I (Don't) Know What Boys Like

It's been an eventful, loooooooooong weekend at Casa Erin. Our brand new cast iron sink arrived shattered in pieces, my in laws came to assemble cabinets and sew seat covers for us (yay!), and we found out that we're having a boy. Oh, boy! Now, somehow -- despite my initial instincts -- I had convinced myself I was having a girl, so this was a little shocker. And I hope you won't think I'm a terrible person for saying this, but it's kind of scary. I mean, I know what girls like. We like unicorns and rainbows, purple and pink, and we like glitter. Sparkles rule! But growing up with two brothers has taught me little about boys, except that the rubber wheels on Tonka trucks get excellent traction in long hair, and being drenched by a bucket of cold water is not a nice way to wake up in the morning. Decor for boys? Complete mystery.

For months I have been stuffing the guest room/nursery with thrifty toys, snippets and remnants from other projects, hoping the whole mixture will magically congeal into a happy baby wonderland. Now, I'm confused. Really confused.

Will he appreciate my fondness for precious baby deer, other than to one day see them as dinner?

My dad is seriously going to jump straight out of his Carhart pants when he realizes we're having a boy. He's already got plans to buy baby hunting outfits and tiny rifles. I don't suppose they make pink camo?

And I'm guessing my frilly scalloped pillow shams with mystery messages (anyone speak Vietnamese?) will have to go. I think boys like dragons, but I don't think they like ruffles... unless I get really lucky and have a baby Miles Redd.

Maybe my favorite vintage piggy bank will make the cut. But I don't know about these guys:

I think that coulrophobia is probably gender neutral. The little guy is actually pretty cute, but the fleshy one looks like he hasn't shaved for days and may be hiding a bottle of ripple behind his back.

I wonder if my own little guy will appreciate the stellar deal I got on this gigantic Seguso for Marbro lamp ($25 at a thrift store). Or will it just end up all broken pearlescent glass, smashed into a hot mess by an epic Big Wheels accident?

Anybody want to buy a lamp?

Will he be soothed by the sounds of my Furby, or will he attack it with a hammer, ostensibly to figure out where the sounds come from? Not that I've ever seen one of my precious, precocious brothers do such a thing... (RIP, Happy Apple)

I've been saving these since I was a teenager. Surely everyone loves monkeys and Pikachu? And Kermit? No one likes Miss Piggy, not even girls.

When he's older, will he enjoy the books I have so conscientiously selected for guests? Perhaps I should warn him that some are much better than others.

Or maybe it's best that he find out on his own.

While I struggle with tiny, inconsequential matters -- like how to raise a boy when I myself am completely wang-free -- I thought I'd ask you wonderful readers for ideas on how to decorate the nursery. Here's a few overview images to set the stage:

Don't mind the rolled up carpet and stacked piles of art in the corner; renovations have caused a fair amount of deco shuffling. We'd like to keep the bed and dresser in here, but I was thinking about moving the tall chest into the closet and putting this crib in this corner, so I can easily see it from the door.

This is the only room in the house that still retains its original band-aid beige wall paint (just say no to flesh toned paint!!!), so I definitely plan to paint over it. I was thinking of doing pale gray with black on the window wall, but now I'm thinking of gray all over and painting a colorful super graphic on the wall opposite the bed. I love this post that Molly over at Designer's Brew did for a chill, gender neutral baby room. How would pale gray, aqua, tangerine, and maybe a hint of tomato red look together? Plus black, white and gold as neutrals.

Don't worry -- I will be editing the accessories. Severely. (If you live in Austin, stay tuned for garage sale info!) But, if I can, I think I'd like to keep this guy in the room:

He might just make up for losing the deer.

Ok, readers -- especially those of you with boys -- any sage decorating advice for a first time, shell shocked, mother to be?

And for everyone who perishes the thought of decorating a nursery, not to fear! I'll be back on Thursday with expert paint advice in our very first Ask Sanders column.

But, wouldn't you know it -- all the rooms will be blue.

Floor Story

Our new kitchen floors are finally dry enough to walk on, so I was able to finish documenting this chapter of our epic kitchen renovation tale which began with a dastardly tile floor, crescendoed into a blaze of dust and fumes, and denouemented in a lazy state of vague anticipation which ended with teary eyed appreciation of The Divine Holy Grail finally within our grasp. And also we are glad that the haze of polyurethane no longer threatens to incite hallucinations (for more information, see Tuesday's post). So, without further ado, I present the illustrated and unabridged version of the chapter entitled, A New Floor Means Never Having to Say You're Sorry.

1.1 EXPOSITION

The old floors were a hideous screen printed tile which gave stomach cramps to anyone who happened to glance upon them. The mismatched grout was an eyesore unparalleled by any floor ever before seen. As mistress of the house, the tiles especially vexed me whensoever I was put upon to clean their uncommonly bilious faux marble surface.

Oh! The horror!

1.2 A SURPRISING DISCOVERY

Before the vile tile could be replaced by gleaming new wood, a very unfortunate post in the center of the bar needed to move. A sea of plywood cabinets were demolished to leave space for the work to come.

Much to Ben's surprise, when one cheaply milled, warped pine panel was removed from the post, a Budweiser beer can was found inside. Who had built this house? A tribe of beer swilling uncivilized monkeys? Ben scratched his head in earnest. Obviously he would never do such a thing.

1.3 MOVING MOUNTAINS

Moving a heavy load-bearing post should not be taken lightly, so Ben enlisted the help of his trusted friend, Mattypants, known to many in these parts as "Karly's Husband."

Matt did a fine job of moving said post four inches behind the original, by first installing the new post and then cutting the old one out. We are pleased that the ceiling still stands, and feel lucky that we will have Matt's expert assistance with upcoming kitchen projects.

1.4 A DUST STORM HITS

Once the area was prepared, yon fugly tile was removed by wondrous workers.

We were ecstatic this job was not undertaken by ourselves, as it was a particularly horrible job, which created tremendous clouds of dust.

Despite our best efforts, dust was tracked into the four corners of our house, surreptitiously appearing even in closed bedroom closets.

1.5 RESCUE

At this time, Dean Warren and his magical crew laid a sub floor of 2x4s adhered to the concrete slab by some very stinky chocolate tar. Bundles of our future wood floor were left inside to acclimate to the house.

1.6 TWO ROADS DIVERGED

Once the wood was ready, Dean stapled tongue to groove and created 151 sq ft of gorgeous goodness.

Despite the dangerously upturned nails, lack of sink and stove, and enormous mess, our hearts soared at the sudden realization that the tile was gone, never, ever to return!

And here, the plot thickens (and the wallet thins). Sensing that the road ahead was fraught with perils untold, Ben, as master of the house, put his foot down. To ensure a perfect match, he decided that the old floors must be sanded and refinished along with the new floors. As mistress, my job was to argue against this expensive proposition, but I was overruled.

1.7 BEN WINS

Even our senseless house cat can tell that Ben was right. That's all I'm gonna say about that.

1.8 HAPPINESS, AT LAST

The gleaming new floors were very difficult to photograph, but anyone can see that the new satin stain is delicious, and the marked lack of tile should uplift the hearts of all who gaze upon it.

I would not have chosen this stain color to begin with, but my hand was forced by the nearly 1300 sq ft of wood flooring already in place that I had to match. Sigh. Nevertheless, I am excited by the level of quality and the difference the new floor has made in our kitchen already.

1.9 EPILOGUE

I would like to thank Dean Warren and his crew for their honesty, professionalism, quality and service. After receiving four bids, we were pleased that the lowest bid also came with the nicest person. True to his word, the final price came in on target, and the smile never left his face. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend him to anyone in town.

I promised to give numbers for all souls brave enough to undertake this heroic journey, so here goes: the price for 151 sq ft of tile removal and haul off ($250), new sub floor materials and installation ($185), 151 sq ft of red oak ($300) and installation ($330), and 317 sq ft of sanding and finishing ($730), added up to about $1800. Ouch.

Does it hurt? Yes. We are not wealthy people! But the floors are gorgeous, and I like that our money went to a hardworking person who deserves it. In our troubled economy, it's all about helping out small businesses.

Thus ends this chapter of our adventures in kitchen renovation, but tune in to later chapters where we install cabinets! A sink!!! Countertops! And new paint! It's all DIY from here on out, but with help from multi talented Matt, everything should be smooth sailing.

To be continued...

The Wild World of Wood

It's a woodtastic wonderland here at Casa Erin. The crappy tile has been ripped out of our kitchen and beauteous new wood floors are going in as I write this. Right now we're living in a dust laden war zone, draped in plastic sheeting that has transformed our once innocent abode into a crime scene straight out of Dexter, but I know it's going to be worth it. I'll be sure to do the big reveal when the floors are finished next week, but until then here's a sneak peek to tide you over:

Aren't you jealous? Don't you wish you could wash dishes in the bathroom sink just like me? By the time this adventure is finished, I'm going to weigh 8,000 pounds from eating takeout every day, but that's another story. Today's story is about wood lust, not wood dust.

(Tom Scheerer)

I've always loved wood. In its most elemental form it speaks of the trees from which it was hewn, reminding me of the Pecan Orchard I grew up tending.

Sadly, we did not have giant moose on the farm. This absence remains a travesty of my childhood for which I shall never forgive the latitude of my upbringing.

On the other hand, who needs moose or a farm when one could have a giant shiny faceted end table thingie? I like the way wood softens modern materials and relates interior to exterior, and Suzy Hoodless is a master of that balance.

This cozy bedroom photographed by Annie Schlecter makes me rethink my hatred of the horrid wood paneling trend from the 70s (laminate not allowed!). If I didn't already have wood floors, I would copy this room right down to the hot little pendant sconces. It just looks so enviably clean. And dust free.

(Marie Claire Maison)

Je deteste that table and those chairs, but the knotty pine paneling reminds me of my naughty youth.

And then there's this sexy number found via the inimitable blog, If the Lampshade Fits. Check out that hourglass figure. Hubba hubba!

(Office for Word and Image)

Why stop at wood walls when you can have it all? And by "all," I mean the most amazing house of wood, ever.

This little gem comes courtesy of my super seventies deco bible, Living Spaces, and I love the way the inside connects with the breathtaking views of the great outdoors. Skiing anyone? (I think my unborn fetus is foolishly raising a tiny hand.)

Meanwhile, for some spaces a little dab will do, like this gorgeous Riad in Marrakech. That glossy black door is my new inspiration for our exterior entry, since I now realize it could be fantastic with our rustic split rail fence.

(Annie Schlecter )

Oh, what a feeling... when we're using wood planks on the ceiling. A nice change from the ubiquitous wood flooring, I think. Not that I'm in any position to hate on wood floors right now.

(Office for Word and Image)

Although not the most practical in terms of cleaning, I do love wood ceilings with white floors. It's like the world got tuned upside down.

(Edina Van Der Wyck)

And wood helps to keep white spaces from going sterile, although that table on casters has definite medical potential. And do you see the console table on casters in the background??? I NEED IT. I'm thinking of cultivating a new entirely mobile lifestyle. My kid is sure to love it. Post to come someday.

(Office for Word and Image)

No self respecting post on wood would be complete without a touch of the rustique. While it's not really my style, I do think using logs to create an indoor tent of softly canopied fabric is a pretty genius idea.

This tiny touch of woodsy eye candy comes courtesy of my man, Per Ranung. Is it me, or is there something a bit sinister about those knotted sheets hanging from rafters? That's probably why I like it.

Alrighty friends, It's time for me to inspect our own masterpiece in the making and attempt to contain the dirt damage. I can't wait to give you the full report next week, but until then, Happy Weekend!