UPDATE TIME
So, I'm here Mon to Fri this whole week now because I've bought some things on eBay and am having them delivered at various times this week. However, the building work on the house is slightly more extensive than we had first thought. This is a good thing, because they're doing a really nice job and are doing some decorative things that I didn't know they were going to do, but it does mean that I've got to work around what they've finished and what they haven't this week.
So, things that ARE happening this week:
- Painting the study. They did an undercoat for me over the existing light yellow, so I'm now painting it a lovely green. (This colour:
http://www.diy.com/departments/colours-village-green-matt-emulsion-paint-25l/1145307_BQ.prd)
- Buying curtain fabric. Done! I measured up and went on a big shop on Monday. I bought curtain fabric for everywhere except the kitchen and landing (because we have two white linen curtains already that I think I can make into blinds) for £89. I had a great time. Now I just need to take them home and sew them up into curtains and roman blinds as appropriate. I'm going for unlined for now on the basis that the windows are new and REALLY well-sealed and double-glazed and it'll be easy to add lining (either thermal or blackout - I've actually heard that cheap fleece makes good curtain lining, but my husband might have a heart attack if I suggested that) if we find ourselves chilly come autumn.
- Painting the front fence. A little treat for me :) It's untreated wood and I'm doing it a lovely pale olive.
THINGS I HAVE LEARNED
Getting a nice paint finish isn't difficult but it IS time-consuming.
I love cutting in. It's the best bit.
You have to apply pressure on the roller to get the paint to come off adequately.
I can well see how good quality paint would require fewer coats, but not how it would make painting each coat that much easier.
I would pay extra in the future to live in a rental where I could paint the walls, even if I had to paint them back afterwards. It makes me so happy to have the colour I like, and colour is so personal.
QUESTIONS
- I have a blister from my roller! I've had to apply a fair amount of pressure on the roller and am a weak and feeble woman so it's rubbed at my hand. Can I do anything about this? It's just at the base of my index finger, on the thumb side.
- The builders rolled on a white undercoat and I've done the first coat of green and it looks really patchy at the moment, presumably based on where the undercoat was thick and where it was just a bit too thin. Should I worry about this, or will it fix itself when I do the second coat of green? Based on the tips in this thread and extensive internet research, I've been fairly sparing with the paint for the first coat. We're going to have bookcases around most of the wall, so I wouldn't be averse to doing a third coat on the very visible bits if it will make a big difference.
Also, I'll put some before and after pics up when we've done the whole house. I'm really excited!