Dining Room = Delays

The 'Before' (Prior Owner Used As a Sitting Room)

 The dining room started as yet another theoretically 'easy' project that has since proved itself to be a challenge. At first, we thought it would be as simple as stripping wallpaper (which I did one day before we moved in - a sinch!) and painting. Since then, we have encountered project after project to transform this room into our ideal. Here's the checklist of the challenges to date:

- As mentioned in a previous post, painting over oil paint is not ideal which lead to several weekends of paint stripping.

- 'Simple' rewiring lead to ripping open walls and building wood support blocks for future light fixture.

- Moving the chandelier from the living room to the rightful home in the dining room revealed bad wires requiring rewiring, can we say "specialist"?

Beautiful but Costly

Close-Up

- While rewiring the dining room, the electricians realized a strange three way switch that lead to the kitchen but dead-ended. So you're thinking, really, who cares?  I didn't until I saw the massive holes in the wall where they had to run new lines to alleviate the problem. But what fun is re-doing a room without the chance of mortaring massive holes with cement and then more patch work!

- Inspiration took hold and we decided to add wainscoting by means of bead boards.

Danny & Gregg Cutting Down Bead Boards, Gluing Up

- After priming all the trim (white) we realized how the white juxtaposed with the bright blue made the room feel country instead of modern or classic. This lead to a new dining room color, chocolate brown!

- The cracks in the ceiling near the windows were apparently unsupported plaster sections. Gregg fixed by screwing in supports and patching the holes his handiness caused.

Those challenges have been fun (luckily our electric rough inspection passed) but we still have a lot of work ahead of us. Right now we're waiting for the chandelier to be finished, waiting to see if our new HVAC new duct project will lead to more holes, drywall guys to patch all the big holes, painting then lastly furniture! Stay tuned for our progress.