Atelier 918

Determined Painter

I'm going to be out of town next weekend and I really want to get this room done before I go. That means that I have to really focus on painting in the evenings but the tast of cutting in really requires some good lighting and I just didn't want to deal with lamps. Instead I got up at 7:30am and threw on my painting clothes and cut in around 75% of the ceiling before work using the daylight as my light source. Since that ceiling edge will show more flaws it needs to be done more slowly so doing it ahead of time meant that I could do the remainder of the cutting in quickly when I got home from work.

I came home at 5:30 and got to work and completed the cutting in all the way around and then rolled on the first coat of paint. Yeah me! I don't think I need to cut in again, just another coat of paint with the roller and it should be good to go.

That just leaves the woodwork to get painted. (groan)

Primed wall shots

Here's some progress...

This one is the primed walls and the painted ceiling.

Here are the walls after the second coat of tinted primer:

Priming

I spent a good while cutting in around the edges of the walls of the office this afternoon, working slowly to ensure that I didn't make mistakes, particularly by the ceiling edge. Then after a break to breathe some clean air and have a snack I put the first coat of tinted primer on the walls. This paint will require two primer coats and two paint coats at least to get the coverage we need. So far so good though, it's a nice olive green. I'll post photos tomorrow.

Office update and garden additions

I'm making progress. I need to do one more coat of the ceiling paint and then I can move on to doing the walls. And of course I just remembered that I left the roller out uncovered I better go see if it is still okay for later tonight. Ack!

We ducked out a while ago to the gardening store to pick up some more plants, some camelias,  some laurels and other small bushes, some hyacinths, a primrose and a couple of deadnettles -- they don't sting and they are a small leaves ground cover with flowers for shade -- which we have lots of.

Tomorrow we're having trees trimmed back from the roof on the north side of the house and having a previously topped tree (by the previous owners) removed from the backyard in an area where we want to have a flagstone patio. My partner is getting excited about having so many projects underway, especially since he's been swamped with work and I've been the one coordinating.

Working on it

I got back in to the office and caulked the gaps in the trim around the room and it's looking much tighter now. I also am patching a gap in the ceiling at the edge of the connection for the hanging ceiling light, it was something that was just there so I've used my mesh tape and some lightweight spackling as I'm out of plaster. For the spot it should hold up fine I think.

I'm getting really excited about painting the ceiling next once the spackling is done, and then doing my tinted primer coat on the walls.

I was thinking about whether I ought to remove the windows and have them dipped and then redoing the putty on them on the outside. Lord knows they could use it. Still that's something I can work around for now.

Then walking to the store with my partner he starts brainstorming about how we should break down the wall between our bedroom and that room and put in a master bath or use it as a dressing room Those would be nice but can't I just finish the project that I set out to do and deal with that after we get to enjoy it awhile. Besides the kitchen project needs doing.

Office Shot

Everyone likes to look at picture so here's an image collage of the office prior to the first coat of primer. Click for a larger image.

First Coat of Primer

I did it, I put the first coat of primer down to seal the walls in the office. I had gotten so used to seeing the uneven colors left behind after I washed off the calcimine paint. I still have to prime the woodwork but I'm on my way and so if I stay focused the room will be finished fairly soon. It better be since we have a large computer wardrobe blocking the upstairs hall.

It looks awesome

I came home early to check on the floor and it looks so amazingly good that I can't even believe that it was hiding underneath that brick red paint with the thick white paint splatters. Finally I can see the room coming together.

I won't reveal my design ideas until a little later, after I've had some time to implement the final decorated room -- and that will require some diligent painting on my part.

It is so smelly in that room right now that it's almost scary. After the finish sets and the second coat is on we can let it air out a little later on in the week.

Preparing for Floor Refinishing

What a struggle it was moving the computer wardrobe unit out into the hall. It only has 1/5" gap between the doorframe, and that's with the door removed. It also weighs a ton, which speaks well of Pottery Barn's materials but man oh man. We removed all the drawers and shelves from it to help make it lighter and then we were able to wiggle it out.

No matter that we have limited access to either the bedroom, the bathroom from the bedroom or the front hall, depending on how we turn it. It's just for a couple of days though and then I guess I'll have to crank on the painting and that room will be complete. Sounds too simple, but knowing how long it takes for us to finish that last 5% on our painting projects I won't hold my breath.

No photos for now but I hope to have a before and after shot for you in a few days.

Floor refinishing appointment scheduled

I booked with the floor refinisher for next week, to help sand and refinish the floor in our little office room. After that then we can just paint and be done with it. I'm so tired of not having that room finished. It will be a big change when its done.