more Swedish style: outlets and switches

Here you see some electrical work in our Stockholm apartment. Why did I take these photos?? Because here is proof that it is entirely possible to add switches/outlets to an old house without ripping into the walls! I have always wanted another lamp in our bedroom but the outlets are already maxed out. It doesn't bother me to see the wires running along the trim...so add this project to list!

Swedish style

We did a home exchange in Stockholm recently and how beautiful was this heating stove in the living room. Beautiful glossy white tiles, in a room bright with light and white paint, I came home inspired...and am painting the dining room walls white, no more "peanut shell" which the walls have been for years Today I bought a can of Benjamin Moore "White Dove" in pearl finish, a step up in glossiness from the eggshell I had been using. Will see!

the front steps

The front steps sorely needed a new coat of paint. Used my new power washer to clean them first, then some scraping and here is the exciting part, putting on the pretty green paint!

a little detail

The heater vent in the bathroom needed attention--rust and old paint--so I got out the steel wool and cleaned it up, then spray painted it with Rustoleum white satin finish. Looks way better!

How many coats??

I've run out of paint and am losing track of how many coats of paint I have applied to the bathroom walls. I think it is 4, plus primer and still I don't have that great looking saturated white. With the skylight there is lots of natural light coming in this time of year so I can really notice the lack of color depth. I got a new paint pad thinking that was part of the problem. The best coverage is the hand-painted areas. I'll buy another quart,apply one more coat and be satisfied. But isn't the new teak countertop beautiful!

Italian street painting (at Larkspur Library)

This has nothing to do with what I am doing at our house, but I love this chalk painting, done on the concrete threshhold outside of the Larkspur Library where I work. So beautiful. If the rain comes back tomorrow, it will wash away...thank you Gemma.

choosing a white paint isn't easy....

I painted some color samples on the bathroom walls. I want fresh, clean white to go with the brown tiles and (as yet uninstalled) teak countertop. "Linen white" which I thought I'd want (in the center left) was instantly eliminated as too tan. I decided to go with "White Opulence" from Benjamin Moore. The little sample bottles are great--no need to buy a whole quart of paint and then decide it's all wrong.

I have tsp'ed the walls, this weekend I will prime them and then hopefully it will cover in 1 coat?