Hallway Painting The Victorian House

The Hallway! She is Being Painted!

Right. So, we hired painters to come in and do it for us.

I actually really like painting — I find it relaxing! But this pregnancy has been somewhat difficult and with the baby due later this month, I just could not do it myself. Brandon and our brother-in-law, Enrique, primed just the new portion of the hall on Labor Day, but we hadn’t been able to get any further with the project. It was becoming pretty clear that we weren’t going to be able to finish the job in a timely manner.

Priming the Hallway

The painters started on Friday, and they’re finishing up today, but it already looks pretty great after just the first coat. Behold our nearly smooth and straight walls and ceiling! (Yes, there’s some wonkiness. The house is old, yo.)

Hallway Being Painted

Hallway — Comfort Gray, Sherwin-Williams

The hallway, front stairway, and entryway are all getting the same color on the walls as our bedroom (Sherwin-Williams’ Comfort Gray), and a shade lighter on the ceiling (Sea Salt). It’s a pretty gray/blue/green color that plays really nicely with the wood throughout the house.

Still to do:

  • One more coat of paint each on the ceiling and on the walls.

  • Strip the window and door frames. We are considering just painting them brown as a short-term solution and then stripping them sometime down the line with there isn’t a pregnant lady (or a newborn) to worry about in the house.

  • Finish the floors. (I’m going to go into more details on the flooring in a post tomorrow — what we chose and why.)

  • Replace the three hallway lights with new fixtures so that they all match.

  • Replace the light switches with push-button switches. (I am inordinately excited about this change.)

  • Put the doorbell cover and outlet coverplates back on.

  • Maybe find new runners?

  • Find a storage piece to go in the hall (there’s a spot for something tall and shallow just to the left of where I was standing to take the hallway photo).

  • Hang some art? This isn’t exactly pressing. I’m kind of happy to admire our hallway as it is for a while. The window is visible down the hall again for the first time in decades! Natural light FTW!

  • Skim coat the walls and ceiling along the back stairway. Eventually, I’d love to have nice, smooth walls there painted to match, but that’s a project for another time. We’ve left the textured walls along the back stairs white for now.

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  • Laura @ Rather Square
    September 8, 2014 at 12:11 pm

    I love these colors. Very calming and muted, and they reflect the light so well!

    Good for you for taking it easy (especially after your travels) and getting help to finish house projects. My pregnancy wasn’t easy either, and it was so hard to pull back and not participate in all the projects we wanted to finish before the baby was born. But your health (and the baby’s) are the most important thing. One way or another… you’ve got a newly painted hallway that looks great!

    • Making it Lovely
      September 8, 2014 at 4:28 pm

      I’m lucky that I did feel good for a couple of months, which is when I was doing so much traveling. (Still not a breeze, but who turns up a trip like that if they’re able to go!?) I do miss being able to dig into projects more though. We’ve lived here for a year, and I’ve been pregnant for just about 9 months of that time.

      Also: congratulations are in order for you! Congrats on the new baby boy!

  • Bonnie Morscher
    September 8, 2014 at 12:40 pm

    Wow! What a difference this all made. I mean the whole project, not just the painting. Kudos to you for getting it all done before the baby arrives. When you started in late summer, I was afraid you were biting off more than you could chew in that timeframe.

    • Making it Lovely
      September 8, 2014 at 4:29 pm

      I’m so glad the project was completed in time! The nursery won’t be ready, but we knew that going into the whole thing. The baby will be sleeping in our room at first, so that will give us the time we need to paint and decorate in there. The hard stuff (moving doorways, putting up walls, etc.) is done!

  • judy
    September 8, 2014 at 4:18 pm

    I love the way someone with real Designer talent can see the flaws in what is and seemingly effortlessly create something so much more pleasing to the eye. I would have been bothered by that hallway but I would have cluttered it up with bits and bobs and been frustrated that it still didn’t sing in harmony with my imagination. And all while pregnant and Mother to two young children. I never cease to be amazed by you Nicole, your parents must be so proud of you, your talent and the genuine sweetness you project.

  • Lisa
    September 8, 2014 at 4:20 pm

    It looks great! I have to say, I’m glad you hired someone to do the painting — you’ve seriously been working too hard with this pregnancy! I also wanted to wish you a smooth delivery (I know better than to say “easy”) and that all goes well with you and your new son! I wanted to get that in now because babies come when they want to come…. :)

    • Making it Lovely
      September 8, 2014 at 4:32 pm

      Any time now! 2.5 weeks to the due date. :)

  • Cathy | the Grit and Polish
    September 8, 2014 at 7:54 pm

    Gorgeous! Comfort Gray and Sea Salt goes SO well with your wood floors and moldings. I’m definitely putting these on my list of paints to try. I’m one of those silly people who rarely paints samples and just makes the 5-gallon plunge – I don’t think I’ll be disappointed with either of these :)

  • Michelle
    September 8, 2014 at 10:36 pm

    I LOVE the wood corner detailing. Such a wonderful touch in a house with small children! No matter how many times you say it, they just cannot keep their hands to themselves – and my youngest is now 9!

  • Christina
    September 9, 2014 at 8:22 am

    Looking good. Have you considered stripping the moulding with a heat gun? Not only is it chemical-free, I think it works better on moulding than strippers (and it’s just easier in every way).

    • Making it Lovely
      September 9, 2014 at 9:00 am

      I’ve read that they aren’t recommended for windows though, because the heat can crack the glass.

      • Christina
        September 9, 2014 at 1:47 pm

        Ah, that never crossed my mind! Guess I’ll have to be more careful in the future. :)

  • Antonia
    September 9, 2014 at 10:57 am

    I love those paint colors. They look amazing against the wood.