3rd Floor: New Drywall & Paint Colors

It's been a REALLY long time since I've posted any home renovation projects.  Our last project was a biggie (the new Carriage House), and since then, we've sort of taken a break on the house.  But now that we have a baby coming (yay!), we're cracking down on the interior of our home and knocking out some of the biggest projects.  So, I have some updates to share.

If you remember when we bought this house, the plaster walls/ceilings on our 3rd floor were in terrible shape.  The plaster was cracking, many places had been poorly patched, and overall it was a disaster (the plaster literally crumbled off the wall when we touched it).  It could not be saved.  So, we carefully removed the original trim, and demolished everything else.  Everything.  Once the walls were gone, we cleaned out the debris that was hiding behind the walls (you don't want to know), we replaced the rotting windows with brand new double-paned wooden windows, and installed proper insulation throughout.  And even though the 3rd floor was still down to the studs, you could see progress.  We had a space that was WARM and functional-- perfect for two cozy future bedrooms.  :) 

And then we lived with it like that for 2 years.

Anyway, fast forward to this spring.  A lot has happened on our tiny 3rd floor.  First, we hired an electrician and had him replace all of the wiring on the entire floor (our home had knob and tube when we moved in-- can you say fire hazard?).  Having the new electrical work installed was fun.  I was able to be my own client and draw up an electrical plan-- "we want a pair of sconces there, and an overhead fixture here".  I enjoyed it.  My husband and I love beautiful lighting, so we really had fun with the creative process here (more lighting posts to come).  After the electrical work was finished, we had drywall installers over to the house for a week.  They worked their magic and soon, the space was looking like a home instead of a demolition zone.  I could hardly believe my eyes.  After two years of nothing, we had a whole lot of something.  :)  Here are a few pictures I snapped of the progress last month...

one of the bedrooms-- Dave framed out the new walk-in closets  You can also see the new receptacles and switch boxes.

 

same corner-- new drywall (before the mudding and taping was complete)

 

the landing at the top of the stairs-- there is a small storage room straight ahead, with two bedroom doors on each side of the landing.

 

one of the bedroom dormer windows-- we added a small recessed can in this nook (you can see the rough wiring for that).  Someday, we will install window seats here!  How cute will that be?

 

at the top of the landing, looking down to the stairs (there will be an overhead fixture here and a pair of sconces flanking the window).

 

 

 

Looks better, right?  We were so happy!  So, once our installers had finished mudding and taping, Dave began priming the bare drywall and I was able to choose the paint colors.  Now, we're getting into the fun stuff.  :)  I'm a Farrow & Ball freak (every single color they make is beautiful), so I immediately grabbed my paint deck and started looking for the perfect shades.  We wanted the space to feel light and bright and sunny, so I narrowed the colors down to crisp whites and soft creams.  I selected a bright white for the trim, and picked a couple of "cream" colored options for the walls and ceiling (which would all be painted the same shade).

 

 

 

I ended up selecting Farrow & Ball "All White" for the trim. 

 

Then, we had two options for the walls: "Slipper Satin" and "James White".

 

Farrow & Ball "Slipper Satin" on the left, "James White" on the right

(as you can see, the "Slipper Satin" ended up looking like ballet pink in our house.  Not exactly the look I was going for.  But the "James White" had the perfect grey/green undertone.  It was the clear winner here).

 

 

We put one coat of "James White" on the walls and I'm in love with the color.  LOVE would be an understatement.  I'm obsessed with it.  I love the way the color changes throughout the day.  It looks amazing in every room, and I love the slightly cooler undertones within the hue.  It's honestly perfect for us.  Once again, Farrow & Ball rocks my world.

 

with the F&B "James White" paint

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next on the list:

• repaint and hang the original trim that we so carefully saved (minus the shoe molding)
• install molding around the windows
• paint molding around the windows
• paint and hang the new closet doors
• strip the paint from the original doors, sand, and stain to the natural wood
• install wainscoting up the stairwell, onto the landing
• paint newly installed wainscoting
• refinish the hardwood floors
• install shoe moulding
• final coat of "James White" on the walls

 

 

Lots of things happening here.  So, there will be more posts to come.  :)

 

If you want to follow along on Instagram, I post a ton of renovation pictures over there!  Follow me @kellyrobson

 

 

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