For the past eight weeks I’ve spent countless hours and much money basically re-doing the inside of my home. I painted every room, put in all new little crown moulding at the top of the walls and baseboard at the bottom…I replaced all the hardware in the kitchen and bathroom…I repaired walls, drawers, closets…you name it… I had new window screens put in throughout the house. I had beautiful new stone-look vinyl flooring put in the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry areas. This last Wednesday I had new carpet put in throughout the rest of the house. Apart from the flooring and the window screens, I’ve done all the work myself.
I’ve been so tickled with how it all turned out and just walk from room to room enjoying it all. Today I was putting in a few final areas of baseboard and getting each room put back together and in order (had to basically move out when the carpet was installed). I was working in the master bedroom, putting the last nail in the last piece of baseboard. A portion of that room is used as my painting “studio”–with a desk and card table which were holding all my painting supplies, paintings, and lots of odds and ends that were being cleaned and put back where they belonged. The table was also holding cans of paint I was using to do last-minute little touch-ups as I finished each section of baseboard.
I don’t remember even touching the table as I finished the baseboard, but I must have pushed against it. All I can think is that a leg on the far side gave out and the whole thing went over. About half a gallon of a dark sand-colored paint and a quart of white paint spilled and splashed over my new carpet, the closet doors, my beautiful new quilt (given to me at Christmas by my daughter). The paint pooled and drowned my painting supplies, three paintings, and a good portion of my art books.
I immediately called a carpet cleaner and he came right out and spent an hour trying to get the paint out of my greyish-light brown carpet, but a good square yard is now a dark brown smudge. Ruined. The people who laid the carpet left me a couple of small pieces that may almost fit the bad part, so I’m going to contact a carpet repair place to try and cut out the bad section and replace it. My daughter arrived to help me clean everything up, but the paint on the quilt, bedskirt, and pillowcases won’t come out and a couple of the art books are ruined, as well as the three paintings.
I do play fiddle/violin, but I think you are in more need of a really funny joke or perhaps a little kind undestanding. Yeesh, what a terrible thing to have happen after so much sweat, blood and tears. Sorry to read of your misfortune with the paint and all.
Okay, this is one of those things that it just can’t get any worse than. There just isn’t a thing that can be said. To even have this happen and get paint all over old junky stuff would be a disaster, but getting on a quilt and your paintings… It is like an act of God, nothing to be done or figured out. I think all you can do is to tell yourself that time will pass and this will be a memory and that you will have lived through it and you will have happy times again. I am really so sorry to hear this terrible story. I don’t feel that I’ve been cheerful here, but I’m not sure how to cheer you up. It seems to me that naturally you would be feeling pretty darn bad. I sure would be. Man! But your house will be lovely and all the work you’ve put in has not gone for nothing. I really admire you for making the effort to get things repaired and spruced up.
Susan, you have my sincere sympathy. But let’s move into a different room, and see? Its lovely!
The bedroom will recover too. More sweat equity, more money and time. But no one was hurt (physically), and it will be quite a story for many years to come.
Well the good thing is that it’s in the bedroom instead of the “public rooms”. I feel for you. Working on my old house is my hobby(and my husbands hell) and I have come to realize that some things just don’t work out- like the deco green and yellow paint I bought for the breakfast nook we are building. I loved the colors, but everytime I looked at it I heard the girl who mixed the paint saying" Oh, you’re doing a John Deere room" like that was just the most wonderful thing. All that painting had to be re-done to get that echo out of my head.
I frequent another site where folks talk about working on their old houses, but I must say, you win the prize for a worst nightmare.
On the other hand, it could be worse. I spent part of the day rounding up bedclothes, clothing and anything else I can do without for some folks who lost everything including the house in a fire.
You know what they say… ‘Onto each rug some paint must spill’… no, that’s not it… ‘‘Tis the final nail that tips the table’… no, that isn’t it either… Out! Out! Damned spot!’… is that it?
Under the circumstances you won’t sock me if I give you a hug will you? I will chance it… hug
Thanks for the kind thoughts and sympathy everyone. I’m feeling better tonight. There’s still a lot left to do and I’m keeping my mind off things by working hard at what’s left–and staying out of my bedroom so I don’t have to be confronted with The Blob. Alan, I can tell I’m in bad shape because I can’t even think of a comeback! I’m exhausted.
Susan, there’s just no good side that I can see. I’m very sorry that happened. The house sounds beautiful though. I hope you will be able to enjoy the fruits of your good hard work again very soon.
Oh goodness, Susan. I am so sorry!! I really hope that the carpet guys can fix the spot and make it look almost like new. I think you should listen to Alan too…it might be fun to scream “Out, out damn spot” as they are fixing it all up
I didn’t do any shouting, but I did cry a lot (and I never cry). I have indeed lived the few seconds just prior to the collapse over and over again…if only I’d…if only I’d… but that’s useless–it’s over and done with.
One bright side: both the carpet cleaner and the carpet salesman (I called him to find out about having a piece patched in) said that if this was going to happen, it was best that it happen just a few days after the installation. A longer time and it wouldn’t be able to be patched as wear and tear on the carpet would make the new piece not match.
I find it oddly amusing and yet slightly embarrassing that the paint stain is in the shape of a very large bra. I’m trying to see it as a pair of sunglasses instead.
I’m sorry to hear of that, Susan. How frustrating! We’ll have faith the carpet guys can replace that part.
Regarding the paint on the fabric, have you tried WD40? Also try Goo Gone and paint thinner. I have actually gotten paint out of fabric, but you need to get at it quickly.
