Motivational Project for April

My motivational project for April is finishing the black and white living room.

The first thing is to make a fireplace for the centre of the back wall. For this, I'm using 1" thick builders' foam. It will got from floor to ceiling with a niche in the top portion to hold my Neil Carter bronze.

My late BIL gave me this hot wire cutter for cutting styrofoam but I've never been able to cut straight lines with it very well.

Then the light bulb went off! If I clamped two rulers (one on each side of the builders' foam), they would act as a guide for the hot wire. Worked beautifully.

I used the same method to cut the straight lines for the fireplace opening, then freehanded the curves.

I cut molding to go around the sides and front.

The  niche was a bit more difficult to cut out. It was pretty much a matter of digging it out bit by bit.

Added the molding/

Painted the entire piece white.

Added a piece of white cardboard across the back.

Tried it in place. It's too white and doesn't work with the wallpaper.

So I painted another piece of foam with an ivory paint. It looks much better with the wallpaper and yet it just softens the look.

So now I will repaint the whole piece with the ivory.