So, Last Saturday I sat in front of the TV with an industrial staple gun and leather and reupholstered 8 dining room chairs. This was due to the material being stained and snagged by the resident cats, and needed freshening up. As they looked so amazing, we decided to really go for it.

On Sunday we were supposed to be having a deep clean day. This involved moving the massive oak dining room table out, along with cabinets and my 150 yr old piano, and sweeping, mopping and scrubbing the room to within an inch of its life.

Now, Sunday morning I had started the ironing (rock n roll life, I know) and spent over 4 hours doing it. This is why we didn’t start the Dining Room project until 330pm. A bit late in most peoples books!

I decided that I needed some white emulsion, as the ceiling had never been painted since we moved in, and was very discoloured and grubby. I also wanted to get some wood stain to freshen the look of the massive table. I honestly didn’t think it was that much of a job.

Off went Baby Bear and her boyfriend. Dispatched to the shops to pick up some paint. 10 minutes later I was calling them asking to pick me up some new wall paint too. But we were only going to sweep and mop the floor?!?!

We cleared the room out, and found to our dismay some damp that was residing behind my piano. This we dealt with straight away, but it had left the laminate flooring in a bit of a mess.

Queue him suggesting that we take it all up. Which we did. As the flooring was coming up, the concrete looked in pretty good condition. Until we got to the furthest end of the room and found a massive water pipe that had been installed, and covered over with ugly concrete.

Bang went our idea of repainting the floor with floor paint. It actually looks like we will have to have the floor re-screeded to make it look presentable. But that’s in the future. For now, I needed to paint!

By the time the paint arrived, the flooring had been pulled up and I was in the middle of washing it all down. The room looked immediately better, and I was quite happy with the plans that I had.

Up went the set of ladders, and the ceiling started to get painted. Baby Bear also got into the swing of things, and took turns in painting parts of the ceiling. Mum popped in and offered assistance, so we had a right painting party going on.

By 730pm, we had painted the ceiling, most of the walls in a pale lilac, the radiator was done, and the feature wall which used to be a deep purple had been given a coat of white paint to make it easy to cover with a lighter paint. Everything needed a second or possible third coat though.

Thankfully, I was at work on Monday, but returned home at 530pm to find that the pale lilac had been finished, the deeper lilac had been put on the feature wall and the inner window ledge. It was very patchy and certainly needed another coat or two.

As he and Mum had worked so hard, we decided dinner and TV was the recipe for the evening. And that is what we all did……

Until 10pm when they had all gone to bed, and I got out the paintpads and brushes. Putting some music on low (Gregory Porter) I painted the darker lilac wall and the window ledges. All in all, it only took around 45 minutes.

Sitting looking at the colour, I came to the conclusion that I didn’t really like it at all. But it needed to dry and things would probably look better in the morning light. After a quick shower, it was time for bed.

This morning I got up and went downstairs to take a look.

WHAT THE HELL WAS I THINKING?!?!?!

The colour is just abolutely  hideous. I immediatly thought of a 70’s style porn palace. It is sickly sweet and verging on a 4 year old’s bedroom colour choice.

The pale lilac is nice enough, but the “Wild Orchid” paint is just vile. Instead of it being a “purpley purple” it is more of a “pinky purple” and I just can’t stand it. Not for even another night.

At that hard work and effort has been ruined by the fact that I can’t stand the colour. And I need to do something about it. Immediately.

On my lunch break today, I popped over to the shopping centre. New paint – Crown Cover Story, plus brushes have been purchased.

But as with every time I go shopping, I didn’t just get the paint. New dinner service, placemats, coasters, cutlery and glasses somehow miraculously made it into my shopping bag.  I just don’t know where it all came from…….

I know that once I have managed to get the paint on the wall, and the table stained it will all be worth it. With the new dining room plates and cutlery it will look very fresh and smart. The effort we have put in will really pay off.

But I do have to ask myself a question……

What happened to “We were only going to sweep and mop the floor?”

Getting in from work at 530pm, I was determined to do something about it. I told Mum that I loathed the colour and I was going to start painting over it straight away. Off came the work uniform, and on with the painting clothes.

It took me about 90 minutes to do the whole thing, but with the first brush stroke I knew I had chosen the correct colour. I was so happy as it started going on the walls, and finished with a big smile on my face.

When it was dry, we moved all the furniture back in, and I then sprung the surprise of the new tableware, glasses and cutlery.

All in all, I am absolutely over the moon with the whole transformation!

Have you ever done anything as drastic as this? Do you take your time over a DIY project, or throw yourself into it till it has all been done?

Till next time
Tx