Wednesday 29 July 2009

That's it - summer's over...

Oops, it's been a month since I last posted - I wonder where the time's gone? I mean, it's not as if I've actually done anything in the interim, just sat around on my lazy fat arse and consumed planetary resources mainly. But I did notice this morning that the Swifts have gone. So that's that, then - summer is definitely over. By the time you read this they'll already be back in Africa enjoying the hot sun that we don't have. Some people I know have put their central heating back on. Remind me again which month this is? Oh yes, that's right IT'S OCTOBER. That'll explain why I'm laying down my winter fat already...

Although I'm not doing much (beyond watching the veg at the allotment as it grows itself and occasionally yanking out the odd weed) The Husband, on the other hand, is working his socks off. We're (or rather, he's) in the middle of decorating our sitting room and upstairs hallway.

We actually started doing this in Spring 2007 by removing all the hideous, hideous woodchip wallpaper. It was such a nasty, messy, lengthy job that it's taken us two years to recover and move onto the next stage. Yes, it was that dreadful.

But the carpet is now up, polyfilla has been applied, all the woodwork has been painted white.


As you can see, a work in progress. We're next going to hang lining paper and then paint it. Behind the telly and the wall that's effectively the boiler cupboard is, hopefully, going to be this really interesting colour that I've picked after discarding half a dozen others. It's called 'Dusted Damson' but you can't tell whether it's pale lavender or dove grey or light brown - sounds awful but should look good (it's actually more purple than in the link). The rest of the walls are going to be a boring shade of cream or very light coffee or something like that.

We've decided on oak laminate for the floor (the floorboards aren't in good enough condition to just sand and varnish, sadly) but as our sitting room is on the first floor (2nd floor for American readers - if there are any...) noise might be an issue. We've lived with the floor as you see it now, i.e., without carpet, for a couple of weeks and it is quite loud and clattery but then we've no curtains up or rugs down so there's lots of hard surfaces for sound to bounce off. We've got special acoustic underlay to put down, and I've found a gorgeous wallhanging from The Pier (before they went bust), so when that's all done, the curtains are back up and the rug(s) replaced hopefully the problem will be solved.

Well, sorry for the lack of even vaguely interesting in this post but that's what we've been up to!

8 comments:

Red Shoes said...

You're wrong about lack of interesting. Anything home related is right up my alley. I love the before pictures and can't wait to see the afters. I adore your choice of new wall color (very subtle and still lush) and I love your large windows! So much beautiful light!

Is it just me, or do the walls have a certain beauty even in that rough state?

peevish said...

Oh, it's gorgeous. That light! Please do post photos once it is all finished. Well done!

Mrs Jones said...

Ms Shoes - why, thank you for your kind words. My Mother in Law thinks we should keep the rough walls as they are as they remind her of Rome! If our house was about 100 years older than it is (it was built in 1964) then I might be tempted to leave them.

Ms Peevish - Our house has two things going for it, the very large windows which do let in a lot of light, and our bridge. There will be more photos but we're not exactly rushing so don't hold your breath!!!

Elizabeth Musgrave said...

Ok now I understand - it is October. Everything falls into place. I always feel that decorating which takes a while is particularly fabulous. don't know whether it is wonderful things given time to develop organically or just the huge relief that is has stopped!

Anonymous said...

That is a great room - you get so much light. My house is victorian, so obviously they went to great lengths to exclude all that nasty natural light. Decorating is a labour of love and you can't rush it, even if you do it the half arsed way like me. It takes me months to do a room - partly because I hate doing it and partly because I have to shift all the stuff around to make room to do each wall. I prefer lining paper and paint too - that way it is relatively easy to change the colour if you get bored with it. Or just put a new coat over it to clean it up.

I look forward to seeing the finished article.

Welsh Girl said...

My WHOLE HOUSE is covered in woodchip, ceilings and everything and I am trying to build up the enthusiasm to start taking it off. Seeing your nearly finished sitting room is very inspiring! I shall begin, soon, honest.

Mrs Jones said...

Welsh Girl - Ha! Don't let the pictures fool you. It takes us 30 mins to hang just one length of wallpaper and we've not done any for the last 2 days so we're not exactly rushing. It's taken us at least 2 years to even get this far since removing the wallpaper! Woodchip is vile stuff to remove - if you don't have one, I can highly recommend a wallpaper steamer stripper thing. In fact we have one of these - http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.204-1907.aspx - an Earlex Maxisteam and it made the job non-suicidal.

Calico Kate said...

Well I thought it a great post - am a nosey coo and like looking at other peoples houses! I also LOVE that damson colour and it's name. Please do post an 'after' now you have done the 'before'.
CKx