Sunday, January 10, 2016

Coming Next

Projects for 2016...


The living-room is the heart of Cottage. It's the room you step in when entering Cottage. It's the room you need to cross to go to the dine-in-kitchen (I know the correct form is eat in kitchen, but I like my phrase better and I'm stubborn). It's also the room where the stairs leading to the very-unknown-to-you upstairs.

Le salon est le cœur du Cottage. C'est la pièce dans laquelle on entre. C'est la pièce par laquelle il faut passer pour aller dans la cuisine/coin repas. C'est aussi la pièce dans laquelle se trouve l'escalier qui mène à cet étage si mystérieux pour vous.


So you might think it was the first room I tackled when I bought Cottage... I chose otherwise. Because of it's strategic position, I knew this room would constantly used by workers who would walk through it with all the ladders, scaffoldings and other dangerous stuff they need. I decided to not decorate this room until the roof insulation was done.

Beautiful matching walls...

On pourrait donc penser que c'est la première pièce à laquelle j'ai travaillé en arrivant au Cottage. Mais il n'en est rien. A cause de cette position stratégique, j'ai choisi de ne pas m'occuper tout de suite du salon qui allait être le lieu de passage de toutes les échelles, de tous les échafaudages et autres tuyaux de cuivre nécessaires à la rénovation et à l'isolation de toutes les pièces. 

Beautiful stone wall paper in a real stone Cottage ;)
Now that's it's more or less done (I think the dormers will need the insulation to be checked... but it's not a big thing), 2016 will see me begin decorating the living-room. As the living-room connects to the staircase, which connects to the landing, given that I was unable to complete the tiny dining-room in one year and since money is an issue after last summer's big remodel, I have no hope to finish the living-room in one year... But I hope you'll be interested in following my first step into transforming the living-room you can see here in before pictures into my dream living-room... or at least in a more-me living-room.

My first day at Cottage.

Maintenant que le gros œuvre est terminé (même s'il semble que l'isolation des chiens assis soit à refaire  - les joies de la rénovation), 2016 va être l'année du salon... et plus si affinités... En effet, le salon est lié à l'escalier qui est lié au palier... Bref, un truc sans fin! Dans la mesure où je n'ai pas réussi à finir ma minuscule salle-à-manger en un an, les chances que le salon soit superbe en décembre prochain sont de zéro... Mais l'important, c'est de commencer, non ?


Beautiful ceiling.

A few things have already changed because it made financially sense to combine them with other changes or because it couldn't wait... But basically, everything is yet to be done: from choosing the paint for the walls to finding the perfect sofa.

The sliding door cupboard whose doors couldn't slide!

Quelques petites choses ont déjà été changées, seulement parce que cela faisait sens financièrement de le faire en même temps que les travaux de la cuisine ou parce que, vraiment, cela ne pouvait pas attendre. Mais, pour ce qui est purement déco, tout reste à accomplir : du choix de la peinture pour les murs jusqu'à la commande du canapé parfait.

Random photo of the wall that will hopefully make sense to you some day...
If you don't think it's "so last year", I'll also share in 2016 some news about the dining-room (yes, I'm still working on it) and about the kitchen.

Si vous ne pensez pas que cela sente trop le "réchauffé", je vous donnerai aussi cette année quelques nouvelles de mon coin repas (oui, j'y travaille toujours) et de ma cuisine. 

Make do for a year... And is that tile samples on the floor???
And, believe me, I've been spending a lot of time in the kitchen lately, due to a special diet I'm following. I've received a lot of questions about it, so I thought about sharing that experience here, just in case it might help someone. This is a medical diet, it's been a very tough road and I'll be waiting for the result of my next blood test before writing anything, but let me know if you think I should do a post about it.

View from the old staircase.

En parlant de cuisine, j'y ai passé beaucoup de temps ces derniers mois, à cause d'un régime draconien. Je pensais partager avec vous cette expérience ici. C'est un régime médical, pas très drôle, mais éventuellement, cela peut aider quelqu'un... J'écris l'article ou pas ?


Going up the stairs...

As I love you very much, I'm including in that post some pictures of the landing as it was before with its beautiful wallpaper and painted doors. Really, the work on the doors was nice, but in a tiny dark landing, it did make things busy!

Door to the East room.
Comme je vous aime beaucoup, j'inclus ici des photos de mon splendide palier avec son superbe papier peint et ses portes peintes. Le travail sur les portes est joli, mais sur un petit palier sombre, cela rend la déco très chargée à mon goût.

Bathroom door, constantly open in order to have some light on the landing...
 
Of course, I've been dreaming of taking care of the living-room for ever and I've been pinning living-rooms like crazy, so in a next post, I'll share with you some of my inspiration!

Bien sûr, je rêve de m'attaquer au salon depuis toujours et j'ai donc mis de côté des tonnes de photos d'inspiration. Je vous montre ça dans un prochain article.

What's your project for 2016?

Et vous, quels sont vos projets pour 2016 ?

See you soon,

A bientôt,





50 comments:

  1. moi j'aime les avants/après, c'est toujours là que l'on s'aperçoit de l'immense travail accompli ;-)
    c'est vrai que l'étage n'était pas la principale source de tes posts, certaines personnes ont un gout douteux pour la décoration, l'absention devrait être leur principale qualité (rires)
    J'ai hâte de voir ce que tu vas entreprendre dans ton futur salon, vas tu laisser le mur de pierre en l'état ? il est tellement beau, ça donne beaucoup de cachet à la pièce depuis ta salle à manger
    Passe un très bon dimanche et une belle semaine à venir

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    1. Disons que les précédents propriétaires et moi n'avions pas du tout les mêmes goûts en matière de décoration... Ce n'est pas que leurs idées étaient mauvaises en elles-mêmes, c'est plutôt qu'ils essayaient de mettre dix-huit idées différentes dans une même tout petite pièce (dans le salon, les quatre murs avaient chacun un revêtement différent!!!)
      Bon week-end !

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  2. The wallpapers that we found in our Breton cottage were even louder than yours. On the landing the doors were papered too so you could hardly see where a wall ended and a door began!

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  3. Et bien tu ne manques pas de projets à mettre en route. Je suis sûre que tout ça bouillonne dans ta tête.
    Pour moi ce sera d'abord la prothèse de mon genou droit le 22 février et quand la rééducation sera finie j'espère que l'homme aura dncin fait la salle d"eau dans la petite maison de montagne car en Août ce sera l'expédition dans le Sud Ouest où il faudra rafraichir la nouvelle petite maison avant de pouvoir dispatcher tous les meubles achetés pour elle.
    On va pouvoir se disputer avec monsieur et aller bouder chacun dans son coin en mettant de la distance.
    Caresses aux griffus. Bises. Babette

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  4. Magali, YES! OUI! Please share with us your special diet; are you well?

    Your cottage is lovingly and patiently awaiting her new and total look! Thank you for sharing the rest of her with us! By seeing just your wonderful dine-in kitchen and dining area, you'd think the rest of the cottage was finished off! It has taken us 18 years to get our cottage right (but we are still not finished!) But with every improvement comes so much happiness. In fact yesterday, I made a very small and inexpensive (in fact, I spent NO MONEY) change: I simply moved a table in my receiving room (living room) from one end to the side of the couch. I moved a lamp onto that table. I then put my harp where the table was (I had moved it from the GREAT ROOM) and presto....instant charm AND it makes more sense now to have my harp in this room where I spend a lot of my creative time. Now I just have to find a lamp for the other room but that can wait. It's FUN to move things around and create! Enjoy your time, and do tell us about your diet and most of all, I hope you are well. Anita

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  5. Looking forward to following along as you whip the living room into shape.

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  6. Wow. You are braver than I am. Someday we will look back at this time of our lives and laugh at how much work we were willing to take on. LOL!

    Good luck with your project!

    xo

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  7. Hi Magali,
    I think you should share your diet. I just did a very personal post on my weight loss journey. I debated on doing so with it being such a personal struggle for me but glad I did I have gotten such wonderful emails that it has helped some people. So glad I did share my personal journey. I cannot wait to see the living room start to transform.
    Kris

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  8. I love watching the progress in your beautiful cottage. Please share your diet, and be well!
    Bernardine

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  9. I see the above comment and wonder if someone copied my name but spelled it differently. Weird - just don't think that's me because it isn't. You have such good taste Magali that whatever you do will be great! Projects for 2016 for us include moving from Colorado to Missouri and having to start a new garden all over. Retirement is here and we want to live near our son and family. Lots of work coming down the pike! Would love to hear about your diet as long as it isn't just grapefuits! Ha!

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  10. Hi...hummmm so you have to pick a wall color..have you been living with it for a yr yet..or do we have to wait that long =^)
    i thought you had a fireplace in the living room..an..i like dine-in-kitchen better as well..maybe if you share your health issues..you'll help others and they may help you..hope you've had a Great day..starting out ugly again over here..here's to this week being a good one..i hope.!!

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  11. Wow the before pictures are a bit scary aren't they?! Very much like our house ; ). Yes, I want to hear it all - your diet, health and everything about cottage. Hope you are doing well. xo Patty

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  12. Would love to hear about your diet, and I hope you're well?

    (I like 'dine-in' better too)

    No major plans for us except perhaps the outside. Lots of landscaping to do.

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  13. Cottage is so sweet and cozy, if you didn't change a thing cottage is a wonderful home! I look forward to your new living room project. I love seeing the transformation, always inspires me with my own. I started a project last year (where did that year go?) with changes to my kitchen. New paint color to kitchen and family room and back hall. I hope to finish the interior painting this year. Last year did the exterior too. Magali, please do share your diet, it's always helpful to others. The number one thing I want to accomplish is to get back to a more healthful lifestyle with diet and exercise.
    Thanks for sharing your sweet cottage Magali…….

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  14. Yes, please share more about your diet and I hope the test results come back well!

    It's so exciting watching the progress on your sweet cottage and I can't wait to see what you do with the living room!

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  15. I would love to here about your special diet, Magali. I love seeing more photos of your sweet cottage and can't wait to see the living room as you get it done. xo Laura

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  16. I'm excited to follow along with the development of the living room.

    Words make a difference so dine-in is so much more pleasant than eat-in. I just commented on another blog that I prefer to say "pastel days" rather than overcast days.

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  17. Oh Magali, what an exciting journey for you and sweet Cottage. I am looking forward to the updates and I know the grand finale will be stunning!

    Of course I would love to hear about your special diet, sweet friend :) Have a beautiful week. Love and hugs!

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  18. My doctor has put me on a completely grain-free diet. I hope yours is not as restrictive, but mine is working. My brother is drawing plans for us to rip out the kitchen, breakfast nook, dining room and part of the formal living room. I am looking forward to seeing your progress. What!?! No kitty report?

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  19. Como siempre recibo tu blog. con mucho agrado y de que me hicieras conocer mas de Cottage y seguire tus cambios en el salon con ansias mi querida Magali cuidate y hasta la proxima nelly

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    1. Nelly ,
      Todavía hay unas pocas habitaciones que no he compartido en Cottage ... Usted todavía puede ser sorprendido!

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  20. It will be exciting to look at your living room as you start working on it – at least it is empty so you can visualize your improvements and decor easily. I wish you a great 2016 with much fun in your little white house and a good health.

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  21. I'm looking forward to the creation of your living room and can imagine your Pinterest board! My project? To move house and start a project after many years of living in a new build. Have a great week xx

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  22. Good luck with your diet. I have been on one almost a year, which is low carbs and I am doing very well. Of course I kinda fell off over the holidays, but back on it and I feel so much better. Yes, I think you should share your diet as it might help someone else.

    My project for 2016 is to down size a lot of my decorative items. In other words pair it down. I really don'e need 4 Christmas trees, so 2 are going bye bye and a lot of the decorations. Just trying to make things easier for my self to keep up.

    Looking forward to the changes at your Cottage. How does Cottage feel about this? I know he is very proud of all the wonderful work you have done.
    Have a great 2016 and week.
    Mary

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  23. Looks like quite the challenge for the new year!

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  24. I would love to hear about your diet plan! Nutrition is very interesting to me. Seriously! I love all the work you are doing to your cottage. We have been living in our old farmhouse for 18 years now. Always something to do, but we love her, as I am sure you love your cottage. Do take care.

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  25. Yes, please share. I love your cottage. Can't wait to see more. I am still settling in. This week I have started putting things on the wall.

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  26. It made sense to do it last since everyone was walking through. I'm sure it will be beautiful with some lovely vintage finds and a sofa. I hope your special diet is helping. xoox Su

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  27. Hi Magali, I'm sure Mr. Cottage and the kitties will be very happy to have a cozy living room to relax in and keep warm. I hope you're doing well and I'm always happy to read your wonderful blog, I feel like a bit of a tourist too! Kathleen in Az

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    1. The living-room transformation will be a long process for sure, but the cats tend to be happy as soon as there is a cushion somewhere in the room ;)

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  28. I like dine-in-kitchen better too. Excited for the living room makeover!

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  29. the great thing about home ownership, is that there is always something to do. Happy 2016 projects.

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  30. Hi Magali, the more I see of your cottage the more I fall in love with it. You are doing such an amazing job of refinishing it! I know that in some ways you will always be refinishing it but that's the life of a home owner. lol I think that you should post about your diet. Things like this is really helpful to those of us who are always striving to become healthier. Have a good week. xx Jo

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  31. You have been so organized about your projects and the timeline. I should do more of that planning. I can't wait to follow along on the living room project. Just take your time, as you are doing such a great job so far. My goal this year is to finish up alot of unfinished projects. Happy Week, Magali!

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  32. I'm sure your living room will be as charming as the rest of your cottage when you're done, Magali! Our projects move at a snail's pace, but that makes the final stages worth waiting for, don't you think? I'm not starting anything new until we've completed the dollhouse.....which is moving along at a snail's pace. I can't wait to see your inspiration photos!

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  33. It is exciting that you are now at the stage where you can finish your living room! I'm looking forward to seeing it evolve. Taking your time to do things in order and to study your inspiration pays off in the long run. I'm sure it will be so lovely. I also have a big project - my loft - which is on standby, but maybe this year we will get back to it. I would be interested in hearing about your special diet, too. xo Karen

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    1. The living-room will probably take for ever, but I'm happy to get to begin this year!

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  34. Bonjour Magali,
    Avec l'aide de ta mèrej'ai pu accéder correctement à ton blog
    anne

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  35. It certainly make sense to not do the living and you did good to realize that. Your home is charming and I'm sure so will the rest be too. Our upstairs is on the darker side too, very little light comes in in the middle from one window in our bedroom. Can't wait to follow the journey with you. We had two big projects last years, so this year, money dependent will be our bathroom downstairs and a few built in cabinet projects.

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  36. Saving that room til last was very smart! You have really been busy with all of your amazing renos! Looking forward to your living room makeover!! I am hoping that everything is okay with you and that this new food diet helps you!!!

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  37. Well, it takes some time, but in the end it will surely be gorgeous. Although I think your kitchen is so beautiful, I would stay there the whole day anyway...Even when this diet might end some day and you are (as I hope) fully recovered.
    Yours, Sarah

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  38. voici donc le nouveau volume des aventures palpitantes de Cottage : "le salon et ses extensions" ! Là est toute la difficulté : comment harmoniser les couleurs du rez-de-chaussée avec celles de l'escalier et du palier quand on n'a pas envie d'uniformiser le tout avec une peinture unique (c'est du vécu...) - je vais donc, au cours de cette année, me délecter des péripéties de la rénovation
    mon projet est de repeindre notre séjour et surtout de remplacer la seule porte pleine (couloir/salon) par une porte à six carreaux, comme les trois autres au rez-de-chaussée - comprenez-moi, le salon fait 3m de large et les fauteuils sont face à la porte pleine... un mur !!
    à bientôt - bien cordialement - monique59

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  39. Yes, share your diet. I'm always interested in learning how other use nutrition towards good health. I'll be sharing something similar very soon, as I've been diagnosed with osteoporosis. I can't wait to see how your living room unfolds. So much potential!

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  40. I look forward to your blow-by-blow of the living room and your diet. I think I can figure out your ground plan but would love one of the first floor to refer to. Thanks, Jo @ Let's Face the Music

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    1. I'll try and draw a plan, but it's really simple, one "big" room that is the entryway and living-room and two smaller rooms that are open to each others, the dining area and kitchen!

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  41. Really looking forward to your living room transformation, and more kitchen and dining room is always fun to see. Hope your tests come back with good results - and yes, please share about your diet!

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  42. 2016 will find me sewing more and completing I hope my curtains for for the den and dining. We've only lived here 4 years. Oops. I'm so indecisive.

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