Need painting advice, please! (2 pics)

15 years ago

This is my new laundry alcove, which is on the first floor adjacent to the dining area, which in turn is open to the kitchen. The whole floor has an open plan. As you will see from the first picture, one of the alcove's "walls" is actually piece of furniture from the dining area.

I have a couple of questions. One: The color I've chosen is Kilz Bulgur Wheat, which looks to me like a pale ochre. Both the ceiling and walls are beadboard, and I like the idea of using the same color throughout. Do you think this is a good idea, or should I go for white on the ceiling? If you recommend the latter, what about the piece that joins the wall and the ceiling (and hides the pipes)? Should it be considered part of the walll, or part of the ceiling?

Okay, that was more than one question. But I have another. The cabinets hang about 3" below the ceiling. What do you suggest I use to paint the ceiling over the cabinets? I wish I'd done the painting before the beadboard panels were installed, but the contractor nixed that idea.

I have fibromyalgia, and the idea of painting this ceiling is daunting, to say the least. But there's no way around it, and I sure am looking forward to having my washer and dryer delivered.

Thanks for your help!

Oh, and here's a bit of the "before" view. (I have a very old house.)

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

threedgrad
15 years ago
I would paint walls and leave ceiling bare. I like a wood ceiling.
alisande
Original Author
15 years ago
Boy, does that idea appeal to me! It would solve a lot of problems.

My only concern is its compatibility with the hemlock planks and beams that make up most of my house. I guess I could do the walls and see what it looks like after that.

Thanks, Threegrad!
Related Discussions
Help please, need advice (pic attached)
Q
Comments (4)
To increase the chances of success (even with the bulletproof shrubs) you might want to consider planting further from the house wall. The proximity of the wall, and the overhang, keep a lot of the rain from landing on this kind of bed. The rhody and azalea that are there now (or were there) are probably suffering from lack of water and too much alkalinity leaching from the foundation and the walkway. They are really understory shrubs and are not appropriate for a narrow foundation bed. Soil prep in this kind of narrow area is also really important if you want the plants to thrive - this is as important as picking the right plants. You will also want to invest in a soaker hose and possibly a timer; if these plants are actually dying, it is very likely that they didn't receive enough water while they were getting established. It would be dificult to plant anything between the path and the house that has any height, without making the path impassable. But, because of the strong horizontal lines of the house, and the different siding above and below the overhang, something taller than the overhang at some point along the front might help unify the facade. So, I'd suggest putting in a bed beyond the path for anything taller than about 3'. I'm not a designer (that may be quite obvious!) but that's what I'd consider if this were my house. Before you start shopping or digging, I'd get to the library and borrow some design books - there are some great new ones that address front yard gardens. Even though your time is limited, the time you spend reading and looking at designs will be well spent - and will save you lots of time in the long run. If you're near Swarthmore, take a look at the Scott Arboretum there. Their specialty is showing how plants will look in the home garden, and they have some outstanding people who might be able to answer questions and make suggestions. You really want to grow something that you like, since you'll be looking at it for a long time!
...See More
Need help with 2 plants (with pics), please
Q
Comments (6)
The "diseased" part actually looks like scarring from someone glueing a fake flower on it. I even see dye, there. So, no, it's fine, and it'll grow out of that. I'd just leave the anacampseros alone too and move it to a brighter area. They actually do fine indoors if they're by a bright window. They'll never be *compact* and tend to get a bit viney, but not really *etiolated* in the way yours is. Anyway, they tend to branch back fairly frequently on their own. Just leaf it be and check to make sure it doesn't have any pests or anything. Also they seem to need rather more watering year-round then most succulents do.
...See More
Normally not big on hostas, but need some advice (2 pics)
Q
Comments (20)
You did say 18 FEET, not 18 INCHES? That plan, then is shot, now I don't know what to do. I've only been feeding there since last fall, and I do like to feed all year, but maintaining 2 bird feeding stations gets expensive, especially when I buy unsalted dry-roasted peanuts for the squirrels and English walnuts (and other nuts if I can afford them for a treat). I hammer the Brazil nuts so they won't ruin their teeth :-). The nuts got to be too expensive, so I just threw one a day out there, lucky the squirrel that got there first. Squirrels will eat corn, but they just take the inner kernel and leave the rest, and I'm here to tell you they like nuts and sunflower seeds better, especially the striped ones over the oil ones. I've hardly any place to grow anything RIGHT. In desperation, I was going to plant some tomatoes along my brick porch and protruding stoops facing west (maybe not a good idea) and I have been feeding birds on that stoop for YEARS. There are sunflower hulls all OVER the ground in that spot. It doesn't seem to faze a forsythia I planted last spring just a few feet back. Morning glory volunteers sprang up there last year and went nuts climbing all over my new porch rail and a bunch of other stuff. I'm going to have to think about this. I could move where I feed them someplace where I never will plant flowers. Hmmm. Just had my yard mapped with a bunch of spray paint and flags. I could feed right over the phone box, why it's buried there is a mystery (but I probably shouldn't sink a post there). Then I could scoop out all that bad dirt and fill with topsoil, another gruelling task I'm just not up to with everything else I have going. I am having rotten luck with a lot of things lately. But thanks for tipping me off. I can quit the sunflower seeds in back, I buy extra striped ones for in front for the squirrels and chipmunks, and maybe find bags of just safflower seeds for the cardinals and get a regular mix with no sunflower seeds in it. Maybe that is the answer to the back bird feeder. That is right outside the back door in the lawn. The Patriot hostas are out behind the garage becaue I didn't have a place for them either, didn't want to look at them. Now I have them mulched. Since it's pretty weed-free behind the garage now, and part shade, I was thinking of black raspberries, partial shade mix or Knockout roses or something. I just can't seem to get it together. I'm usually on the old garden rose forum, and you should see what a mess I've made with my latest planting scheme :-(. But I keep planting more stuff as fast as I can. Sorry it's so long, I read the article, and it's kind of a shock, but better before I bought a bunch more expensive plants for some of those places. Here is the area I am talking about, I must say you have been so patient with me, I feel like a complete ditz, and it's not as if I've never grown things before, just not hostas and heirloom roses and some of the new things I'm trying to grow:
...See More
Cabinets arrived, pic attached....need advice please
Q
Comments (29)
Several things that were covered to a degree. First, the rails (horizontal parts) and the stiles (verticle parts that the hinges and knobs attach to) have the grain running in different directions, as is normal and necessary. So the rails expand across their width while glued to stiles where the grain runs the other way, so unequal expansion = joint cracks. Mitred doors are worse, as the wood shrinks across the width, the gap between the two peices gets bigger at the inside corner. The constant expansion and contraction eventually will affect the joint. They are pretty doors, but they will not hold up like a good old stick and cope door that is properly made. Usually the large companys have well run finishing schedules with step boards to follow. They ought to be able to replace your existing doors and still match the color. It is worth a shot. As to warpage on doors, yes, lay it flat on a known flat surface, pull the knob and lay it on it's back. Now, almost every door company I have ever heard of has a set of standards on warpage, depending on size. A 1/8" warp is usually not considered defective in a 36" long door. Longer doors are more likely to warp, many companies do not guarantee warpage over a certain length. And if these are screwed to the wall out of level or twisted because one side is level and the other isn't, then the door isn't the problem. Get a level and check the front face on both sides. they ought to be level, or at least the same on both sides.
...See More
budge1
15 years ago
Hmmm, I'm seeing the ceiling painted. You could use one of those small rollers they use to paint behind radiators.

When I was 8 months pregnant, I needed to paint the kitchen ceiling (it was gloss turquoise when we moved in). I just knew I couldn't do it myself and called the student employment office. They sent someone out right away and it wasn't very expensive. Just an idea.
alisande
Original Author
15 years ago
I love the idea of a student employment office (I go to a massage school for massages). I don't know of a source near where I live (out in the country), but there may be options. I'd be happy to turn the job over to someone else if it was affordable.

Thanks for the suggestion.
ronbre
15 years ago
I'm seeing really really dark beams in the kitchen area, and a dark piece of furniture that is fabulous that it appears you really love..I'm not sure what you have between your beams in the kitchen area..but it appears it might be white..the home is gorgeous, but whoever did your carpentry work didn't finish it properly. I would make a small triangular piece of trim to put at the end of that piece of moulding..first..then I would get some stain that is about the same color as the ceiling beams and i would do that piece of moulding the beam color..only that..if the other side above the dark cabinet is unfinished as well you might consider a false beam area there that is also stained the dark color. I would likely whitewash the rest of the ceiling and walls in there..and I would use some wooden accents that were stained dark like the cabinet and the beams..OR stain the cabinets that dark color..whitewashing the walls and ceiling..so that it goes with the rest of the room.
What color are your laundry pair, white would work well but if you are buying new you might get a coordinating color..a wine red would POP out and be gorgeous ! I love the pottery look and some hooks on the beams with a few smaller antique items hanging from them might be nice, maybe some wicker baskets. You have the makings of a lovely area..if you do the wicker, maybe some larger wicker hampers would go nice to hold the laundry to be washed.
alisande
Original Author
15 years ago
Nice ideas, Ronbre! The bit of white you see in the upper left of the first picture is plaster; the back five feet or so of the dining area has plastered walls and ceiling. The rest of the ceiling is beamed with white painted sheetrock (or whatever it's called) in between.

Here's a shot of the hemlock planks and beams that show throughout the house. In this, the living room, the spaces between the beams are plastered. I don't think this is a flash picture (because I avoid flash whenever possible), but everything appears lighter than usual.

I'm getting white appliances (top-loading washer). I'm happy just to get new.

Need painting advice, please! (2 pics)

Comments (6)

threedgrad

alisande
Original Author

Related Discussions

budge1

alisande
Original Author

ronbre

alisande
Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Need painting advice, please! (2 pics)

Comments (6)

threedgrad

alisandeOriginal Author

Related Discussions

budge1

alisandeOriginal Author

ronbre

alisandeOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

alisande
Original Author

alisande
Original Author

alisande
Original Author