DIY renovations in full swing
We tackled the library first. This room used to have white/gray laminate floors that Bill had initially planned to cover with new flooring....until we found out that we'd need a plumber to flush our entire heating system to raise the 2 radiators in the room, so Bill could lay the new flooring under them--at a cost of 400 to 1000 euro per radiator! Definitely not in our budget, so we applied a paint wash on the floor (50% paint, 50% water) and then dry-brushed a darker stain over that, followed by 3 coats of polyurethane --each layer requiring 24 hours of drying time in between. And voila! Well, sort of: the results are a mixed bag because in some spots the brush strokes got pretty choppy, but overall it made a big impact for less than 200 euros. And, the area rug covers most of the floor anyways, so we're learning to embrace the imperfections.
LIBRARY BEFORE:
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LIBRARY AFTER:
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The next huge effort was in the salon. Painting this room was such a challenge because the ceilings are 11-12 feet tall with decorative crown (meaning Bill went up and down a 10 foot ladder a million times before we were finished). The 80's geometrical wall paper and gray walls took 3-4 coats of paint to cover (again, poor Bill). Oh, and that black cabinet in the picture? That was a $70 Goodwill find we brought with us all the way from AZ--all it needed was some black paint and gold hardware to make it salon-worthy. Speaking of hardware, I should have stock in the french version of "Rub and Buff," because I've applied it to every door knob, hinge and lock on the ground floor. It makes it so easy to turn the old hardware, previously coated with umpteen layers of paint, from rusty drab to brass fab in minutes! Phase 2 of this room starts next week, when we plan to add mouldings on the wall to bring back some of the grandeur that these sitting rooms often had, since this is where families would typically receive and entertain their visitors. And as a nod to the intricate tapestries that would often adorn the walls, we plan to hang a wallpaper mural inside the new trimwork. Once Phase 2 is finished, I can hit the flea markets to find additional furniture for the room.
SALON BEFORE:
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SALON AFTER:
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In the foyer, I painted the front door black, as well as the chair rail and baseboards in the adjoining hallway and staircase, and we hung black wallpaper below the chair rail. In Phase 2, we plan to add decorative mouldings here as well, and additional artwork going up the stairs.
FOYER BEFORE:
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The minor changes we made to the kitchen probably had the biggest impact of all. We made a big splash by lobbing off the odd peninsula and adding a piece of furniture to create an island. I covered the black countertops with white paint or a wood-look contact paper (made especially for countertops), and changed all the cabinet hardware from polished nickle to brushed gold. We hung cafe curtains and I added a couple of upholstered parson's chairs around the table, and when the new china cabinet was delivered it took the whole room to the next level. I hope my MIL is looking down to see my wedding china displayed for the first time ever (after our wedding she purchased every last plate, dish and serving accessory in order to finish out the complete set). Before this move, I struggled with whether it made sense to ship a 12-person place setting of wedding china all the way to France--when my wedding dress didn't even make the cut--but now I'm so glad that I did. We have big plans for Phase 2 of the kitchen, which will involve replacing the black sink and backsplash, as well as the completely over-sized monstrocity of a range hood that hangs above the tiny 3-burner stovetop (which is also getting replaced).
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KITCHEN AFTER:
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