In Absentia
I left for LA on Friday morning (at the insane hour of 5:00am). Even though I'm usually up by then, it ain't a pretty sight and certainly not one that's encouraged by the TSA. But what a great trip it was. I found the last of the hanging fixtures for the Master Bedroom, Breakfast Room and Family Room. Also got the bed linen shopping done and all of the principal accessories are now selected.
The mice were hardly playing while I was away however. The enamel work continued and the (seems like) never ending prep work goes on. The painters returned to Dallas on Friday afternoon and came back to Cousteau Lane on Tuesday early morning. Thanks to Omar for having taken pictures "for your blog" before he wrapped the cabinetry to prevent any dust or, more importantly, other paint getting on it while they move on to other colors. Below you can see the cabinetry with the Gold interior for the Breakfast Room (sans glass door inserts) and the entertainment cabinet for the Family Room. The entertainment cabinetry is not nearly so "Dracula's cape" looking in real life. Professional photographers, we aren't. Just guys with iPhones.
I look like a bit of a crazy person walking around touching the millwork, but the amount of preparation that they put into it is amazing. The old paint felt like, well, paint. The new enamel feels hard and slick. Yet, satin finished. Beautiful. So what is all this prep you ask? Wood often has an open grain when it is new and old interior trim and cabinets have rough paint, dents, scratches and dust that may have settled on the surface while it was still wet. Take a look at the door jamb below and see how much filler is being used (applied with the edge of a razor blade) then allowed to cure and sanded away. While you are at it, check out Isaiah with his lamp hunting for imperfections and Jose, the sanding machine working on all the old cabinet doors and drawers from the guest closets and baths. Omar, even while under the weather, is masking off the old floors as they prepare to enamel the base in the Living Room.
The first coats of Hammered Silver enamel have been applied in the Master Bath. Before you ask, there is an entire wall of glass on one side of the room open to a private courtyard. The room can stand the deep color. The final coats were also applied the the Client's Boot Closet.
But as cool as all this is, I am most excited about the final sample for the stencil work on the planked Master Bedroom Ceiling. It is going to be amazing. It is so handsome in "real life".
Another exciting day Wednesday as Dale Buchanan returns with the new entry door unit and is then able to complete the paneled walls in the Entry. Hurray! That's right Martha, a Mahogany door is a Good Thing.