Talking trim

Big day today. Not only did we work out how to come pretty close to recreating the trim that probably came with the house, but we started putting primer over the drywall, transforming the stripes and blotches of our building site into things that almost look like rooms. The ugly brown fireplace has reinvented itself as a surprisingly pleasant white fireplace and I am spattered with paint after my first serious attempt to help the professionals. Huge, wonderful sense of achievement.

Fireplace first, and I am stunned at how it now melts into the room, rather than sticking out like a sore thumb. It’s had two thick coats of primer so far, and we plan to add another couple of layers of paint to soften the ugly edges even further. But we’ll leave it white, to match the trim, while the walls will get some color in the softest, warmest tone of gray. We’re planning a mantlepiece as well, above those bricks, although the jury is out on whether that will be fancy or plain, and whether wood or something to match the hearth. No decision yet on the hearth either. The planned pellet stove insert means it has to be stone or slate or tile, but which? I’m hoping we don’t have to decide that one quite yet.

But the trim is getting closer to a decision, after a trip to two stores, one of which had the exact window trim we were looking for on its web site, but nothing even remotely resembling it in the rather evil suburban store itself.

The second store (probably the one we should have gone to first) was a treasure trove of woodwork experts and different lengths and shapes of wood, and it turns out there’s a way to slot three pieces together to give us just the look we’re wanting. We bought enough for one window to try it out next week.

We’re not quite sure on the baseboard (skirting board) yet, but then we won’t be putting that in until after the floors are finished, so we’ve got a bit more time.

The tiler comes next week, the painter will keep painting on Monday, the other workers will finish the other stuff that needs finishing and start building a railing on the top floor, and we’ll be well on our way.

I should start taking bets on our move-in date. We took possession of the house on April 8, something like 4-1/2 months ago and started the demolition just a couple of days later.

When will we move in?