Need some remodeling suggestions

[pitzerwm]

As some of you know I have been updating my house, and I'm down to the living room.

I'm going to put a 42" TV centered above the mantel, basically where the art work is. The electronics will be in the opening on the left and the DVDs etc will be in the matching opening on the right. A cabinet with doors (with a wire mesh in them) that will couture the arches will house the electronics and DVDs.

The home originally was early American, but other than the beams and the fireplace, that has been changed. A couple of thoughts that I was thinking of doing was to fir out above the mantel and put sheet rock then figure out what type of wall treatment to do there. Another thought was to paint the fireplace either all of it or sheet rock the top and paint below the mantel.

I also wondered if painting the ceiling including the beams wouldn't minimize them enough. They are not real but I'm hesitant to tear them out, which would require redoing the whole ceiling. It's not real opocorn, but close.

Anyone have any thoughts or have wives or girl friends that have some design skill?

 

[MEP001]

Have you thought about a ceiling-mount projector and a screen you can pull down instead of mounting a TV above the fireplace?

 

[pitzerwm]

Actually, I had a projector and since I never used it, I sold it. We now all go over to my friend's that spent $150K building a theater room, with a HD projector, theater seating and a 12' screen.

I never use the living room, as I have a 46" in my attached office, and being single, unless I have a gal over to watch a movie, I'd never use it. I just want it nice, in case.

 

[pitzerwm]

Here are some of my ideas done in a photo program.

http://autocareforum.com/remodel-ideas.html

 

[Dan kamsickas]

A couple thoughts:

1) Loose the fake beams. They give it a Brady Bunch feel.
2) Don't paint all the brick. Leave at least the bottom portion natural.
3) Be very cautious of the electronics and dvds that close to the fireplace. Make darn sure there is no heat transfer from the fireplace to the side openings. Your electronics and such won't tolerate it.
4) If you do sheetrock above the mantel, don't go with anything but a solid color. A mural will look cheesy. Use a solid color on it, something like the wall color. No white. Too stark.

My wife is the remodel queen. Every room in our house, except for the kitchen, has been done at least twice in the 13 years we've been in the house so I ran it by her.

 

[pitzerwm]

Thanks Dan, The fireplace is real but not used.

Taking down the beams is doable, they are fake, but means a lot of work on the ceiling to clean it up. That is why I'm thinking that painting the ceiling and the beams one color, they will make them sort of disappear.

 

[MEP001]

I wouldn't paint the brick either, mainly because I like the look of real brick.

 

[pitzerwm]

Some people think that I should bite the bullet and get rid of the beams. They are "constructed" so taking them down won't be a big deal, but scraping the ceiling and refinishing will be.

Anyone done this and how much did it cost. Room is about 14x30 I know who to do the scraping, but I don't want to do it or the "redo".

 

[Dan kamsickas]

Some people think that I should bite the bullet and get rid of the beams. They are "constructed" so taking them down won't be a big deal, but scraping the ceiling and refinishing will be.

Anyone done this and how much did it cost. Room is about 14x30 I know who to do the scraping, but I don't want to do it or the "redo".

I've done it before and it depends on how they and the ceiling were done.

If the popcorn on the ceiling has not been painted you should be able to spray it with water, let it soak, and scrap it right off. If its got multiple layers of paint, it's much more work.

It also depends on how the "beams" were built and installed. If they were put up after the sheetrock, you may just have some minor patching and painting. If they were installed before, or they were bolted, you may just be better off putting a new layer of 1/4" sheetrock right over the old.

 

[Waxman]

I bet Whale O Wash could have a look w/his wife and give some advice.

My wife and Mother In Law do the design for me. My M.I.L works as an exec for Ethan Allen.

 

[pitzerwm]

Dan, thanks, I don't think that the ceiling was ever painted. The beams are fake and were put up after the sheet rock.

Wax have your MIL take a look at my links, please.

 

[pitzerwm]

Moving along

Thanks to Dan and others I've removed the beams, the new ceiling will have hand texture.

This isn't up but an idea, framing velvet, ultra suede or vinyl. Thinking Burgundy. The ceiling will be an off white, haven't decided color for the wall on the left. The frame will be a fancy baseboard or fluted trim. More than likely there will be some art work on either side of the TV. There will be a track lighting to light this wall. Any suggestions?

 

[rph9168]

How about mirrors. They make the room appear larger and will accent the track lighting.

 

[pitzerwm]

Etched Metal

While watching HGTV today, in one of the houses a guy had put a piece of metal (6x12 approx) on a wall in the living room. It appeared to be mild sheet steel and it was "natural" with "patterns" on it that were either just "controlled" rust or actually metal etching. I was thinking that instead of the burgundy ultra suede framed above the mantel, to put a piece of sheet metal up there. Use acid or something to create patterns on this metal.

Anyone have any experience in etching metals or any thoughts about doing this.

Mirrors have entered the idea stage too.

 

[pitzerwm]

Latest

Well, I removed the beams and we were going to re-texture the ceiling, but decided we might have a real mess if the old stuff got too wet and all fell down. No body wanted to remove it.

So this is what I think will cover up the untextured areas. You need to visualize the boards being painted the same color as the ceiling. I need to use a finish nail gun to make sure all the joints line up, caulk everything so it is smooth, then paint.

Suggestions are appreciated.

I'm still thinking about the area above the mantel.

 

[MEP001]

It's a messy job, but the popcorn stuff comes off pretty easily. Have you thought about plastering it smooth instead of texturing? It's a lot of work, but it looks good.

 

[Dan kamsickas]

If you continue that pattern so you have the boards all around the perimeter of the room you could then add a nice crown molding to give it a nice semiformal look.

 

[pitzerwm]

Thanks for the thoughts. I weighted taking the popcorn down and decided that this was an easy option.

Dan, I wasn't planning on putting a board near the walls. I did think about a crown molding and I did that in the kitchen. It would require a board near the walls to do the crown. I'm wondering if I could get away with using 2.5" boards at the wall instead of the 5.5".

 

[pitzerwm]

Well, its obviously taken some time to get this finished, but finally!!!

Electronics on the left behind the doors, shelves roll completely out and lazy susan to rotate to access the back. Drawers with DVDs on the right.

 

[MEP001]

Looks nice, so much cleaner without the beams. The painted brick lightens up the room. I'd probably ditch the halogen torch lamp and get one with a glass lens - you'd be amazed how much better it lights the room with just a 60-watt bulb.