The benefit of a new floor

Recently I grew addicted to the game Design Home – probably my closest experience to "Mass" interior design. I think I am developing a strategy regarding the surfaces whereby I decide first on the large ones, and then on details, and this strategy puts the floors to the top of the list.

I am well aware that this story steps on the side of the interior design, but let's be realistic – in order to do it well it is good when there is understanding of the trades. So – here follows a story on the trade of floor rectification – more specifically sanding, polishing, lacquer and varnish.

First of all, I am very proud to show you my finished floor pictures. It was a long way getting there, to a surprisingly good result.

Initially, as you can see on the photos that follow, I was not a 100% sure I should do something, anything about this floor. It was far superior compared to my other floor. Than I did my works and gradually started noticing damages, big and small, to this glorious surface. Some of those damages I had inflicted myself.

I avoided those works for a number of reasons:

- Room is this glorious dark (is it Prussian?) blue, and I was happy with the colour, and also the way it matched the existing floor – so why leave for destination unknown?

- Works exactly on the borderline between what I want to have done by others, and what I think I can do myself – see musings from my previous post

- Works extremely dusty – and by now it is nearly a drill – make the apartment dirty with works, and then clean the apartment.

But thanks to my painting – again see previous post, I managed to have the room neatly empty. A part of my "things" were compacted, another part sold, and yet another part discarded permanently. So I had this glorious empty room with a floor waiting to be refurbished.

I was an optimist – given that there is an equipment renting shop in the vicinity, and that the said equipment rolls on its own wheels, I had a crash course on sanding in the shop, and dedicated a full Saturday attempting to do the job all by myself. The results of 5 hours sanding plus 3 hours cleaning the resulting dust were pathetic.

Thereafter I happily left for holiday, filing the whole issue to the back of my mind. I had left the equipment rent shop with 2 telephones of local "specialist".

So, to my greatest surprise, the first guy I called was available for the weekend after my holidays! He gave me a quick and honest price, but again the one big problem I have with services in Belgium: no reference to what the result would be, other than – "you will love it"!

Here I should probably open a parenthesis – I was warned that the guy might be having a drinking problem, which in no way prevents him from doing a great job. Turned out to be the case – so I'd call it drinking lifestyle. He only broke the plastic telephone outlet socket – an item not in use in principle, which I will have to find a way to replace.

Work started on a crisp Saturday morning – with a machine completely different from the one I had rented. I am guessing a more "into the research" type of a person would have known. So, the contractor showed up with full equipment and ran the first grinder – approximately 4 times throughout the day. Work was regularly interrupted for a cigarette and a drink – but also to invite me to take pictures of progress, which I share with you.

When this was done, he hand-scraped the corners, and if you are familiar by now with project 2, in this room there are a plenty. Then he thoroughly vacuumed the room and ran the next machine which is just for polishing. Just the type the shop had given to me for the main work.

More vacuuming, and the base lacquer was done. An hour later, the first layer of varnish was also put in place and the room was positively glowing. For the subsequent layers he chose 2 other days and the whole thing was completed in under a week, barely 10 days after my holidays. I was able to sigh.

The dust remained settling for a number of days thereafter, so it was not possible to proceed with furnishing.

The best part of the exercise, other than the remarkable speed and the surprising quality? I like the colour. It matches a great deal better the door colour, and the (Prussian?) blue stands out in a far better way.

With this I can close the chapter of hard furnishings and dig deeper in the soft ones. So, watch out for:

- Choosing curtains

- Upholstering

- Learning to do tufted items …. And so much more 

Before that I may have to revisit project 2 to be sure about the floor plan and the measurements. Share your thoughts and stay tuned!

Project 2 picking up speed

There is something magical when a project picks up speed, especially if it is painting. Personally, I like to step back and look just when there is a lonely patch left to be painted! It is the actual sealing of the walls, when last shreds of old colour get buried and suddenly it is all fresh and new!

So, I am back to original intentions – looking at my nearly monochromatic mood-board, looking at the inspiration for the project, and I am asking myself what next.

I only know so well that the most important thing is to keep the ball rolling – so never stop unless it is absolutely necessary.

I also split works in two categories – works, for which I will need to hire people (result uncertain, but not my responsibility), and works I could, should and in fact must do myself.

So, in category one – what remains is the floor refurbishment – which at the moment of writing is successfully completed, so you'll find out more about it in another post! Then, there is also the damaged window – another no go…

And now to the works I need to do myself – again I see two categories – works I cannot modify, and must execute as planned; and works I might wish to redesign.

I am so proud of the way my silver curtain rails turned out – now I need to think of the curtains – I know that I want them dark and matching the walls. I also know that I prefer natural material to synthetics, and that the curtains should remain at the height of the windows. I am on the search for tissue, and I also need to decide who is manufacturing the curtains – me or someone else? What do you think – bearing in mind that my first curtains are not so successful (regrettably), but I like them!

Then comes the issue of furniture – and here the gloomy clouds of redesign hang nearer the ground!

- I am for a start not sure about the floor plan, and most specifically the bed. If you remember my reasoning for switching the designated living room with the bedroom – it is because I cannot digest a room which is only full of, well bed. And back to the original argument – if I know that I sleep better on a day bed should I waste space on double bed?

- And here begins a loop – if it should be a convertible bed – to comply with both demands – shall I keep the original plan – which is just so perfect for a double bed?

- Next question – in the original plan – see elevation in the relevant post – the headboard is THE FEATURE. Will I have the same effect without a double bed – centered and promoting the perfect symmetry? Moreover, I already gave up on the light (really too expensive) and now have the match any floor plan, coordinated silver light.

Design books tell us that execution starts only when one is certain about each element – it makes so much sense, but it is also less realistic because ideas grow also past design completion and plenty of them are possible in the context of the choices made.

For an optimistic ending to this post:

- I realize that we can always bring in accessories – recently came across a riot of colour in the Zara home collection. May be the accent colour to bring to life my navy silver theme. What do you think?

- I figured out a way to test the floor plan – more on that in a future post too.

And remember – comment is free!