All the Trimmings

It's amazing how little details can enhance a room.  I took on a couple of projects last summer to help improve my open concept dining and living room areas.  It all started with freshly painted walls and trim.
I painted the walls a very light beige color, Sandstone Cove, by Behr.  The trim and mantel are painted in Behr's Swiss Coffee, in a high gloss finish.  The paint alone made a huge difference in the room, especially on the fireplace mantel.

Unfortunately, it also made the giant TV niche above the fireplace look even more unfinished.  So, I bought some trim, used my little hand saw and got to work!  The difference was unbelievable.  Of course, as most DIYers probably know, the phenomenon of one project leading to another occurred, and this lovely new trim left me wanting more.  Just a few mere feet away are two small windows above my dining room.  I happened to have some trim left over, so I decided that they could use a facelift, too.
The trim on this wall made me so happy.  Every time I would look over at the windows, I smiled.  If only this happiness could have lasted!

The shelf that my TV sits on is made out of melamine coated particle board.  It drove me crazy to see that cheap shelving next to my high gloss trim and mantel.  Clearly, more trim was needed!  I found some very thin trim pieces and cut them to fit.  I adhered them with epoxy and painted them to match.
At last, my TV niche was finished...or so I thought.

Now I don't have a lot of electronic components, just the cable box, DVD player and Wii system.  But to look at all of the cords behind the shelf, you would think that there was a lot more.  The solution?  I had some 1/4 inch wood cut to fit behind each of the openings, spray painted them white, and attached them with...(drumroll please!)

White duct tape!

The TV niche looks so much better now that the gaggle of cords is hidden.  I think I might even be satisfied enough to leave it alone.

The evolution:

Move in day:  the old TV from my bedroom 

looked ridiculous until the new one arrived!

The new TV on the shelf my Dad made.  

No new paint or trim.  (Notice the cords?)

The finished product:  

new trim all around and hidden cords!

A close-up of the niche and shelf trim.

Ahhhh...so much better!

(I can't wait to tackle that tile fireplace surround!)

I also made some window treatments for the dining room.  Overall, this wall brings a smile to my face again, and I could not be more pleased.

One month after moving in.  Boring windows.

(It's so hard to get pictures of these windows

because of the light!)

Smile-inducing window trim!

My window treatments.

(They photograph much better at night!)

A close-up.

This is how my dining room 

windows look today.

I'm not sure what projects I'll be tackling next.  School starts on Monday, but the project list continues.
I'm sure I'll find some time to work on them.

Cheers!
Jenn