an upstairs update

If we paint one more closet, we just may die.

It’s not that we’ve painted one closet. It’s that we’ve had to do all the shelves. And then the trim. And then again. And it’s really not that many closets.

And now we know why people charge so much for painting. And why we saved so much by doing it ourselves.

But we’re finishing up trim work this week on the ceilings, along with touching up more shelves. And of course, painting the ceilings.

We painted every single surface of our last house. When we moved in, it was UPS brown and builder’s beige. And we changed it all. But not all in a few weeks’ time. It was spread out over the course of a few years.

This is my before shot of the closest before we knocked out that middle wall. As comical as it is, I had to wedge my way inside and try to capture what it looked like.

Barn doors that we built, go up soon!

We’re really glad we knocked out that wall.

Reheally glad.

Don’t worry… I’ve already trimmed all this up. I complain, but trim work really is therapeutic.

My sweet parents came to the rescue with a good friend last Sunday. {Where would we be without the sweet support of family and friends} We all decided to hit the baseboards, and knock them out. We divided and conquered and we were so proud of how speedy we all were. I was feeling oh so productive after hitting an exhausted lull. Only when we finished the first round and went for more white, at some point we realized the white had been mixed with the grey. So most of the baseboards were now grey. And you could see where paint had been mixed in these odd transitions on the window trim and baseboards and door frames. It was a cloudy day and we were all tired so I’ll blame it on that. But I won’t say I didn’t throw Jamin under the bus first. He distributed said paint. 

At least that was only the first coat.

I even gave up and climbed inside one closet the other night, just so I could finish the walls and ceiling in the bathroom closet-turned-cabinets. I knew even the best of yoga poses weren’t meeting that ceiling.

Promise that’s just a shadow from the spotlight, and I haven’t sprouted a stress ‘stache. I mean, I could probably use a few well rounded groomings after this… I have let myself go a little. One of them being professional remove-paint-from-my-skin {do they offer that as a service?} but I’m looking a little Magnum P.I. here.

Ya gotta do what ya gotta do for those blue ceilings.

But note to self: Don’t pull your work shoes off after wearing them all day… in an enclosed space. Just sayin’. The things I’ve done for the love of blue.

Our contractor said the other day that he was surprised I got married so young. {This was after we’d been discussing my preferences for something.}

“Why?” I asked, a little confused.

“Because you’re picky” he laughed.

“I  guess I know what I like when I see it,” I quipped.

And that, is a true story.

Lights are starting to go up… which is a game changer with shorter daylight hours.

If this one looks familiar, it’s Emerson’s old light, reborn. Which is going in our room for now since it will eventually be all hers. It was one moving bribery we couldn’t go back on… because she really wanted to take her light but we told her we would purchase another. Even though the owners of our old house probably tore it out with the loft. Yes, she did actually say that at closing and our agent almost fell over. #ingrates

Oh wait the old owners here could say that about us too. I guess. Or something.

Touché.

We’re soooooo loving her {ours for now} walk through closet and bathroom combo.

I also gained great satisfaction from chucking this fan out the window when we couldn’t find anywhere to donate it or anyone to take it. I mean, we donated almost everything else… but I don’t know why people didn’t want this fan.

But back to the wall: It was our way of bumping out the bathroom as much as possible, while also giving that closet more storage space.

Bonus: that blue is almost gone. Not the good kind. The really bright also-burn-my-corneas-like-the-red-paint-that-was-in-the-bedrooms kind.

We also painted over all that taupe. And then the walls started to peel like skin. We were all, IT’S ALLLIIIIVVVVEEEEEEEEEE. 

But really, we think they just used oil paints before, so when we hit them with our latex, it reacted in a weird way in some areas. So we sanded them down {don’t worry, we used masks} and if you’re wondering what was under that taupe, it was more taupe. And then more taupe. I think our walls are glad for a change.

I think to get a good photo of this bathroom, I’m going to have to get a ladder and climb outside the window.

Toilets and vanities in both bathrooms go in this next week.

YAAASSSS TOILETS. #nomoreportapotty

It feels so much roomier with what we’ve done. With a little pocket door to save more space.

We originally weren’t going to touch this bathroom. But then we realized we were doing the entire house… everything but this bathroom. I didn’t think I could bring myself to use that faucet. So when we pulled it up, there was lots of mold under all that linoleum and more layers of linoleum before we even hit that subfloor. We’re glad we moved forward with it, after all.

The tiles are grouted and in. And we’re thinking glass goes in this week or next.

We hope to finish up painting all. the. things. This week. We also hope to begin hardwoods.

Electricians are finishing up installations, along with HVAC {back hand spring if I could do one} and more plumbing. We also should have all things appliances this week as well. We’ll have another update for the main level/great room, later this week… because the tile begins downstairs, and the hood is already in. I can’t wait to show you.

Meanwhile, our tile guy is my favorite. He’s an artist.

And a sneak peek of this hallway bathroom + how it’s coming along…

We even got a good coat of blue on these walls. It felt appropriate since the boys will eventually share this bathroom alone.

These walls though – they shall henceforth be known as the hairiest walls. Ever. I don’t know if some lady was in there spraying her hair a-la the 80’s while some man trimmed his man bits, but all the hair flew everywhere, and it stuck to the walls. Short brown hairs. Everywhere. And wouldn’t come off. There were even hairs painted over on top of other hairs. So I sanded and wiped and sanded some more, while I pretended that someone had trimmed their dog and these were dog hairs. Because dog hairs are much more doable for my tolerance and psyching myself out. Then I went outside and did a sanctimonious cleansing of my soul and lungs and nose because I’m pretty sure once the hairs were set free they tried to latch themselves on to my face and now I have an alien life form growing inside me.

Yes, I have inhaled too many paint and foot fumes in enclosed spaces.

But that fear is real after the things I have touched. I need a priest to sprinkle holy water. And a therapist. And someone to handle septic.

Sconces are up since I took this photo, and fixtures should be completed soon, as well.

It’s happeeennnniiiinnnnnggggg.

It’s been a fun challenge to really reconfigure these areas again.

What a difference paint can make!

Amongst other things.

SOON. Y’all. SOON.

To read more of our money pit journey, be sure to check it out here. ;}