Shop Series: Paint floors white!

 Another sleepless night~I couldn't wait to get to the shop to

start on the floors. When I left the shop yesterday I called a floor sander

to meet and give me a quote the next morning..I had

plans to sand floors, then make a giant diamond pattern on the floor

out of a white wash and natural wood, but it dawned on me when

 I got home that since the floors were

stained and patched, my best option is to

 do as the farmers do~just paint them with porch/floor paint!

 So I cancelled the floor guy and stopped 

at Lowes to get some supplies and headed right to work.

 When I arrived I couldn't help but be romanced by some 

of the details that had escaped me on day one~

like this beautiful door knob on my back door~

 And this gorgeous radiator by the front window~

 I lugged in all my supplies for the day~I was not going to be 

leaving anytime soon. There was painting to be done 

and waiting on  my first delivery of store inventory~

clocks and wings and pretty things!

 I stood in the quiet shop and looked around~I wanted 

to get rid of that big hunky peg board that was screwed into a

 window that had been bricked up years ago...

 The florist that used to be in this space years ago used this to

 hold ribbons for wrapping up and creating floral orders~but 

I thought it looked wierd~so I climbed up on the ladder with a hammer

 and a screw driver. The screws were caked in layers of paint 

and I had to chisel it out before I could turn the screws.

 Like a one armed paper hanger, when you are alone 

there are limits to what you can do~

with one screw remaining the big peg board swooped off to the side

 revealing a smashed window with hunks 

of glass ready to spew out onto the floor.

 Plate glass can rip you to shreds...

I carefully removed it wearing gloves and then took

 out the last screw to reveal the window.

 Don't try this at home~ ha! 

Decades of dust inside the window sill...

 Wow! It was going to be fantastic~

 I plan to wallpaper the bottom half with a vintage floral wallpaper 

I just ordered from an Etsy shop~

and then put glass shelves across and use it as a display cabinet!

Pretty vintage wallpaper with a lace background on grey

with a garden bouquet in pink and yellow.

You can find many styles like this on Etsy~

 Love the old brick! I will install a puck light or a mini chandy at the top.

 This was the most dust I had ever seen~gross!

 But look how much more balanced it will be~yes this was a good move.

 And this is my little office/kitchenette that looks out towards that window.

 I brought along my inspiration pile~paint decks and my

 sketch pad that helps me keep track of all the 

images that pop into my head. This is how I create a space and

 get my vision on paper. I make sketches and notes all the time~

its a critical part of my process.

 Now I am supposed to be doing the floors!! But I couldn't

 wait to put a little white paint on the old bead board...the color all 

over the interior is killing me...so I couldn't resist doing a bit of this first.

And the next thing I knew my delivery of clocks, angel wings had arrived! 

I am selling so many Mora clocks~and quite a few are

 going to be custom painted! I need to place another delivery for clocks,

 which will be my 4th so far! I am glad everyone seems to love them like I do.

 The order comes all shrink wrapped to a palette and is left by my front door.

 The first of many I imagine~I already have another one scheduled!

 At about the same time, Mike the landlord came over to help~

he had a floor washing machine. I had planned to do 

it the old fashioned and nasty way~but this was sooo easy!

 Painting floors is a 3 step process~first wash them with a 

TSP substitute solution.  I got this concentrate at 

Lowes and it makes 4 gallons. 

This TSP will remove the grime and grease. 

Proper prepwork isn't fun but you have to do it~

 It looks like Mike is doing it!! Excuse me while I pose 

for my glamour shot~not! I think Mike really wanted to do it...

and after that section he put me back in charge....

oh and guess how great my landlord is??

 He brought me a "house warming gift" of antique chandelier shades

 that are totally sweet and shabby chic!! 

 I was really taken aback! How nice of him, right?

He wrapped them up in a Turtle wax kit and pretended

 it was what it appeared to be~

he's got a sense of humor that Dave and I have been enjoying.  

Any way the box had the shades and a few vintage parts. 

Oh, and before I could take over the washing of the floors, 

I had to at least unwrap one pretty thing from my delivery~

look at this gorgeous thing!

 Love this rusty metal flower~

oh man I can hardly wait to create my space!

 Next step after floors dried was to apply primer. 

I used Zinsser Bulls Eye 1 2 3.  Its latex for an easy cleanup~

I got to work on the floors with the primer!

After the primer I will use a glossy white floor paint~mod farmhouse swedish floors await!!

And look who came home from school for the weekend to help his mom out? 

Yup, Colin! He was able to take the bus and get off at the subway right in the center and walk to my store!  It was awesome to have a helper come in at 4 pm~

 Colin started on one end of this side of the washed room, and I started on the opposite end and we met in the middle~

 I couldn't help but prime the walls too~I had to get rid of that carmel color...

 Beauty shot!!

One coat of primer~and next will be paint!! 

 And then I will do it all over again on this side of the shop~

I put in a twelve hour day and was happy with the results! My body?? Not so happy~

I creaked up the stairs to bed~I was exhausted...today I am headed to pick up two beautiful country french armoires done in the shabby chic style~I cannot wait to see them! I found them on craigslist and the photo was awful, but I am hoping for the best!  I'll see you all tomorrow with the next shop report!