A Paper Floor - Inexpensive and it lasts and lasts!!!

Hello from St. Louis,
Yes, a paper floor lasts and lasts!!!!
 

Approximately 15 years ago, I installed a paper floor. The existing floor was "tile look alike" linoleum. At the time, I did not know, if it would last. Well it did!! Although, I do have a very high traffic home, to say the least.

Recently, I decided that it was time, to give my paper floor some TLC.

 

Shiny and it looks like New

I fell in love with one of my client's antique, wide plank floors. The next morning a box truck arrived, including a carpenter. A few hours later, I had  an antique wide plank floor in my family room. I am in love with that floor. Many compliments after,  I decided that I wanted the same floor in my kitchen.At one time, I even climbed in the dumpster to get all the left over pieces, to see if I had enough wood to lay a kitchen floor. NO WAY!!! 

Well I am a designer and a faux finisher. Wood graining came to mind. However, I did not want to spend money removing  the linoleum  floor. I decided to use plain old, cheap construction paper.

Here is what I did  fifteen years ago!

Step One:

 Cut construction paper into strips.

 

Step Two:

 

Step Three:

Thin VOV (Vinyl over Vinyl) with water and  paste the strips onto the floor. Let dry.

Step Four 

Prime. Let dry. Apply two coats of yellow. I use BM Sunbeam. 

Now that all the necessary prep work is done, you are ready to "wood grain". Don't be afraid, you are going to simulate wood and it can be done very easily.

Colors used:

Although "wood graining" seems complicated, it's actually not. It's about color and pattern. Once you understand this, you can imitate almost any wood. To make it easy for you, we just simulate an antique floor, with some knot holes and grain.

Step One:

Mix your color glazes. I mix my graining glazes with water, because I work fast. With an acrylic medium you will have a longer "open time".

Step two:

Tape off the first plank. Brush on  the raw Sienna glaze. Wipe off your 4"chip brush. Brush through the wet glaze, until you created a wood-grain effect.Start at one end of the plank, and keep going in a continuous motion to the end of the plank.Continue stroke after stroke.

 

Keep wiping your brush. Let Dry. Care fully pick up some burnt Sienna glaze and create some additional values. Soften with a clean chip brush. Let dry. Add additional darks ( burnt Sienna and Black). Once you are satisfied with the grain, you may add some knotholes and or additional graining.

Now that my floor is completed, I decided to re-vamp my whole home. Is that OCD??? No, it's because of the long winter!!!

Take care and be safe sending blessings your way,

Fondly,

 

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Bringing a kitchen from the eighties to this century......done with paint.

As promised here is a project you can duplicate for little money.

Don't like your kitchen any longer? Here the step you can  take to re-design your habitat for little money. Only sweat, tears and blood. Yeah, we hate it,but with a tight budget, we are willing to invest those.

Here are the kitchen and dining room we were gong to start on.  The client had a proposal for $27,000.00 for the kitchen only. I suggested that I would do office, dining room, hallway, bathroom and bedroom for less. Well, I got the job.

 

An interior designer had suggested to take the wallpaper off, replace it with breadboard, replace the cabinets, re-do the beautiful wood floor,  and paint the walls. Looking at my client (now a  friend) I realized that she was not a breadboard kinda lady. Very pretty, slender(great figure) dressed elegant, sporty classic, not cutesie or fussy. Classic.... and that stuck to me.

As I looked around,  the ideas just came flowing. Where as the designer wanted to paint the kitchen a different color, I suggested to use one color for dining room, kitchen and hallway, but different techniques. That would ascertain that the whole area would seem to be much larger when done.I suggested my "old faithful" Tuscan plaster for kitchen and dining room, however, in the dining room I wanted to create an accent wall for additional interest.

 

In addition I wanted to eliminate the chair rail (open that place up!!!!), have crown molding installed, make a faux brick back splash and add a granite counter. Replace the furniture and the lighting, re-vamp the cabinets with a French Country finish, add window treatments and classic artwork. And that's what we did. What fun to work with this lady.

Here is the spacious NEW LOOK of this ignored space.

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Painting Upholstered Furniture

Wow, I am embarrassed and guilty. BUT, I just did not have time or energy, to enlighten you with my thoughts, work and ideas. I was several times in Germany last year, and going again this year. My health was dilapidated, doing much better now. I was in Dallas, teaching the Idal chapter. Met  wonderful faux finish artists and made new friends. Thank you IDAL Chapter Dallas/Ft. Worth.


Anyway, many of you know, that I am sharing my home with Bella

and my sweet cats "Bärli and "Sammy"

Don't' they look like they are "trouble free"?    NOT!!!!!


I don't believe in de-clawing my sweethearts, thus they developed a very bad habit. They are ripping my furniture to pieces. And that is like a thorn in my eyes.

After deciding not to order slipcovers, because they too would be ripped in a short while. I did what I know best. I decided to paint my upholstery. I am a firm believer, that everything can be painted.

Years ago I painted my kitchen counters and I really got in trouble for it. Colleagues, friends and family, claimed that I would poison them and that the finish would not last. Well, we know better now. My family is still kicking..... and the finish did last.

Back to my upholstery. I messed around with paint etc. and came up with a paint recipe, which I am still experimenting with. However, I did paint my chair and I love it. In the beginning the fabric was kind of stiff, but it has become much softer. The chair is very easy to keep clean(washable), feels kind of cold, like leather. I don't mind that. But, what I really, really love...... Bärli and Sammy  don't like the chair any longer. That is a great bonus. Pretty soon I will be working on the rest of my furniture. I will keep you posted.

Here the results:

Sorry my first banner!!!

 

First paint strokes. I am  wondering "is this crazy"? 

First coat completed. See all the rips and tears?

 

Second coat completed. Now I began to sand, sand, sand and applied an additional coat. Thoroughly sanded again. Never did I say, that it would go fast. Just to make sure I applied a fourth coat. And ....here it is......My new jewel!!!!  To all my friends, clients and colleagues......Guess you have to eat your words. LOL

 

I used Plaster of Paris, mixed it with Downy to a smooth paste (yoghurt), added it to flat paint to thicken the paint. Sprayed the furniture before painting with Fabric medium. Kept the furniture somewhat damp, so the paint would spread better. And sometimes, when I thought it was necessary I sprayed  the  still wet painted areas. 

In the meantime, I have started with my red couch and changed the recipe a little to

replacing the Downey and fabric medium with water. Stay tune......

Take care and be save, until next time.....

Heidi

PS: Preview.....I am bringing back a eighties kitchen to this Century......and mostly with paint

Before. Kitchen with oak cabinets, melamine counters and wallpaper.

 

Stay tune and see how this becomes an HGTV jewel

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