Embracing the Ugly

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There is a truth we all have to face at some point in life.  "The ugly."

Ugly happens...to all of us.  Whether we are facing difficulties personally, financially, physically, emotionally, in our relationships...it is going to happen folks. Those unbearable ugly moments in life where you feel like it is impossible to continue on, it is too hard, and too overwhelming. Why not quit, give up...?

But you can't give up. So, you get to choose.  You get to choose let it beat you down or choose to take a deep breath and embrace the ugly.Embracing the Ugly MyLove2Create

You must be thinking, wait...is this a post about a room makeover or a life lesson?

Ok, ok. I do have a tendency to wax philosophical all the time every now and then, sorry guys.  But truly, isn't it in the life moments we experience that we learn the greatest lessons?  I firmly believe it is, and this week had me thinking all about the ugly in life.  I have had my fair share of ugly, but guess what?

It is in going through the ugly that we can appreciate the beauty, and trust me that is the key.  You have to experience the hard things to really feel and internalize the good. Opposition in all things is a truth.

With that being said, I am excited to share the ugly today, because it is going to make the journey even better.  And boy do I have a LOT of ugly to share!  

Let's get started!
Scoring the trim and paneling caulk with razor blade for removal, MyLove2Create
This room had some pretty beat up old painted paneling and trim that from a distance didn't look too bad.  I really didn't want to keep it, so I used a razor blade to score all the caulked edges of the paneling and trim then grabbed a crowbar to start removing them from the wall.
removing old paneling and trim, MyLove2Create
Do you see me using all my strength to pull it off?!!?  Seriously people, I will show you why in a minute, let's just try to keep in mind how light and thin paneling is...
huge nails for paneling, no!! MyLove2Create
What in the hairy heck are those fifty million gauge nails doing?  (I might like to exaggerate just a tiny bit) 

I for one, have no idea why they were holding up this tiny trim and paneling, and I am not going to ponder further, because wait until you see what else I unearthed in my destruction phase.
Wall to ceiling Drywall gap, MyLove2Create
Ummm, yeah.

I'll bet you didn't see that coming.  Me neither.  I thought since the moulding around the ceiling wasn't done too well that I would just remove it and it would all be good. Ha.

Seriously?!  A gap the SIZE OF TEXAS!?  Why did I have to remove it? Why? Weren't we just talking about ugly? (Deep breath, it's just an inch or more wide and you love doing drywall)
fixing wall to ceiling drywall gap, MyLove2Create
Embracing right?  Ok, right.  Soooooo after a several youtube videos on how to fix this unexpected problem. (not giving up, not giving up) I filled the gap with mud, and then had to wait a few days to let it dry.  

Then I got to mud and tape the ceiling, sand, mud, sand, mud, sand, texture.  Meanwhile, I have been sporting the ugly, er, beautiful gray drywall hair, eyelashes, clothes...oh the joy of mud dust. 
Damaged drywall from paneling removal, MyLove2Create
And since we are on the subject of drywall.  Let's just bask in the insanity of how much glue this paneling apparently needed, not to bring up the aforementioned massive nails. I might be getting a little carried away, but the damage.  I wasn't expecting there to be this. much. drywall damage.
wall texture falling off, MyLove2Create
And the texture is also struggling. This close up says it all.
removed paneling, MyLove2Create
I begin wondering if I needed to replace the drywall completely, and I was feeling completely overwhelmed.  A lot of ugly going on folks.
view of closet with paneling removed, MyLove2Create
I was thinking of doing board and batten, with just boards on the wall, but I realized that was not going to cut it. 
view from closet with paneling removed, MyLove2Create
This wall was going to need more than the board and batten in my Bathroom/Laundry Room, and then it came to me...I needed to add paneling!!  (what's up with the yellow and blue?)

Ha ha, I know right? I just took some off the walls.  Well, true board and batten has panels between the boards, and today is the day I am compelled to become a purest.  A board and batten purest.  

I hit the internet, and did a ton of research and then came up with a plan, and now as I began to embrace the ugly situation I started to get excited, and I began to see the beauty...it will come, it may take a while, but it will come, I can feel it in my bones.
Board and batten room plan, MyLove2Create
So here it is...The plan!  This may look like scribbles and confusion to the outside eye, but to me it is the catapult to getting out of this drywall mess I am in.  And let me tell you it took HOURS to figure this out, maybe that is pathetic, but it's the truth. I am so good at math, it's my favorite.

I could do a full blown tutorial on how to figure out board and batten for your space but there have been so many done, google and read what will work best for you, that is my advice.  I looked at tons of different ones and gathered great ideas and advice to come up with my own plan.
Board and batten ready to be installed, MyLove2Create
Only this plan is going to be a lot of work, just the photo above was a lot of work, but I am embracing it and the ugly is going to start to fade...I am seeing rainbows and sunshine in the future!  Let's get ready to Rummmmbuuuullll!  

Until next week!  Take some time to check out the other participants in the One Room Challenge, lots of good stuff going on!

Week 2 Spring 2023 One Room Challenge, MyLove2Create
How to embrace the ugly in a room makeover, MyLove2Create



Mindi at MyLove2Create

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