Monday 13 July 2015

Tales from the Villa

Although we were away on holiday, it was also a bit of a maintenance trip. Mr Dunnit decided that there were some loose patio tiles to be re-bedded and the low front garden wall was looking very un-white, so the list of chores began.
One of the bedrooms has twin beds, with a small drawer unit between them. I believe in the USA they are called 'night stands'. We call them 'bedside tables' whether or not they are tables. When we bought the furniture, the twin beds came with a twin set of these bedside tables. And they're very nice. But there was only space for one in the bedroom and so we've used the other one in the lounge section of the living space. I know my stories are thrilling, aren't they. It occurred to me for the first time that really, if it was to be a permanent piece of furniture, it ought at least to match or blend. It looked a bit temporary. It's been ten years, so you should probably not consider hiring me as your home decor advisor.
 So we bought a small can of paint and a brush and off I set.  Mr Dunnit, who knows everything about wood, said to just paint on top of the blue and sand down between coats of the new paint. So I did. The light sanding removed the paint. That which did not sand off I peeled off. Firstly because it was like peeling mushrooms and I couldn't help myself, and secondly because even I knew that it would look awful if I just painted it again.
Suddenly this quick make over was looking like a job. And getting boring.
I had to work inside because the paint dried on the brush and went all claggy in the sunshine. It wasn't much better on the lounge floor, but at least I was in the shade. It too k 3 coats. It was the right paint, we double checked, and even google translated the words on the label, just in case.
 Then we had to buy new drawer handles because I didn't want to buy a 100ft roll of masking tape so that I could use about 3 inches of it to mask the little drop handles. And of course, it very quickly became evident that I didn't have the finesse of brush work to avoid painting them. And naturally, the paint wouldn't and didn't peel or sand off metal handles, oh no. 
Ah well. Choosing the handles wasn't too difficult. I refused to go back to the huge DIY store because I couldn't be bothered. So we went to the teeny Ferreteria (ironmongers) that was within walking distance. Well, walking distance via a coffee and then an ice cream shop...). The Ferreteria was enormously helpful and had these. So we chose these. They look just fine too. And, considering I chose the paint colour from memory, I'm quite pleased with the near match to the table. Only now the table needs doing. And please excuse the mess...it would seem that because I was on holiday, I was incapable of putting shoes and towels in the proper places. 

15 comments:

Bridget Larsen said...

LOL you crack me up, you know when you renovate the job isnt done with only one project, because everything else around it will need revamping to suit the new done project lol. You'll just have to have a longer holiday to cope with all that new reno

Japonica said...

So whats the next project? Graffiti on the walls? Im suffer from same when on holiday and do not put anything away!! The clue is in the word eh?

voodoo vixen said...

Looking lovely so worth the effort, but know the feeling well... you do one tiny itty bitty job and end up with the Forth Bridge!!

Sue said...

I love the finished unit. Hope when you come to do the table you can find the same paint.

Hope you have a good start to the week. Sue

Belinda Basson said...

Nothing more permanent than the temporary is what my Granddad used to say! I do like what you did with the handles and isn't Murphy a bugger...trust the handles NOT to peel when the wood did! Go figure! Always a treat to see what you are up to, both at home and on hols. As for the shoes and the towel...well you were on holiday. Why do they have to be put away? Let it all hang out!

Lisca said...

You bedside table looks really good! Well done! Oh I can so emphasize with this! Been there, done it too! I now use Annie Sloan paint diluted with water.One, max two coats and it does't clog up in the heat. No prep required either... (no, they don't pay me for this!)
Little ferreterias are brilliant once you have the 'courage' to actually ask for things (hand signs and facial expressions to start with.) They have all sorts of stuff that is not on display. Our nearest DIY store in outside Granada, 100 miles down the road, so we use the different ferreterias a lot. They all store different things.
Thanks for taking us on holiday with you and showing us what you did.
Lisca

Sue Jones said...

Ha ha - I have some projects to do over the summer hols too - THey are NEVER simple!! Love your new table/unit/bedside table x

Helen said...

that's precisely why I don't start decorating, because one thing leads to another.. apart from putting things away.. love the original colour to the bedside-come-living room- table. well done for matching the new one!

Princess Judy Palmer said...

I understand that you can't always get around to things in an expedient manner. I think 10 years is soon enough. I love how it came out!

misteejay said...

Great job on the paint match Julia. The finished unit looks super with its new handles.
Toni xx

famfa said...

It looks great, funny how things become something more than you originally think. Maybe you can start your holiday right now.

Ohhh Snap said...

I know what you mean about time creeping by, I still have a bath towel for a curtain in the bathroom (but it has fish on it ... so it's watery lol). The night stand/bedside table turned out beautifully though and you got coffee and ice cream so well done you : D.

Lizzie said...

So, you got there in the end - one very smart and pretty chest of drawers for the living room!
You could try cleaning the table with a cleaning spray and cloth, then spraying it with wax-based furniture polish, to see if it comes up nice and doesn't need a paint-job after all.
Enjoy the rest of your working-holiday!

Kyla said...

Ooh lovely upcycling, you wouldn't know it was the same piece.
Kyla

Belinda Basson said...

My comments must be floating about in cyber space, cos the never end up here...