The Alcove

The impending massive decorating job that is now hanging over me, following the completion of a significant construction project, is causing some serious displacement activity. Case in point: this weekend, which saw me finally lining out the display alcove in Nikki's half of the study. This is one of those "finishing off" jobs that tends to get left (in my world) ad infinitum. Well, not quite infinitum, but approaching three years, which is long enough to feel infinitumish.

That alcove - in what was a fireplace - has been hiding behind a bird bedecked parasol and falling firmly in the "out of sight; out of mind" category since the study was replastered. Such is the quantity of painting now facing me (easily several hectares) that it seemed sensible to put myself in the position of being able to finish all the outstanding painting at the same time. I mean, if there's priming and undercoating to be done, why leave out the priming and undercoating that'll be required on any of the other parts of the house? It feels slightly uncomfortable, exposing quite so much of the way my mind works, but there it is.

Armed with a few sheets of 9mm MDF, some ogee architrave and a couple of lengths of 1x1 battening, I set to yesterday morning and by lunchtime today the alcove looked like this.

Ready to receive a coat of primer as soon as I've punched and filled all the nail heads and gaps in The Room Above, and can do all the priming in one go.

The woodwork will eventually be traditional satin white, but the shelves and lining - at Nikki's suggestion - will be tricked out in the accent colour that matches the walls. This used to be called Raspberry Something, but in the intervening three years the Dulux marketing department has renamed it and it's now Redcurrant Glory. I'll be painting round the wood-burning stove on my side to match too. Glorious.