Last big items....

Racing the clock to get the little trailer ready for her first trip of 2010, I needed to tackle the last two items remaining to make her renovation complete. Yes, I will always be adjusting and adding artsy touches, but the lack of flooring other than raw plywood made her look like a construction zone. I pondered long and searched the internet in vane for the right flooring solution. Several people recommended vinyl squares, and I did look at them, but they were all ugly refugees from the early eighties. Even as a temporary solution, I couldn't do that to my Blossom. I wanted something smooth, easy care, and dark brown to match the counters. I decided to paint the floor. Painted floors have long been a feature of summer cottages, so why not? Worst case scenario it would be an inexpensive temporary solution until I found something better.

Process: I wanted the rustic wood texture to show so I only slightly sanded the plywood. I primed with a coat of tinted primer, then applied 3 full coats of dark brown porch and deck latex paint (wow, that stuff is rubbery!). I just couldn't help adding a folkart flourish, so I used copper metallic artist acrylic to paint stars. Last I added 2 coats of spar varnish to seal in the stars and give a less rubbery surface.

I am totally thrilled with the result. It is way better than I expected and the copper picks up the other copper elements (lamps and backsplash). It might be too much for some folks, but for me it is perfect. Oh - the second finishing touch was to install a custom made (wood burned and painted, of course) set of coat hooks, that matches the custom painted cabinet knobs.

Now I'm ready to fill her up and hit the road!