We have come a long way since our last update. Let’s get to the big stuff.
First, paint. We have more or less finished paint. Some of the rooms needed a second coat to get the full, rich colors, and here’s what they look like now.
Master bedroom – Robin’s Egg
2nd bedroom – Plum Island
3rd bedroom – Hazelwood
bathroom – Curry
and introducing Bean Pot, the color we used in the living room, staircase and upstairs hallways.
Exterior painting is getting underway, too – the painter (not me, thankfully) is sanding down rough edges and removing some brush that’s in the way of his ladders. Soon the half grey, half red house will be all red again.
And there’s plenty of non-paint activity as well!
Trim is in place on all the windows and doors. Which means there are doors on all the rooms upstairs now; I guess I forgot to take a picture of them.
Last but not least, floorboards. The wide planks are being put in place, and the contractors are using hand cut, flat head nails for the full old-timey effect. They literally asked “do you still want this to look as old timey as possible?” Of course we answered yes.
Speaking of flooring…
Here’s what I’m working on at the moment. I (or, technically, power tools slightly guided by me) sanded down the floor in the living room to bare wood. I have to fill some spots where the flooring is just subfloor (and a few spots that don’t even have that), and then I varnish the whole thing. It will look pretty rugged when it’s all done, but that’s the style we’re aiming for so it should be ok. It will certainly look better than it did when the contractors found it under the old carpets.
Finally, we decided that, since we were going to have new trim on the front door anyway, we might as well get a new front door. This means the contractors will have to reframe the door somewhat, causing a little extra work, but it will mean we’ll have a door and frame that aren’t tilted to one side, and a much stronger weather seal during the winter. Our doorbell was removed during the demo process, and we’ve decided not to replace it; we’re getting an antique door knocker instead.
All this – plus the lighting, bathroom fixtures, bathroom floor, etc. – will be done by the end of the month. Seems we just don’t do things quietly around here, do we?
