Pre-Painting

Let me preface this by saying my house, and the previous owner, are both a little funny. And not funny ha-ha. In the year and a half I've lived here, I've discovered some bizarre facts. Like there is no ventilation over a large, commercial-style gas stove. Or in the bathroom...

Also, the door handles appeared to be somehow permanently attached. And one row of ceiling lights in the kitchen appears to have no switch or way to turn it on, and I haven't even dared to investigate the chimney yet.

All that to say that the idea of taking down wallpaper is more than a little scary. I took down the curtains in my bedroom and found a giant 2X4 holding them up with giant nails (is that normal?). The curtains in the living room were nailed to the wall, nary a curtain rod in sight. So, when I decided that the pink wallpaper had to go in the living room, I thought better of it and revised my statement--the pink in the living room has to go.

So today I'm taping it off, and tomorrow will likely be the day of reckoning. I'm planning to paint over the wallpaper, much to the dismay of many clerks in paint departments who have already looked at me disapprovingly and scolded. But, I like the texture in the wallpaper, and it really seems like it could be the least destructive route.

The pink wall tonight. Hopefully there will be a subtle but beautiful yellow wall to post tomorrow.

Cow, clearly dismayed by the blue painter's tape. I think she was worried it might interfere with her food.