Padding the Issues

I have a very deep and important topic to discuss with you today.  Rug pads.  Wait, don't go!!!  I'll try and make it exciting! When Rug Pad USA reached out and offered for me to try their product, saying I was skeptical was a bit of an understatement.  Rug pads rank on my priority list right below fixing my dripping faucet and right above cleaning under the bed.  For example, we have an area rug on our carpet in the bedroom.  Our bed's legs cause the quality IKEA rug to pucker something fierce.  A nicer rug with a proper rug pad would probably have no issue in this situation.  My solution: stick a stiff carpet sample under the bed legs for support.  It has sat like that for over 3 years.  Just call me MacGyver.

My biggest rug pad situation (yes that's a thing) was in the kitchen.

Flat weave runners are delightful on the eyes, but have little to no 'stay put' power on their own.  Also being in the kitchen, Hubby requested, back when we got the rug, something cushy that would be good for standing.  Again, MacGyver had a solution!  I folded up a regular rug pad for more cush... and then when it kept going askew, I splurged for "As seen on TV" Ruggies.  This solution was acceptable... the Ruggies kept the 4 corners in place and the folded pad was pleasing to your feet, but the pad kept bunching and although the 4 corners stayed in place, the center of the rug liked to go it's own way.

So when Rug Pad USA asked if I'd like to try a rug pad, my thoughts immediately went to that wonkiness.  I'm willing to give almost anything a try and really, it couldn't be any worse than my makeshift solution.

When I took the Premium-Lock rug pad out of the packaging I was intrigued- gripping rubber on one side and coarse felt on the other.  Seemed promising.

The second I put it down and placed the rug on it, my rug pad skepticism flew out the window.  The rubber held the pad onto the hard wood floors and the texture of the felt kept the rug in place.  I even gave it the twist test.  Are you familiar with this test?  Stand on a rug and... do the Twist!  It didn't budge.  You win rug pad.

I dig the rug pad so much I'm most likely going be getting another for the flat weave rug at my front door.  I won't lie though, it's tough convincing myself to spend more than a few dollars on something I'll never see, but I don't think my feet can ever go back to my previous go-to of "the cheapest rug pad I can find".  Cheapskate Frugal skeptic MacGyver here even sees the value.

The design nerd in me also really appreciates that they're made in the USA, have no VOCs and several (like the one I received) are LEED certified.

If you don't believe me, test it out yourself.  Use the code pr15off to get %15 off a Rug Pad USA rug pad of your very own and let me know your thoughts!

***Rug Pad USA did send me a sample to review, but all words and opinions are 100% me (for better or worse).  They actually encouraged my full honesty in the interest of market research.  Now there's someone who stands by their product!***

Color Reawakening

At this point, I've lost track of how many bidding wars we've lost in the pursuit of our next flip house.  It has to be well into the double digits by now.  Honestly it has me conflicted- obviously I'm frustrated because these hands need a house to flip(desperately- or I'll keep finding things to do in my own house as evidenced by the rest of this post), but it also makes me a bit happy knowing that the housing market is coming back and so many people are purchasing new homes.  But seriously, people, throw a flipper a bone! (just kidding.....kind of......not really) The benefit of not having a current flip, is I feel I've had the opportunity to refine my personal style.  I'll go into more detail in another post, but I've actually noticed a trend with the rooms that I've been drawn to lately.  I may shock my mom with this one (since I dragged her kicking and screaming from her beige addiction), but my favorite spaces lately are pretty neutral.  Or at least they have a neutral base that serves as a backdrop to more colorful and interesting decor.  Case in point :

image via Birch and Bird

If there were bright colored walls in the mix, this chair and rug would look a bit wackadoodle (technical term).  Without other colors to compete with, the design of this chair becomes the star.

My current favorite rooms in this house are the most recent rooms I've set my focus on.  My office and the kitchen... almost...as soon as the kitchen is 100% that will be my absolute favorite ever.  Both rooms have subtle wall colors which allows me to have a bit more fun with furnishings and not worry about them going over the top (a design dilemma I've always struggled with).  My office is not at 100% either, but here's how it stands today (totally unstaged, so please don't judge too much):

I'm kind of (read: VERY) tempted to repaint the blue living room (which I haven't photographed in over a year it seems- methinks it's time) and hubby's bright green office.  This color addict is having a reawakening about how to work with color most successfully!  Don't worry, though, the purple dining room will definitely be staying purple- I am still Karen, after all.

Have you had any recent design reawakenings?  or any falling-outs with colors you once loved?

A Step Above

So it's Wednesday already, huh?  I know I promised no kitchen post today, so I'll just say one quick thing- a 1 day install has turned into a 3+ day install (we will need to wait for a filler piece that was ordered wrong for it to be completed), BUT it will be a usable kitchen once again by the end of the day!  I can live without an installed vent hood and cabinet for a few weeks, as long as I can use the kitchen. (AND that'll give me plenty of time to plan out my TILE backsplash that I decided to go with!!) Much to the kittens and Hubby's dismay (who for some strange reason don't enjoy living in construction zones and project explosions) I've been taking this opportunity between flips to tackle projects around this casa that have been put off/avoided for years.  Some have been easy(ish) fixes (like painting/staining the porch), and others are not so easy (can we say kitchen?), but I think my next one fits squarely in the "easy fix" category.

The stairs.  Oh the stairs.  This house is over 100 years old, but you'd never know when looking at the stairs since the railing looks builder-basic and straight out of 1998.  Since I'd like to channel a more 1908 vibe, this needs to change.  Pronto.  The first thing that will change is the horrific, ugly, dirty, dirt sucker of a carpet.  Can you feel the love?

I've vowed not to touch it until the kitchen is all done, but after that, ALL bets are off.  This suckers going down!  Do you like the cat scratcher decor in the first image?  (there's more at the top of the stairs too)  Yeah, that's to try and get Charlie to maybe NOT scratch the carpet on the stairs (to no avail) so that's one more big (fat cat) reason the carpet needs to go away.

Once the carpet lands itself squarely in the trash, the risers and spindles will get a coat of fresh white paint and the railing and newel post will get stained a more timeless shade darker.  Much like this staircase from Brooklyn Limestone (ya know, with the exception of the amazing floors and vintage newel post, but you get the idea).

As always, my To-Do list is about 5 miles long, so maybe I should focus on finishing projects before I move on to the next... but daydreaming about DIY is one of my favorite pastimes!

Who's with me?