COTE DE TEXAS: Decorating Your House: Skirted Roundtable

Decorating Your House: Skirted Roundtable

This week on The Skirted Roundtable HERE,  the three of us discuss decorating for the seasons and how to update your house for the 2010s.   I am currently writing a magazine article for Antique Shops and Designers HERE on this very topic, and the conversation flows from that story.  One segment is devoted to Megan talking about painting her brown hardwood floors white.  In case you have never seen Megan’s adorable beach bungalow- below are a few photographs to help you follow along with the conversation. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

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In fact, if you have never been formally introduced to The Skirted Roundtable’s Megan Arquette of Beach Bungalow 8, here she is – Mrs. Smexy!   Is it fair for ANYONE to be this beautiful????  I LOVE this girl!!!

 

 

 

image Megan lives in this adorable rose covered, picket fenced bungalow in Manhattan Beach, California.  Her street is a walk street only – no cars allowed and her house is but a few doors down from the Pacific Ocean.

 

 

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This is Megan’s “front yard” – the life guard stand is at the end of her street.  Aw….must be tough living!   

 

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Megan’s bungalow is tiny – she readily admits - but, it’s a small price to pay for such beautiful and valuable real estate.    Megan is contemplating painting the walls in her living room a lighter color and painting the dark hardwoods either white, cream, or light aqua.    She is also getting new window treatments.   Her furniture is all slipped – the two arm chairs are in a light blue and white batik and the sofa is white.  

 

 

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On The Skirted Roundtable, I mentioned that I love this turquoise chair!   In fact, I adore everything about Megan’s house and am green with envy she lives so close to the beach in such a charming house. What a dream life she has.

 

 

image BEFORE:  Years ago when Megan and her daughters first moved into the bungalow, she had a leather sofa courtesy of her former husband.   She quickly replaced it  (along with her husband!) with the white slip covered sofa and recovered her two chairs.  The dhurri rug was replaced with sisal. 

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Megan actually hung the Kelly Wearstler Imperial Trellis wallpaper herself!  During the show, she says she is thinking about taking it down.  Should she?  I happen to love the wallpaper myself!   Notice the white light fixture. 

 

 

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In this picture – she has a red light fixture.  I’m not sure which is her current fixture, but this red one is too cute!  I love her iconic Saarinen table with the classic West Elm chairs.    

 

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image Megan’s “famous” bedroom.  This photograph is all over the blogosphere and is universally admired.   When Megan moved in, the walls were plain sheetrock and she had them covered in plank boards to create a beachy feel, a process she explains on the Skirted Roundtable. 

 

 

image Of course we have to talk about the carpenter who redid her bedroom – none other than this famous Calvin Klein model!!!!   Yep!   Only Megan would have a carpenter like him.  She dismisses him by saying he was a lot “older” when he worked on her bedroom.  

 

 

 

image OK, back to business.  So, should Megan repaint her hardwoods white – like in this picture?   I say YES, absolutely!!!!  What say you?

 

Be sure to listen to this week’s The Skirted Roundtable HERE – it’s a fun one!!  Don’t forget you can get The Skirted Roundtable on I-Tunes.

p.s.  Again, let me apologize for my voice!  I know I have the worst voice and it is really magnified by Linda and Megan’s melodious ones.  I don’t know what to do about this, but believe me, it annoys me more than you.

59 comments :

  1. Paint it white! Looks fresh and beachy clean!
    yes, she is gorgeous!!!!!
    pve

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  2. Noooo!!!! I love the look of the white painted floors, but that dark stain speaks to me and are equally gorgeous! It is time for the Wearstler to go, adore trellis, but in smaller doses. Perhaps panels?

    Paula ~
    Elizabeth Lane / Mise en scène

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  3. love megan's bungalow too! we painted our nursery wood floors white and love it. :) i really like the trellis wallpaper! off to listen to TSR!

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  4. I vote for yes to the white paint for the living and dining rooms, but keep the bedroom dark.

    The trellis wallpaper is a keeper until she sees how she likes the white floor. That may help her to decide.

    And, no, it is NOT fair to be so beautiful AND have those abs!!!
    We can all dream...

    -Ann

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  5. Megan's home is as lovely as she is. I am so looking forward to listening to this weeks discussion.

    The worst thing that could happen is that she doesn't like the white painted floors and that is something that can be corrected.

    My post today takes about if we face our fears we may find that they don't even really exist.

    Paint it!

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  6. What a gorgeous home. I love reading about the details you point out. Thank you!

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  7. I want Megan's bungalow and carpenter (just kidding...kind of)! I think the painted hardwood floors would be lovely and so appropriate for a beach location.

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  8. Megan's bungalow is so welcoming and friendly. I'm trying to imagine what it would be like to walk out the front door and be on the beach. I'm sure she lives outdoors as much as in. I love the painted white floors...I'd just be really careful to do them correctly or the brown boards will be seen again!

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  9. My cousin lives in a beach bungalow in Hermosa Beach (one block from ocean) and his wood floors are painted pale pale aqua with white walls, white curtain panels and wicker roman shades. DIVINE combo. I do like white floors but those aqua ones really make a statement! Plus white slipcovers look pretty contrasting against them.
    I hear ya on the square footage problem...you walk in his house and you're almost instantly hit with the back door!!! LOL

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  10. Thanks for the sneak peek and the slice of cheesecake in the afternoon -- of course a beautiful gal would have Mr. Calvin as a carpenter. I'll try to remember him next time our Walter (think of Jello abs, with twenty miles of crack) comes over!

    I'd say go for the white floors. If you can't have white wood floors in a Southern Cali beach house, where can you?

    Cutest bungalow, but the coffee tables in the LR do leave me a bit cold. I'd love to see something more rustic looking there ...

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  11. I'd leave the floors the way they are but I love dark floors with pale walls.

    If she thinks this is a change she wants, I'd start out by covering part of the floor with heavy white paper or a drop cloth to see how it looks....it could a pretty expensive change to undo if not happy with the final result.

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  12. A vote for sand colored walls and white floors. Perhaps a giant- sized artwork for the freshly neutral dining room wall? Gorgeous home -- and way-so-beautiful handyman!

    Jan at Rosemary Cottage

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  13. I love listening to you gals talk on the The Skirted Round Table. White painted HW floors in a beach cottage - perfect! Paint 'em! They could always be refinished in the future if she ever changes her mind. But I think they woud be B-e-a-utiful!

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  14. Paint the floors but leave the wallpaper. I do like the idea of pale, pale aqua floors and maybe even paler aqua walls, almost white.

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  15. Tell Megan not to change one thing. I love the dark floors and the wallpaper!

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  16. I like the idea of painting the floors white, and then the wallpaper will feel brand new....smiles.

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  17. God help the person who wants to reclaim these floors. Perhaps stripping and bleaching would give other options for a future change rather than paint. The diva pose at the beginning was a bit much.

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  18. Not fair!!Gorgeous And she gets a beach house,drat. I like the picture posted of the dining room with the white floors,but it is comtemporary,however,if she is going to keep the house for a long time,I say go for it!!!Just stained a house in a dark stain,Antique Brown by Duraseal and it looks great.Love the Calvin Klein model,she's a lucky girl!!!

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  19. I say go for it! I just painted my bedroom floor white-my husband was shocked--don't men always think anything wood must stay natural? Anyway the persian rug I had from before now pops and the whole room is lighter and yet more sophisticated.

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  20. If she paints them white and then wants to change them later when everyone thinks white floors look dated (don't they already, just a litte? - like India Hicks circa early 2000s?), it will be a ginormous pain in the ass. Believe me, I know.

    But I hate to tell anyone not to do something for that reason alone, so if she really loves them and wants to do it, I say go for it! It's obvious she has great taste and will make it work if she really wants to.

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  21. I once had white painted wood floors. They were beautiful. For 15 minutes. White floors are impossilbe to keep clean and show every smudge, speck of dirt, footprint, etc. They are lovely, but very hard to live with.

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  22. no, no, no

    Have you ever tried to keep white floors staying white? They are constant work unless covered with rugs and carpets and then they are still work.

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  23. Not sure what look she is going for, or why she'd release that picture. I wouldn't hire her. She looks self-centered, not client-oriented.

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  24. love megan's style. (and she is so gorgeous!!!)
    xoxo

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  25. I know a home on the beach is charming with white floors, but I think Megan should keep the floors in the dark wood. The dark wood anchors the rooms and also gives a feeling of depth making the room seems higher than they really are. This is another wonderful blog. I am planning to add your blog to my favourites on my blog.

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  26. Love Megan's home, so beautiful. I had not seen anything but the famous bedroom. 5stars. I agree with taking down the wallpaper, go for it girl.

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  27. I think every girl should have a little beach house...you know to get away and rest from the large stony mansion you showed below. I wonder if I could borrow Megan's CK carpenter? would love for him to build me the stone archway entrance for my house in the hills.
    Dreaming 'round the skirted table ;-)

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  28. I love Megan's house. I'm not mad about the white floorboards. Anna Spiro of ABT has moved into a new house and says that she won't have white painted floorboards again, much as she loves them, because of the upkeep and stress on her family (keeping it clean I think).

    Much as I relish listening to celebrity guests on SRT, I enjoy the discussions between the three of you just as much.

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  29. I vote yes too! Love her beachy style and house. How great to walk to the beach!

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  30. First of all she is gorgeous and I am JEALOUS of those abs! I would not paint the floors, too hard to keep looking nice....and clean! I would replace the wallpaper too but that's just me. I LOOOOOVE her cottage.....feet from the beach????? Be still my heart:):) XO, Pinky

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  31. Me says YES. Paint them.

    Look at Megan...who knew she looked like that!! I totally see her and her home as a pair now. Both stunning.

    Off to the SRT...

    Did you buy that 25 million dollar home yet Joni?

    Best,
    Michelle

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  32. Go for it, but with a little antiquing to the white to blend with the bed and other antique pieces.

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  33. I always know to grab a snack and sit down at our "big computer" when I check in on you, Joni! Beautiful woman with a beautiful home.

    My weigh-in= paint them white!

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  34. Wow, Megan is beautiful! And so is her house. I like the idea of the white painted floors if she doesn't mind the upkeep. I also like the idea of a smaller trellis pattern on the wall.

    Joni, I LOVE your voice - it's one of a kind! Please don't ever change it. You're perfect the way you are!

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  35. I love Megan's house. She is too cute!
    I vote for painting the floors white! HOWEVER, I have pale gray (almost white) concrete floors and every speck of dirt shows. I'm constantly sweeping! Love the look though!
    --Delores
    PS: Your voice is YOU--don't apologize....I like it!

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  36. "Megan's bedroom is all over the blogosphere and is universally admired ..."

    You're kidding us, right?

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  37. Adorable. I think yes, the wallpaper should go, lighten the walls and window treatments, then decide on the flooring - maybe as someone said, bleach it rather than paint it. And why can't I find a handyman that I can daydream about?! Thanks for including that picture!

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  38. Your house is adorable. I would paint a carpet pattern on certain floor areas. Give it a punch of color but also make it look aged, ooh or put a tiny bit of metalic to give that reflective property!

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  39. The white floors look great for the pic, but I recently bought a house (which we're in the process of updating) & we have large white tiles on our floor. So impractical! I have two kids, two dogs & boyfriend that works in construction. This may be alot more traffic than a usual home but as soon as they floors are mopped they need it again. I HATE them! Besides, I love the dark wood. I say leave it.

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  40. Megan's house is perfect. It looks personal and livable with an interesting mix of old, new, and whimsical, all arranged with restraint. Her blog, like Joni's, has been educational and fun. Thanks to both of them.

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  41. I love her Carpenter's white cotton briefs ! ...Oh, I wish I was in the land of cotton, Old times there are not forgotten, Look Away ! Look Away!...... ;- )

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  42. I agree, Megan is gorgeous (inside and out) and talented! I loved the mini tour of her beautiful home. I say paint the floors. It will look great!

    xo
    Brooke

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  43. I love the contrast of the white baseboards to the dark oak floors, but then I'm partial to dark oak. The sisal rugs break that up if she's tired of the dark wood.

    Karen
    Garden, Home & Party.

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  44. Paint them! But if you are a clean freak like me they will drive you nuts! They would look gorgeous though and so beachy! Yes, keep the wallpaper....I love it and it would look so cool with the white floors. I will buy your drapes.....please! Love them and they are just what I am looking for! My daughter has the same beautiful bed and I still love it!

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  45. Here's my advise for the floors. Definitely paint them, but consider sanding them back some after the paint. This distressing will give some nice texture, and will be consistent with the style of the bed. The best part of this will be that it will break up the white so that every little speck does not show and is not distracting. Also, as the floor ages and wears and gets scuffed, it will just blend in and will not look like damage. Very important, put a good three coats of high gloss polyurethane on top of the scuffed paint. This gives them a luminous finish and makes them easy to clean.

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  46. Don't paint them, Megan. The dark floors provide an anchor for the very airy feeling of the house. I get that you like to change things up a bit, but I think it would be such a change that you'd regret it. Like wallpaper. Love it today, hard to undo.

    If you do it, please only do your bedroom. Live with it for a while before you do the rest.

    Love your house.

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  47. Don't paint them, Megan. The dark floors provide an anchor for the very airy feeling of the house. I get that you like to change things up a bit, but I think it would be such a change that you'd regret it. Like wallpaper. Love it today, hard to undo.

    If you do it, please only do your bedroom. Live with it for a while before you do the rest.

    Love your house.

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  48. I love painting everything white....by the way....no man who ever worked on my house looked like a model! That's way to distracting....I would have to go out shopping.
    Laraine

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  49. Hi Joni: just listened to the latest podcast - great info! I even made notes! But, you said you had painted your interior PL Feathered Gray but I can not find that color. Maybe I heard you wrong.

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  50. Wow. Well... thank you Joni! My god, I had no idea
    you were going to post this.
    Thank you to everyone's input. Thankfully, we all
    have different ideas of what is beautiful and why.
    In the end, i have to consider how the space is used (dogs, barefeet, sand) and if it would be prudent (all though pretty) to go light with the floors. I'll keep you all posted!

    Anyway, thank you, thank you. You all are
    full of great points of view and I'm basking w/
    red cheeks in your compliments.

    P.s. Joni I just heart you. That's all!

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  51. I say keep the wallpaper and paint the floor! Yay! :)

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  52. Thanks for another informative SRT. A friend in Maine who has white floors at the beach is constantly cleaning them; I think it would make me an obsessive-compulsive cleaner; two little dogs on brown floors make me crazy enough!

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  53. I say OUI oUI OUI . She has such a cool house

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  54. Megan: Gorgeous and talented, what I would give for hip bones to jut out like that again! Plus a house on the beach AND that hot carpenter- oh, California is a GREAT state!
    Joni, love your sweet southern accent, never ever lose it!

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  55. I vote keep the floors dark unless she wants to try painting one room. Sounds like white is very high maintenance, and who needs that at the beach?? Gorgeous home!

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  56. Joni, you have a perfectly nice voice - it is unique and not unmelodious - just different from theirs. Don't think about it - I think you have a charming southern accent and you sound perfectly melodious to me!!

    I really enjoyed this SR, with you guys just shooting the shit. It is nice to hear your opinions and your creative process. I like where you guys talk about how your style and popular style is shifting slowly...
    let's face it, all us design geeks are sitting in our living rooms thinking about this stuff, so it is like having friends over to talk with!!

    So...I don't mind if you do more Skirted Roundtables with just you guys talking.
    I like the interviews too but think you could totally do the Joni's opinions show every second time. Although
    I am looking forward to a particular interview coming soon with a certain blonde someone I LOVE...

    xo Terri

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  57. I'm late to the game but I say go light - though not necessarily white (they're seldom really "white") and keep the gorgeous bedroom as is. I thought I read she was losing the trellis paper on her blog at some point - or did I make that up? Either way, I'd love to see something different in her kitchen. She clearly has style, whatever she comes up with will no doubt be cool...

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  58. I'm deciding on restaining vs painting my living room floor. I'm in Canada - so maybe a dark stain is the way to go. If it was a beach home, would definitely paint it an off white.

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  59. I painted the kitchen floor in my last house white...I LOVED it, but did not love the upkeep, but I have 2 children and 2 chesapeake bay retrievers... needless to say I love the stained hardwoods in my kitchen now!

    btw: Where can I order me up a Calvin Klein carpenter like THAT!

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