Can Remodeling a Rec Room Wreck a Marriage?

Well, maybe! We've started on our rec room. Here are a few before pictures:

This room is over our 3 car garage, so it's pretty big. You might be thinking that it doesn't look so bad. Well, it doesn't, but it's been like this for 20 years. We're ready for a change. Let me start right off by saying that I do not use this room at all except for the treadmill. Butch uses it ALL the time to watch sports. It stands to reason that he should have the room the way he wants. 

We'll start with this photo. The bar is "going away." I don't think anyone has ever sat at it in all these years. Plus, you'll notice the brass foot rail at the bottom? It's a pain to keep polished---which Margarita does! Also, we are removing the home theater system (on the ceiling)---after 20 years, it's outdated. Plus with High Definition these days, this old fashioned system is all grainy.

 We plan to move the pool table, refelt and re-paint it. This was the start of the problem. Story below.

The pull-down movie screen is going and all of the center shelves---making room for a big screen tv. The furniture is going too---adding home theater seating. We're installing a new, updated state of the art sound system through out the house. All of the old equipment, receiver, cd player, dvd player is going to be gone. 

The treadmill stays. We still use it all the time. The weights---not so much.

 We're also going to re-do the bathroom. Out goes the toilet, floor and vanity. We're keeping the tub and tile. The wallpaper is out too.

Now on to the story. Let me start by saying that I LOVE decorating. When Butch said he wanted to remodel the rec room, I was all over it! Little did I know that he would have opinions! What??? Decorating is "MY" thing. Why does he think he gets a say? Oh, because basically it's his room? That could be a good argument. I'll concede that.

We went out last week so he could show me the theater seating that he found. It's a dark grey leather and is very comfortable---exactly what he had in mind. I'm okay with that. I want him to be comfortable. That was the only thing we agreed on. I pointed out a pool table that was black with a grey felt top. He flipped out about painting the pool table black. He said I was trying to make the room "vanilla." Anyone who knows me, knows that I am the furthest thing from a "vanilla" person. I love color and there is color all over this house!! 

This is what our pool table looks like now. We both agree that we want to get away from the oak. He said he could go with blue or burgundy felt. Burgundy is what we have now. I'm done with that. Blue won't work at all.

I then pointed to a black table with a red felt top, saying I would compromise with the red. All of a sudden, he doesn't like black! (Actually, that's not exactly true. He had already let me know that he did not like the idea of a black granite counter top in the bar area.) We left the place with both of us hot under the collar. I told him he was butting in to my business (the decorating) and why does he all of a sudden have "opinions?" It took me a bit to calm down as he was trying to be really nice to me. About that time, Mindy called. By then we were laughing about his having opinions. 

I've told him that I wish he could see inside my head. I have a vision for what this room is going to look like and it's going to be awesome!! I actually have 3 ideas for the pool table. Now I'm just waiting to see if the faux painter can do it! My regular faux painter has retired. She used to do a "mock up" for me so that I could be sure that I conveyed my idea to her. I'm hoping that this new one will do the same. If Butch can see the mock up, he might get on board.

As I see it, he gets to pick out everything regarding the Audio/visual, seating, and beverage center. The fun, decorating part should be mine! He still wants a say, so we'll see how it goes. So far, I don't think this remodeling job is enough to wreck this 42 year union! 

I'll keep you posted!