Phase One - Shrine Club Update

When has a project ever gone according to plan? Somehow there is always an unexpected surprise. I would like to say I love surprises but it would not be a true statement.

Phase One involved painting, and installing the new electrical components and blinds. Electrical components and blinds are done but need a little tweaking. Most of the painting is done except for the doors which are in the process of being redone. Most of the cleanup has already happened and most of the furniture and pictures have been returned to their previous homes.

Overall we are almost done and everything that is done looks great. Many folks have requested photos so here are some before and in-progress pictures.

Entrance Before

Window Treatments Before

Lighting Before

Saturday Morning: Room is cleared and final prep is happening before operation paint began.

Saturday Morning: View of the bi-folding door/counter area during final prep before operation paint started.

In-Progress: View of the doors with new blinds & a closeup of the new seating area created out of the former planter.

In-Progress: View of the bi-folding door/counter area.

In-Progress: View of the room taken from the same angle as our before photo.

Before: Taken in October 2011. Nice but dated.

Phase Two
This will be the process of furnishing the space. A committee was formed to solicit donations that suited the new space. The new rug was ordered today. A new brown leather sofa will be arriving in February. The funding for both items was donated by individual New Bern Shrine Club members.

Big thanks goes out to all of the volunteers who helped with this project and the donors of our new furnishings.

Final photos to follow.

Painting Tips

Spent today painting at the New Bern Shrine Club with some wonderful volunteers. We will be working on the transformation a couple more days. Look for our result photos later in the week. Painting today I realized I do a couple of things different than other do-it-yourselfers. Thought I would pass these ideas on to everyone.

Have you ever bought shed resistant roller covers that shed? I think everyone has. To reduce the amount of shedding use a lint brush roller on the cover before you start painting. The loose fibers will stick to the tape instead of your wall.

Do you have stubborn water stains you need to cover? I use a spray can of Kiltz Original oil base paint to cover all the stains before I prime and paint. It is easy to apply and doesn't destroy a perfectly good paint brush.

Happy Painting!

Paint Colours Unveiled

Last week we finally started laying the tile. Three of four rooms have been completed with the grout to be finished in the fourth room, tomorrow. The difference is amazing! Looking forward to having the rest of the tile completed in the next couple of months. Checkout how the new tile coordinates with the room colours. I think they look fantastic!

Basement Purple Laundry Room

Basement Half Bath to Marston's Man Cave

Second Floor Full Bath - Colours inspired by '56 Belair salmon & grey

What Happened to Customer Service?

Do you ever feel like good customer service is a thing of the past? Perhaps it is the consumers fault because we accept it. Maybe it is the cost to consumers for lower prices. Sometimes it is like a hostage situation where we are forced to buy from the only store locally that sells a desired item. The reasons for this acceptance will vary but one thing is certain, we all have experienced poor customer service. Day five of the flu and my spirits are running a bit low. I woke-up this morning and realized I needed to perk-up. I decided I needed to get my day started so I called Gary over at East Carolina Paint Centre and asked him if he would mind mixing some paint for me to pick-up? Of course he was happy too. Okay, so far, so good - I decided to get ready for my daily adventure. Before I left the house I checked my blog, e-mail, Facebook, etc. Lots of positive messages about the blog and "feel better wishes". (Big thanks to everyone who sent them.) Finally I was ready to go out and greet the world.

First stop on today's mission was the paint store. Customer service at its very best. Gary was coming out to the car with the paint before I even had a chance to kill the engine. He was worried I was too sick to come-in for it. I could have hugged him. Ironically my way of thanks would have brought him in closer contact to my germs (not a great way to repay someone for their kindness.)

Next stop the river house. Checked on today's plans and discussed closet ideas with the guys. Everything looks great and progress is apparent. The journey continuous with a visit to John Micheal's Jewellery on Trent Road. There I am greeted by name. I bought my husband a new-to-him ring for Christmas from an auction and needed to have it inspected for loose and/or damaged stones. For $10 I bought the piece of mind that the ring is fine, along with two watch batteries (happily installed). Another great experience on the journey to a great day.

Hubby's New Bling

Then I got a phone call. It was my husband calling to check on me and asking me out to lunch. I knew instantly I wanted to go over to Thai Thai on Neuse Boulevard. They have the best lunch buffet ever. I arrived before Marston and was greet with, "Nice to see you is your husband also coming?" I replied and was immediately led to a table where I was asked, "Would this table be alright?" Of course it was. Next question, "Did you want your usual drinks?" We go there a couple of times a month for lunch and the guy remembers what we like to drink. Needless to say everything about this experience was fantastic.

The moral of the story. Poor customer service experiences can often be eliminated by supporting the local businesses who have a vested interest in providing the very best service possible. Sadly, there are a few owner/operators who haven't realized this vital business secrete. Shop local: get to know your local business owners and support the local economy. I think you will be pleasantly be surprised by the people you'll meet. Those who say a small town has nothing to offer them - need to take a second look.

Best

FYI - Check today's new post on the project page.

New Bern Shrine Club

October 2011 - Before Renovation

October 2011 - Before Renovation

Welcome to the New Bern Shrine Club. A popular venue for various community events. Realizing that the first impression is everything, members volunteered their services and improved our curb appeal. Next on the list is the foyer. Currently it is in great shape but dated. The Shrinettes have decided it is time for an update. Very soon the volunteers will gather for a work-fest and a new space will emerge.

Part I
Everything will be painted. New light fixtures will be installed. The existing brass hardware will be replaced with stainless. The planter will be converted into a platform. Perfect for guest books, Christmas trees and other items displayed for different events.

Part II 
Furnishing will be replaced with contemporary pieces. A committee has been organized to try to find appropriate donations. If you would like to help please contact me at bonjournee2012@gmail.com


New Fixtures

RUTBO $39.99 IKEA

UPDATE TO FOLLOW

River House Introduction

After two days of paint some of you may be wondering were I am going with the blog. The better question is where is all the paint going. In May of 2010 my husband and I bought our first home together. It was marketed as "move-in-ready" but . . . other than us I don't know who would have bought it. Basically we bought the property and they threw in the house for free. I remember the conversation where I stated it would be two years before we would live in the new house. Naysayers thought I was exaggerating. I was almost wrong. Everyone likes to be right but this was a time I wish I was wrong. Fast forward to August 2011. The house is ahead of schedule and if we push hard we might just be in for Christmas. Everything is coming together. Then we had an unfortunate visit from Irene. (Not to discriminate against all those wonderful women named Irene but I may not feel warm and fuzzy if you stop by for a visit.) Some house guests leave you with lasting memories and Irene was no exception. For those not "in the know" Irene was a hurricane. The large tree through my roof was a house warming gift I would gladly have returned. After this happened I realized how Blessed I am. We were not living there yet and were fully insured. We were safe at our current house. We lost no personal belongings. There are people whose homes were destroyed who still have no where to live. It will be years before everyone in this region is fully recovered. The good news is we are recovered from our storm damage and moving forward. We should be able to move in this Spring.

The journey has been amazing. I am sure there are lots of folks who have experienced everything we have experienced. I know our story is not unique. Then there are those who may benefit from our experiences. Finally there is our family and friends who have been waiting forever to see the pictures. I like to think that at the end of our journey Marston will look at me and tell me he would do it all again. At this point I would still answer me too!

Remodeling a house is a full-time job. Maybe it isn't if you hire a general contractor but we didn't do that. This is my second house remodel and by far the more aggressive of the two. Walls will fall. Surprises beyond your wildest dreams wait for you behind the drywall and under the sub-floor. Things a home inspector is never going to find because they cannot see inside walls and just when you think there is nothing left to find - surprise more bad news. In the beginning there should have been a bulldozer party to raise our "Dream Home." The reality is we fixed it.

May 2010 River View

May 2010 - We had 22 trees removed in June. (Orange tape marks trees to be removed.) We were worried that future hurricanes would blow them over. Ironically it was our neighbour's tree that hit the house during Irene.

Close-up May 2010

April 2010

May 2010 Close-up of window and balcony. Where one stops the other begins.

I know what you are thinking, "It looks like a nice house."

Update: For everyone who was disappointed about me not discussing paint - this is for you! The paint started going on the walls today and it looks fantastic. So far we have a red bathroom, a purple laundry room and we will be able to add a pink bathroom to the list before the day is over. I was hesitant to use bold colours because they were not popular. I have never been accused (nor will be) of being popular. I don't shop for the latest fashions and I don't by trendy furnishings: I buy what I like. This includes the 50 cent blue jeans (church sale) I am currently wearing. Deciding to rising above the negativity of everything associated with "popular" is freeing. Ironically I didn't even realize I was being influenced. Reflection is such a luxury.

Ciao!

Day 2 Paint Choices

Day two of final colour choices. I could use the excuse that it is too cold to paint but the tile guy is coming Friday. The looming deadline provided inspiration for me to brave this cold day. I knew I could delay the inevitable because I had a meeting at the office. (I am a real estate agent with Prudential Clear Water Realty.) Decisions are final and I was in no hurry to buy the paint. Jumped in the truck to take off and she (my truck is a girl) was not excited to see me. Instead of her usual good morning "Room-Voom-Voom" she greeted me with an unenthusiastic "Re .. Re . . Re . .  Re". Understanding the importance of my impending meeting and the need to get paint, she turned over. (I am sure my loving words of encouragement helped.) Five minutes later we made it to work. Reflection is a wonderful luxury. This morning I was faced with a choice "to go to work" or "not go to work", but that never crossed my mind. I knew that the Dodge would get me there but I am not delusional: I knew it was time for a new battery. I stopped this afternoon at the Advanced Auto Parts store in James City. I pulled the hood before I went in to take my spot in line. Being the first in line did not mean much - I was the last customer waited on. Being used to bad customer service experiences I figured this was par for the course. I was not happy about it but I figured there was nothing to do but grin and bear it. Peggy tested my battery and confirmed the diagnosis, Everett installed the new battery and Mac/Mat? rang-in the sale. Peggy makes a point of apologizing to me profusely and insisted it should not have happened. Mac/Mat then discounted my bill $20. All the while I am standing there thinking that the whole experience was better than my average customer service experience before the discount and apology. Now I am thinking it was FANTASTIC! For everyone out there driving an experienced vehicle remember the folks at Advanced Auto in James City. Colder weather means slow/no starts for weak batteries. Stop in and have your battery checked for FREE! Normally it only takes a few minutes and it beats starting your day with a no-go morning.

After a brief stop at the office I forced myself to go to Lowes for the non-existent customer experience. I needed four more colour samples. The price is right at $2.94 even if the customer service is non-existent. The old adage "You get what you pay for certainly applies." The actual paint purchase happens at my local Pittsburgh Paint Centre, which happens to East Carolina Paint Centre. I am a huge fan of the ceramic wall hide. Great finish, excellent one coat coverage, and washes great with the magic eraser. The best part is touch-up jobs match the existing paint. This also means it is user friendly during application. Have you ever been painting and had to stop for an interruption? (Someone always calls when I am painting.) After you manage to put out the impending fire you discover the wet edge you were maintaining as you roll is not exactly wet anymore. No worries, I have continued where I left off with seamless results. Ideally I would not recommend trying this but as we all know "stuff" happens. Honestly I would buy paint from Gary even if it wasn't the BEST paint because the customer service is worth it. Fast friendly service with expert advice, offered by someone with years of experience, operating his own business speaks volumes to my checkbook. Don't take my word for it go for a visit. When he is carrying your paint out and putting it in your car for you - please remember to tell him your heard about it from me.

Today's mission was paint choices. Did I succeed? Happy to report that all the colours that had to be decided (this week) have been decided and purchased. Even managed to select some of the other colours that were not on this deadline. Yeah for me! Look for future colour choice dilemmas because there are still 5 rooms to decide.

It was a great day. Thanks for checking in. Be sure to check the project page for my tip of the day, Colour Coding Your Keys.

Ciao

Paint Colours

Decisions about paint colours is something many people probably don't stress over. FYI - I am not one of these people. I have a whole tote bag full of paint colour ideas, colour fans from various brands and individual colour chips. After agonizing review and discussion the decision is narrowed down to a select few. Hours and days later uncertainty still looms and final choices have to be made. Today was decision day.

After purchasing paint samples of the final contestants, it was time to put them side-by-side for the poster board competition. This involves painting each sample onto the poster board and displaying the finished product in the desired location. I use the back side of the poster board for flat, ceramic and satin finishes, and the front high-gloss side for semi-gloss and high-gloss enamels. The best colour samples are achieved using scrap pieces of drywall but it is not always available. Many people paint the colours directly onto the desired wall. I rarely do this for two reasons. 1) I like to see how all my final colour choices look together. Harmony is achieved when you can go room-to-room without being shocked by the colour contrasts. 2) If a colour sample looks like less than you were expecting (AKA - you hate it!), it is easier to recycle your poster board than it is to re-prime over the undesired colour.

If you are like me you love colour so much it is often hard to choose. Sample cans of paint are inexpensive and offer you the ability to be sure before you commit to a whole gallon. (Kind of like living with him before you marry him.) Several colour choices were successfully made and tomorrow will be another day full of choices. The most common reason I reject a sample is not because of the colour but rather the shade. When this happens the rejects often make perfect accent colours for additional projects in the room. Rejected colour samples may also be used to tint a gallon of white paint or combine them to create a new colour. I donate my water base paints to the local girl scout troop for their projects. Check with your local Habitat for Humanity and/or other community groups to determine where the unwanted paint may be of best use.

Happy Painting!