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Shabby Chic; Volume III

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  • Hi again Bluebell . Realised that in my earlier post I was talking about putting the mosaics above the tongue and groove panels but didn't make that clear !
    I have had another look at your pic and looking at it it looks as plasterboard would look before jointing and finishing although melamine . What struck me is the cistern looks to be concealed behind the melamine as I imagine will be some of the plumbing . I am fortunate to have an access to plumbing via a built in shelf which lifts off if work is needed and my cistern is not concealed but before you decide on that wall was the need to get at pipes etc taken into consideration ?
    polly :)
    It is better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness.

    There but for fortune go you and I.
  • Thanks Polly for all your ideas and to be fair ANYTHING would make it look better than it does at the mo hence all my questions and urgency to get cracking, though all the house is awful and I can't stop thinking of other things that need doing everywhere else and never seem to start anything! So anyway, yes you are right, cistern and all pipe work is behind to melamine for easy access and since this is a rental all I can really do it decorate, though I do have free rein to do that. You will see on the joining wall, it is all tiled since opposite the toilet is the shower, it is a wetroom - I also have a bathroom, with bath upstairs which is much the same with the melamine panels which needs a lot of work....along with every other room in this little house! I think my only option for this wall is to paint.....I just don't know? What I would really like would be to move the shower to the upstairs bathroom and make this my utility room...but that's not going to happen I don't think. Another thing I need to think about is storage, as I have none in this bathroom, hence the extra shower rail and hanging baskets of loo roll and shampoos etc. There is SOOO much to think about here and it's totally doing my head in, especially since I have practically zero budget and no time at all! I need HELP....oh and winning lottery numbers please :o
    The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources.
    Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)
    Weight : Start 09/01 @ 152lbs
    Jan -6lbs, Feb -0lbs, March -0lbs
    2012 - 6/26lbs
  • mandy-loo
    mandy-loo Posts: 11 Forumite
    Hello All

    I don't want to be a nuisance, but please can anyone help me with these questions that I posted quite a while ago?

    Thanks in advance! :o

    A couple of years ago I chalk-painted a pine chest of drawers and waxed the top, without paint. It has now got water damage and cup rings (not by me!!!) and I think it would be better varnished. If i go over it with wire wool and meths, would that remove the wax residue and water marks? Or should I use sugar soap? Any advice gratefully received!

    PS How do I add pics?? Tried clicking on the little icon that asks you to add URL of image - which I did - but just the URL appeared when I posted!

    Thanks
  • steve_2012
    steve_2012 Posts: 182
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    hi mandy, i would be inclined too use an osmo oil and wax.
    its a great product that only needs doing once.
    there are several finishes with matt and gloss amongst them.
    you could wire wool and white spirit and if wood and not veneer, you could then sand it.
    im not certain but believe if you dont remove the wax completely and use varnish it will not leave a good finish whereas osmo will be fine, i use this on all my ercol furniture that i strip.
  • steve_2012 wrote: »
    hi mandy, i would be inclined too use an osmo oil and wax.
    its a great product that only needs doing once.
    there are several finishes with matt and gloss amongst them.
    you could wire wool and white spirit and if wood and not veneer, you could then sand it.
    im not certain but believe if you dont remove the wax completely and use varnish it will not leave a good finish whereas osmo will be fine, i use this on all my ercol furniture that i strip.

    Hello Steve2012. Thanks for the advice. I was afraid that I may not be able to remove the wax enough to varnish! I have googled the Osmo and that looks good. I shall see if I can get some here on the Isle of Wight! :)
  • pollyanna_26
    pollyanna_26 Posts: 4,839
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    Hi BB I don't know if you solved the wall problem but I had a thought while on enforced bed rest . Have you considered wall decals ? There are some lovely ones available online including ones suitable for wet rooms and bathrooms . Many are quotes with decorative details and they come in lots of sizes . Not quite the hand painted mural you hoped for but it may be possible to alter the look of the wall cheaply and quickly . You have a lot to sort out and I would go for some solutions that wont stress either yourselves or the budget and always bear in mind however relaxed the landlord seems that any improvements you make will be to his financial benefit not yours .
    If you have a fondness for books there are a number of good books about living in rented property and making it home on a small budget . I have bought a few for gifts so if you like I'll check the titles with the owners .
    polly:)
    It is better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness.

    There but for fortune go you and I.
  • Hoploz
    Hoploz Posts: 3,888 Forumite
    Not sure where to post this so trying here ...
    I've made some lovely roman blinds for my kitchen windows and now they're ready to go up. Which meant me laying awake last night thinking about where to put the cleats so they don't look unsightly. Then looking online the whole child safety thing came up and now I don't know what to do!

    The blinds are on the front of the window apertures, not within them. So the cleats will be on show. Safety advice suggests minimum 150cm from floor level. Is this normal or will they look weird with the cleats up high? Would it work to have the cleats at the top so the blind hides them when it's up?

    Should I use some sort of breakaway clip? Or could I braid the cords together so it is just one long pulling bit rather than several cords with a loopy pull at the bottom of them.

    Aaarghhh these sorts of final details always give me sleepless nights, whatever the project!!
  • pollyanna_26
    pollyanna_26 Posts: 4,839
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    Bumping the thread for Bibbitybob
    polly
    It is better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness.

    There but for fortune go you and I.
  • Anne_Marie_2
    Anne_Marie_2 Posts: 2,123
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    Oh, while I am here does anyone know where I could post questions/find answers about building a pizza oven on my patio? I'm hopeless at finding my way around this place DOH! ;)

    Haven't really seen anything on this forum, but there are dedicated wood fired oven forums.
    I have a locally built one, and love it. Mine is quite large, really should have gone for the medium size, but hey ho, too late now. It is very good for cooking a lot of things other than pizza.....bread, casseroles, trays of roasted veg, baked potatoes, joints of meat, chicken

    I found a UK forum which was really helpful and friendly, in helping me getting the basics of building a fire and tools required. Many have made their own ovens, and are so helpful with advice.
    Have a little browse and see what you think. Actually reminded me of this forum a lot, due to the helpfulness and friendliness.
    http://ukwoodfiredovenforum.proboards.com/
  • Bibbitybob
    Bibbitybob Posts: 843 Forumite
    Afternoon all,

    Many moons ago I used to post on the shabby chic thread.

    After being pretty much banned from buying new furniture/bits to paint we've almost completed our loft conversion so there's no stopping me now :rofl:

    I'm blogging about it again, but used to love chatting and sharing projects with everyone on here, so I'm hoping there's still some homes and furniture lovers around here still!
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