Living room- BIG ole update and a "brief" story of color gone wrong

So when we last had a livingroom update, the Mad-Art Teacher was rethinking her whole "I can do it all, AND go ahead and conquer the world" attitude.  Of course I still think I can conquer the world, but I just need to not try to do it all in one week.

Last Thursday I was laid low, REALLY low, by a nasty virus- which showed me that first of all, I am dispensable, as the children got along just fine without me for that big practice/performance for the play.  gulp.  Crow eaten, message understood.  AND I need to make sure I am much more diligent about how I conduct myself when there is said nasty viruses spotted at the elementary school.  As in, less touchy the children art teacher and more douse myself in hand sanitizer and good old soapandwater art teacher!!  Anyway, when we last saw the livingroom, it was about to be mudded, taped, and primed, which you will find below here!  It was an amazing thing to come home and see this, it really made things look great!  Since then, the primer applied and then the weekend marathon of painting began!

I literally was either at the play or buying/prepping/painting/repainting the living room (or sleeping/eating) from Friday night until Monday morning.  You think I jest????  Friday during the day I ordered the paint from Park Falls Builders (I will get to that story in a moment), then the play on Friday night.  Saturday found me retrieving the paint, grocery shopping, spraying the furnace dealie right before having lunch, then rollering on the paint until I had to LEAVE for the play.  At the play until 10:30.  Get up Sunday morning, detest with my soul the darker of the colors (explanation to follow!), prep area for painting, paint light color, run to town for more makeup, prep area for painting, paint, eat quickly and go to play from noon until 6:30, come home and paint last of wall.  The Mad-Accountant managed to be home for the last bit of rollering, which was nice, as I was able to do a little cleanup- very little, but still.  Monday morning I got up to begin staining the wood trim at 7 to get done by 8, which is when the Builder came and I rushed off to a dental appointment and then to school to finish my grades!  WHEW!!!

So the tale of the color- briefly- is this: The MA and I were perusing paint chips and I was definitely leaning towards a honey goldish color.  I wanted two tones and we decided to make the ceiling the light color and I decided that one wall should accompany it.  Then that of course leaves the other 3 with the darker color.  I, of course, understand the uneven nature of composition, and my dear, symmetrical, analytical hubs does not.  He kept wanting the walls to be divided into 2 dark and 2 light........ oh honey, no.  Just no.  So he asked me about 85 times where the 2 light wall were going to be- jeez.  Now go make some poor tax payer cry, will you?? Anyway, we decided to go really dark and we chose the lightest and the darkest of the grouped paint chips.  Now sometimes, I admittedly am dense.  The name of the darkest color was "Golden Image".  Had I not the ability to totally block out my home life during school and my school life whilst at home, I would have realized that "Golden Image" is YELLOW BRICK ROAD YELLOW- THE DARKER ONE!!! Good GRIEF!!!  Which in and of itself is  not bad, BUT I KNEW that Golden Image is a nasty ass color to work with.  Transparent and streaky and obnoxious.  And godknows how dark it is. Anyway, I painted the lighter color on, and didn't really like it too much, but that is typical of me.  I always tell the kids at school- Don't make judgements about value until you get all the white of the canvas or paper covered and then adjust your tones.  And this is what I had in mind!!  So I start painting this Golden Image stuff and it SOON becomes apparent that I have worked with this beast before. It looks like hell when it goes on.  But I kept saying to myself, get rid of the white, get rid of the white....... don't make judgements!!!  Oy.  I finished it and may I just say it was JARRING.  It made me groan with displeasure.
But NEVER FEAR!  Armed with my art teacher knowledge and having my friend Cat as my muse, I went ahead the next day (when I still detested the color, even more so in the morning light) and mixed my own damn color!  I softened the color down to what I now call (I mean just this second named) Sunshine Honey and proceeded to erase most signs of the errant Golden Image.  whew.  I LOVE it.  It is now so warm and lovely and I can't wait to see the floor all finished later today!!  Ok, so maybe that was not a brief story, but you should know I underestimate my stories!

Anyway, when I got home from my day at the dentist, school, lunch (the electrician was at our house doing his electrical magic) and llllaaaaaa (that would be angels singing)- the GYM -  I arrived home to beauty!!!  Ceiling fan up, golden toned paint glowing, and a light in the middle of my livingroom.  I walked in and the words- it's so pretty- fell from my mouth and I promptly sent pictures to many many MANY of my friends and relatives!!

I'm in love!  And I have to shop!!  For a few things, most notably a floor lamp.  That would be tomorrow's adventure!

Pictures please!

Tape and Mud:

Tape and mud- frontroom angle

Kitchen angle

hallway angle

window angle

ceiling

 Primer:

front room angle

kitchen angle

Hallway angle

Hallway angle

window angle

preparing to paint furnace thingies

cutting in corners, etc.

the beginning

***NOTE***

This is a group of pix that probably should never be seen, and yet here they are!  I am sure my hotness factor has quadrupled in everyone's eyes after seeing the fashion forward painting ensemble I have donned- but that can't be helped.  Everyone try not to drive here all at once to behold it in person, I think I am going to throw it away. And then there is that unfortunate color thing going on there...... 

Yellow brick road yellow- ugh

Tell me you don't see the similarity!!

The look of "this color will be gone by the time the play comes if it kills me" desperation

Before tape is removed- front room

kitchen angle

Note who is not listening to instructions and removing tape before photo journaling is complete!

Morning pic of paint job!  Staining about to commence

Staining action to begin

This is where  you should insert angels singing and so MUCH joy~

Ceiling fan and electricity!! Front room angle

Kitchen angle

Kitchen right

Kitchen left

Hallway right

Hallway left

Window view of arch 

Today is the day the floors get sanded and refinished and I am going to make myself scarce!  I have a date with the gym and then a nice pedi planned and then a run up to Glidden to visit my dear friend and muse, Cat.  I am so anxious to see what it looks like when the floor is finished!!!  I am so excited!  Then the trim will be done and I want to touch up my arch plaster, and Thursday is move back in day!!!!  And I get to collapse on my couch finally and do a little relaxing and find more than a little joy!!  

Livingroom Reno update- um what number is this??

PROGRESS!!!!!  The taping and mudding has begun.  Am I starting to see the end in sight????  Well YES I AM!!! 

I am in LOVE with this arch- I can't tell you how much pleasure this is giving me.  It is going to be like my bathroom- I will enjoy it every single time I go through there for a long time.  My visual world rules my senses and I do mean it, I note to myself every time I look at my tile floor in the bathroom or take a shower how much I love the tile.  And I do that every time I see a pic of or look at my archway.  I feel the love!!  :) I don't get to look at it very often as I am exiled to the front room where I am scrunched in between a wall and a half of a couch.

Front room angle

The MA and I (together for heavens sakes) have arrived at a paint color for the living room, it is going to be in the warm gold tones, using the wood floor, which we sanded a little bit of and saw color like you won't believe, as a mid tone, and one wall and the ceiling will be lighter and the other 3 walls, darker.  I am super excited!  The FLOOR, you guys, is beyond my wildest expectations!!!  It has tones of gold and even a bit of a reddish look- at least from a preliminary sanding.  We are thinking it is maple!

Anyway, I have to move along here, so here are my shots of the room, I don't know how different it will look tonight, as it is another layer of mud - so we shall see I guess!!  It seems like the electrician will be here on Thursday to hook up the outlets and the CEILING FAN AND LIGHT!!!!  WA-HOOOOOO!!!

Front room angle

Kitchen angle

Kitchen angle, right

Kitchen angle, left

Hallway angle

hallway angle, far right

Hallway angle, ceiling

Window angle- arch

It is the little things that lead to a whole lot of joy!!

Ka- POW! Look at this, would you?!!

You know those little angels that sing in the background when you see something amazing?  Well, at least on TV? (Is this the time to reveal I really hear that?? No?)  Well those alleged angels sang when I saw my living room last night. 

 My archway is so COOL! 

"Laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa............" (angels singing) 

It is really difficult for you to realize how different this looks unless you had been in my claustrophobic little kitchen.  Now, mind you, this kitchen doesn't really bother me all that much.  I grew up in a house with a MASSIVE kitchen, yet this is pretty efficient and easy to use.  Only occasionally do I find my counter space is inadequate (I do bemoan the fact that I have no dishwasher, and really no place for one), but generally I am fine with it.  (Unlike the paneling and carpet in the livingroom, which I hated with every fibre of my being)  But WOWZA, the way that this made both room feel so much bigger is absolutely amazing.  Which of course is what I had wanted so SCORE for me, even if it is a different idea, the result is the same.  I effectively eliminated a bit of storage space though, so I have to rethink a few other areas of the house- but I think I have that worked out already.  Just have to have the time (insert hysterical laughter) to reorganize.

Let there be light (soon)

In other news, there is now a spot for a ceiling fan and light!!!! AND there are a badillion electrical outlets that are sprinkled all over the place!!! WOOO HOOOO!  And there is progress on the ceiling fan and light situation in our bedroom as well, so that is fabulous.  Seriously, who would think that such a thing would be so exciting?  I am going to have a garage sale for all the extension cords I no longer need!  

Front room angle- isn't this construction site amazingly tidy??  I'm so impressed.

from the kitchen- to the left

from the kitchen to the right (where is the flash??)

From the window-flash now engaged (you have to remember I am seriously impaired at night)

LOOK KIDS- ELECTRICITY IN THE CEILING!!

from the hall, to the right

From the hall to the left

Arch from the kitchen

 I am really thrilled with this progress!!

So on the agenda today is apparently some ceiling drywall!!  THAT is going to be pretty cool- and I should actually take a pic or two of the ceiling again- just for comparison.  (which I just did- with no flash- hehehe)

So until next time- be a joy giver!!!

You just never know- or - the tale of go with the flow

HEY, you know, I just love it when things go way different than what you think they were going to be and it turns into something even cooler than the original plan!!

Hidden pleasure - from window

detail of metal arch

Take note of these photos!  LOOK at the beautiful thing that is hidden in the wall- an arch!  THIS is fantastic to me.  First of all the curve of this arch and the size is lovely.  It will open up the space a bunch, in a different way than I intended, but how can I not take advantage of this original graceful part of the house?  After the amazing discovery of these lovely hardwood floors, this is a room that is demanding a little attention.

Another little tidbit that very few people will understand, except perhaps my sister, is that in the house I grew up in, there was an arched door way similar to this- between the livingroom and the diningroom.  Several of us in the family were irritated when my dad did just what the remodelers of this house did- cover it up because  they couldn't be bothered to deal with it.  Realizing these similarities, the covering of original finishes, floor and structural details just cements in my idea that the 70's were a time when people were so anti-old fashioned that they needed to obliterate any semblance of the previous decor and style of the house.  So the inside was a total disconnect to the outside of the house.  That is how our old farmhouse was as well.  It is interesting - and I guess I am having the same reaction.  I just need to update, and maybe in this case, to restore a little, the work of others.  I think this makes sense.  And somehow seems respectful in many senses of my life.

looking from kitchen

At any rate, it feels right and feels like an authentic thing to do for this place.  BTW, all of  you electrically inclined and do-it-yourselfers, breathe deeply and relax.  The electrical issues you see here WILL be addressed.  Like tomorrow, or Thursday!  Meanwhile, there is a little bit of demo to do yet, I DO want electric outlets on the wall under the window, so the drywall there will go, and the ceiling "tiles" or whatever those are, will be going as well.  Not much left in that regard.  Then the task of putting the place back together again will commence.


The floors will ONLY need a light sanding and sealing, which is so amazing, I can hardly still believe it.  So far I have one expert thinking it might be ash (but he only saw pix) and one thinking it might be maple (he sees it in person) and no one else really knows. It is northern WI tongue and groove, so oak is doubtful.  REGARDLESS, it is beautiful.

Here are my pix, and now I am taking them from 4 angles!!  I was so surprised when I walked into the room yesterday, having taken a pix from the kitchen door to turn and see the west wall.....  amazing.

OLD drywall!!  

looking from front room

Looking from kitchen

Looking from hallway door

Yes, Virginia, there was a light fixture in the room before......  

So,  until tomorrow- keep your eyes open- you might find some hidden pleasures and unexpected joy!