Slow Start to Home Office Project

Life has been complicated of late.  But we've slowly emptied the home office...unfortunately it has filled our dining room.  (I'll post a before-after on the DR soon...it was a pre-blog project).  As you can see, we've left just enough room to slide by. While we did rid ourselves of some items as we emptied the room, I'm hopeful to cut it down even more before putting it back in.

Part of the pile here under the window is Freecycle items, and as soon as the snow finishes melting (so people can get to the door safely), I will offer them up to new homes.

And have you noticed Kip's dirty little secret.  Count the guitar cases below. They hide away in our closet and get rare usage.  You've gotta love a man who is tone deaf but loves music so much that he buys and messes around with 5 guitars.  If I could draw a straight line like he paints with watercolors, I'd never do anything but work on my art.  But he's a renaissance man and always trying new things.

And so the prep work begins.  My least favorite activity...the slow and deliberate work of patching, cleaning, sanding, etc. But I've learned the hard way that it's the best way to get to the end result.

My idea of removing the molding was easier said than done.  But the good news is, the crown molding we have selected will actually install OVER this, so my chipping days are over.

And since my desk had hidden this eyesore for the past several years, I had actually forgotten this radiator was there, cut into the wall and surrounded by layered wallpaper.

So, the new plan is to build a frame with a grill front to surround it, allow the heat to come through, but to leave the eyesore hidden.  Kip swears he can handle that project (and I promise to help).

We also looked at many many many carpet samples.  Nothing thrills me, but I'm pretty happy with one sample, so hoping the thrill will come with installation. (Pattern on left (diamonds are very subtle) and the color is called "Carefree"...we'll see.

Tomorrow begins another long week...work, school, and a family memorial service for a sweet cousin.  I found some solace in sanding, spackling, cleaning, and even the ineffective chipping of the molding.  I think patching, painting, and even picking carpeting is the best thing I could focus on in my "down" time.