I’d love to be able to bring you more posts of finished projects. With beautiful pictures and everything complete and in place. That is certainly the house I want to be living in right now. But the fact is that we bought a fixer-upper and they take time. We are also working on a very tight budget so there’s not the option to get somebody in to do it for us. Occasionally I’d very much like to be able to pick up the phone to a decorator and say “there’s the paint, call me when you’ve finished, I’m going for a massage” but I don’t see that happening any time soon.
Of course I don’t always feel that unenthusiastic about the house and its projects. More often than not I’m raring to go on this place and like love the challenge. My Dad is a big DIYer. He recently just finished a building project on my parents house in which he doubled the size of it, brick by brick, himself. Getting help to build the chimney stack, finish off the plastering and some other bits and bobs, but it was mostly a five year labour of love with a compound fracture to his ankle thrown in for good measure when he fell off a ladder.
I’m very much like him. I like to get my hands dirty so when I took on the entrance hall and the staircase I knew I’d be occupied for some time.
This was it when we first moved in.
This is the view from the landing. You can see I’ve started to give the banister its undercoat.
At the weekend I started to really get my teeth in to it. Ripping the carpet up, removing carpet tacks and staples and realising just how much wood filler I would need to prepare this area for painting.
The floor will be painted too so every hole that was made by a nail going in to secure it in place had to be filled.
And Ned had to constantly be told not to walk on the wet filler.
The staircase is an absolute pain in the neck to be honest. Someone, SOMEONE, thought it was a good idea to attach the carpet to a staircase built in the 1930′s with about 30,000 six inch nails. So when you’re teasing them out with the claw hammer you can see parts of the stair moving. But it’s a beautiful staircase and I want it on show and not hidden by the pub carpet. I think the banister may be a much more recent installation but the stairs themselves remind me of a Merchant Ivory film in some sort of very obscure way. #dontask
Of course the filler has to be rubbed down which makes it very dusty but this can’t be helped. At least it’s done.
I finished it off last night after watching the first episode of Broadchurch. I was in such a state I needed something physical to do.
Lots and lots of filling is going on with big bowls of wood filler. I do it the way my dad does it, with his fingers. I find it easier for some reason.
But it’s coming along nicely.
And I think I’ll give myself a month to get it absolutely finished. If it takes much longer I’ll want to move house!!!
After that it’s on to the Sitting Room.
So there we have it. One day I’ll have some beautiful pictures of rooms that are complete. I’ll have time to get my crafting groove back. But right now I’m smack bang in the middle of a renovation of sorts which is pretty much taking up all of our time at home. Unless the sun shines, when the sun shines we’re outside…………and planning the renovation of the garden. Oh dear!
i love you. Hang in there with me.
Cherry x
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What is it with 1920′s/30′s style houses in this country and mahogany coloured wood?! The white looks so much better! I am no expert, but I am sure it will look lovely when you’re finished – light, welcoming and covered in hydrangeas! And I have to say, I saw one advert for Broadchurch and pointedly decided, as a mother to a little boy, to NOT watch it, even if it does have the fantastic David Tennant in it!
I love doing diy and painting it gives me a sense of achievement and a ‘tick off my list’. Ps i spyed the baby wipes, a use for everything! x
I know this is a lot of work…you must love it deep down to do it the right way. I grew up in a house that was in my family for 2 generations…now decades later I look back and think of some of the renovations that were abominations to a house that had the right character in the beginning…a pantry with a window and beautiful bead board wainscoting was used for all sorts of storage rather than it’s true calling, wooden floors that were covered up with this and that, a gorgeous screened porch that we slept on as children was closed in with windows. My parents would have done better to think restore vs renovate…a lesson learned. Looking forward to more photos of your progress.
Meredith
Courage!!!!!!!!
“Auntie”
Oh you need one of those amazing storage and sitting areas under these perfect stairs—–oh my that would be so wonderful!!!
Oh my God that really looks like a very tough work!! when you finish you will need a really good spa for your hands. Are you painting the wood of the banister directly or are you sanding it first? How will you protect the paint of the floors are you putting some sort of barnish over or you will leave them like that? What kind of painting are you using? Sorry for all the questions, I have a staircase and been thinking to paint it.
Keep going!!
I know EXACTLY how you feel… I look around my house and think of the huge list of jobs to get done and all on little or no money… But i enjoy getting stuck in myself and seeing the results of the time and care appear over time. Aiming to learn a lot more DIY skills this year, so will look forward to any tips from your wonderful dad
I am far too impatient for this kind of thing, so I am full of admiration that you took on a fixer-upper! You’ll get there in the end, and then you CAN show us those fabulous ‘before & after’ pics. If anyone can do it, it’s you!
x
P.s hope Papa Menlove’s ankle is much better now!
It’s good to see ongoing projects, more real & honest. It’s better, than seeing a completed project that looks like someone with superhuman powers & more hours in the day than anyone else has produced out of thin air!
I think Ned is the hole inspector.
Carry on filling!
Lx
Oh, & the staircase bannisters are original, & beautiful in their nod to Arts & Crafts.
I love how that pack of baby wipes sat at the bottom of the stairs!! It will be lovely after it’s finished
x
I know just how much work you have. We have two houses, the large house is having a massive extension put on, plasterers are in, brickie is there knocking through, joiner there pulling old windows out etc, and the dirt, don’t get me started with the muck. But I know it will be worth it in the end, and I know you will have a beautiful home when you have completed yours. Us, we like punishment, as soon as said house is finished, both houses are being sold and we want a farmhouse, no doubt in need of a bit of tender loving care. And like you, all this is on a budget. I have a lot of painting ahead of me. Amanda….xxx
Looks great fun! I’ll come help!