I’m making progress on the studio bathroom but still haven’t gotten to anything exciting. Here’s actually a little behind the scenes look at my blogging process. I start by editing all the photos for a post (I edit every image on my blog for lighting and brightness), and then I upload them as a batch and add them to the post as a batch. So before I organize everything into an actual blog post with my commentary on each photo, the photos are in gallery form and appear as rows of small photos.
So this morning I uploaded all the photos to this post and then looked at them in a stack and thought to myself, “Oh my god, this is terrible! There’s no COLOR!” When I looked at all these dreary photos together, it took a little life out of me. It gave me a little insight into what it would feel like to live in a neutral home, and there’s just no way to do that.
Anyway, I’m getting close to being able to put up the wallpaper, but these walls have given me more trouble than I thought they would. One problem is that the black Sharpie marker I tested to outline the original square spiral design continues to bleed through the primer.
I was hoping that the water-based primer would cover it (that area with the Sharpie marker already has three coats of primer), but I was already expecting the Sharpie marker to be a problem. It’s not a big deal. I just need to go over those specific areas with a shellac-based primer and I’ll be fine. And an oil-based primer would probably work, but I know for sure that a shellac-based primer will solve the problem.
While the primer was drying, I began attaching the trim to the top portion of the paneling. I think this overall impression will work. There are two more trim pieces I need to add to complete the look. But when I attached this first piece of trim to the top panel, I ran into another problem.
I have no idea how to prune this outlet. Because it is an adjustable outlet, it can extend out of the wall flush with the trim, but the top half will then stick out of the wall. I can make it flush with the wall at the top, but then it will be recessed into the trim.
So I have to find out. I know the obvious solution is to move the outlet upstairs, but I’m not willing to do that. I don’t want to do any electrical work in this room, so the outlet will stay where it is and I’ll find a solution. When I had the tile edge it was higher so I only had to cut out a small piece of the chair rail to make it fit.
But this time I wanted the top part of the paneling to be shorter, but I didn’t fully think through that area when I made that decision. Now I have created a challenge for myself. I’m not worried about it. I’ll think of something. I just need a little more time to think.
Another concern I have is that the texture of the previous design is showing through in some areas where I taped off the design to paint it on the wall. I know it’s hard to see in a photo, but it’s noticeable (to me) when I’m standing in the room.
If I were to put up thick wallpaper, like the grass canvas I used in the bedroom, this texture wouldn’t bother me at all. But the wallpaper in this room is much thinner, and the last thing I want is that texture showing through. So it looks like some of these areas need some more sanding and then some priming.
I still need to do the entire incision with the primer. But now I have to say that I kind of love this look. I wish I had a space where I could do a design like this. I think it would be fun to paint a room a solid color and then find some fun, colorful washi tape to outline the walls and windows. I need to put this idea in my inspiration folder.
In hindsight, I wish I had only used the shellac-based primer from the start. These walls already have two coats of water-based primer and the design is still translucent. And the part with the Sharpie marker has three layers and is still bleeding through. This would have been done by now if I had just used a shellac-based primer from the start.
I also had questions about the faucet and other black metal elements in the room. I plan on replacing the faucet, towel ring, and toilet paper holder with gold or brass. I never loved this faucet anyway and don’t want the black faucets anymore.
I chose the black back as the back entrance of the studio had the black and white floor design and bold green walls. But now my studio is all gold/brass and I think the black is way too bright for this space.
But because I don’t want to spend more money than necessary and I like this light, I think I’ll just paint it (after cleaning it thoroughly) and reuse it.
So there is progress, but it has been slower than I had hoped. It’s definitely a challenge to paint crazy designs on a wall. If you change your mind and want to paint over it, you’ll have to deal with the textures left behind by the painter’s tape and hard-to-cover colors. A shellac based primer would have made this much easier, but then you have to deal with the really strong smell. I was hoping to avoid this, but it looks like I’ll have to mask up, open the doors and windows to ensure good air circulation, and just get it done.
I’m so close to being able to put up the wallpaper. That’s what motivates me right now. I need paint in this room ASAP!
