Wednesday, December 23, 2009
I love pictures...
... Some pictures to inspire. I collect pictures all over the place of things that I like the look of, whether it be the colour, the composition, a piece of furniture, the subject matter, an clever idea, the emotion it invokes...
Friday, December 18, 2009
Lets Play Before&After...
Kitchen
Front Door
Entrance Area
Bedroom
So if I had furniture... I'd totally be able to move in!
And the Floors go in...
The long awaited outcome to finish it off... The flooring!
I came home to a total wreck! Dirty hands on newly painted walls, skirtings not fitting correctly, trims not in place...
But a day later it was perfect (except for the dirty hand prints EVERYWHERE - I swear no person touches the walls as much as these guys did!) and ready for a final clean and to move in...
Dirty Mitts!!
Bit of elbow grease (what a horrible concept)and they walls are (almost) as good as new.
What Beauties!
Great was my elation when I saw my skirtings for the first time! Who would have guessed (not me) that they could have turned out this beautifully.
Huge thanks to Barry @ Bsolid for the favour.
18mm thick, 100mm tall with small 45 degree mitre in Red Oak, stained dark brown.
Another Time to Paint...
WEEKEND TWO...
The second weekend I was on my own. So off I went to buy several litres of different colours - 2 purples and a red... and started with corners and edges, and man did it go slowly. It seems that when I'm on my own with out someone painting along with me, there is not competition, no motivation. And I only manage corners, edges and door frames for 2 walls. Very slow progress.
Sandpapering the lumps outta the (bad) plastering...
After a pitiful attempt at painting (there were 5 walls to do) my parents took pity on me and lent me their painter.
Enter: Paul the Painter!
And my! Paul could paint. He painted so quickly and efficiently. I looked at my paint and looked at me and said "you need one more litre of this" and off I went to do Paul the Painters bidding. Since he was painting I used the unexpected spare time I had been given to do other household tasks, such as scrubbing and wiping and spaying and washing... So the kitchen was cleaned top to bottom, inside outside, on top. Draws taken out, baskets beaten, shelves wiped, doors cleaned, appliance moved... fans cleans, blades wiped down (there are 2 ceiling fans and good grief but they collect SO much dirt). Finally - windows! Thank goodness there aren't too many. But they were filthy with dust and left over cement from the waterproofers, general dirt that builds up in a house left to its own devices for so long.
Once the painting was done, and Paul the painter and his "one thing I have learnt in life" anicdotes was dropped off at the station, I grabbed my surprisingly willing father to make use of what was left of the evening by drilling some holes for my (reclaimed) blinds and just general finishings off - putting switch covers back - which was tougher than taking them off since paint makes the little holes smaller than the diameter of the screws. I have become rather dexterous with that drill...
Final Colours...
The second weekend I was on my own. So off I went to buy several litres of different colours - 2 purples and a red... and started with corners and edges, and man did it go slowly. It seems that when I'm on my own with out someone painting along with me, there is not competition, no motivation. And I only manage corners, edges and door frames for 2 walls. Very slow progress.
Sandpapering the lumps outta the (bad) plastering...
After a pitiful attempt at painting (there were 5 walls to do) my parents took pity on me and lent me their painter.
Enter: Paul the Painter!
And my! Paul could paint. He painted so quickly and efficiently. I looked at my paint and looked at me and said "you need one more litre of this" and off I went to do Paul the Painters bidding. Since he was painting I used the unexpected spare time I had been given to do other household tasks, such as scrubbing and wiping and spaying and washing... So the kitchen was cleaned top to bottom, inside outside, on top. Draws taken out, baskets beaten, shelves wiped, doors cleaned, appliance moved... fans cleans, blades wiped down (there are 2 ceiling fans and good grief but they collect SO much dirt). Finally - windows! Thank goodness there aren't too many. But they were filthy with dust and left over cement from the waterproofers, general dirt that builds up in a house left to its own devices for so long.
Once the painting was done, and Paul the painter and his "one thing I have learnt in life" anicdotes was dropped off at the station, I grabbed my surprisingly willing father to make use of what was left of the evening by drilling some holes for my (reclaimed) blinds and just general finishings off - putting switch covers back - which was tougher than taking them off since paint makes the little holes smaller than the diameter of the screws. I have become rather dexterous with that drill...
Final Colours...
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
At Last!
Waterproofing is done!
Not the most interesting looking part - most of the work was outside. But it solves one of the first problems and what was the porous cement between the bricks which let in moisture that bubbled the paint and peaked the laminate floor.
Painting can commence as soon as its the weekend!!
A Time to Paint...
Finally the day arrived! Nothing happens and then it all happens at once. 2 weeks until floor installation and painting needs to be completed first. 2 weekend, 13 walls, 1 roller, 1 paint brush, 2 enthusiastic amature painters (ok, not that enthusiastic)
WEEKEND ONE...
Well, we started off slowly, going for coffee and to purchase the paint, a stop into the craft market, but we eventually got going... removing light switch covers, taking hooks and nails out of the walls and polyfilling the holes, sanding them down, taking off curtain rails all before starting with the paint...
We started with the Chiffon White 1...
We did take a few swims in between - it was so hot!
I'm very grateful to my man for rollering every wall (2 coats) while I painted corners and edges and criticised...
Decisions...
Paint and Flooring... its all about colour, and regardless of how much black clothing I may have, I LOVE colour. Colour is what makes a space for me (along with texture and detail).
Before I'd even made up my mind on flooring or paint colours I found myself at a seasonal end of range clearance sale at Hertex. Not intending to get anything for myself of course, I had a plan, and my plan did not involve fabric before floors and walls. No I was there to help Mom find upholstery and curtaining. I was the 'creative eye' and my creative eye landed on a bolt of purple taffeta type fabric with paisley embroidery... and I leapt on it and carried it around the warehouse for an hour convincing myself I was not going to buy it.
It came home with me. Along with a bundle of end of range of cuts - that has no purpose yet, but I think they're evolve into cushions.
ANYWAY... (it was really cheap) Flooring and Wall colours...
It wasn't as simple as it looked. I had a general idea of bold dark colours - of which there are many. I raided the Plascon and Dulux stands, I would estimate that there were over 100 colours laid out on my kitchen counter once I was done setting them out. Good thing is, I'm pretty cut throat. When you see all those colours and tones and hues together, you can quickly toss out the ones that don't suit you. Eventually I cut it down to:
- 9 different whites
- 6 purples
- 4 reds
- 2 greys
- and one metallic charcoal
before finally settling on Brooklyn Nights 1, Fire Cracker 1 and Chiffon White 1 all from Dulux.
Brooklyn Nights and Fire Cracker is what you see on the walls. The very reddy red was a impulsive decision (with a reason behind it: the store I was at didn't have the base to mix a sample of Firecracker, this was the closest they could give me - argh! NOT what I was looking for) and was swiftly thrown out as an option. Dried blood was not what I was looking for - this time.
Now to choose - what colours on what walls? And what floors? They do go hand in hand. Except its much easier to choose flooring - my budget restricts me greatly in that regard. So I took what I had - some flooring I could pick up for free and some for pretty cheap (its all about who you know sometimes).
So the Smoked Oak is an old old old laminatefloor and I have 10 free boxes. Even if I wanted to I wouldn't be able to find an other box in the whole country. Probably not even its country of origin its so old. But its free, and it interesting: small individual planks that make up a sort of parquet floor with bevelled edges on all 4 sides. It should cover the bedroom area - and hopefully the step!
The other floor I can get a super good deal on however, I don't really like. So, for the rest of the flat, I'll have to buy (for just over cost if I play my cards right), thats the Oak Champagne, which is a very new floor that uses quite different laminate technology - instead of a decor paper on HDF core board, its a direct transfere print. It has a lovely texture.
The cork tiles... those are old stick down tiles, and those will eventually go in the bathroom. But I'll be installing that myself, the laminate installation I'll get the pro's to do. And the skirtings...
The skirtings I'm going to call in a favour and get those made from something solid...
Before I'd even made up my mind on flooring or paint colours I found myself at a seasonal end of range clearance sale at Hertex. Not intending to get anything for myself of course, I had a plan, and my plan did not involve fabric before floors and walls. No I was there to help Mom find upholstery and curtaining. I was the 'creative eye' and my creative eye landed on a bolt of purple taffeta type fabric with paisley embroidery... and I leapt on it and carried it around the warehouse for an hour convincing myself I was not going to buy it.
It came home with me. Along with a bundle of end of range of cuts - that has no purpose yet, but I think they're evolve into cushions.
ANYWAY... (it was really cheap) Flooring and Wall colours...
It wasn't as simple as it looked. I had a general idea of bold dark colours - of which there are many. I raided the Plascon and Dulux stands, I would estimate that there were over 100 colours laid out on my kitchen counter once I was done setting them out. Good thing is, I'm pretty cut throat. When you see all those colours and tones and hues together, you can quickly toss out the ones that don't suit you. Eventually I cut it down to:
- 9 different whites
- 6 purples
- 4 reds
- 2 greys
- and one metallic charcoal
before finally settling on Brooklyn Nights 1, Fire Cracker 1 and Chiffon White 1 all from Dulux.
Brooklyn Nights and Fire Cracker is what you see on the walls. The very reddy red was a impulsive decision (with a reason behind it: the store I was at didn't have the base to mix a sample of Firecracker, this was the closest they could give me - argh! NOT what I was looking for) and was swiftly thrown out as an option. Dried blood was not what I was looking for - this time.
Now to choose - what colours on what walls? And what floors? They do go hand in hand. Except its much easier to choose flooring - my budget restricts me greatly in that regard. So I took what I had - some flooring I could pick up for free and some for pretty cheap (its all about who you know sometimes).
So the Smoked Oak is an old old old laminatefloor and I have 10 free boxes. Even if I wanted to I wouldn't be able to find an other box in the whole country. Probably not even its country of origin its so old. But its free, and it interesting: small individual planks that make up a sort of parquet floor with bevelled edges on all 4 sides. It should cover the bedroom area - and hopefully the step!
The other floor I can get a super good deal on however, I don't really like. So, for the rest of the flat, I'll have to buy (for just over cost if I play my cards right), thats the Oak Champagne, which is a very new floor that uses quite different laminate technology - instead of a decor paper on HDF core board, its a direct transfere print. It has a lovely texture.
The cork tiles... those are old stick down tiles, and those will eventually go in the bathroom. But I'll be installing that myself, the laminate installation I'll get the pro's to do. And the skirtings...
The skirtings I'm going to call in a favour and get those made from something solid...
Friday, December 11, 2009
Right from Under My Feet...
Procrastination... well, not really. But you've heard of a critical path? The order in which particular things must be done in order for other things to commence? Yeah, that critical path is a problem.
Before I move in, there must be new floors. Before there are new floors, the walls must be painted (there is too much painting to be done to risk getting in on new floors). Before painting can be done (or rather completed) the waterproofing needs to be done - which means quote and visits from potential 'suitors' and revised quotes.
Due to the stagnation of my project, before it had even begun! I ripped out the old flooring:
It was tiring work. But it feels good to do something like that all by yourself. I had a smug sense of accomplishment afterwards. (Sore muscles the next day).
Now to choose some flooring?
(Truth is my job involves the importing and distributing of laminate flooring from Germany and strandwoven bamboo from well, China. So this is the easy part. I look at what we got, I find the best prices, I buy it. I ask a customer to do me a favour and install it for a good price. Check! to all of the above.)
Now to wait.
Before I move in, there must be new floors. Before there are new floors, the walls must be painted (there is too much painting to be done to risk getting in on new floors). Before painting can be done (or rather completed) the waterproofing needs to be done - which means quote and visits from potential 'suitors' and revised quotes.
Due to the stagnation of my project, before it had even begun! I ripped out the old flooring:
It was tiring work. But it feels good to do something like that all by yourself. I had a smug sense of accomplishment afterwards. (Sore muscles the next day).
Now to choose some flooring?
(Truth is my job involves the importing and distributing of laminate flooring from Germany and strandwoven bamboo from well, China. So this is the easy part. I look at what we got, I find the best prices, I buy it. I ask a customer to do me a favour and install it for a good price. Check! to all of the above.)
Now to wait.
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