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Sunday, February 8, 2015

Weathered wood.

I love the look of weathered wood in a white room, and now that
our kitchen is sort of whitish, I've been looking to add a few wood accents to
warm up the space.  I wanted an architectural piece to hang over one of the doorways,
and I found just the thing..........


Love!


I have no idea what it was in its former life, but it's the perfect size
 to fill the space over the doorway into the dining room.



I also found this vintage souvenir plate.....


  Spomin iz Slovenije translates to Memories from Slovenia, the country from which
 my great-grandfather (my Baba's father) emigrated.   It's got a pretty woodburned
 and painted picture surrounded by a border of hearts.
  Perfect for Valentine's Day!

My other plate comes from the same region, so it seems I've
got the beginnings of yet another collection.  :o)




Since we're on the subject of wood, the tongue and groove planks are primed,
 permanently adhered to the wall, and trimmed out to hide finish the edges.  Whew!

I was all gung ho and ready to plank the entire house,
but my enthusiasm has waned after this little project.

One of my least favorite things to do is caulk, and there was lots of caulking
involved in this process.  It was nerve-wracking trying to fill the little spaces
above and below the quarter round without smearing caulk all over the tile and the planks.



Then there are all the holes to fill where the knots have fallen out.

Thirty-one holes!

I've got the old warped cabinet shelf propped up so I can play with dishes and accessories.
  The cart before the horse decorating style in play again.
 
The bracket installation should be a snap, but wouldn't you know,
there isn't a wall stud in the location where I wanted to install the brackets on the right.
So, we had to drill half inch holes to insert toggle wall anchors
strong enough to carry the weight of the dishes.
I repeat, big holes in the newly installed wood planking.
Then there's the problem of finding heavy duty bolts to fit the metal hanger on the brackets
and pull the bracket snug against the wall.  We're still working on that.  ugh


Do you  have any idea how much a stack of 12 dinner plates weighs?



18 3/4 pounds!!!!!


The whole set weighs about 55 pounds (and I think we can add a few more pounds
 of vintage accessories I'll be trying to cram on the shelves), so I want to be sure
 the shelves are secure and my dishes don't come crashing down onto the tile floor.



I also found one more wood item for just a few dollars.

Adorable, don't you think?




Mystic Weather Forecaster will join my collection of souvenir chalet music boxes
 in bedroom number 3 when I get around to making a display shelf for them.
After the kitchen is done, that is.


Work in progress.

The planking will remain primed until I repaint the cabinets and decide on a wall color.
  I don't want to muck up the planks with too many coats of paint,
and I sort of like the whitewashed look for now.

If (and it's a big if) we tackle this project and it looks somewhat professional,
it will be a miracle.  A miracle performed by 2 homeowners who don't have a clue
 what they've gotten themselves into.  I say we, but the blame rests entirely on my shoulders
 for opening this particular can of worms.



That's another fine mess you've gotten us into!!!


source
(I'm on the left and I've had that look on my face since I started this fiasco.)


My ideas are much more grandiose than the skills I possess to actually tackle the job,
but that hasn't stopped me yet!  So tell me, have you opened a can of worms lately?

Thanks for visiting!
Vickie


* I'm joining the parties at:
Mod Mix Monday
Tweak it Tuesday
Vintage Inspiration
What's it Wednesdays
Share Your Cup Thursday
Sundays at Home 

48 comments:

  1. I am in the same place! We just painted all our kitchen cabinets white and have a very light counter so I am adding in dark baskets, wood dough bowls etc. for some warmth. I love the pieces you showed...so unique! I love your style!

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  2. I was waiting for this post. It can be frustrating! My husband and I tiled the kitchen floor and thank goodness our neighbor helped us with measuring and cutting the tile. The one thing I regretted was painting our kitchen cabinets green. A pretty green from Martha Stewarts collection. White would have been a better choice. Need to repaint them. Nuts! Love your warm woods and I am too, Laurel. Kathleen in Az

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  3. I don't know what that piece was for, either, but it's fabulous. And your weather forecaster chalet!!! Love. Love. Love.

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  4. I love your finds, Vickie...the wood piece looks great with ironstone! The little weather forecaster is too cute! I can tell your kitchen is looking awesome! The paneling is beautiful...can't wait to see your reveal. Yes, I've opened a can of worms...repainting and lightening up our big entry and stairway...big job and stuff is piled up everywhere. I'm too old for this.

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  5. Great finds. Love that wooden piece with the little white pitchers on it. It looks perfect above the door. Paneling looks awesome. One thing certainly leads to another, doesn't it?

    Judy

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  6. I totally LOVE the architectural piece, love the breadboards and the little green shelves too.

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  7. Love the warmth the wood finds are bringing to your pretty kitchen!
    I also love that you started another collection, by accident...haha!

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  8. Love the white pitchers on the weathered wood piece!!

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  9. It all looks good. I like all the little wooden accents.

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  10. Vickie, I'm in love with that weathered arch piece!! I too, love natural wood with white...a beautiful contrast, The vintage souvenir plate is adorable. The mystic weather forecaster is sooo unique!! Would you say it's Folk Art?? I had the same concerns when Ken put up the shelving with dishes being so heavy.....TRUSTING became even more important. I had a great laugh at the Laurel and Hardy pic?! Too funny~~Your kitchen is looking fabulous and I know the finished product is as beautiful as the rest of your home~~~Blessings~~~Roxie

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  11. Wow, you are one brave woman, and with great risk comes great reward. Your kitchen looks totally different, and I love what you're doing (I liked the before too). I'd never have the nerve to start something like that because I wouldn't want to be the Laurel. I want to be Hardy! The toggle thing would have me running skeered,I have to admit, and even if I did have the nerve to start that project, I think that's where I'd call in the big dogs. I know how heavy plates can be (I'm surprised my entire cabinets haven't fallen off the walls), and I've had stuff crash just trying to stack the shelves.
    Your latest collection is too cool - the plates are perfect for your heritage and that weather forecaster is a hoot. Does it work? Lurve (!) the wooden rack over the door and the whimsy associated with the pitchers dripping over heads as they pass through.

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  12. Your kitchen looks very cozy. I come up with all these ideas that require putting weight on the wall, then I back out because of the reason you stated!
    Brenda

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  13. You've done a fantastic job, Vickie...I don't think it has exceeded your abilities. You're quite handy, if you ask me. Love the wooden accents around...my favorite is the one over your door with the hooks.
    Mary Alice

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  14. I commend you for even thinking of such a project. It's going to look great when you are all finished, and your fabulous collection of vintage items is going to look like they belonged there from the start. I still love the plank wood on the walls. It's so in right now too.

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  15. I think you were so right to open that can of worms, soon you'll discover they are actually catterpillar and will be transformed into butterflies. I know very well that every time I begin a project I think "why did I even try it?" because beginnings are always ugly.
    I'm in love with that piece of wood architecture above your door.

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  16. You had me feeling bad for you and chuckling at the same time. Such a lot of hard work involved here...love your wooden finds and that weather forecaster piece is just adorable!

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  17. The would planks are beautiful, they add so much character to your kitchen! I think you've done a great job. Love all the rustic wood additions too.
    Sally

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  18. Yes! I can relate to opening a can of worms. That's what has happened with our bathroom remodel. Once you open that can, you can't go back either. LOL! I love your new planked walls in the kitchen. i think that is such a good look. I wish my foyer had planked walls. But, that will never happen as it would be too big of a project. I will just dream though. I love the cute wooden accessories you've found as well. They look like they will be perfect in your home.

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  19. I really like the whitewashed look!

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  20. You go girl! You scored some great finds. Love how you used the wooden piece with the little white pitchers on it. Perfect spot for above the door. I love the paneling and like the whitewashed look. I'm not matchy matcy kind of girl and think it gives more interest to the room. It's a domino effect, I know!

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  21. Love your finds and it is great that they having meaning for you. That's always special to me. Love t he look of the whitewash. Caulking is never fun, bravo.

    Cindy

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  22. My worms have been opened and closed and opened again. I have a chair that I am reupholstering and I have NO SKILLS in that areas. At all. LOVING the new planking!!!

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  23. Your kitchen is looking fabulous, but I totally understand the frustration with DIY stuff! Love your finds, especially the over-the-door wood piece.

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  24. The picture of the vases hanging on that wooden wall piece is so elegant! I love that look. Great post (:

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  25. Hi Vickie, LOVE your weathered wood with white and what an interesting piece over the doorway with the white pitchers. Your kitchen looks amazing. The plates from Slovenia are beautiful. My parents had a forecaster very similar and it really was pretty accurate.
    I've done my share of chaulking too and it's not one of the fun projects. All your work is outstanding.
    Hugs, CM

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  26. Ha! Well it's looking beautiful already! You are brave, wish I had the guts to add planks,or trim.You may not seem like you know what you are doing...but it sure looks like you do :-) Love your little accents already and that sweet arched piece is a wonderful find and perfectly placed.

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  27. I like it whitewashed, but I think you are right to wait until you decide on the cabinets. Because painting it is tons of work too. Our kitchen was ugly, and I still can't believe we did it. I agree with Magali; it will be a butterfly.

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  28. The kitchen is looking good Vickie...And I love the wooden piece over the door...it's perfect there. Hubby and I will be opening a can of worms soon too. T.V. room redo including DIY wall to wall shelves and barn style door...Yikes! Wish us luck :-) Wishing you a wonderful week.

    Hugs,
    ❤️Ana

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  29. I love seeing the additions to your collections, and I love the hanging pitchers on your new wood piece over the door. Such a pretty combination. Your planks are looking awesome, and I totally sympathize with you over drilling holes in something you've worked so hard on! As far as your shelf for the heavy dishes, I wonder if it would make it stronger if you added a horizontal strip/piece of wood against the wall beneath the length of the shelf that's screwed into both a couple studs and the shelf itself. It would give you more leeway on the stud locations. I have no idea if that makes sense (and I call myself a blogger! :)) Anyway, everything looks wonderful, and I can't wait to see it all done.

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  30. your kitchen peek looks fabulous, vickie!! (my whole kitchen just has primer on it so far) i think you and your husband's remodeling talents are awesome! LOVE the wooden piece holding the pitchers! and the weather forecaster and plates fit perfectly into your decor:) i specialize in "cart before the horse decorating":)

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  31. Fabulous! Go ahead and plank your whole house! I also love the whitewashed look so that'll be nice to live with while you decide on your cupboards. Well done you! x

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  32. Perfect piece of weathered wood! Love it with your ironstone collection. The new plate is darling and goes so well with your other one. The little music box is another perfect for you find! Caulking is not fun! I know just what you are saying. Dishes are heavy. I have a lot of seasonal dishes stored under my island. I try to keep plates out of the middle. They make the shelf sag.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  33. Vickie, I love the piece you found for above your doorway! The souvenir plate and the weather forecaster are so sweet! Your kitchen is going to look so great! Happy Valentine's Day!

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  34. Great finds! I too despise caulking. That's why I make my hubby do it. I do the painting though. He also hates the caulking. I think it must be universal. In our last house we had panels done in our dining room and he caulked them with caulk that wasn't paintable so all the paint would just bead up on the caulk. It was a nightmare. He had to dig out all the caulk and recaulk with PAINTABLE caulk. He was less than enthusiastic. You can be sure he now double checks the label whenever he buys caulk.

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  35. I love caulking, maybe there's something wrong with me. I always hold a damp cloth in my left hand and run it over after I've caulked, and then I'm in a sticky mess and have to keep washing my hands but I still find it really satisfying.
    I think you and your husband are very capable, you've really turned things around in your home and on some great furniture makeovers and I love the look of the t and g in your kitchen, I hope you manage to sort out the shelf problem, what a pain. As most houses over here are brick built we don't usually have to deal with finding the stud work, unless someone has had an extension.
    I love all your finds, especially the piece with the jugs on it, the wooden accessories look great with all the whites.

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  36. Vickie,
    your kitchen is coming along beautifully! The wood piece is perfect over the door! You have found some great things, very cute! You know the little green cabinet on your counter is my favorite!
    Sadly, DIY is not for me, I'm so not handy! You always do the most amazing things! Keep on "trucken"!
    Rebecca

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  37. I really like your piece of wood with the ironstone creamers hanging on it.
    architecture piece is wonderful I have a piece similar which was a back splash of an old chest

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  38. Love the planking! Btw, I also really like that spice cabinet with the spirals.

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  39. I LOVE the piece over the door with the ironstone! Gorgeous!
    Isn't that the fun of collection, finding so many unusual things and
    bringing them together for a beautiful new life!
    Hugs,
    Patti

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  40. Oh Vickie,
    How fabulous is that old wood piece and love the iron stone you hung on it. Really wonderful.
    Love the planking. Looking really so great.
    Kris

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  41. Your planking looks wonderful! As do all the sweet vignettes you've got throughout. Love that little weather predictor- I wonder if it works??

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  42. Vickie, I love all of your new finds! That little plate with hearts looks perfect with all of the other souvenir wood pieces. Of course, I adore all of the little European wood pieces. They are so charming. Like everyone else, LOVE that wood piece with hooks.

    I feel your pain with that planking. Had to putty in all of the holes in ours before priming and painting. The kitchen is looking awesome!

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  43. It looks great. I can't wait to see the finished product. I love all your cute vintage touches.

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  44. All fun stuff! I love the uniquely shaped board above the doorway! You are always doing home improvement projects.

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  45. Love all your projects and finds. The wood accents are so perfect. I love the simplicity of the pitchers hanging on the wood...good job. I like the whitewashed look of your planks too.

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  46. Since I was a young married woman I liked the wood tones against white walls. I got plenty of wood tones over the years but I'm fresh out of white walls.

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  47. I love your "whitish" kitchen! and those plates are wonderful, your home is full of so many wonderful treasures!

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  48. Hi Vickie! I remember you :)

    I love all your treasures, but I'm green with envy over your Mystic Weather Forecaster. I NEED one of those. So cute!

    I understand exactly what you mean about a can of worms.... trust me LOL

    xo,
    rue

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