Time for a quick update. And just so you know, the title is a bit sarcastic, but honestly I’m starting to feel like it’s only a matter of time before I put an ad in the paper for people to hire me to fix their sheetrock. I’m starting to like it that much. Is that weird?
After my last hallway post I casually mentioned to Richie that with the Thanksgiving holidays coming wouldn’t it be nice to get that paneling off the wall and some sheetrock up BEFORE his vacation starts. It was a feeble attempt to coax him into doing this so I wouldn’t have to ask much of him during the holidays. I know he very much wants to just chill out and enjoy Thanksgiving this year. We haven’t had a year where we weren’t working. To my surprise he was totally up for it. YAY, YAY, … YIPEE!
After some estate sale shopping last Saturday (which I will report on soon) we purchased the sheetrock and got to work.
The first thing we had to do was take down the lights on the wall. We are definitely keeping these, as they are Lightolier brand and are super heavy and much nicer than anything you could buy today. (I love old, well-made things).
Then we ripped off all the paneling. MAN, THAT WAS FUN! Demolition can be quite therapeutic! At this point the wall looks like we stepped into the NASA space station. There will be “floating” later.
The electrical boxes for the wall lights were those old metal boxes and we’ve been replacing them throughout the house. Richie might also get a “professional” title soon. He’s become a wiz at electrical. Simple or complex, he’s tackled it with ease.
Next up was sheetrock. First I had to remove 5,000 nails left over from the paneling. THEY WERE EVERYWHERE! Just one left could put a nice hole in the sheetrock. (NOT NICE!)
I tried my best to be bossy and run the show, but I ended up wasting two sheets of rock. Richie patiently and very quietly let me “be the boss” so he could then say “I told you so” and do it right. I get so controlling. I hate that about me. Sorry, Richie!
After all of my bad ideas, I got out of the way and he hung it all in about an hour and a half. I should have listened and let him be the boss. I’m so hard-headed. Renovating will definitely test your relationship. I’m laughing about it now but the man is a saint and I can’t believe he puts up with me sometimes.
I’m loving my new wall sans paneling! It’s going to make a huge difference and really brighten up the space. I realize the sheetrock posts are getting a little mundane but it’s work getting done and for me that is HEAVEN! Hang in there with me.
But now I’m back in control with the taping and floating. Which he’s perfectly fine with. (laughing)
More to come….
I loved the vintage panelling, but I can see just how bright and beautiful the new sheet-rocked walls are. The space is going to be modern and gorgeous when you are finished.
And yes… you are definitely becoming a pro! :) I was just thinking, we might need to fly you out to Portland for a basement project that we have on deck.
Vintage paneling sounds so fabulous! Makes me feel like I really screwed up. (laughing) I think it was super cool for the time it was built. I can’t even imagine how much high-grade sheets like that would cost someone today. It does kind of make me sad. But then again… maybe NOT. It’s going to be so bright and clean. And I’m hanging all of Richie’s guitars on that wall so I’m SUPER ready to finish.
A basement project sounds fun. When should I be there?!! (I wish!) A little secret I’ll never speak of again is … shhh… we have a basement.(I’ll never repeat that again)
Thanks, Danielle.
Pro is right! Yet another goode job, indeed. Can’t wait to see the final product.
Thanks Jocelyn! I actually came home on my lunch hour today and started taping and floating. I’m determined to wrap this up quick!
Lets face it, my posts are getting really bad (not goode) with all the sheetrock talk. Thanks for being here.
I know you’re so excited that this project is going quickly. It’s going to completely change the looks of things. The paneling was nice, but this is going to be so bright and beautiful. I can’t wait to see it finished.
I had a small leak that my contractor came out and fixed last week. He wanted to wait for it to rain a time or two before he did the ceiling repairs, so I’m expecting that to happen sometime this week. Looks like we’ll be texturing and painting at about the same time.
Oh Dana, I always feel bad about tearing out the old paneling when I see so many mid-century remodels trying to save it all. I just can’t get behind it. I love white, bright spaces. You know how I am by now.
But I always feel guilty. Thanks for the support, there.
OH NO, A LEAK! Good thing you caught it so fast. Smart idea to wait and see if he got it all sealed. I hate dry wall and texture touch-ups. I’d almost rather do a whole wall. (laughing)
I’ll be thinking of you, sista!
Stacey, you are so ambitious! I, too, liked the paneling, but I know you want more light … and wood is dark. It will look great when you’re done.
Hey, you could do a west coast tour and hit Seattle AND Portland, and help us all with our projects in your “spare” time!!
A basement, eh? I won’t tell. You know what I’m burning to see? You mentioned in some post that you have an atrium. I’m wild about atriums!! I wanna see it!!
Ambitious makes it sound so much better than it really is. Desperate may be closer to the truth! I’m so desperate to get done and live like a normal person without sheetrock dust in my hair, eyes, and all over the house.
I’m so excited that you asked about the atrium. That just made my day!!! I will definitely do a post just for you. It’s a neat little entrance to the house.
Hope you’re enjoying your new counters. I’m so in love with them!
You are incredible- you like floating drywall? You may need to see someone. Turning pro is another option, yes. BTW- Richie is no slouch either. Man oh man, the work you two do.
HEY GIRL! I know, I might need to see a doctor. Clearly I have something wrong with me. WHO LIKES SHEETROCK WORK??? It’s hilarious because the closer we get to finishing these dry wall projects the more I’m enjoying it.
OHHHH, wait a minute. I think with your help I may have just self-diagnosed. “CLOSER TO FINISHING… MORE I LIKE”. Hummmmmmm… I think I’m seeing a pattern here. (laughing)
Thanks Cindy. Richie is no slouch and he hasn’t strangled me in my sleep yet so he’s okay in my book! What have you been up to?
xo
As soon as you get that ad in the paper, I am going to hire you! ;) I am terrified to tackle spackling. My uncle, who is a builder and owns a construction company, told me that it is the job that he always hires out, and I have been afraid to try it ever since. You make it seem so easy though.
Hey Jessica. I’d probably do it for FREE! It’s a messy, time consuming thing but honestly I think you could totally do it. If the money was endless around here… I’d probably hire it out too.
Thanks for the sweet comment and always supporting what I do. You’re awesome!
I can’t wait to see it done! I also struggle with being the boss :-)
Thanks Sherree! Honestly I’m so happy you sad that about being “bossy”. I try so hard to keep my mouth shut but that little “boss” inside me always screws up and makes a mess of things. I guess I’m a control freak!
I’m learning, though. With every project, I’m learning. Sometimes it’s easier to just be the indian and not the chief! Thanks for visiting.
it’s looking good!!! and you look badass with that hammer, even if you didn’t get it exactly right. haha. yay for patient hubbies! those lights look heavy duty and awesome! can’t wait to see what hidden room those turn up in down the line.
can’t believe we’re inching towards the holidays already. good plan to relax and work instead of all work. looks like you guys got a great headstart!!! can’t wait for the final unveiling!
Yes, I’m so bad ass! (laughing so hard). I’m lucky Richie didn’t smack me with that hammer. I was a bad girl, Tamara. Little miss priss trying to tell the man who’s hung countless rooms of sheetrock “how to do it”.
BLAHHH HA HA HA HA! I’m so annoying at times. He showed me and let me screw it all up. LESSON LEARNED! Don’t sass the man!
I’m really looking forward to the holidays. Do you get some time off? Hope you and Jordan have a good one. Love you guys.
P.S. How does it feel to wear something different this month? You amaze me, woman. I swear I can’t get over that. MY FAVORITE!
Loving the website, linked it from Curt “Adventures in remodelling”. I Love the lights in the hallway. We have spent ages looking for this type of side light and eventually came across some outdoor lights. I have had a bit of adventures putting the lights up due to previous electrical work and poor plaster of the wall. It takes ages fixing other peoples mistake.
Glad I found your blog….
Hi Ian! Thanks so much for stopping by. I love Curt’s site. His projects BLOW MY MIND!
The lights are really nice and heavy and trying to find new ones is a headache. I’m very happy to keep them, believe me.
You said it perfectly….. fixing other people’s work/mistakes is a nightmare. I swear we could have built a brand new house by now. It takes so long.
Awesome that you stopped by and even better that you took the time to comment. I sure appreciate it. Looking forward to visiting you, too.
Wow, I can’t wait to see the next phase of this wall. Don’t worry about the bossiness… I’m like that too and 99.9% of the time, it makes things go waaaaaaaay better and faster… you just happened to hit that 0.1% with the wall, haha!!!
And I’m so happy to have discovered you and your blog…
Natalie
XX
Oh, I love that I’m a little chair! Sweet!!!
You are a chair! A very cool mid-century modern one. I need to change this but I wanted something for “guests”. So a chair is always good to offer a guest, right? HA! Or maybe a beer or glass of wine?
Speaking of … that reminds me we need to update your gravatar so YOU show up instead of a chair. I’m on it!
A “gravatar” wow…. the things you are teaching me Stacey!!!
HEY NATALIE! This wall has been put on hold because I’m too busy having fun on SOMEONE else’s blog. (wink!) I’m thinking I can get it all done this weekend but who knows. I’ve gotten much better at not stressing out about projects and killing myself to complete them. My husband is hilarious and always tells me that I should have been a CEO of a company because I’m so good at telling people what to do. BLAH HA HAHA!
Lots of times I’m right (which I so love) but this time was a bust. I had to bow to his greatness. He really does know what he’s doing.
Love that I met you. You’re a doll and a joy to work with. Over the last week I’ve been having this amazing urge to sew. SO MUCH INSPIRATION! xo
You are very brave to tackle a project like this. I remember doing this a while back, Man what a pain! Can’t wait to see how this turns out. Great post!
Hi Kara! I’m so late on my replies. My apologies!
YOU ARE SO RIGHT! It is a pain and I honestly just repeatedly mumble to myself while I’m doing it. “its almost done, you’re almost there, just a little more”. HA HA HA! Kind of like running a marathon! :-)
Thanks for the support. AWESOME! And for the record… “I’m almost done”.
Why did you replace the metal boxes with plastic?
Hi Will. Thanks for question.
Replacing the boxes with plastic is totally about preference. We have both metal and plastic in the house and realize that both have advantages and disadvantages. For the project it all boiled down to ease of use.
The knock-outs are a bit easier and my husband finds attaching much easier with a plastic box. Since he was pulling the box out anyway (they were sitting on a raised piece of wood) he just replaced with plastic. We have tons of them left over from hiring an electrical company to rewire the front part of our home. Metal is great and is probably less likely to crack, burn, etc. but he likes working with the plastic. Just preference.
Awesome that you visited. Thanks so much!
I’m glad Will asked that question. I wondered myself!!!
Hey Lynda! Yeah, Richie just prefers working with plastic. But almost every outlet in the studio area is metal. The electricians used plastic too when they rewired the front part of the house so I’m not sure what they would say about the benefits. So fun to see a comment from you. Hope you guys had a good Thanksgiving! I think I gained ten pounds in one day.
Does Mike use plastic boxes when you guys do projects?