I know I've made some references to working on this fabulous place we are renting so I thought I'd share some photos of things in progress. These photos are from specific times and more work may have been done since I took these. Our landlord was clear that this place hadn't been worked on in a very long time. Having learned to do all sorts of house things starting as a kid, I assured her I loved the adventure of it all.
The wall paper in the kitchen on one wall has three layers of something. The first wallpaper is probably from the 80's based on the design. Blue little flowers and tiny hearts. So not me! Plue it was peeling and just looking a bit dingy.
The second layers seems to be from the the late 60's I'm thinking.
The largest wall has this stuff
under the two wall papers that I have no idea how to remove. At this point I a
m working on just getting easiest to remove, er, papers removed. This layer is kind of an aqua blue painted coat on cardboard (or something like it) pasted to the plaster. Crazy stuff. I have borrowed a steamer from a friend to see if I can release it that way. As one can see from the photo on the left there will need to be some repair of the plaster or perhaps replacing a section of this wall with sheetrock. The second wall of the kitchen only one layer that is pretty easy to removed except for the fact that they placed the new cabinets directly over it so it takes a little patience with the edges.
The paint trim is certainly a different colour under the wallpaper where it's been protected from aging and dirt. My goal is to strip the majoring of the trim, sand it and repaint it (and the walls) this spring. I have the basic colour scheme already planned. So exciting!
The stairway has wallpaper that based on the removal of one panel is easy to lift up - woo hoo! Well sort of, the other wall has the paper placed directly on untreated sheetrock. There is also some wood paneling that will need to be taken down.
TGF wanted me to wait until the deep winter was over before removing the carpeting on the stairs. I wanted it done immediately as it's ugly carpeting and the edges kind of roll under my bare feet (she always wears shoes, I try to as
little as possible) meaning I start to slip about 3 times out of 10 when heading downstairs. While they need work it was such a joy to see nice wood on the step. The risers will need to be stripped or painted. Something!
Other projects abound, especially now that the weather is good. Stripping the wallpaper in the laundry/pantry/mudroom. Repairing the windows in the downstairs rooms - a squirrel or other critter got in the house while it was empty through the dryer vent and couldn't figure out how to get back out, so the poor thing chewed the hell out of a bunch of window frames. Wood putty will be my new best friend. Since I have been able to take down the plastic from the windows the time is near to begin this project too.
With the sunny days I am itching to do something with the little green space directly in front of the house. It's rather barren right now. Oh and then there is the idea of replacing the edging of the front side yard. There are just so many things I could do here! Painting the living room is way up there as well. And stripping the paint off the mantle place. And, and, and.. Well you get the idea. I find all this exciting work and I just love my house so it all works!
Today I finally was able to prime the bathroom. Before we were here a week the kitchen ceiling leaked and while the guys were here they also checked out the bathroom. I wish I had taken a photo of the tile that surrounded the bath. It's not that they were so hideous but they were old, ugly, blah colours. Oh yeah, there was also the strip of tiles being held in place with duct tape. No I am not exaggerating, I am speaking literally.
We have a lovely surround now with built in shelf space on both sides of the window, rendering the shower caddy, I had just bought days before, obsolete. A small price to pay for a much improved looking bathroom. The guys left me to do the sanding and so forth. What with one thing or another (lack of motivation, needing supplies, waiting on AT&T for frigging ever when I needed to get said supplies) the only thing I had accomplished with sanding and cleaning the bathroom, which mostly included scrubbing the tub within an inch of it's life. Seriously I did three separate "let the cleanser soak and then scrub the bejesus out of it" sessions.
Today after getting the furnace inspected and taking Wyatt for a bathroom break I was finally able to break out the primer and brush. I was using Kilz because for some reason I was convinced it needed a superduper primer or perhaps because I forgot there was basic primer crap that would have done just fine. Yeah it was one of those.
As I toiled through the cutting in, the fumes where less than delightful and while opening the window was a great idea it was rather ineffective in that I couldn't budge the storm window. Close to finishing with the brush TGF called and I realized the fumes were strong. By the time I was close to finished with the rollering of the ceiling and walls I was breaking out in a sweat, felt lightheaded, and just frankly rather odd. Even for me. Thankfully, or perhaps not, I finished the painting before I passed out, throw up, or something else.
It took over two hours to feel not shaky, nauseous, and lose the feeling of but not actual ringing in my ears. I know it's weird but it had the visual feeling of ringing but they weren't.
As TGF said, "It's a warning, not a suggestion", regarding the label about using this crap in a ventilated space. I have not been back in that room since I finished. I figure six or better hours away from the second floor will help along with opening the bedroom window which I did before descending to curl up on the odd little chair in the living room when all I wanted was to sleep.
Tomorrow plain old paint. Or a different project all together.
under the two wall papers that I have no idea how to remove. At this point I a
m working on just getting easiest to remove, er, papers removed. This layer is kind of an aqua blue painted coat on cardboard (or something like it) pasted to the plaster. Crazy stuff. I have borrowed a steamer from a friend to see if I can release it that way. As one can see from the photo on the left there will need to be some repair of the plaster or perhaps replacing a section of this wall with sheetrock. The second wall of the kitchen only one layer that is pretty easy to removed except for the fact that they placed the new cabinets directly over it so it takes a little patience with the edges.
The paint trim is certainly a different colour under the wallpaper where it's been protected from aging and dirt. My goal is to strip the majoring of the trim, sand it and repaint it (and the walls) this spring. I have the basic colour scheme already planned. So exciting!
little as possible) meaning I start to slip about 3 times out of 10 when heading downstairs. While they need work it was such a joy to see nice wood on the step. The risers will need to be stripped or painted. Something!
