Tuesday, May 18, 2004

As you can see I haven't posted anything for a while. I've been very busy lately and things have just got busier as we have begun redecorating the lounge, dining room, hall, stairs & landing in readiness for new carpeting. It all started when we decided to open up the old fireplace in the lounge and install a nice period mantelpiece. It took me two hours to get the old faux fireplace off the wall and I found it had been blocked up with plasterboard. Unfortunately when Ian tried removing it the next day he managed to take off most of the plaster on the rest of the chimney breast as well! This meant we had to get a plasterer in to dryline and plaster the entire chimney breast as the remaining plaster had to be removed on both sides as it would just crumble when touched.
We have also decided to attempt putting up some very onamental plaster coving which I have had sitting under my stairs for about 4 years. As none of the walls or ceiling have accurate angles this should be interesting! The original hearth collapsed when we removed the faux fireplace so there is a large hole in the lounge floor where this normally would be so this is going to have to be reinstalled when the fireplace is fitted on the 29th May. We have finished stripping all the wallpaper and border now but it will all need a good clean with sugar soap before we start doing the coving and painting. We won't be able to put up the new wallpaper until after the fireplace goes in and then we will be ready for the carpets, a lovely peacock greeny blue throughout.