Thursday, January 31, 2013

I will confess ...

that the Russian did all the grunt work on this house.


But I did the painting! :) 

There were so many different kinds of dark wood that I hardly knew how to calm things down on a budget. A new staircase, for example, to replace the existing one that had three kinds of real wood plus an imitation landing, would have cost 16,000 dollars. 

Gulp. 

200 to have a door painted white. 

 

A mental shift was clearly my only route to a beautiful home, so tying my hair up in pigtails (my do for six months straight) I donned a pair of Converse and jeans and drove down to the paint shop. 

This is hard-core painting, too. Sand everything by hand and wash. Apply three coats of paint, the first of which is so potent it makes you feel high... literally. (Those were happy days) I popped in Odhecaton's Monteverdi: Missa in illo tempore for hours and became a zen-ful painting machine, lying upside down at times to apply paint with tiny foam rollers.



The week before we moved in, the husband was carrying a cabinet downstairs with his equally muscular cousin, working their way down the newly white staircase with precision. 

The Painter: Are you being careful? Should I tape some cardboard around the banisters just in case?

The Muscles: Oh, no, we're fine! No problems here; no need to worry.

And since I tried to be a non-nagging variety of wife I didn't fret, and I now have an inch wide gash in the banister to remember it by. It is the white stone of the household, declaring to passers-by:

There is always need to worry.

:)

13 comments:

MarmePurl said...

A monument to The Wife Is Always Right. Keep it. Use it for all it's worth!

And...all that painting! Well worth you being MIA from bloggerland for a time.

Judy said...

Oh Allison, I'm so happy for you guys, your house is just beautiful! I chuckled when I read about the gash, we had a gash in our home that would remind me of the day we moved in 20 years later.

Buttons Thoughts said...

Oh that is beautiful I am sure the gash and the frown will disappear:) B

Unknown said...

Love white!
Looks beautiful!

TexWisGirl said...

laughing at the guys' contribution to your work.

i detest interior painting, so my hat's off to you!

Meg said...

Oh goodness, the entire process sounds like a headache! But it looks gorgeous, and does a wonderful job brightening and cheering everything up! Ah, so many gashes in our house as well (and on the furniture!) that I looked at and tried really hard not to say "I told you so!".... ;)

Out on the prairie said...

I see the fun in seeing the finish of the job.FR sounds fun!

Out on the prairie said...

I reallly enjoy doing this and see you do 2.

Randy said...

Looks very nice. You husband did a great job.

Evi said...

Avant / après... c'est tout l'avantage d'une rénovation. Tu te rends compte, si dans 10 ou 20 ans quelqu'un achète ma maison et transforme. A quoi ça pourrait ressembler? Comment sera la mode à ce moment-là ?

Kim said...

Looks like you have been very busy with the brush. I LOVE all the white mixed with the natural wood!

From Beyond My Kitchen Window said...

I'm loving your white rooms, doors and railing. Wow Allison, you are such a hard worker. It has paid off nicely.

Anonymous said...

A transformation from darkness- into light and airy feelings of a heartwarming home. Its so you, Ali.

Love your new blog look too :)