Trading Spaces with Myself

The next big home improvement project is off and running. There's no turning back. I have finished priming and painting the first small section of chair rail and paneling in the family room. This was the experimental phase of the project... experimental because I wasn't sure whether the primer I was using would work, or that I would like the overall effect once it was done. Good thing for me, I love it. So Phase One of a Hundred is complete.

I have a grand plan to spend my spare hours this summer converting the family room from charm-less to charming. I'm not sure who thought manufactured "wood" paneling was a decorator's dream, but it speaks volumes to me about a severe general lack of good taste in the 70's and 80's. Ditto the nasty textured wallpaper that has to come off the wall above the chair rail and the paneling (see below). Ick.




I already know, from experience, that the wallpaper comes off in about three layers. I say about, because the paper has been on the wall for so long that in sections it actually comes off in four layers (i.e. the top layer of the drywall comes off with it). It took me about 3 days of sporadic work to get the paper off the 8' x 6' section of wall that's already complete (not including the time it took to spackle and paint). Once the wallpaper is down and the wall is painted (Phase 2), then I can move on to the rest of the trim and paneling. You can see below, what a huge difference a little paint makes. I can't wait for it to be done.



I still have to do the crown moulding, obviously, but I am going to wait for Chris to paint the ceiling before I do any of the crown. Which means I am also going to have to wait until we put in a new ceiling fan. Oh well... I did say that there were about a hundred phases to this project, right? Here's a run-down of the main components of the project:

Things we've already changed~ overhead lighting, carpet

Things we are definitely going to change~ wall, ceiling fan, crown moulding, chair rail, paneling (including behind the built-ins), baseboard, outlets and covers, and the interior of the back door

Things we might change~ fireplace mantel and crown moulding above the fireplace, rail between the kitchen and family room, fireplace doors

Things we definitely won't change~ built-in cabinets

Feel free to offer up any suggestions you might have, but not about the paneling and trim... too late to turn back on that. Definitely stay tuned throughout the summer for further updates. And if you take bets on how long it'll be before I hire someone else to finish the job, I want in.