The Bar is Open!

In this corner...the bar.

Our multipurpose bar/breakfast/sun room is finally completed,other than a few minor details. The wainscoting came out really nice. The bright paint helps set off the darker stained wood. We got a light colored weaved indoor/outdoor rug which should handle any spills. We purchased a bar at Olum's that included the stools and a nice mirror that help bright the room. I have rigged the mirror with electricity so we add LED lighting and have lit Department 56 pieces on the top. The bar itself has a rustic outdoor look and fits well in the casual atmosphere.
 

Broken

In the other corner sits my "mistake" electric fireplace. Kind of chintzy but it fits in the overall theme of the room and will take the chill off in the winter helping make it a four season room. We are still looking for a high top table we like to increase the occupancy of the room and make it more breakfast friendly. Finally, we are struggling with window treatments. We had a nice set of valences picked out but when we contacted the seller heard nothing back. Finally, I fixed all the window weights and now the old windows properly open and close, and do not need a piece of scrap wood to prop them open. I plan to buy a small TV and mount it in the corner. It will be nice to sit there in the winter and watch NFL games while the snow blows by the windows. 

We already have found ourselves enjoying the room. I like sitting at the bar for telework sessions, and it turns out to be a nice place to just sit and talk with a nice view of the backyard.

Fixed.

I have started to work in the kitchen once again. I completed a rather more permanent fix of the tub leaking problem in the upstairs bathroom, which allowed me to complete repairs in the kitchen ceiling. This in turn led to painting the ceiling in the kitchen (again) and some discussion of doing some work in the kitchen. After many samples (again) we have decided to go with a two tone paint scheme with a light gray over white below the chair rail. I will be removing the cabinet next to the stove, moving the stove a foot to the right and installing two 12 inch cabinets on either side of the stove. This will allow us to use the two left side burners in the stove top without heating the side of the refrigerator.

The broken door from the kitchen to the pantry is another ongoing project. The frat boys somehow broke the door near the handle, so the first order of business was removing he door and the hardware. Then, I injected glue in the cracks and clamped the broken sections. That came out well. I had planed to sand and repaint the door but Cindy mentioned she would prefer a natural wood. I am now in the lovely and tedious work of stripping years of paint and stain from the door. That project will be in an upcoming blog.