I love my home. I love my life. I love white. I love girly, pretty stuff. I do NOT love orange pine floorboards circa 1988 combined with yucky second-hand stained timber furniture from the charity shop! It's one thing to have a house full of beaten-up vintage beauties, but it's another to have a house full of 'soon to be shabby chic if only I could be bothered to pull out the paint and could find an additional 10 hours in my week' cut-price bargains!
Finally, after years of talking about it, we painted our floorboards white... HIP HIP HOORAY!!! Did I mention that we rent? Did I mention that we didn't ask for permission first? Did I mention that we also have a cat living here illegally? We are such naughty decorating, pet-owning delinquents, painting walls in bold colours and renovating our kitchen without whispering a word to our landlord! We are officially insane but we have so much fun. Never mind the fact that if we ever leave this apartment we will need to spend a solid fortnight returning it to it's former, innocuous glory.
The process was hell, I won't lie. Hideous beyond all words and imagination. My handy husband, in his infinite wisdom, decided to use a tiny belt sander to strip the floor - it took hours and hours and hours, leaving us all covered in layers of the finest sawdust you ever saw (tip: hire a floor sander and damn the expense!). There were small toddler footprints of orange crud caked onto our carpet for weeks! While in the throws of decorating dementia, I decided to 'pretty up' my tired old desk before falling in a paint-splattered heap, declaring to never ever pick up a paint brush for as long as I lived.
But the results are totally worth every harrowing minute of renovation angst. Our studio space is now bright and light and oh so stylish that it takes my breath away some days.
Our journey...
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| Leo and Daphne Cat (the illegal immigrant) doing a final inspection |
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| Our beautiful storm blue feature wall - this is my husband's side of the studio! |
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| Hard at work sanding - this took FOREVER and nearly resulted in divorce! |
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| At this point I was hyperventilating imagining our landlord knocking on our front door |
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| The Monkey eating dinner amongst the chaos, totally unperturbed! |
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| The goodies for my desk makeover |
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| My new work space, complete with pink desk and white floor - honestly, it feels like sitting in a musk-flavoured, candy-floss cloud of happiness!
For the floors we used:
White Paving Paint
For my desk I used:
Milk Paint in Marshmallow from Porters Paints finished off with bees wax. Milk paint has a beautiful rustic, chalky finish that was traditionally used in Shaker style furniture. It is made from milk by-products mixed with powdered oxide pigments to produce a wonderfully subtle palette of soft colours.
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8 comments:
I have always wanted to do this - i have the same orange boards that you had - what colour is your paving paint? and what brand? I think it looks fantastic does it feel more cold that timber coloured boards?
That had me laughing out loud. How brave of you to do that all without the landlord knowing. I hope the landlord will appreciate the improvements you have made. Very entertaining post :)
Ooh, you mischievous minx! But what inspired results. Just gorgeous, Ang. I am so intrigued by that milk paint now! J x
It's really feeling so good to have this article because, I have often seen white painted furniture for my place but never thought about floor. I would love to try the same and then enjoy my white floor and my furniture stuff. Thank you indeed for this unique article with unique idea.
I love your blog (& I also an currently doing a diploma at CATC design school!).
Quick question - how did you make that frame above your desk!
Thanks!!!
www.nikitashethdesigns.wordpress.com
I love your blog!! ( i am also doing a diploma at CATC!)
Quick question - how did you make that frame above your desk?! it is gorgeous.
Thanks,
Nikita
www.nikitashethdesigns.wordpress.com
LOL love your article...
Killed myself laughing when you said that you were renting, too funny!
Love your work - I came across your article via google as was looking for types of paint to use for my kitchen as want to paint it in black white checks aaahhhh, think I must be crazy, but same thinking as you, dull boring orange boards!
Keep telling us more, I normally get bored with blogs etc but I thought this was hilarious!
Great posting... those hard working resulted a fine and shiny floor for kids... love it!
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