The Softer Side

This blog has become endless stories of dirty, gritty projects that Steve is spending all his free time on (brownie points for Steve!). I’d like to share a little bit of what I’ve been working on! Most of mine are more fun than his (like sewing projects) but some are most definitely not.

Dining Room: I bought some black and white fabric months ago to make a sideboard runner for the dining room (with tassels!). Turns out I had enough left over to also make a lovely table runner, AND three extra square placemats that we can use for casual dining. I just love black and white in the dining room. Next project: Need to find art for the wall over the sideboard. I think the mirror is too small, and I want something that will really captivate that whole big wall.

Basement Bathroom Makeover: The basement, in general, is a visual assault every time I go down for a load of laundry. I wanted to wash it out with bleach and a fire department-grade hose when we moved in, but due to the construction elsewhere and the need to immediately store our stuff in the basement so we could refinish the floors, that wasn’t really practical. We have family coming to visit in October, and I have a feeling that extra toilet is going to come in handy — but something had to be done!

The exterior wall was country blue, and the interior wall was a hideous mash-up of hunter green and mustard yellow. (Note the hunter green paint on the glass to the left.)

As mentioned before, the basement in general is filthy and had not been cleaned in at least a decade. First, I scrubbed down the walls with a bristle brush and bucket of soapy water, then let them dry (during which time I painted the medallion and finished a few spray-paint jobs outside). Next, cut in around the edges with a brush, and started rolling! It took quite a while, because I had to use a brush to get down in the grooves of the beadboard, then roll over it twice.

The window behind the toilet was unceremoniously painted hunter green — right on the glass! — but we can’t get the paint off right now. In order to use Steve’s heavy-duty stripper, we need proper ventilation; and it’s too hot now to leave the door open. So, the short fix: a curtain!

Next project: Scrub the floor and the two brick walls, as well as around the window. Prime the floor with concrete primer, and then let it cure for 30 days. Then, I will paint the floor a dark color, depending on which paint I have lying around.

I also ripped off two layers of chicken wire that were on either side of the basement door, blocking precious light from the outside. They were unhappily stapled and nailed; once I got them down, it was apparent the window panes had not been cleaned for years.  I already feel a great sense of satisfaction when I enter the basement laundry area; and I’m not even done!

Comments are closed.