Linda {Calling it Home} Linda {Calling it Home}

Wall Treatment Specs

Vinny, my painter, just left. I have to say, there is no possible way this will look as good in pictures as it does in person. Unless of course you have a better camera than me, or just know how to time the natural light thing. No matter, I thought this would be a good time to tell you the specs of my One Room Challenge walls, just in case someone out there wants to do a wall treatment and doesn't want to nail a bunch of sizes up to the wall....like I did. 

Here is what the walls look like in most of my entry. 

The majority of the trim is 1/2" MDF sheets cut to specific widths. I like MDF because it doesn't move {shrink/swell} like real wood. I hate seeing those cracks in the joints during the winter months.

Here you can see the reveal I used...3 1/2". Since that is the reveal, many of the boards needed to be wider. 


This will show you why


Maintaining a consistent reveal throughout will give you a really expensive looking project.  

Another thing to consider is the corners


On an outside corner, you would need to take 1/2" off one of the boards. 

As for the panel widths, I would suggest that you divide the wall into a size that you feel comfortable with.  Since every one of my walls were a different length, they are similar to each other, but far from exact. 
Furniture placement will camouflage a lot of this. 


In this small area that I called Section 2, you can see that a framed upper wall would not work. I kept the same bottom treatment as the other hall, but modified the top to be a mock chair rail. You can also notice that the reveal under the crown was modified, too.


Here are the specs for the top of section 2


Here are the specs for all the the bottom pieces



These are the trim pieces that I used




Some of the hard cuts that Joe and Mike did

Wrapped the corners








All of the trim is pained in BM Snowfall White. The walls are BM White Dove.

Do you have architectural moldings and trim in your home?


Week 5


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Linda {Calling it Home} Linda {Calling it Home}

One Room Challenge...Week 4

Hello, and thanks for coming back and checking in on my progress with my entry. This is week 4 of the One Room Challenge. In case you are new, this is where you can start the beginning of this challenge. 

I am not going to lie...I worked like a dog over the last week. I really wanted to have something more to show you than millwork issues. I think I finally turned the corner, figuratively and literally.

Here is the finished millwork with primer on some of it.


Let me show you how I got here. 

This one's for you DAP people....who follow me on Pinterest. For the record, I have not received anything from DAP....but totally would if they sent me some!

I really like the High Performance one on the right for all the joints where the boards meet. The one on the left (the pink kind) is great for small holes.


Once all the holes and joints are filled
(does this remind anyone else of the book Put Me In The Zoo?)


I used a sponge sander to smooth out the joints


Check the smoothness with your hand when you are done. Remember, if you can feel it, you will see it when it's painted.

A coat of primer, and I am almost ready to call my painter for the finished coats.

I thought I would be done priming by the time Seth started his monologue at the Oscars....that didn't happen. In fact, I am finishing it as you read this. 

Moving on... remember that Vintage Regency piece I showed you? Well, I asked Joe and Mike to look it over and see if it was real Burl wood. These are two dudes who hate the thought of paining wood. Not only is it NOT real Burl wood, they went on to tell me how they thought it was poorly made. 

This would not be the time to explain to them how expensive the marble top would be if I tried to buy just that. I also had no guilt over painting it....so here is a sneak peak at the color selected.

It needs another coat, or two. 

Craigslist was good to me, again...I picked up a pair of stools, that need a makeover.

And, finally...I ran to Target and picked up a matching pair of lamps. Can you guess which style I selected?


Which one would you pick?

Now if the weather would cooperate, and give me a few spray painting days...I would really be grateful.

Let's go see how the others made out this week.

Wall Treatment Specs
Week 5

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Linda {Calling it Home} Linda {Calling it Home}

One Room Challenge...Week 3

Was it really a full week, already? This is the third post for the One Room Challenge. If you are new to my blog, you can start at the beginning, here. 

Time is flying, progress is crawling and I have lost the ability to think clearly on this project. Some people may argue that I never had the ability to think clearly. It's a long slow process for my entry. Joe and Mike left last week. They were here for the crown molding, and some of the harder cuts. 

This is what went down this week. Did any of you notice this marble wall shelf?

I seem to have forgotten that marble is perfectly straight and sheetrock is not. What am I talking about? Well, when the wall shelf was installed, the bow in the sheetrock was so distracting to me....I had it cut, and slid the marble top into the wall so it would appear flush. 

Still confused? This is what the wall looked like when the marble top came off


The bow in the wall was so obvious for a panel treatment, that the center portion of sheetrock was removed...stud shaved down....new stud added....and new sheetrock installed. The majority of this was done by another "Joe". He left the spackling for me, so I could save a bit of money. 


At this point, the phrase "save a bit of money" really needs to be changed to "Who else wants a piece of me?"

The answer to that question, would be my electrician, Chad. Remember Chad from my master bedroom project? 

As the panel detail was going up, I ran into this


An electrical switch in the way. This happened FOUR times. I am happy to report that all four outlets/switches have been moved just a few inches from their current location. 

If the Universe is not challenging me enough....I decided to make changes to my own design. At first, I thought it would be interesting to wrap the columns like this

After staring at it for about three days, I HATED it.....and removed it.
This is what it looks like now

I like it this way. You can also see two of the four outlets moved. These pictures were taken after dark, so this is the best it gets.

I'll leave you on a positive note...just look at this return detail that Mike did

I love how it overlaps the backband on the door. 






I don't want to jinx myself...but next week must go smoother..wouldn't you think? Now I'm off to see how the others are doing.

Week 4
Wall Treatment Specs
Week 5

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Linda {Calling it Home} Linda {Calling it Home}

One Room Challenge....Week 2

Hello, and thanks for coming back to check in on my progress. You can start at the beginning of the challenge, here. I would like to tell you that I have had a really productive week, but frustrating would be more like it. 

It started off well....destruction before construction.
My ceilings are 8' tall and I would like them to feel taller. This decorative detail above the entrance into the dining room makes the ceiling feel lower.


I also thought all the detailed trim on the columns were  busier than I wanted for my look.


So I ripped it out


At the bottom of the columns I removed the base pieces, but will put them back.
The top cap on the baseboard had to go, and so did the quarter-round on the floor.


The best way to do this is to score it with an exacto knife to break the caulk seal.


I had 3/4" boards of MDF cut down to a manageable size that would fit into my car. 

Then, I brought them over to my friend's home where her husband has a workshop in the garage. I ripped the boards down to my desired width for the paneling treatment. 


At this point I called Joe...my favorite contractor. Fortunately, he was available. I thought I would have him do the crown molding and I could do the rest. 

This is Joe


This is Mike, he works with Joe....he doesn't like me. 
Apparently, I make him nervous because I question his decisions.


Mike is installing the reveal under the crown. 

so far...no problems...the crown is looking great!


I love the simpler column and how the crown steps around it. 

They trimmed this crazy ceiling slope perfectly.

And this is where the happy story ends....

I don't know why I didn't realize the walls were so uneven in size and that would affect my recessed panel box design.

I like the chair rail molding...but can't decide how high it should be. 

I think I can get the bottom squares to look somewhat similar in size, but the top half will be so obviously different if I run the planks up to the ceiling. Luckily, Joe and Mike were not coming back until Friday....and then we had a blizzard!! So they could not come back until Monday.

This is my kitchen during a blizzard with kids housebound for the weekend.

Long story...longer, I modified my plan for the entry design. I think the top portion will be framed without verticals breaking up the space. So, the upper walls need to be painted a flat color....not semigloss white like the bottom portion. 

I love this wall color with the white trim all around it.

Classic Casual Home
Hopefully Mary Ann will be able to locate the paint name. 

That's enough of my drama for the week. I am working in real time and I'm not happy about it. I hope to be ready for paint by next Wednesday. I may need to keep Joe longer than expected...you know what that means..... over budget, already.
Vintage Regency Piece
Week 3
Week 4
Wall Treatment Specs
Week 5

Now let's go see if the others had better luck with their rooms

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Linda {Calling it Home} Linda {Calling it Home}

Magnetic Periwinkle Chalkboard Wall


Like many things, it all starts with a request from the kids...."Can we paint the house rainbow?"..."Can we get a 3D TV?"...."Can we get a puppy?"....NO, NO, and NO! So, when the request came for a magnetic chalkboard wall....I said YES! 

Starting with the magnetic primer (it is called primer because it goes under whatever you want), but this IS the magnet part


 Paint about 3 coats...I think I did 4? I just used all of it! Here's a tip, if you are going to trim it with moldings...you don't need to tape it off...the trim will cover it!




When that is good and dry, move onto the chalkboard paint. Because I am obsessed concerned about how it will look (I did not want a black hole), I decided to use the tintable ones...




...and I chose periwinkle. Now, the metallic primer is a bit bumpy (all the metal fragments) so, it is a good idea to knock down the high spots before painting your chalkboard paint. I also did about 4 coats...I had it, might as well use it! While this was drying, I painted the rest of the room




Onto framing it with molding...I wanted a thick molding that would not only frame the chalkboard, but also hold chalk! I chose this profile...as you can see, when it is flat against the wall, the chalk should fit nicely




I always paint my moldings before I put them up. That way, you only need to do touch-ups for the nail holes. It is much easier than standing on a ladder and trying to paint. Like I showed you when I did the faux crown molding, I marked all the studs with blue tape.




With my usual tools, I applied the molding the same way as the crown molding




Always check for level...also be aware if there are other straight (or not) parallel lines. Here you can see that the crown molding is close. Since nothing in a house is perfectly straight, you may want to split the difference...use your eye and step back from time to time!




Now this is the part that works great, but will bother many contractors. Caulk is the best glue you could ever use! Once it is dry, it is stronger than ALMOST anything. Since the sides of my chalkboard are not on studs, I put a bead of caulk on the back of the molding to make sure that it would hold tight to the wall




I must warn you, If you ever choose to remove this molding it won't come off WITHOUT SHEETROCK coming off too! That is why contractors hate this!....but it works GREAT!




That is the periwinkle chalkboard wall....however, you still need to "condition it". Say what?? I needed to google this. After waiting 3 days for the paint to cure,take a piece of chalk on its' side and rub it all over the new surface.




Use an eraser, and wipe it all down...NOW it is ready!




You can use magnets to hang EXTRAORDINARILY talented artwork...if I do say so myself...and you can color on the wall.




All the chalk fits nicely in the groove




I have just enough chalkboard paint left over for a few small crafty projects...any ideas?

*Linked to Flower Hill Design*
*Linking to Saved by Suzy*

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Linda {Calling it Home} Linda {Calling it Home}

Basement update Faux Crown Molding

Well, I have been hard at work on my basement. This is how you last saw it


The drainage system was finished




I sealed the concrete, and had this subfloor installed



It has rubber cleats to keep it off the cold (hopefully never damp) concrete


Source

I DID NOT do it myself...I called Joe & Mike...my second husband's contractors. Now, it looks like this




Onto the fun stuff...I wanted crown molding. There is only one problem, I have a drop ceiling...looks like it is going to be faux crown molding




I marked all the wall studs with blue tape. It is super easy to find a stud on a drop ceiling...you just lift the tile




and you can see the stud. Since I can't nail into the ceiling, I decided to use door casing molding

Source
It has an interesting profile, lays flat....and is super inexpensive! Using my usual tools, I mitered the corners




When it came to a long run, I used a 30 degree cut...making sure that the joint would fall on a stud. That way, the nails would pull it together




add a bit of glue to the other cut




a few nails, wipe of excess glue, fill in the holes...and sand




Here is how it looks now






and that joint...



almost invisible. Tomorrow I will show you the other side of the room. Hint...the kids made me do it! The carpeting is going down this week. This was a long project! How long is your average project? Do you finish it before you start another one?

****Update - Magnetic Chalkboard Wall****

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