I decided that if I didn't start doing something around the house, I wouldn't get anything done this year. Since the two walls in the kitchen that I have left to paint (okay, maybe one and a half walls, in truth) are outside walls, I can't quite finish that now.
But I can tear off wallpaper.
After much deliberation, I decided that my hallway upstairs will be my first project. It's small enough and the ceiling is low enough for me to be able to do by myself, and I can practice on the plaster, since the walls don't seem to be in bad shape.
Here is what I have so far: (That's a new handrail, too, as of this weekend. It's much sturdier than the other one, and it looks nicer, too.)
The wallpaper is coming off pretty well so far. It's loose in most places, and one good swipe with my butter knife works well to get it off. There will be only a few spots sticking, and I can scrape those. So getting it off isn't the problem.
And in truth, the plaster underneath isn't in bad shape (yet.)
I've been experimenting with the Benjamin Moore Personal Color Viewer, and here's what I've come up with so far:
(My hallway is going to be a different color than the staircase hallway. I might even put a piece of molding or something up to differentiate the two sections.)
This is Benjamin Moore basecoat Gondola Ride, topcoat Aberdeen Green using a colorwash.
And this is with a basecoat of Painted Sands and a topcoat of Maplewood.
I'm kind of leaning towards the second one, if only that it will lighten up my dark hallway. And it looks kind of nice with the wood. (The other one does too. Hmm.)
Oh well, at least it's a little bit of progress. :)
Edit: Here's a picture with a piece of fretwork I like. Photoshopped, so be warned (it doesn't look too bad.)
But I can tear off wallpaper.
After much deliberation, I decided that my hallway upstairs will be my first project. It's small enough and the ceiling is low enough for me to be able to do by myself, and I can practice on the plaster, since the walls don't seem to be in bad shape.
Here is what I have so far: (That's a new handrail, too, as of this weekend. It's much sturdier than the other one, and it looks nicer, too.)
The wallpaper is coming off pretty well so far. It's loose in most places, and one good swipe with my butter knife works well to get it off. There will be only a few spots sticking, and I can scrape those. So getting it off isn't the problem.And in truth, the plaster underneath isn't in bad shape (yet.)
I've been experimenting with the Benjamin Moore Personal Color Viewer, and here's what I've come up with so far:
(My hallway is going to be a different color than the staircase hallway. I might even put a piece of molding or something up to differentiate the two sections.)
This is Benjamin Moore basecoat Gondola Ride, topcoat Aberdeen Green using a colorwash.
And this is with a basecoat of Painted Sands and a topcoat of Maplewood.I'm kind of leaning towards the second one, if only that it will lighten up my dark hallway. And it looks kind of nice with the wood. (The other one does too. Hmm.)
Oh well, at least it's a little bit of progress. :)
Edit: Here's a picture with a piece of fretwork I like. Photoshopped, so be warned (it doesn't look too bad.)
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