my senses and say, "just paint the damn thing already!"?

Monday Non Sequitur Meltdown

Monday, I want to murder you. The time change sucks nuts when you have a kid, our dishwasher is still broken, and I can't for the life of me find the nail clippers. Seriously, how long does it take after moving to get all the odds and ends properly squared away? Last night I had to dig through boxes in the garage just to find my house shoes. I love me some isotoners -- what about it? And to top it off, I am getting some weird blog crap when I log in while using Firefox. Has anyone out there noticed any funny business whilst cruising our blog? Moving on, I'd like to say thanks for all your input about the fireplace. Right now I'm contemplating ripping half of it down (well not me personally, me = proxy = Matt), adding a proper mantle, and painting it white. Or maybe doing this here plaster job that Morgan left in the comments. I'm a little concerned that our floors are too rustic to do anything vaguely rustic with the brick... not that they are crazy rustic they just have a very Euro bare board look, knots and all.

Speaking of, I have found myself staring at the floors and wondering if I should have done this pickled finish instead:

No, right? I would hate it in five years, right????? Please say yes.

I have turned into a babbling idiot because I have too many decisions to make, mainly about the overall direction of this place. I think it boils down to this:

vs this:

Form driven modernist Stilnovo, or a more classically elegant deco look?

I think I have a preference, but I'd love to know what you think.

Whitewash Job

Remember how ugly our brick fireplace is? Of course you do, because that was the last post I wrote (sorry for not updating more frequently -- it really is insane how all consuming moving can be). So, now that we have new living room paint (yay Sanders!) and floors, the fugtacular brick fireplace must be destroyed. Like seriously, I would love to take a sledgehammer to it. Some demolition happy people suggested we rip it out entirely, and we are indeed considering a major overhaul somewhere down the line. But for now, I just need to tone that shit down. Way down. Justin Bieber's publicist down. So paint is the obvious answer.

I'm sure a white painted fireplace would look great (non sequitur sidenote: I totally have that side table but bigger).

Look how easy quirky Miss AB Chao makes it look.

I also like the look of Morgan's charcoal painted fireplace, over at Ye Old Brick House.

But I think what I want is something not quite opaque... more like this:

How cute is that house, by the way?

Or maybe even less opaque, like this.

I don't know. It could turn out super kooky, but I'd like to try whitewashing before I commit to completely covering the brick. I think a lil rustic feel would be a nice foil for all my shiny disco furniture.

What I want to know is: have you ever whitewashed brick? Did you use lime like an old school badass? Because I'm kind of into that idea... did I ever tell you that I used to make daguerreotypes when I was a full time analog photographer? I like chemicals.

If not lime, then what? I don't want a plasticky, hermetically sealed look.

At least not until my chemical laden plans fail on an epic scale.

[Remodelista, AB Chao, Brick House, Blue Rose Gold, Design Ties]