Silk Wallpaper and Wood Trim project in the living room

[Melensdad]

This is a surprise gift for our 39th Anniversary on Friday to the Lovely Mrs_Bob. She left yesterday morning to visit our daughter Melen in Chicago for a couple days. I had everything set to spring into action.

Purchased a few rolls of silk wallpaper with a blooming dogwood pattern and a burnished gold background. Hid the box when it arrived. I had a bunch of poplar trim that was already stained, but not the correct size for what I needed. I've been sneaking away to the workshop, ripping it down to size on the table saw, never spending too much time in the shop that she would ask what I was working on. Then had to match the stain on the newly sized edges.

The room as it was... (obviously taken with the Christmas decor). But the wall with the 5 double stacked windows is the area where I have been working.



So my idea was to install wallpaper in the 4 upper areas of the wall between the 5 window columns.

Yes, that is Blue painters tape holding some of the edges in place while the wallpaper paste dries.



The final step was to 'double frame' the wallpaper into the space.

So using some of the same sized trim, I ripped it down and set it on its edge, to create a tall thin frame inside the existing trim. This was a technique that I had seen on several Craftsman and Prairie style homes from the early 1900's. It adds a 3/4" wide piece of trim that protrudes an extra 1/2" forward, creating a nice shadow play and a bit more visual weight.

So the finished project, completed just a short while ago.




The blooming dogwood tree pattern was chosen largely because we have lots of dogwood trees growing on our property and our foyer has a dogwood mural painted around the perimeter of the room so it seemed like a pretty natural choice.

 

[Melensdad]

Better photo of the framed in wood work over the silk fabric. It's a little detail, but one that is missing. And while we have been adding things for nearly 30 years to this house, compared to an original Frank Lloyd Wright or a Walter Burley Griffin home, it lacks so many details. So this is just one less that project in a long list that I need to do. It will be done someday?

And yes, that is a water stain on the ceiling. Repainting is another project for another day.

 

[Melensdad]

Just a follow up.

The lovely Mrs_Bob arrived home from our daughter Melen's house today. And today is our 39th Anniversary.

She loved it. She would like more of it.

More is already in the plans, but I wanted to make sure she loved it first.

 

[Melensdad]

So the second batch of wall paper arrived early today.

And already installed in the existing wood framing.

Now I have the hard work to do. I need to rip down some poplar wood to the proper dimensions. Stain it to match the existing trim, varnish and then install it. I have enough poplar to do the job, but it all is old wood from prior projects, some have bad edges, so there will be a lot of waste, but given that some of this wood has been laying around for nearly 30 years, it is not like it has anywhere else to go. Might as well rip it down, waste a few bits, and use most of it to add another dimension of trim to the room.

When I did the original project, which was only the top portions of the wallpaper, I already had the wood prepared. So the job went much quicker. I knew the lovely Mrs_Bob was going to be gone for a bit more than 48 hours. So I'd sneak away to the shop, cut a few pieces. Stain a few pieces. That went on for weeks. All of the wood was ready to go. She had no idea because I would sneak away for short periods of time. For the install, I just needed her out of the house for a couple days so I could slap up the wall paper and then fit the trim. 2 good days and the job was done.

But I figure I have 1 day of ripping wood to dimension. I day of sanding sealer. Maybe I can stain later that day if it all times out right. Then a day of staining wood, if that is done early, maybe I can varnish in the late evening. After it is dry, then I can install. So maybe 4 to 5 days. Most of that time is just letting it dry.

 

[FrancSevin]

So the second batch of wall paper arrived early today.

And already installed in the existing wood framing.

Now I have the hard work to do. I need to rip down some poplar wood to the proper dimensions. Stain it to match the existing trim, varnish and then install it. I have enough poplar to do the job, but it all is old wood from prior projects, some have bad edges, so there will be a lot of waste, but given that some of this wood has been laying around for nearly 30 years, it is not like it has anywhere else to go. Might as well rip it down, waste a few bits, and use most of it to add another dimension of trim to the room.

When I did the original project, which was only the top portions of the wallpaper, I already had the wood prepared. So the job went much quicker. I knew the lovely Mrs_Bob was going to be gone for a bit more than 48 hours. So I'd sneak away to the shop, cut a few pieces. Stain a few pieces. That went on for weeks. All of the wood was ready to go. She had no idea because I would sneak away for short periods of time. For the install, I just needed her out of the house for a couple days so I could slap up the wall paper and then fit the trim. 2 good days and the job was done.

But I figure I have 1 day of ripping wood to dimension. I day of sanding sealer. Maybe I can stain later that day if it all times out right. Then a day of staining wood, if that is done early, maybe I can varnish in the late evening. After it is dry, then I can install. So maybe 4 to 5 days. Most of that time is just letting it dry.

View attachment 178085

Really nice work Bob!

 

[Melensdad]

And let the ripping begin . . . this is mostly 30 year old baseboard and window casing that was either left over from when we built the house and/or removed as we made modifications/upgrades to various rooms. It is now being ripped down to the correct dimensions for the tall 'frame' that will be set inside the existing wood frame.

I'm happy with the progress. I think I have enough cut for the 4 remaining spaces. All these will obviously have to be cleaned up and trimmed down. I'll need 8 pieces roughly 5' long and 8 pieces roughly 20" long. Should be enough there after it is trimmed.

For now I am going to rest my hands and arms. Damn but arthritis sucks.

 

[Melensdad]

Wood was pre-stained on Friday.

Stained on Saturday (3 coats, 3 different colors to try to match up very closely to the original wood, which was stained nearly 30 years ago and finishes tend to change or darken with age).

This morning I got the first coat of polyurethane on the wood. After it dries I'll sand it with 600 grit sandpaper and reapply the polyurethane if needed. Then I can load the truck up with the compound miter saw, finish nail gun, and the wood. The workshop is only a couple hundred feet away from the house, but so much easier to drive everything I need in 1 trip than to carry the tools and wood in several.

So not sure if I will get to installing any wood later today? Or if it will be installed tomorrow? Really depends on if I need a 2nd coat of polyurethane or not.

Plus we have Mother's Day dinner this afternoon in Chicago that will take away 4+ hours of possible installation time. I guess, the more I think about it, looks much more likely the wood trim will be installed tomorrow.

 

[Melensdad]

Done. Except for the clean up and putting the tools away.

 

[waybomb]

Nice. Who plays the piano?

 

[Melensdad]

Nice. Who plays the piano?

Marcia, Melen and Dasha all did. None actively play now. Kobe will probably take lessons.

 

[NorthernRedneck]

Looks great

 

[Melensdad]

Just an update . . . more wood is stained and varnished.

We are expanding the scope of the project.

 

[waybomb]

I just love expanding the project on my own free will.....

 

[Melensdad]

I just love expanding the project on my own free will.....

I actually wanted to do this so it is a good thing.

The whole room will have 2 layers of trim. One layer laying flat against the wall. The adjacent layers set on its edge, creating a shadow box effect. The wood is outside the living room door, the saw is already set up to make the cuts. Misc other tools, tape measures, and stain for the end cuts are all at the ready. The problem is it is 28(F) outside now. So I'm probably going to wait until late morning when the temps should climb to at least the 50's, maybe even 60(F).

With any luck I'll have most of the room done today. Not sure if I have enough wood to complete it. I've got 120 linear feet of new wood prepared. I've also got some Halloween decorations in the way so I may work around those rather than remove and reinstall them.

 

[Melensdad]

Making progress. This might take a few days to work my way around the room. Up & down the ladder is a PITA.

 

[Melensdad]

Arthritis says I need to take a break.

I'm probably 2 sticks of wood short. So I won't finish the room without ordering more wood. I'll finish as much as I can with the wood I have, tomorrow; too sore to continue today. At least until the pain pills kick in. I'm pretty happy with what I got done so far. I'd actually be farther along but the battery powered brad nailer failed. Watched a half dozen YouTube videos and got it working perfectly again. But that burned up some time and sitting down watching the videos allowed the arthritis pains to settle in. If I keep moving it's better, but once I stop the stiffness starts to act up.

But the NORTH wall and corners of the room are done.

 

[Melensdad]

Another month has passed, and more wood was purchased, stained and varnished.

A couple old pieces of wood were reclaimed, sanded and refinished.

Plan to begin the install tomorrow to finish the living room may have just been THWARTED by the lovely Mrs Bob who has now made plans for me to drive 90-ish miles northwest tomorrow to Aurora, IL to "pick up something" because she doesn't want to drive there. So I guess I'll be spending the better part of my day sitting in a car seat driving back & forth for "something" that we apparently need. So it goes. The goal is to have it all up by Friday noon. Most requires a ladder to reach. A few pieces will be over a staircase, so that will be fun. But all the cuts will be pretty easy.