It's that time of year again when planning for the kids going back to school happens. Getting new uniforms, school essentials and the book list for the exams. It's an expensive time but can have benefits, adults can get their heads around those jobs around the home which were put off as the school holidays approached when decorating the house didn't seem a priority and more importantly time would be spent with family activities.
I remember it well, as much as I always loved having quality time with the children during holiday times, once they were ensconced back into their studies I often found my house renovation head was reactivated. Things about the house that had bugged me during the holidays or I had realised could work better if they were changed suddenly came to the fore and demanded my attention before the next half term or Christmas for instance.
One year I spent months stripping back the Knotty Pine 4 panelled doors in our 1897 built house. I was really proud of my achievements after I had burnt off the old paint, filled, sanded then varnished the doors and then added brass finger plates, brass hinges and new crystal and brass door knobs. Unfortunately the doors began to really show their age within a short time, I think the old paint had held the panels and beading together and the stripping process had caused damage to the integrity of the timber. It was eventually decided that new doors had to be purchased as every time the door was closed some filling, beading or piece of timber was found on the carpet. I was so pleased that we were able to get Pine Doors in the traditional style, with the correct rail and stile proportions and period beading to replace the old, original Victorian doors. Initially I felt that by discarding the old doors we had done the house a disservice, but after the new ones were finished with an appropriate stain from Sikkens, fitted with much improved function, I realised that it should have gone down the new door route earlier, before I spent months renovating all the original old doors in our home. Oh well we learn by our experiences!
