Library Receives Its Makeover
Once we’d completed sheeting and plastering our new library walls, next task up was painting. It’s currently school holidays here in NSW so this was a task the children and I could tackle mid-week.
Jem (7) was keen to help, so once I’d given him a few basic tips on how to ‘cut in’ the bottom edge of the walls he was ready to go. Jelly Bean’s (11) job was to ‘feather’ his edges.
Princess(14) helped roll the undercoat on the walls and Michelangelo (16) rolled the ceiling on his own. In fact he rolled not only the undercoat but both the topcoats too, there are advantages when your children are taller than you 😉
‘Cutting in’ at the top takes a careful, steady hand, this is certainly a situation in which ‘slow and steady wins the race.’ When completed the coloured line really highlights the beauty of the cornices.
Jem impressed us with his willingness to stay on task, to do the cutting in, not only for the undercoat but for the topcoats too.
Once I ‘cut in’ the topcoat on a couple of the walls, our two teens started rolling behind me, thus finishing the painting far faster than estimated. After the amount of rooms they’ve painted over the years they could perhaps hang out their ‘painting shingle’.
Though they still had time to play around, there were perhaps threats of rolling paint over each other.
It’s very hard to capture the size of this room on camera due to the door’s location, be assured it’s huge.
Envisaging how warm and welcoming this space will be, curled up on chairs, surrounded by books, ah that’s the life.
Next task is cleaning our recycled floorboards, cutting and laying them over the sheet flooring.
*Sharing over at The Builder’s Wife with this week’s Home Improvement Thursday
17 Comments
Charlene
I can totally envisage your family curled up in chairs reading a book or two in this room. It does look very warm and inviting. It’s a nice shade, perfect for a library. I love that you have library in your home.
Erin
Charlene,
I’m so excited it’s nearly complete, now I need to find those chairs. Visitors are always drawn to our library, everyone is intrigued with the idea. I just love it and currently miss having it, it’s been four months since we began gutting and rebuilding our library, can’t wait to move back in.
Maxabella
A great colour got a library, Erin. Warm and welcoming. I’m really impressed with Jem’s focus. x
Erin
Bron
That emotive response is exactly what we were searching for in the library 🙂
We were rather impressed with Jem too, he stuck to the job, towards the end he’d had enough, but I encouraged him to finish what he’d started.
Maxabella
* for
Clare
How nice your children can help paint the walls and get the job done in record time. I am sure they will thank you for these skills you are teaching them some day too! I recently have painted a feature wall in each of my children’s bedrooms (6 yrs and 2 yrs). I didn’t let them come near the paint. I do think that cutting in tool in the bees knees though! The first room I didn’t have one and was doing a shocking job on the edges. I learnt from my mistakes the second time round and got the tool. It’s genius. I really love how a colour on the wall makes the cornices ‘pop’ when it is done well. Have fun turning this room into a cosy library space! sounds wonderful.
Erin
Clare
We have older, left home ‘children’ and it has been affirming when thank us for the life skills we’ve taught them.
Not to worry our 5 and 2 yr olds were parked at the entrance of the room to watch, if they came in they had to sit in their underwear on a step ladder.
What did you do to correct your edges? The tool is a gem I agree. How did your room turn out, do you have a link?
Clare
Hi Erin, I tried to correct the edges the best I could with a tiny brush. I also had to get a sample tin of the other wall colour to patch things up but unfortunately the shade wasn’t quite right. It was a painful job as the feature wall was a dark blue so any misses of the brush were VERY obvious. Here is the link to the room. It looks okay from a distance I think, just don’t look too close! lol. I will be posting a reveal of my daughters room down the track. It was a much neater job 🙂
http://mylifeinstep.com/boys-bedroom-reveal-industrial-vintage-and-fun/
Erin
Clare
It does indeed sound painful, I’d imagine doing it by hand you’d have to have such a steady hand. Thank goodness you found the cutter! 🙂 Their room looks great!
Mary
Great color. You family is inspiring on many levels!
Erin
Aw, thank you Mary xxx
Cassie W.
Love the color!
Erin
Thanks Cassie 🙂 This is the colour we’ve used throughout the house.
Tash @ Home of Marble and Mint
I’m so impressed with the kids work, especially with cutting in! Fantastic job, look forward to seeing the library complete 🙂
Erin
Tash
The children have a lot of experience, years of painting practice. Even Jem has painted before, though previously I only let him near the undercoat. I was happy with their cutting and feathering but not letting them near the top cutting in.
Hopefully we’ll be complete soon and I can reveal all.
Nicole @ The Builder's Wife
I thought I had commented on this, so sorry. I love the colours you have used, and as usual I really enjoy watching your whole family get involved. You must be so excited!
Erin
Nicole
So appreciate your interest and encouragement:-) Trying to pace my excitement, but getting harder to ‘keep it in’.