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Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Venturing up the stairs...

I hope everyone had a wonderful Labor Day weekend! I spent a lot of time putzing around the yard and finishing up all the food I have been preserving....I am sincerely sick of cooking! Today, I thought we could venture into a part of the house I have never shown to anyone...it is the part I have spent the least time on yet have done the most work on! The upper level of the hut!


This was my first impression of the stairwell in my house...


The hand rail is classy, huh? If you like the repurposed  industrial, galvanized pipe system look...It actually looks better in this picture than it really was...this picture was taken by the county...by the time I got into the house, the paper had begun falling down the stairs due to water leaking from the roof down into stairwell...there was mildew growing up the wall in addition to the wet paper...
and someone's color scheme...I know that brown and blue are all the rage now!

To me, it looked like another black hole!  It was so dark, dank, wet, smelly! I started with scrubbing the stairs...there was a door to this stairwell until about a month ago...very charming with an onyx door knob and brass key assembly...that door is now out behind the cabin...it would not shut as the moisture had warped it badly...it really is a shame but it took up too much room in the walkway anyways...In this tiny house there are nine doors...can you imagine weaving your way thru the door maze to get from one tiny room to the next?  All I can say is it must have been COLD for someone to want to conserve heat in any one of these tiny rooms.

After removing the layers of wall paper...the same count as in the living room...guess what was underneath?  BIG SIGH...more BLUE PAPER! 

Scrubbing the stairs yielded the true color of the paint...it was the same as my broom closet, now pantry...


And...if you compare the color, side by side?  You can see how dirty they were...someone lived in this house like that...EWWWW!  

In my never ending request for light, scrubbing those stairs and walls and removing that door made a huge difference...I am going to take the paint off the treads and refinish them, they are solid oak... along with painting the stairwell a very bright color and maybe adding a window...but that is another project amongst the many and clean is good enough for me right now. The main living area is my most major concern as that is where we spend the most time...and all of you have gotten me excited about my living room again!

8 comments:

  1. Glad you had a nice holiday.
    Stairs in these old houses are steep! We had a 150 year old farm house in MN. The stairs were steep and there was an intruder step. Evidently, they used to build one step a little higher then the rest. If you had an intruder, they would trip on that step. I wasn't an intruder but I sure tripped on that step...a lot.
    I think these stairs will be beautiful when you are able to strip the paint and refinish. You will probably have to go very light on the paint color.
    What is upstairs and where is your bedroom located?
    Donna

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  2. Hi Donna! There were two bedrooms upstairs...the stairs are not as steep as they look...don't get me wrong, they are not gentle by any means but the neighbors go straight up at such a pitch, I don't know how they don't just slide right down again!lol I wonder if I have an intruder step? I am going to go test them all out! hee hee You always give me such interesting information! I want to paint the stairway white too...and my room is upstairs...

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  3. When I thought it couldn't get any worse it does. You have done a great job cleaning it up. I'm thinking I would have thrown in the towel by now!

    Glad you had a good Labor Day. I spend some of my day traveling the world. Saw some beautiful homes, some with Peeling paint, plaster falling, all white rooms (white walls, floors, ceiling, furniture), Bright colored rooms, very crafty rooms, and wonderful slip covers made from painter's drop cloths (some were bleached some where not). Now isn't the world of internet just great? I really liked the drop cloth slip covers, so I looked at the store and a 6x9 was five bucks. Pretty cheap!
    Sandi

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  4. I have two drop cloths ready to go...gonna be a sewing fool this winter! and for as much material as you get from one drop cloth? IT IS CHEAP! lol

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  5. Oh boy, now I can't wait to see what you come up with.
    Sandi

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  6. Hi Lisa,
    Glad to hear you had a great holiday. I just got back from Michigan (visited family and friends) and I couldn't wait to get caught up on all the postings I missed. When I read about the ajaxorcometitis I laughed until tears rolled down my cheeks. My honey didn't appreciate the humor in it.
    Your thrift shop picture is fantastic and a real score. I can't wait to see it hung in your finished living room.
    Your idea to strip the stair treads is a good one. I would suggest painting the risers a white enamel. It helps to brighten the stairwell and using enamel will make easier to clean off the scuff marks.
    Keep those pics and posting coming.
    Vanessa

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  7. YOU WERE IN MICHIGAN and you didn't come to see me? lol! Next time, maybe...I am glad you liked the picture..sometimes there are just great things out there waiting...for my cheap behind to find! I am very excited to do the living room now...I am taking your advice and painting the risers white! So glad you are back!

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  8. Wow!! What a difference. I'm sure the final outcome on your stairs will be marvelous. I can't wait to see how it will look when you are done.

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