Home Improvement: My new shelf

I love my home but there is no escaping it is old and needed (still needs) a lot of work. Yesterdays project was to paint a shelf my dad has made me for my lounge room wall. He made it to match the shelf above the fireplace. It is painted gloss white so I decided to paint my new shelf the same colour.

Shelf before Painting

I started with a primer, then two coats of gloss. As I really can’t see what I am doing I tend to go over and over the same area a number of times. I figure that way I should get reasonable coverage. I also use my fingers to tell if an area is wet which means I have already painted it. It is very messy but I enjoy doing the work myself.

I painted quite a few of the walls, ceilings, door jams etc in my home and I still have doors and window frames to do as well as the bathroom and my gym room.

I know that there are some (perhaps most) walls and ceilings that are patchy, or have a run or are not quite perfect. I knew when I was painting I could get other people to do the work and have it almost perfect or I could do it myself and live with the imperfections, not that I see them but anyone who visits probably does.

I decided to do the best job I possibly could, and then live with the imperfections. I spent hours and hours with a paint brush in hand. It takes me at least two or three times longer than a sighted person to dohe same amount of work. Occasionally family or friends would paint and they could do a whole room in the time I took to do one wall. However the sense of achievement I got from doing it myself was incredible.

Working on my home myself also helps me feel a connection to my new place which is important to me. I always felt I belonged on the farm and I would live there forever. When I had to leave and start over I didn’t think I could make another house feel like home but thankfully I have done that with my lovely old cottage.

Anyway back to the shelf, above is a picture of the shelf before and below is the after photo – please excuse the photos if they are blurry, off centre, don’t include the subject etc I took these pictures myself and have no idea if they worked or not. I do have a good camera with auto focus so I hope they are OK.

Shelf after painting

This is the wall my shelf is going on, once my dad has put it up I will take (or get him to take) another photo.

This is the wall where the shelf will go