Tuesday, August 2, 2022

T Stands for Second Time Around (When One Project Turns Into Another)

From November 29, 2016, the very first T Day post

For Thanksgiving dinner, I set the table with the fine china and Ma's sterling silver. It seems silly to have these beautiful pieces living behind glass doors waiting for a special occasion that never seems to come. Thus, it seemed like the perfect opportunity for the annual cleaning of the china hutch after the festivities were over.

Himself thought with the hutch emptied, the opportunity to try the sample of paint we bought last week, was too good to pass up. So after the hutch was emptied, and chairs, table, and rug moved, Himself vacced the floor, washed and painted the wall behind the hutch.

I actually joked that we should just paint around the hutch like the previous owner did when we moved in. The dining room/living room combo was painted a beige color. The only room that had been painted that didn't have a dozen different layers of wallpaper peeking through. We originally saw the house with the previous owner's hutch in place. When we stepped foot in the house, besides finding trash left all over the place, there was a giant turquoise rectangle where the hutch had been.




Because of Himself's bad knees, I got the job of painting the baseboard. The paint chosen was Benjamin Moore Ice Mist with an eggshell finish. My parents always used Benjamin Moore paint so that is what we use, too. The paint glides on and covers well with one coat. The downside of painting walls are the paint fumes. A few years ago, Moore came out with a low odor line of their paint called Natura. That is what we tried this time around. Same great texture and coverage and no nasty smell.

I also got to wash brush, roller, and the roller tray lining. That was a quick and easy clean up compared to washing the china and crystal by hand. (Though to be honest, Himself had offered to help dry the dishes, but it was easier for me to wash, dry, and arrange without giving instruction.) Besides, Himself wanted to watch the Patriots' game and deserved to watch it in peace.

China and crystal waiting for a turn in the sink

Dining room back in order

We probably should have painted the ceiling first, but can start with that when the big paint project happens after Christmas while Himself is on Winter break.

It's hard to tell in the bad lighting, but the new color is a huge improvement over the color on the wall which I've called White Trash. The last time the inside of the house was painted was 2001. The outside of the house needs to be painted, too. Shhh, don't tell Himself, but that's the project for his Summer break in August.

This is part of the T is For meme sponsored by Elizabeth and Bleubeard. You can pop over there to read the posts from the T is For participants.

34 comments:

  1. Hahahahaha When we moved in here the previous owners left their entertainment center and TV. We thought it was so nice of them! (They were EXTREMELY nice actually.....) BUT we later came to learn they had ulterior motives! When they re-carpeted the living room they did it AROUND the entertainment center instead of emptying and moving it! Can't really blame them. I'll be doing a similar thing if/when we re-carpet the guest room. I'm not about to take down the murphy bed!!!!!! 🤣🤣🤣

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  2. Nice second on the 2nd post. I have seen people paint around big objects too. I guess that works for some. Have a lovely day.

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  3. Looks gorgeous. I am in awe of all you two accomplished.

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    1. That was back when we were hale and hearty 🤣

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  4. It's been ages since I used my fine china for anything other than coffee. Happy T Tuesday!

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    1. using the fine china was a one or two off. I don't use it for tea as the cups are tiny

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  5. Fabulous! My mum has fine china on display in her cabinets too, she doesn't use them that often either 😊. Happy T Day! Hugs Jo x

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    1. Almost too much effort. Use with care. Wash by hand.

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  6. I have so many nice, old things for the table, and never get them out! Glad you got the wall painted, well done. Happy T Day, Valerie

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    1. Painting was several years ago. We ended up having the entire inside professionally painted.

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  7. Hi CJ. This is Erika, but I am commenting for Elizabeth because she can't get her computer to leave comments. She wants you to know that she appreciates you linking up to Second on the Second, and she feels bad she can't comment since she hosts the blog. She is supposed to get her computer looked at tomorrow, and hopefully she will then be back in the world of commenting. Thanks for linking up and sharing all about your paint job.

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  8. Hi CJ. Now I am linking up for myself. I didn't know you in 2016, and so it is great to see your home improvement. You've done a lot since then, but the wall looks great. And it's fun to read this older T day post. I hope you didn't get too hot today. And no rain here so to speak. You're lucky you got those showers the other day. Hope it was a nice T day. hugs-Erika

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    1. It was hot outside, but there was a nice breeze in the sunroom

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  9. Oh I want to say for Elizabeth thanks for linking up to T day. I messed up and mentioned second on the second and forgot about T day for her.

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    1. Thanks for letting me know about Elizabeth and her computer woes

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  10. I love this as I remember my Dad doing just the same kind of decorating around a huge wardrobe. Happy T Day, hugs, Chrisx

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  11. We used to have a wonderful 'special' dinner service that we only used for 'special' occasions. It was a joy to use except when it came to the washing up, it wasn't dishwasher proof !!!

    Wishing you a happy day.

    All the best Jan

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    1. The gold or silver rims look pretty, but aren't dishwasher safe

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  12. All my paint stories are like that - one leads to another and they are always adventures. It is always good when it is done though. Happy T-day and hugz

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  13. It is a lot of work to move heavy furniture but your room looks great, and it is done right!
    happy Tea Day,
    Kate

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    1. I don't know about "done right", but it looked nice and clean and all the walls matched the same color

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  14. It is funny how re-doing one thing leads to another. We re-did our home that we lived in years ago. It started with the kitchen, new cabinets, then the living room, (re-doing the walls, even the ceilings) then down the hall and bathroom! Oh, my goodness, it was difficult to stop, once we started. Your China and crystal is so pretty. Happy T Day!

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    1. With this wall done, the other walls looked dirty. We ended up having the interior professionally painted.

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  15. I once built a huge cupboard when I worked one semester at the undertaker (OK, I helped).
    Years later I wanted the piece green and started painting it..
    It has 4 rows and Ingo called me stupid for painting also the first two, which I thought he was right about and them in the old color.
    Now when I´m on the floor on my yoga-mat I always see that!
    I think most humans are lazy, LOL.
    I built it 1995, if I remember right, and I still have it.

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    1. You must have built that cabinet well for it to last so long

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  16. Wow, the former owners just left that big turquoise part? Ugh, how annoying. The hutch is beautiful and perfect for all the crystal and china.

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    1. They not only left the big, turquoise rectangle, but they left trash and pizza boxes all over the floor in the living room!

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  17. How fun to have a turquoise surprise waiting behind the hutch. We had a similar thing with a wardrobe - surprise emerald green! Or when people carpet around a bed haha Happy belated T Day and second on the secondElle/EOTC xx

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