I thought you might like to see the progress of our new home as we decorate it, putting our own stamp on it! I'll update this post every now and again as we do things, so please do keep checking back for updates!
Day 1.
August 10th, 2013
Today was my first day off for 9 days - the perfect time to start on the house!
Me and Mr. Wood went shopping for a stripper ;) paint stripper!!!!
It was clearly our lucky day, because somehow I'd accumulated £14 worth of points on my Nectar card (I didn't even know that I had one...!) so that paid for everything we bought.
We headed over and sussed out the plan. My lovely Uncle lent us a steamer, but once we started stripping the walls in the front room, we realised the steamer wouldn't be needed too much...
This is the last photo I took before my Gran moved.
You can see how old fashioned everything is. Hopefully now you can
track the progress as we modernise it.
Cleared out and ready to start!
This is the last photo I took before my Gran moved.
You can see how old fashioned everything is. Hopefully now you can
track the progress as we modernise it.
Cleared out and ready to start!
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 |
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| The paper suddenly started to peel away in strips.... so handy!!! |
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| AFTER Slight damp around window :( |
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| AFTER |
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| Loving it, haha! |
Why did we start with the front room?
We figured that we probably don't have the time to decorate everything that needs doing before we actually move in, so we will focus on the main room - the heart of the house. Once the front room is done, it's a space away from the chaos that we can go (and guests can sit) and chill out, knowing it's complete.
We stripped the entire room in 2.5 hours!!!!
The wallpaper is so so old that it just peeled off. Although there's some mould/damp around the window area, that'll be replastered ASAP and then we
are pretty sure that the walls can simply be painted instead of papered.
We've decided on a cream/off-white scheme, accessorising with whites and baby blues to create our nautical theme.
This image from the Dulux catalogue shows the two
colours we like - mellow mocha & soft stone.
The main room will be soft stone (on the right), with the two alcoves in
mellow mocha (the off-white on the left).
Lighter alcoves add depth to a room. You find a lot of homes have darker alcoves, like signature walls, but darker alcoves bring the walls inward, and makes the room appear smaller. Nice for spacious rooms that need to feel a little cosier, but for us, more space is definitely the plan!
The carpet IS going! We checked under the carpet and there are beautiful wooden floorboards - I'll get a photo soon! We will need to hire an industrial sander to really bring it up to its best, but it's just a relief knowing we don't have to fork out for carpet or wood flooring!
As for the fireplace, well. It's vile, isn't it!
The plan is...
Any tips for removing the old ceramic one would be super!
Re-plaster the wall, paint, then fit the surround and buy a fireplace to
fit in the remaining alcove.
When it's finished, it'll look amazing :)
Stick around for more updates over the next week as we aim to finish the living room, and make a start on room #2.... will we do the bedroom, toilet, nursery...? Watch this space!
Saira x
Day 2.
August 11th, 2013
So today didn't officially go to plan...!
The idea was to sand all the trim of that horrible gloss, but it was just taking so so long, and after multiple trips to Homebase, even the belt sander had had enough. Below you can see the skirting and the result of half hours worth of sanding.
Whilst we had the sander out, we decided to lift some carpet and see what state the floor underneath was in. We were very pleasantly surprised! Only the edges were discoloured, with the centre needing only a light sanding. We tested a patch with the sander to see how it would come up.
As you can see above, it's a lovely light wood, and the planks are quite thick - I'm picky and hate thin ones!
It was so nice, we decided to just lift the carpet and underlay there and then.
The longest job was taking up the carpets tacs. I'm like a pin cushion now; full of holes!
So although the sanding and paint stripping didn't work, at least
we managed to get the floor ready for sanding! We're renting a sander
and will get it all back to light wood, then treat it so it's safe and not so rough.
It's going to look lovely - a big fluffy rug, proper fireplace, bliss! ;)
Jobs for Mon, Tues and Wed
Get builder to plaster window area and make damp proof.
Get a quote for someone to come strip all the wood. Bloody gloss!!!!
Start stripping wallpaper from bedroom #1!
Saira xo
We only took boxes over yesterday as I was working, so we had to make up for
it today. We reserved the floor sander for tomorrow (£35 for a day, fab, but £220 deposit?!)
so decided today to try and get some of the skirting boards done. We bought some Nitro morse and got some gloves and goggles. We took the skirtings off and took them outside, covered them in the gross green gel, and left them. Then we sat meticulously scraping it off after it melted the paint.
There are so many layers, we'll need to do it again tomorrow, but it worked super. We'll probably sand down the rest now.
We've also got the plasterer coming tomorrow to sort out the window.
We tested our paint ideas but the colours didn't dry to the same colour as on the pots. The mocha was too grey, and the stone was too terracotta.
We'll get some more tomorrow and try them out. I'll take photos to show you the paint differences!
Once the skirtings are stripped, we'll nail them back on (after painting the walls).
But first, whilst they're off we're going to crack on with the floor.
Once sanded, we'll finish with a coat of laquer and that's one thing to tick off the ever growing list!
Whilst the skirtings were left to peel, I started stripping the main bedroom.
Everything is clear now besides the bed, so the fun begins..
Removing styrofoam is surprisingly therapeutic, but the paper on the other hand is not! Time to crack out the trusty paint stripper, I think!
Check back tomorrow for floor and wall updates and hopefully some progress in the bedroom!
Day 4: 14th August
Today the plasterer came over and had a look at the work that needs doing.
He's invoicing us tomorrow, but in the meantime, Woody has got a few days to smash out the plaster down to the bricks under the window area and part-way up the walls at either side. This means when the plasterer comes back, he can do 2/3 layers of cement and then the top layer (skim).
So we didn't want to do too much today - the sanding of the floor is being done at the weekend, and I'm going to nitro morse the skirtings that are still attached, soon. (I'm working for a few days so leaving hubs to get on with bashing out this cement and doing the floor as I'd be useless anyway!)
Then next week we're hoping to have a few extra hands in the way of family / friends coming to help strip the bedroom.
We're also getting a skip over the weekend and chucking the old furniture and carpet as the reclamation centre didn't want anything pre 90's (good luck with that!)
As promised, here are the odd paint colours...
Soft Stone looks nothing like the colour on the label.
As for mellow mocha, well its more grey than anything.
So we've decided to try Natural Hessian
It can't be that far off, right?! Anyway, I still need to paint the undercoat of white on all the walls first (my next job) so once that's on, we'll have a better comparison, and the yellow walls won't tint the paint.
So 3/10 for progress today, but I have packed another 6 boxes to take over, and it's payday tomorrow which means things can crack on now! Oh, and today something pretty exciting happened...so let us off ;)
Check back soon!
I wasn't feeling super today, but pushed through an hours worth of paint stripping. We soon realised though that it was cheaper to just order new skirtings - the nitro morse was doing 1 skirting per bottle (suck thick paint meant at least 2 coats were needed per piece), and at £8 a bottle, it wasn't at all cost effective.
I'm still proud I got that far - it was NOT coming off!
Whilst I slaved away out in the garden, Woody slaved away indoors taking off the remaining plaster for the plasterer tomorrow.
Tomorrow we have the second plasterer coming as the first one
is pretty heavily booked up. Hopefully he should be able to do the work over the next couple of days. I'm pretty useless as I'm feeling poorly but I'll try and do something constructive, maybe wash the car!
Woody's renting the sander tomorrow too, after we finish taking all the skirting boards off (there's only 2 left) so hopefully I'll have some photos of the floor tomorrow! Then it just needs treating. It'll be great to have the floor done and only the walls left to paint. No drips though!!!!
It's really good to be able to share this with you. When days get tough or we think we're in a rut, we look back and think of the progress we've made so far.
Watch this space! ;)
I was poorly today, so we only popped over quickly to meet with the plasterer.
He's coming to do the work on Monday & Tuesday evening, which is super!
We didn't bother with the sander, as we'd rather have the plaster finished and then we aren't going to be in his way. So Wednesday is now floor day.
Instead, I weeded the garden and then fell asleep for literally what was left of the day.
It's Sunday! We went samphire picking, then the car broke down - the battery had died! Mad rush to get a new battery, then we went over to the house to finish removing the old plaster for the plasterer tomorrow.
There was nothing else to do, so we're enjoying our Sunday by relaxing and watching movies. This is going to be the busiest week of all so we deserve it.
All work and no play makes Saira and Woody grumpy!
So it turns out that I have adult colic! My 2 month old nephew
can cry all he likes now, because I know exactly how horrid he must feel!
I am doubled over with abdominal pains that come and go, not hungry at all, barely want tea (and that's odd for me!) and really tired. But we're pushing on!
So, today consisted of a lot of DIY but also not a lot of DIY.
We went to Wickes, Homebase and a few other shops for supplies. Little did we realise our £40 gate for the garden would turn into a £40 gate & posts, nails, screws, hinges and of course building the bloomin' thing!
But things are moving today - we had the plasterers start! We left them to it because I was feeling so awful, but I'll have the 'after' photo tomorrow when we go over to check how they're doing. Then tomorrow evening, they should be done! That means what? Painting and sanding!!! Finally!!!
Oh and stripping the bedroom. I keep repressing the memory of planning to do that. I think maybe it'll just go away if I do :P
So I kept busy in the garden, mowing, trimming and pruning.
The good thing about letting a garden get overgrown (I do make myself laugh sometimes!) is that 1. you notice the difference much more when you get round to doing it, and 2. letting the grass grow means when you cut it its much healthier.
The grass is looking lush now, having grown long enough to cut it all down to the same length. I guess it's like growing out a fringe or layers ;)
And can you see how I've only done halfway up the flower bed? Then it just gets all mangled and overgrown again. Once the soil is turned tomorrow and the rest is finished, it will look lovely again. I'll stay on top of it though. It's just that bit too hard for me right now as I get out of breath quickly. Bloody colic.
Back tomorrow! ;)
Oh, did I mention.... 8 days!!!!
xo
But first, whilst they're off we're going to crack on with the floor.
Once sanded, we'll finish with a coat of laquer and that's one thing to tick off the ever growing list!
Whilst the skirtings were left to peel, I started stripping the main bedroom.
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| The curtains and lamp shade are being changed, and a new bed once the decorating is done. All the rest has gone. |
Everything is clear now besides the bed, so the fun begins..
Removing styrofoam is surprisingly therapeutic, but the paper on the other hand is not! Time to crack out the trusty paint stripper, I think!
Check back tomorrow for floor and wall updates and hopefully some progress in the bedroom!
Day 4: 14th August
Today the plasterer came over and had a look at the work that needs doing.
He's invoicing us tomorrow, but in the meantime, Woody has got a few days to smash out the plaster down to the bricks under the window area and part-way up the walls at either side. This means when the plasterer comes back, he can do 2/3 layers of cement and then the top layer (skim).
So we didn't want to do too much today - the sanding of the floor is being done at the weekend, and I'm going to nitro morse the skirtings that are still attached, soon. (I'm working for a few days so leaving hubs to get on with bashing out this cement and doing the floor as I'd be useless anyway!)
Then next week we're hoping to have a few extra hands in the way of family / friends coming to help strip the bedroom.
We're also getting a skip over the weekend and chucking the old furniture and carpet as the reclamation centre didn't want anything pre 90's (good luck with that!)
As promised, here are the odd paint colours...
Soft Stone looks nothing like the colour on the label.
As for mellow mocha, well its more grey than anything.
So we've decided to try Natural Hessian
It can't be that far off, right?! Anyway, I still need to paint the undercoat of white on all the walls first (my next job) so once that's on, we'll have a better comparison, and the yellow walls won't tint the paint.
So 3/10 for progress today, but I have packed another 6 boxes to take over, and it's payday tomorrow which means things can crack on now! Oh, and today something pretty exciting happened...so let us off ;)
Check back soon!
Day 5.
August 15th, 2013
This blonde was working today, so Woody spent the day at the house doing the manly things that I'm not allowed to do ;P
i.e. smashing the plaster off the wall!
First was the laborious task of removing the radiator, then the fun part of removing the knackered plaster. This took longer than we expected it to, and will need finishing tomorrow.
We had to cap the radiator after we removed it, so we don't come back tomorrow with a new swimming pool. I'm learning new skills every day watching hubs do all these things - I think I'll appreciate it even more when it's finished because I know just how much detail goes into something like this.
In the meantime, we looked for new paint colours. The stone and mocha ones had dried and we really didn't like them, so we went and got two more testers (Homebase, 2 for 1!) and I had a paint.
These are natural hessian (R) and natural wicker (L).
PERFECT! I love love love the wicker colour; it's so light and summery.
The hessian is lovely too, and although I prefer lighter alcoves, I think the hessian would look really nice in the alcoves with the rest of the walls in wicker.
Once I've painted the undercoat next week and the floors are done, the painting can commence.
Plan for tomorrow after work?
Woody is finishing removing the plaster,
and I'm going to carry on trying to wallpaper strip the bedroom.
Happy Thursday :)
x
This blonde was working today, so Woody spent the day at the house doing the manly things that I'm not allowed to do ;P
i.e. smashing the plaster off the wall!
First was the laborious task of removing the radiator, then the fun part of removing the knackered plaster. This took longer than we expected it to, and will need finishing tomorrow.
We had to cap the radiator after we removed it, so we don't come back tomorrow with a new swimming pool. I'm learning new skills every day watching hubs do all these things - I think I'll appreciate it even more when it's finished because I know just how much detail goes into something like this.
In the meantime, we looked for new paint colours. The stone and mocha ones had dried and we really didn't like them, so we went and got two more testers (Homebase, 2 for 1!) and I had a paint.
These are natural hessian (R) and natural wicker (L).
PERFECT! I love love love the wicker colour; it's so light and summery.
The hessian is lovely too, and although I prefer lighter alcoves, I think the hessian would look really nice in the alcoves with the rest of the walls in wicker.
Once I've painted the undercoat next week and the floors are done, the painting can commence.
Plan for tomorrow after work?
Woody is finishing removing the plaster,
and I'm going to carry on trying to wallpaper strip the bedroom.
Happy Thursday :)
x
Day 6.
August 16th, 2013I wasn't feeling super today, but pushed through an hours worth of paint stripping. We soon realised though that it was cheaper to just order new skirtings - the nitro morse was doing 1 skirting per bottle (suck thick paint meant at least 2 coats were needed per piece), and at £8 a bottle, it wasn't at all cost effective.
 |
| COAT 1 |
 |
| COAT 1 |
 |
| COAT 2 |
I'm still proud I got that far - it was NOT coming off!
Whilst I slaved away out in the garden, Woody slaved away indoors taking off the remaining plaster for the plasterer tomorrow.
 |
| All ready to roll |
Tomorrow we have the second plasterer coming as the first one
is pretty heavily booked up. Hopefully he should be able to do the work over the next couple of days. I'm pretty useless as I'm feeling poorly but I'll try and do something constructive, maybe wash the car!
Woody's renting the sander tomorrow too, after we finish taking all the skirting boards off (there's only 2 left) so hopefully I'll have some photos of the floor tomorrow! Then it just needs treating. It'll be great to have the floor done and only the walls left to paint. No drips though!!!!
It's really good to be able to share this with you. When days get tough or we think we're in a rut, we look back and think of the progress we've made so far.
Watch this space! ;)
Day 7.
August 17th, 2013I was poorly today, so we only popped over quickly to meet with the plasterer.
He's coming to do the work on Monday & Tuesday evening, which is super!
We didn't bother with the sander, as we'd rather have the plaster finished and then we aren't going to be in his way. So Wednesday is now floor day.
Instead, I weeded the garden and then fell asleep for literally what was left of the day.
Day 8.
August 18th, 2013It's Sunday! We went samphire picking, then the car broke down - the battery had died! Mad rush to get a new battery, then we went over to the house to finish removing the old plaster for the plasterer tomorrow.
There was nothing else to do, so we're enjoying our Sunday by relaxing and watching movies. This is going to be the busiest week of all so we deserve it.
All work and no play makes Saira and Woody grumpy!
Day 9.
August 19th, 2013So it turns out that I have adult colic! My 2 month old nephew
can cry all he likes now, because I know exactly how horrid he must feel!
I am doubled over with abdominal pains that come and go, not hungry at all, barely want tea (and that's odd for me!) and really tired. But we're pushing on!
So, today consisted of a lot of DIY but also not a lot of DIY.
We went to Wickes, Homebase and a few other shops for supplies. Little did we realise our £40 gate for the garden would turn into a £40 gate & posts, nails, screws, hinges and of course building the bloomin' thing!
But things are moving today - we had the plasterers start! We left them to it because I was feeling so awful, but I'll have the 'after' photo tomorrow when we go over to check how they're doing. Then tomorrow evening, they should be done! That means what? Painting and sanding!!! Finally!!!
Oh and stripping the bedroom. I keep repressing the memory of planning to do that. I think maybe it'll just go away if I do :P
 |
| Such a small space, yet so much wood! |
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| The 'before' photo. Welcome, plasterers...and good luck! |
So I kept busy in the garden, mowing, trimming and pruning.
 |
| Before. Apart from the bottom left corner that I'd just started. |
The grass is looking lush now, having grown long enough to cut it all down to the same length. I guess it's like growing out a fringe or layers ;)
And can you see how I've only done halfway up the flower bed? Then it just gets all mangled and overgrown again. Once the soil is turned tomorrow and the rest is finished, it will look lovely again. I'll stay on top of it though. It's just that bit too hard for me right now as I get out of breath quickly. Bloody colic.
Back tomorrow! ;)
Oh, did I mention.... 8 days!!!!
xo
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