Flooring – knees up Mother Brown

Kitchen Units

Am very happy with the way the kitchen units are turning out. After adding wood trim to create a shaker style they’ve had a coat of grey chalk paint. Now they just need another coat and handles. I’ve always been a practical bod and will have a go at most things. Except electricity and plumbing, leave that to the professionals. When I started this little project I was determined to do as much of it myself as I could. It’s a self satisfaction thing.

Floor

It isn’t the easiest of environments to work in as each area is a small space. I’ve already moved everything out of the kitchen area into the lounge area except the fridge freezer. This made laying the floor interesting. It is over ten years since I laid any flooring. Initially I was looking for rolls of cushion floor but settled on self adhesive lino style tiles. Two reasons. One they were a short plank design that you lay in a brick formation so margin for error is better. Two, they were only 12.99euro a pack to cover 2 square metres!

Knees

As I am going for a beach house look I was chuffed that they had them in this light sandy colour and now they are down they look more like an ash and go really well with the units. I had forgotten just how tough it is on knees and understand why carpet fitters wear those knee pad things. This weekend aside from my thighs feeling like concrete my knees are literally puffy and feel bruised. It was our wedding anniversary yesterday but thought we’d wait for Saturday, no  work and a takeaway. After a week of stripping walls, painting and laying floors am not taking this creaky body anywhere. Instead shall be sitting on my terrace eating food someone else has cooked drinking my fakeaway gin and tonic.

Things that went well and things that didn’t

• Bargain basement buys are great – keep your colour palette on your phone
• Allocating a job each day made me achieve more
• Conversely it’s slow going in August – too hot and can only work mornings
• It’s an old building and nothing is plumb straight
• Find something to cushion my knees to do the flooring in the other areas!