A Room Redo

I started to repaint another bedroom late this summer.   The room has oak laminate flooring that is still in good condition so we kept that.

I can do a lot to get ready for these jobs but really P has to have the time to get the big work started.  He scraped the ceiling (we have popcorn ceilings and whereas we have repainted them before, we’ve learned that a better scraping is much better and leaves a touch of texture to hide any ceiling flaws but doesn’t hang down and get dripping!) and then he painted it.  It is not his favorite job (at all!) but after 2 coats he is pleased with his work.

K & I had talked about ideas and she gave me a good starting point with some “inspiration” and here is a nugget of that.

From that we occupied ourselves in the paint dept at a big-box hardware store once while P was shopping and we chose paint chips.  Over time, I got paint cards from S-W because I only use their paint.  🙂  It really is good paint and if I’m not buying during a 40% off weekend (often) then I’m getting 25% off with our Farm Bureau discount.

 

This has been several years in discussion!  Finally choosing the wall color was a bit of a challenge!  I ended up buying 7, yes SEVEN, paint sample containers from Sherwin-Williams.  (So if you are local and want a quart of one of these colors, I will give it to you!  🙂  S-W uses real paint in their samples now so you can use it for a small project.)  Here are some of the choices ~ (and this is the only “before” photo you get… no need to show you how old the decor really was…)

 

And there were others!

A good suggestion from the paint store was to keep the baseboards consistent throughout the house to avoid buying lots of extra paint, especially for touch-ups.  I’ve now done 2 bedrooms and not finished one gallon of trim paint so that was a wise choice.  (trim paint: Sherwin-Williams Eider White)  (As I’m repainting this time, all the trim is changing and getting the same color.  Love me some painted trim!!)

Finally, I mostly was OK with 2 of the samples, told myself I wasn’t to buy anymore samples, bought another just to be sure, and just picked a paint.  If it turned out awful, well, I’d paint again, I suppose.  I was debating between one with a buttery base or one with a green base.  (either side of the window for the samples) I liked the greenish base better but felt it was too close to what I just did in JP’s room and K & I had talked of more a yellow undertone, so that is what I chose.  (Sherwin-Williams Ionic Ivory)

Up on the wall, with the room finished… it is a greenish undertone.  Seriously, I can’t win for losing!  (not a very accurate photo but this was an in-process one)

It is as finished as finished will be for now.

The rugs are new and add lots of the color punch we want.

The nightstand is from a curb or Goodwill and I painted it.  That was also a challenge… I had the paint chip I wanted, started painting, and it was too light.  Took it back to S-W and they added to make it darker… 3 times… and I just gave up.  There is a better color in my head but this is it for now.  (My outside painting days were decreasing fast!)  And my strong-arms all but disappeared to the fields by this point.  So much that the closet doors are painted and in the room but not hung.

The next big adds will be a dark fuchsia quilt (fabric & dye are purchased but shown is the couch quilt in the winter), some bedskirt, and then dark purple shams or ?  Some thoughts for the window (Phil needs to put the mini blinds back to start with) include a bronze or our accent colors in a valance, drape, or ?   Time will tell on that.  I flunk at window treatments!!  And I’d love to change the ceiling light too.

I really like having the room repainted.  It is cool & calm and just fresh & new!  K liked it when she was home last!!  Yeah!!  I’m eager to get more repainting done but have to wait for my ceiling worker to be able to help me.

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Painting Project C

Finally, we are going to wrap this up!  🙂

Another day this fall, Phil said I needed to see what had been taken to the burn pile.  K was home so we all met there and said he had to rescue these 2 buffets.  One has all the doors but is “newer” and the older one w/ great wood & cool feet is missing the bottom doors.

I went with the latter…

Before:

This piece is well made and the bottom shelf is half the depth which I like.

Originally, I thought I’d use this in the living room to hold our new TV.  We ended up revamping the wardrobe to hold the new TV.  I already had the paint and the plans.  This will be used in my new quilting studio.  It isn’t in its home yet so pardon the fluff/stuff around the edges.  It also made it hard to get good pictures.  Maybe I can show this again later once the room is done.

After:

Sorry about the overhead light in there but this gave the most accurate representation of the color.  Sherwin-Williams Artichoke!  🙂

I might get some baskets for the shelf and/or bottom but really the long space could hold some quilts as well.

I reused the original drawer pulls and sprayed them gloss chocolate brown.

They were a total pain to paint… after 2 primer coats and 2 brown coats, I thought I had them done.  Seems the handles needed to dangle when being sprayed so I held them with an old work glove!  I propped them to dry.  Later when I started to attach them to the drawers, I found more white spots!  Another douse w/ gloved hand & paint and I decided they are good enough.

The center drawer is divided for silverware and lined with what seems to be a sprayed on felt.  Any suggestions on fixing that?  Or can that be resprayed?  Do they sell a product like that?

This manufacturer’s plaque is inside one of the small drawers.

This concludes the current parade of painting projects!  While the paint was drying, I continued to work on sorting, pitching, and boxing things in the basement.  I feel like I’m getting no where.  However, Phil noticed a difference yesterday so that helped.  Lots of trips up & down the steps should help something … more than my need for an afternoon nap!

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Painting Project B

And the painting parade continues….

Next up is the top of a hutch, I “acquired” this summer.  Phil brought it home from a place where it couldn’t be used. He knew it was best to ask me about it before heading to the burn pile.

🙂

The bottom part was given to someone needing a dresser but this top portion was not needed.  Mine!

Before:

My plan is to hang it in my sewing room for organizing and holding tools.

It then sat in the garage for several months!! 😦  Thankfully K had the umption to get the painting projects going over Christmas and this was first on my list!  I had bought the supplies in October!! Ack!!

This is K’s “payback” photo of me working since I put up one of her working.

After priming, I painted it pink.  More like PINK!!  Pepto Bismo PINK!! Pink like one bedroom here when we moved in.  (painted in 1976… you get the picture.)   Pink all over like waytoomuchevenforme PINK!!

I had planned to add some crackle medium & gloss white and upped my plan to include MORE of the white.  Whew!!

After:

I found the door pulls at Hobby Lobby and JUMPED for JOY when I was there last week with Lori & they were half-off.  🙂   Now she knows who would do what with such pink knobs.  🙂

However, I must say, Phil is right… this may not fit in my sewing room.  He looked & surveyed again today and is thinking about it now.  Hence, it is only standing in the basement midst the sorting of “stuff” that is going on!!

This was the first time I used crackle medium — wow!  I love it but basically held my breath and couldn’t speak while I dabbed on the white.  (Phil wondered what else I could crackle… )

So it isn’t perfect, but I love it nonetheless!

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Painting Project A

Slowly the final touches are getting completed so the painting parade is starting.   🙂   I have A, B, & C projects to show you.  Here is A.

Miss K got this night stand at one of her thrift stores for $7.   On another visit she found one for $5.   I let her choose which one she wanted and I’ll keep the other one for her room/ the guest room here.  (The other one is primed but I’ll decide on paint once I know how I’m going to decorate the room here.  Don’t hold your breath!)

Before:

We put the Zinsser BIN primer on in the garage as it (BIN) smells so bad and then did the rest of the painting in the basement.  It was cold!  Phil brought up a shop heater which made it tolerable but the fumes were a bit of an issue.  We started on Christmas Eve day when we were snowed in from church.

During:

Also more frames are primed but not painted.

After:

This is Sherwin-Williams paint: Center Stage 6920

We sprayed the drawer pulls with white gloss spray paint.

This will return to the city on the next visit.  Hers or ours.  🙂

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The Dresser – Part 3

I know you’ll excuse the delay as K took home a cold along with the knobs for her dresser on Labor Day.  I’m sure you aren’t reading words, just looking ahead to pictures…

Ta-Da!! –>

Yes, the dresser is NOT in the bedroom (neither is the bed yet as she doesn’t have one) but it makes a DANDY TV stand, don’t you think?  It is narrow like a buffet-type of table.

The unburied, formerly scratched up, black, magazine rack is peaking in to show its new cleaned-up, newly painted, deep purple coat.   Much better IRL.

While she was home over Labor Day, I think I told you we had painting projects going on.   Only 1 before picture —

A few frames she grabbed at her local thrift store.   She picked through a used box here and added a few more.  After priming, we painted them in black gloss & silver metallic.

Once hung… she needs more!!  🙂 (Donations accepted…)

This week K got to unpacking in her sewing room.  What a treat to have a designated place for that.  Soon we’ll take her the sewing cabinet from her grandma R, along with…. a bed frame as the new mattress set should arrive next week.  Yippee!!   Moving on up!!

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The Dresser – Part 2

Continuing with my 3-part series…..

The previous post had me taking a time-out for Wednesday supper.  I got a new burst of energy with supper and headed out with Surfer.  (Sorry to say, no dude is attached to the can….)

I applied one coat of color.  It was still daylight and I was still going so I got a second coat on the dresser.  Those drawers would wait until morning for their second coat.

I was so pleased with the results when I headed out about 7 the next morning!   I wiped off the dew and arranged them to get the bit of sun filtering through the trees.

The paint is dry and not tacky at all!!  After giving the sunshine a bit of time to warm up my work area and dry out the dressers…

I gave the drawers their second coat and gave the dresser a 3rd coat.    All the trim likes to hide areas that I miss!

(We have cement workers here for Thursday and Friday and the one with 4 teeth wandered by while I was painting in the morning.  As he approached he said, “I think you need another color.”   Ha.  Ha.  No.   And then he continued on to tell me about his kids and grandkids and he doesn’t celebrate Christmas and so I hurried and was “done” and went back in the house.   :cough: )

After lunch, I hit the spots that needed a final touch-up and declared that I was DONE!!   🙂

Ta-Da!!

Of course, getting an accurate picture of the color seemed to be a whole ‘nother story!!

I seriously could not believe how dry the paint felt!  No tackiness AT ALL!!   I just had to put a drawer in to see it.

This is still looking too blue to me on my computer.   I took the drawers inside to wait until moving day and this photo of 2 drawers seems to be the color that I see in real life.  It is teal.

K has a great shop near her that she thinks will have the perfect hardware.  If she doesn’t get that accomplished today, your Part 3 will continue to wait.  This would look great with black or chocolate or a bright handle/knob!!

And before I started all the running & painting…. we tried it and it DOES fit in the back end of my truck!!   🙂

K got preview photos late last night and she said she LOVELOVELOVES it!!  ♥

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The Dresser – Part 1

Soon after K got home Tuesday night (she goes to the new place to clean every night this week after work… at least it is cleaned her way and to her specs…), she sent an email that she LOVES the dresser.  And she sent me the color name & number for the paint.  Love shopping Sherwin-Williams online!

I thought if I needed to get this ready to move soon, I really needed to get going on it so went out that night to do level 1 of cleaning.  Phil had noticed a light smoke smell   😦  so I knew I could have a bit of work ahead of me.   Phil got the dresser out away from the beds and then stayed to help clean.   🙂

Upon this further investigation, we found out that the drawer fronts are plastic!! PLASTIC! Oooo-boy! Meanwhile, we washed every single speck of area with Wood Wash.  I like it and it doesn’t raise the wood with the water.  The main dresser is wood and the other sides of the drawers are wood.

to refresh your memory... BEFORE

The next morning (Wednesday) Phil said the garage didn’t smell as bad as the previous night so we had washed off some of the smell along with lots of grime.  I had already googled for ideas of removing the smell and the next easiest trick up my sleeve was vinegar.

I filled a spray bottle with straight white vinegar and sprayed every bit of surface.  Even I smelled like vinegar when I was done!  We had also moved it to the driveway into the sunshine & breeze but most said that method takes weeks.  I don’t have weeks to spare.   (tho she can move w/o a dresser, it is just nice when we are driving in there to take it.)

While that was drying I continued my work with google search, this time looking for ways to paint over plastic.  I came across this blog and decided I’d like Zinsser BIN for my project.  Not only did she say it would prime laminate (mine is more plastic than laminate) but without sanding.  Yahoo!!

Another google search, showed me that the product is carried at Home Depot.   It was just nearing 10 a.m., another batch of soap had been poured, dishes were done, one man was working and the other at class, so I was off to get supplies!

I decided I’d get the sponge roller, wood filler & putty knife, and “stuff” at Menards and then get the paint at S-W.  If I couldn’t find the Zinsser in that town, I’d head to the next town and start with Home Depot.  I was on a mission! Phil had instructions that if I wasn’t home, he could make a sandwich for dinner.  🙂   (He does like a good homemade hoagie!)

Just taking a stab… I asked the worker in the Menard’s paint dept if they had Zinsser brands.  Yes, right here.

>cue angels singing!!!<

Just the answer I was hoping he’d give me!! (but really I was doubtful!)  I paid my bill and headed out the door!! Happy!!

Next stop — paint!

At Sherwin-Williams, I grabbed the paint chip card with the correct color name on it.  Surfer.  Whoa!!! It was NOT blue as had appeared on my computer screen.   I decided to take the risk and call K at work to clarify.   The receptionist said she’d need to page K but didn’t think she was meeting with a bride so I thought that was OK.

She was.

It was still OK and we didn’t even talk 1 minute.

K said she was fine with teal so I proceeded on.

This does NOT look like the chip in the store but I know that computers don’t read color the same as real life (unless, my son told us, that I have an add-in to the tune of a few hundred dollars).

After getting the paint, I (stupidly) asked about covering the top of the dresser that has a formica type top.  I said I had the Zinsser BIN primer and she said, “NO, that won’t work!! It will melt plastic.  Is there is any gloss to the finish? (yes)  It won’t work.”

😦

I said I also had a S-W ProBlock primer and she said that was a much better choice.

I just paid $24.95 for my miracle can of BIN!!

I returned home with a diet caffeine-free pop to calm my nerves.  🙂

I googled about BIN some more.

I referenced my Coats Craft Encyclopedia.    😉  😉

I had lunch.  (Home in time to grill steaks, thankyouverymuch.)

Phil put the previously painted bookcase back together in the basement.

Molly wanted to help.

(She was trying to get to me and this just wasn’t working!  But she didn’t try backing up either.  Phil actually moved the bookcase from her as she stayed there wagging her tail for several minutes while he worked.)

Next up….

I took the plunge!  My google-searched opinion VS.  the S-W paid worker opinion.

I got all the stuff out and the men carried the dresser (I took the drawers) to the backyard for my workstation.  Phil set up planks to keep the dresser out of the {long and fast-growing} grass and a higher workstation for the drawers.  Nine drawers.   I got all the knobs off and saved in a baggie.

I put a bit of Zinsser BIN on the inside part of a drawer.   Nothing immediate happened.  I put some on the top of the dresser.  All dried quickly, nothing rubbed off, I was in business!

Soon, I fell in LOVE with Zinsser B I N!!  ♥

It covered everything!  The detail on the drawers…. a PITA, but some swirling/scrubbing action of the paint brush got the primer worked in the details.

By the time I was finished with a coat of the primer about 3:40 p.m., I was wondering what I would prime next!  I love this stuff!!  The dresser no longer looked like plastic!!  The top no longer looked like formica!

The Zinsser BIN also blocks odors so I did the back of the dresser to seal it.  I did not do all of the inside in lieu of saving my sanity and I seriously didn’t smell anything but wood at this point.   (The Zinsser BIN smells but the lovely breeze outside kept that at bay.)

Phil thought I should keep it white.

I knew better…

I took a break (the usual sugar-free + carb-free brownie and sf ice cream) and kept with the Surfer color plan.    Had a short chat with my mom (Dad’s next step is 7 weeks of 5 days a week radiation, 30+ miles each way.) and gave her all the details of the new apt for K, and the painting job, and life in general.   I’m serious, it was a shorter chat than normal.  It was nearing supper time and she had just gotten off the phone with another sister.

first coat of primer

Six of the nine drawers have these designs.  Two on each drawer.  Twelve.

After snack – break time, I added a second coat of primer to the drawer fronts.

Soon it was time for supper….

to be continued~

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Letter of the Day

May I introduce the letter P to you as it participated in my Monday.

Preparing pies for the party:

13 crusts

Peaches, cranberries, & blueberries marinating with the sugar mix.

I forgot finished pie pictures.  You’ll understand.  Apple = 5  Peach Berry = 8

Phil is planting!  After getting 3″ of rain last week, we are thrilled he got a full day in yesterday.  Rain is due every day this week so he stays out late and gets up early on these dry days.  He is so tired!  Praying for his safety.  (Because I think the wire fence piece piercing his lip is enough for the season! He is on year 3 of his last tetanus.)

Prayed for K’s painting final critque:

This class has gone to the Conservatory, the Zoo, and the Field Museum for painting.  Her first painting class but a major focus for the other students… tough but she did well.  

Today… praying for her Hat class final.  A huge deal, a tender heart.

And JP pruned the bushes but I don’t have a picture of that.  🙂  Trust me, they look better.

Today won’t be as fast & full as yesterday.   I don’t think.

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Tuesday Trip

Over last weekend, K was feeling the pressure of her BFA show looming heavy on her shoulders.  I said to Phil that maybe I needed to go help.   K suggested I come on Tuesday so I rearranged the schedule here for that to work.  She had until Wednesday to finish any painting or construction on her space.  She needed painting help.

Early Tuesday I drove the 1 1/2 hrs to the train station.  I took the train another 1 1/2 hrs to downtown.  Then I got on a bus!  All.by.my.self!  :))  

I texted Keturah when I was waiting for a bus and she left her classroom and waited at the stop for me.  I knew where I was ending up but it was noon for her anyway.  We went about a block to subway for quick lunch.  

We walked to her room about 2 blocks and of course by now it was raining.  😦 It was only a light rain but still noontime crowded streets with umbrellas and my load was not so fun.  

Have you ever wondered how someone in Fashion Design with a focus on Accessories decorates her room?  

There we packed a cart to move the rack Phil had made for her show.  

We went the 2 1/2 blocks to the building in the rain pushing the cart.  😦  Upstairs we got her supplies out of her locker nearby and got to work.   I was able to get a sticky nametag pass and that meant that K didn’t have to be with me all the time.  Such freedom!  haha!  

The gallery space is on the 7th floor and K’s spot is along the outer window wall.    Here, I’ll show you the view!

I’m scared of heights so this is with me standing back three feet but stretching out the camera so see what I could get!  LOL!

This is in a newly aquired SAIC building.  I have been in the part with the classrooms once before.  It is just beautiful!  The lobby had very nice hardwood floors.  Her locker was NEW and HUGE!  😉  

She had painted the wall a gray with a touch of violet.  Then she printed out her wording the size she wanted and had cut out all the letters.  But she kept them attached and had a line running through them for leveling and spacing.  🙂    

We had about 5 sections I think.  That took awhile to get them level.  Then we traced all letters with pencil.  I did most of that while  she used a tiny brush to touch up the corner where her wall meets the neighbor’s white (so far) wall.  

 

Then time to paint.  We had little (maybe less than 1/2″) art brushes to fill in the letters.  TIME!   At 3:30, we gasped as this was taking a long time.  I called JP and decided to delay my departure to an hour later than the latest I had planned.  We finished one coat of paint.  

Then we assembled her rack and worked a bit on a second coat.  She said that after I left she worked about an hour more and finished the letters.  🙂 

We hurried back to her room having to go out the freight elevator this time.  😦    This put us out on another side of the building so that was a full 3 1/2 blocks back.   The cart was nearly empty but the sidewalks were full with those heading home.   Why do they think those carts come with steering mechanisms???  

I had taken stew so we heated that in her micro and ate fast.  Then repacked my backpack (on wheels) and left.  She has a great produce store so had gotten many lovelies for us.  I had a huge bunch of brocolli, 2 boxes of strawberries, cherry tomatoes, and many zucchini!  

She got me on the bus and I headed back for the train.  However, the bus was FULL and going slow with lots getting on each time.  😦   I got to the stop w/ 9 mins until my train left.  And they leave on.the.dot!   

I ran up the street, in the building, across to the escalator, and carried the heavy backpack up some of the steps.  My heart was going to explode at this point.  Ran to the doors to the trains, the train was not as the schedule said on track #2 but on track #4.  Not far, but nerve-wracking for this novice!!  I got a seat which was grand.  🙂  

By 45 mins until my stop, the car was empty.  So I thought.  Later, I learned there was a girl on the top level sleeping.  🙂  I tried to sleep but only got a numb hip.  😦

The wind heading home was intense!!  The weatherman said the winds were up to 45 mph.  I got home at 9:40 p.m.  

All this and the next day started with a dash as Nina & I headed to Puppy Preschool.   Amazing that I just keep going.  🙂  

Some of this is vague on purpose so as not to ruin the moment of the gallery opening.   🙂   Some of it may be vague because I now have the flu and my whole head is vague.   😦

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