I’m not sure if this counts as DIY, but I finished Darwin’s room. When we got here there was a fitted wardrobe, which we thought we could use, but actually it was dangerous and needed condemning.
It had been glued to the ceiling, put together with 4-6” nails, all of the shelves had come down and been put back up using said nails as support, the rails had come down and were being held up by a cradle of nails at one end, about 10cm higher than at the end in an actual support. You could poke it with your little finger and the wardrobe would move about 20cm. Russell took it down and quickly found out that the skirting board had been ripped out with a crowbar, leaving a huge splintered edge.
So, we cut and fit new skirting boards, stripped all the walls, had it plastered and I redecorated. I did all the woodwork white, too the windowsills from a really dark brown to white, painted the window surround white and the walls a really nice blue. Darwin saw a room design with a bear, silver birch trees, stars and a moon, so I found the vinyl decal seller on Etsy and got those. we had to wait three weeks after I’d finished painting to put the decals up, so I did those this weekend. These pictures aren’t great as I took them at night, but the room is lovely. I’m going to add some glowing stars as Darwin has requested.
It had been glued to the ceiling, put together with 4-6” nails, all of the shelves had come down and been put back up using said nails as support, the rails had come down and were being held up by a cradle of nails at one end, about 10cm higher than at the end in an actual support. You could poke it with your little finger and the wardrobe would move about 20cm. Russell took it down and quickly found out that the skirting board had been ripped out with a crowbar, leaving a huge splintered edge.
So, we cut and fit new skirting boards, stripped all the walls, had it plastered and I redecorated. I did all the woodwork white, too the windowsills from a really dark brown to white, painted the window surround white and the walls a really nice blue. Darwin saw a room design with a bear, silver birch trees, stars and a moon, so I found the vinyl decal seller on Etsy and got those. we had to wait three weeks after I’d finished painting to put the decals up, so I did those this weekend. These pictures aren’t great as I took them at night, but the room is lovely. I’m going to add some glowing stars as Darwin has requested.
That looks great!
Also brilliant idea to name the constellations - hopefully D (and you and Russ!) will be able to spot them in the night sky too.
Also brilliant idea to name the constellations - hopefully D (and you and Russ!) will be able to spot them in the night sky too.
Mimi that looks awesome.
Mali.. good effort..
Mali.. good effort..
Kern wrote:
That looks great!
Also brilliant idea to name the constellations - hopefully D (and you and Russ!) will be able to spot them in the night sky too.
Also brilliant idea to name the constellations - hopefully D (and you and Russ!) will be able to spot them in the night sky too.
To be fair, those came with the decals, but I do think it’s a nice touch. The Big Dipper and Orion are the only two I can ever recognise, so I’ll have to look out for more now.
Looks great!
Thank you x
It’s really nice to finally be able to make a room that he loves. Living with rented magnolia walls has its limitations.
It’s really nice to finally be able to make a room that he loves. Living with rented magnolia walls has its limitations.
The garden office is coming along nicely now. Been decorating and furnishing.
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That's really nice.
I'd cover that end white wall in whiteboard paint.
I'd cover that end white wall in whiteboard paint.
That looks great, Dr Z. I live that table, and that ladder shelving. Is it an optical/lens illusion or is the wall leaning out in the second picture?
Never again.
Looks good, though. Did you hire a floor sander?
Mimi wrote:
That looks great, Dr Z. I live that table, and that ladder shelving. Is it an optical/lens illusion or is the wall leaning out in the second picture?
Just the camera angle. It’s pretty square.
Dr Zoidberg wrote:
The garden office is coming along nicely now. Been decorating and furnishing.
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This looks great!
Mimi wrote:
Looks good, though. Did you hire a floor sander?
Yes, the TorqueyBoyz
Trooper wrote:
That's really nice.
I'd cover that end white wall in whiteboard paint.
I'd cover that end white wall in whiteboard paint.
Hmm, that’s not a bad idea at all.
Looks good Mali. What sort of finish are you going to put on the boards? It's a lot of wood in the room with the panels, and the door, and now the floor, but if you get the floor right it'll look fab.
We had nice dark wood parquet flooring in the flat, but it was pretty scuffed up. We had it sanded and restained but man, the dust, the dust was everywhere, reddy brown dust in all the nooks and crannies. Then we had a party and the floor got a bit scuffed again. TCH.
Next on my DIY list is fixing up some decking that's broken, and remounting a very long piece of gutter downpipe that has been very poorly fitted and is now leaking. I can see what I need to do, it's just a bit of hassle. I also end up doing a lot of things myself as Lady T and I don't work particularly well together on things like this.
We had nice dark wood parquet flooring in the flat, but it was pretty scuffed up. We had it sanded and restained but man, the dust, the dust was everywhere, reddy brown dust in all the nooks and crannies. Then we had a party and the floor got a bit scuffed again. TCH.
Next on my DIY list is fixing up some decking that's broken, and remounting a very long piece of gutter downpipe that has been very poorly fitted and is now leaking. I can see what I need to do, it's just a bit of hassle. I also end up doing a lot of things myself as Lady T and I don't work particularly well together on things like this.
Some lovely stuff in this thread.
Mimi, I love Darwin's room, that's amazing! Which room will be next?
Dr Z, that's very smart, I can't believe how quickly you have pulled that together!
Mali, you have done an amazing job, I'm sure it will all be worth it! Can't wait to see the finished product.
Mimi, I love Darwin's room, that's amazing! Which room will be next?
Dr Z, that's very smart, I can't believe how quickly you have pulled that together!
Mali, you have done an amazing job, I'm sure it will all be worth it! Can't wait to see the finished product.
The outside is done as well now.
It looks super smart!
Bit more decoration done, and the laptop set up.
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That looks kinda awesome.. Well done
Goddess Jasmine wrote:
Mimi, I love Darwin's room, that's amazing! Which room will be next?
Sorry, I did see this the other day and thought I’d replied. I’m not sure which next; possibly the craft room, or the dining room. Realistically it is going to take many, many years, but that’s ok. We are warm, and safe. The bathroom rivals Kovac’s, but that will have to wait. Right now we are just trying to relax and just try to enjoy the year.
I did paint the shed though. I think I have already put pictures somewhere, but now it has bunting painted on, and a pot, and some wooden tulips. I’ve got an old trough planter to paint (yellow, I think) and I want to pop some flowers in it.
Two coats of oil and now it is A Done Job.
Never again. Ever.
Never again. Ever.
It looks lovely.
You missed a spot!
( Looks awesome! )
( Looks awesome! )
That really does look beautiful. 
Good work Malia and Mimi. Two jobs, well done.
That's the before photo Mali, now where's the after photo?
I am quite chuffed with that.
Looks tidy!
Thanks.. a lot of swearing and a trip to screw fix, and all sorted.. I might keep the bath and tiles
It looks much better. I re-silicones the bath in the old place and it’s amazing the difference it can make. I must do the bath here, too. We have a very similar suite/tile combo. Not that pink colour, but very much the same era.
It is different just very old.. I know I should replace it, but it is a talking point
I might swap the shower to one that runs from the boiler. It is on the list..
I might swap the shower to one that runs from the boiler. It is on the list..
Worth all the sanding, Mali. That floor looks brilliant.
I want to tackle the gloss on the stairs and landing.
I have never glossed before. Any tips?
I have never glossed before. Any tips?
KovacsC wrote:
I want to tackle the gloss on the stairs and landing.
I have never glossed before. Any tips?
I have never glossed before. Any tips?
Use a brush
Have a cloth with white spirit on ready for any over painting. Between paint sessions wrap the bristles of your brush with cling film so you don’t have to clean it off. Go for a low odour quick drying paint.
Zardoz wrote:
Have a cloth with white spirit on ready for any over painting. Between paint sessions wrap the bristles of your brush with cling film so you don’t have to clean it off. Go for a low odour quick drying paint.
Cheers.
Am I best doing this before I paint the walls again?
So new to decorating.
I always gloss first as emulsion will wipe off gloss easily.
Do the walls first, but be warned, you are likely to get scuffs and scrapes on the walls when your bathroom is done.
I always use water based paints, I don't trust myself with oil based.
Oh, and sand all woodwork down first.
I always use water based paints, I don't trust myself with oil based.
Oh, and sand all woodwork down first. Whenever I decorate I always use cheap brushes for glossing and a mini roller set for the emulsion. If you can get one with a long and a short handle it’s handy.
Sanding is dead easy, and you'll be done in no time.
Zardoz wrote:
I always gloss first as emulsion will wipe off gloss easily.
This makes sense, but it never feels as tidy when I do it. I guess there's always going to be an element of personal preference.
Oh god yeah, don’t bother doing stair walls until the bathroom is done. Probably ok doing your gloss though.
We are just waiting for the kitchen to arrive. In the meantime we have done some painting, Joan's has started the plumbing and had to raise the plug sockets as they were too close to the worktops. 
I need to cost the bathroom.
I'm sure you can get a good deal if you play your cards right.