I could have never imagined when I was sitting in fundamental finance courses that down the road the thing I would be wearing my glasses for, instead of trying to read numbers, but keeping sawdust out of them.
I never imagined that the girl who wore nothing but dresses and skirts for 20 years would favor a pair of pants completely covered in paint and stains. And holes. And have them missing a button and be completely OK with that.
But that is me.
Now.
I’ve learned…. after all these years… that is me.
And I love that about myself. The challenge of making something really unattractive, completely beautiful and stepping back with a glass a gin at the end of the day, thinking to myself “I did this.” I love to be able to do that. It’s extremely rewarding to me.
About a month ago, I decided to remodel a room. I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to do with it. But as I worked, the vision came to life.
And now I sit typing in my new work space. A new place with a new view. (Though, the loft, the white space…. is still my favorite place in this whole house.)
I put up the brick wall first. And then I pulled carpet up with the help of the little/ big Dino Dude.
What I found underneath was just disgusting. And disappointing. And difficult to wrap my mind around. “What had I gotten myself into.” were my first thoughts. Well actually my first thoughts included a few choice words, but I will spare you that diatribe.
I worked for a couple weeks, on and off trying to clean them.
I had no idea what I was doing, I fully admit that. But, that’s how I’ve learned how to do everything in my life. For the most part. I’m not afraid of failing or being bad at something. That’s the only way to find out what your aptitudes are. I had a back up plan….. re-carpet. Or paint them white.
But I didn’t have to use the back up plan….. thank goodness.
I tried to clean them as chemically free as possible, but in the end I stripped them with Citristrip. It’s kind of safe, but I don’t recommend getting it on your hands as mine are finally healing and not losing skin from where I got it everywhere. I was worried about the kiddo and the animals mostly with the products I was using. This one smelled like chemical oranges and I could let it sit a long time before I had get it all scraped off. It took a lot of elbow grease, but it got done.
When I was done with that step I rented an orbital sander. Not a drum, as the research (you tube videos) indicated that the drum was hard to control. I needed help getting loaded and unloaded but was able to handle the actual sanding myself very easily. I used three different grains and the floor after that step looked as good as new. At that point, I knew I could finish with this insane project I took on. I used a hand sander around the edges, which didn’t work quite as well, but it’s all good, it still worked. I polyurethaned (which darkened up the natural wood quite a lot) twice and that was that.
It’s not perfect. By any long shot.
But did I learn a lot as I went?
Hell yes.
Will I do it again?
Yes.
For anyone but myself and my houses?
Hell no.
You couldn’t pay me a million dollars to do this much work.
So those of you out there, having floors redone…… hand over that check with a coke and smile. It’s a lot of hard work.
The cost to redo this room, including all the new furnishings was less than what it was going to cost to put in new carpet. (I had an estimate done last year.) I put in a new convertible couch (people, you can sleep in here if you want) glass desk. Photo prints, pillows, baskets, storage in the closet, and blankets. I was able to move my camera collection down here (I’m not big on displaying collections or knick-knacks, but I love the old cameras.) and I moved in a portrait stool I recovered with white leather a couple years ago that I picked up at an estate sale for 50 cents (for the stool) I was able to hang an oil painting my son fell in love with that I painted on a hot summer day last summer that didn’t really have a place to live.
All in all, it’s a lovely space. I’m excited to try it out. It’s of course, still a work in progress.
Who knows, I might love it.
I might hate it.
I know I love the view of the flowers I keep in the porch year round.
I love the sunlight in the morning.
I love the space on the desk……it’s huge! And no I will not clutter it. I’m not that kind of girl. And the puppies have already made themselves at home.
So I welcome you…to the “brick room”
Like vehicles… I name rooms.
