Wall Framing and Frames on the Wall

I feel like I'm writing a school essay.  "What I did over Christmas break".  Well this is some of what we did. 

We did this in the dining room.  We painted the upper walls Silver Sage by Restoration Hardware.  I have used this color in so many rooms, that I almost didn't do it again.  I'm so glad that I used it, it is really an amazing color. The chair rail was already there, so this is the simplest wall treatment you can do.  You don't have to remove baseboards like you would with beadboard or wall panels.  Here's how we did it.

We painted the lower wall the color of the trim.  Then we broke out the computer.  You have to decide what sort of pattern you want.  You can do even sizes or uneven ones.  You can alternate large and small ones.  I like the alternating pattern as opposed to all frames being the same size.  Corey worked up a little spread sheet to help us figure out the size of the frames.  We have a trimwork book that we bought at Lowes which gives you the formulas for the different options. 

It's full of great ideas and instructions for all the trim a person like me could ever dream of.  It's come in real handy.  Especially when you run into problems like outlets.  No matter how we worked the pattern on the longest walls, the frames ran right through the outlets.  So here are Corey's solutions.

You just have to get a little creative sometimes.  The overall effect is really nice once the holes are all spackled and the trim caulked and painted.

With the walls finally painted Silver Sage and the wall frames looking pretty I was motivated to finally put some frames on the walls in the dining room.

These sailboat prints from IKEA that I bought years ago have served me well.  It was difficult for my symmetry loving mind to figure out the arrangement here.  I stood back (before adding the N) and thought, "it just needs something small up in the right hand corner".  I retrieved the N from the hallway so glad that I've started to collect them.  (Thanks to my friend Katie.)  It kind of looks like a ship's portal.  It's like I planned it all along.  When the dining room is cleared of all the kitchen counter stuff, I will post a picture of the entire room.

So there's my wall framing and frames on the wall.  Next we are going to tackle wall framing up the stairs.  Now that should be some interesting math.  AND I promise I will post pictures of the kitchen soon.  Here's a sneak peek.

Just after the granite install.  I am so in LOVE with the granite I picked.  I wanted to sleep in the kitchen that night, so it would be the first thing I saw in the morning.  I think I finally understand Bella's obsession with Edward's cold, hard, sparkly skin.  :)