Our major main floor makeover...

I am so thrilled to say we have finally completed our main floor makeover...it has been a long process that we started back in the spring....well actually it started last winter when we started to approach the local heritage committee as our house is a heritage protected property...we knew we wanted to make some changes to the wainscotting but we didn't know if we would be able to make these changes...but after meeting with the committee we realized how we all have the same goal and that is to preserve  and cherish this building.

 Painting the very damaged v-groove wainscotting was what we were hoping, this would allows us to conceal the damage and discolorations in the wood and in fact most buildings of this age would have had pine painted trim work...The wood work had been recently stripped by the previous owner.. they had stripped away a faux finish that was meant to remain...but it worked in our favour since this faux finish was removed there was no longer a reason to prevent us from painting the wood work...and painting is always revers able. We were also cleared to replace a pine flat stock trim with a more appropriate baseboard...we were ready to go...

I was so pleased to have Metrie on board to sponsor this major makeover....it was amazing the difference adding the right trim and a bright and light color made to this home. Metrie is a trim company with a real grasp of current trends and classic profiles...they truly have it all and this being my first experience using Metrie products, I think it is safe to say I am hooked...there is a huge difference in quality of design and materials...keep in mind I have been working with trim for 14 years so I have sampled many different types of trim...and I am thoroughly impressed with Metrie's products.

Even though our trim was going to be painted I felt it was important to use wood trim...adding MDF to 140 year old wainscotting wasn't a right option for me....I love working with poplar it actually stains beautifully and it paints so perfectly...during this project I made a switch to my mitre saw blade...what a difference switching to a proper trim blade makes...I switched to an 80 blade, there is a big difference, this blade cuts through trim like butter.

 this is the profile I chose, it is a 7.25" poplar Scene II from the  French curves collection

You can really see what I mean by irregularity, it was so blotchy....and there was a trim piece missing from under the chair rail...this needed replacing.

We were also preparing for our new custom windows at the same time...the clock was ticking...but just painting all this trim work was a huge undertaking...I caulked in between each and every v-groove board...my husband Todd helped out and painted a lot of the window trim and all of the baseboards...so grateful.

We felt that everything the same tone of orange was very overwhelming and not my favourite shade....you never like everything about a new house...right?

I think the wood floors look so much better now...I painted the risers white last minute, it is simply white...my husband thought I was crazy but it was 100% the right choice, it ties all the trim together and makes the room feel wider.

I knew I had to address the newly added half walls, they were stark fresh drywall and they felt jarring...I clad them with v-groove to help them blend in with the perimeter walls.

Filling in the gap beneath the chair rail with this classic panel moulding felt clean and completed the trim...

I also tweeked the kitchen during this renovation...I flipped the island top and finished the rough sawn side and stained it with a custom color...added open shelving and more tile, oh and I stained the grout grey to make the tile more prominent.

Each corner had a filler strip which made mitering the trim impossible so I used a baseboard corner, I love this detail, I am so glad I needed this solution. 

I wish I could thoroughly describe how happy this transformation makes me...beautiful trim makes my heart happy...

I clad the wall with v-groove panel moulding and a cap I custom made from flat stock 1x10"with routered edges...it turned out sublime....it is no longer a corner I hide...coffee corner is what I call this spot and now it looks like it has always been a part of this room.

 I also tackled the entry during this renovation, I opted to create an open concept closet...it works so much better than the sliding mirrored doors...I recently added two pieces of this panel moulding to the header of the closet casing...it makes a big difference, design is all about the details.

We also replaced the front door...this has been a big undertaking...

You can see why I just couldn't live with this wainscotting the way it was....

I primed and painted and painted some more...

We also extended the entry tile to create a larger more balanced space...

French curves scene II

 One last detail I cooked up were these reclaimed wood headers for the two doors on the main floor...I wanted something unique and that followed along with that old house feeling...it was a risk but I think it was a successful result....I upgraded the small flat stock with a much larger flat stock and installed these reclaimed pieces...so easy.

I think it is a cohesive mix...

It's actually quite amazing to look back at where we started...

I want to send a big thank you to Metrie for providing all the beautiful panel moulding and baseboard trim...you've got to check out their new line Option M....

*disclaimer this is a sponsored post but all the opinions are my own and are truthful...

bathroom progress

I finished a lot of the painting in Sophie's bathroom yesterday...I painted the trim Birch white by General Paints and the blue wall is Pensive sky by Behr, I used this color in my master bathroom it's a nice soft greyish blue it goes perfectly with the marble look ceramic tiles.

 I installed a hook right outside of the shower for a towel.

What a big difference a few strips of MDF and a little bit of cove moulding can make. 

           

 I had this towel hook but it never fit properly so I made a custom plaque so I could mount it securly to the door and painted it with a fresh coat of Birch white.

Here's a reminder of how it looked before. 

Next I will be tiling the walls around the vanity, creating a frame for the mirror, installing a new light and replacing the sink with a new rectangular one from Home Hardware and a new faucet. 

 I found this brand new faucet on Kijiji for $20 unreal right?

I will just have to wait for some drier calm days to tackle that tile job...one day at a time.

transformation with wainscoting

Good morning. As I wait for the rain and freezing rain to settle so I can get back to this trim project I am working on at Ellen's this week I thought I would share it with you as well as most of my trim projects I have completed over the years. 

As you can see I have been adding an applied wainscoting with an extra little trim detail. So far I am 17.5 hours into the installation. It's not always a quick process but what a difference it makes.

Nothing transforms or elevates a space like trim. I really believe to get the best result in decorating , the way I like to , is to start with beautiful bones. I think that rooms should be beautiful empty, you will start off the decorating process ahead of the game and get a better layered and finished end result.

 This is my favorite new chair rail .

Varied panels add interest to a blank bit of wall and create a feature.

 Here is another recent project I completed, it was the finishing touch , it was a bit backwards ending with the trim , but as long as it got done it was all worth it.

 My last house where I learned all of my carpentry skills, I can't remember if I started on this trim or on the applied mouldings in the family room. Either way I loved them both. White moulding makes my hear sing.

 More of my last house.

 I adore and miss this panelled wall from my last house and the vaulted ceilings , I loved that house.

 This is the house where I am working now , Ellen's house . Do you remember her entry/mudroom. I love seeing how it functions over the years.

 How can I forget my beachy bedroom and the board and batten, it was so cottagey.

 My current homes main hall wainscotting still in progress.

 More of my current home.

 This image I captured on our moving day , it was a good bye old girl shot, such a pretty space.

 My laundry room, I used shoe moulding to create the panels and flipped a large baseboard to create a generous trim for lots of hooks.

My stair wainscoting.

 One of my first projects I tackled while my husband was out of town on a business trip.Applied wainscoting. How cute was little Sophie , this was taken three years ago or so when we had our first magazine photo shoot , what a cute shot.

So what do you think ? Do you love trim like I do ? Would you tackle this type of project yourself ? Would you love a ladies only carpentry 101 class to go to learn these skills? Just wondering...