Wednesday, July 9, 2014

I heart spray paint...

One of the things I have learned with trying to keep costs down but wanting an updated look is to use spray paint.  I have painted light fixtures, house numbers, a  cheap plastic Ikea clock, and...the back of my area rug!

Back in the days of red (you know what I'm talking about, right?  Red accent walls everywhere...), I bought a square, cranberry red rug to go under my square dining table.  Once we moved to this house, it migrated to the family room, since the dining was too small.  Through the entire remodel, it was our one little source of ugliness, I mean comfort!  Even though I had lost my love for all things red, it was nice to have something soft to step on while not caring if it was covered in dust and drywall mud.  After finally getting our flooring in, we needed something to protect the wood floor from the dining room chairs.  I looked for a rug, but had two problems:  I couldn't find a square rug, and even rectangular rugs sell for no less than $200.  I joked to Caleb that I was just going to flip the rug over to save money, and then decided I actually liked the idea.  Once I did, however, I noticed how dingy the back was.  So, I brought out my favorite trick--paint!

At first I tried spray-painting the whole thing, but I soon realized that would take too long, and my fingers agreed (that little nozzle isn't exactly ergonomically designed).  So I bought a gallon of cheap gray paint at Wal-Mart and sloshed it all over.  I was just short and couldn't quite cover the edges, so rather than spend another $15 on one more gallon of paint, I modified my plan.  I taped off about 8 inches around the border and spray painted it the original, darker gray.  
   
Despite the scoffing I received from neighbors, friends, and family, I persisted in my project and am so pleased with the outcome.  It has a unique, contemporary feel.  Now I want  a new table....<sigh>

See all the red (this is from our Delta house)?


Poor, ugly, abused rug.


Ta-da!
 

remodel 4...

Once the second story was framed in, we needed two things before it rained, lathing (the step preceding stucco) and a roof.  We decided to spend the extra money and re-do the entire roof rather than match the tacky, cheap-looking white 3-tab shingles.  It looks so fantastic!

 Lathing (I bet you just learned a new word, didn't you!)



Truly, one of the uglier features of the house:


So much classier!



We also then were able to focus more on the interior:  taking down the wall between the kitchen and family room and framing in the upstairs.  We'd wanted to remove that wall ever since we first saw this house!  It was so satisfying to open it up.

Before the wall came down:


My helpers:




Finally opened up!




And the upstairs gets some bones: