Master Bedroom Project

We are once again making progress on our Master Bedroom project. Way back in 2000, soon after we moved in, Dad & Monte re-wired the bedroom, adding outlets, cable and phone hookups, a ceiling fan, and a sconce in the closet.

Monte filled in the plaster cracks–and then the project sort of stalled. Partly due to lack of time, lack of funds, and the walls re-cracking every 6 months.

But Monte finally found a solution to the cracks (use vinyl spackle, not plaster) and, with the prospect of high heating bills this winter, a fresh flow of funding (from a better job), and a desire to finally get the project done, we are now thisclose to moving in!

Our new hot pink walls!
     

Well, okay. They’re not really hot pink. It’s just an illusion. Here’s the culprit:

Monte put pink insulation panels in the windows. I was leaning more towards Roman shades and lace curtains myself.

So here’s the progression of our project. Our patched walls:
      

Monte tapes off the woodwork (which he already stained & sealed.)
      

Monte paints.

He didn’t realize that 20 minutes wasn’t nearly long enough to let the newly washed walls dry, so the primer bubbled & flaked off. Undeterred, he scraped off the flakes and tried a 2nd coat. But he didn’t realize that 1 hour also wasn’t long enough to let washed walls dry. Another round of scraping and washing–and this time I told him he had to wait at least 24 hours to paint!! It ended up being a week, but the 3rd coat of primer stuck.

Monte Painting Video Clip (As you will see, I was still learning the technical aspects of our new digital camera.)

The primer finally stuck, and so did the 2 coats of “Pale Ecru” paint. Monte says it was “cherry vanilla” when wet, but “vanilla” when dry.
      

Now for that lovely carpet….

My guess is that is the carpet was 30+ years old. Thankfully it was just laid on the floor, not glued, so all we had to do was roll it up.

Parts of the black foam backing stayed on the floor, but I used a putty knife to scrape up a small piece with no problem. So I handed the putty knife to Monte to try on a 2 ft section, and he had even less trouble–it was nothing but a thick layer of dust!! He swept it up with a broom. You know the carpet is old when it’s half disintegrated.

Monte scrapes up one of the few sections of carpet tape:

Some light sanding and 3 coats of polycrylic later:

Now we head to Overstock.com for a new area rug. Next weekend we ought to be able to move in! Our plan is to live in the “South wing” of our house and close the rest off for winter. Finishing this bedroom is key to that goal.

And hey, it only took us 5 years.