A peek at a Nairobi Apartment

Last week we took you through the first steps in actually painting your wall. We promised to illustrate some basic painting techniques through video and pictures in the near future. This week we will take a bit of a detour and feature a painting project at a Nairobi apartment. I was invited to take pictures of the new flat before the painting job started. The idea was to eventually compare the end product with the unpainted walls.

 

On arrival, I found the team from Crown Berger décor services already at site, scrapping, filling and dusting the wall in preparation for the application of the base coat Vinly Matt Emulsion. I noticed that indeed the builders had already applied a cream coat on all the walls. I took the opportunity to indulge the men at work in some chit chat. They were kind enough to explain that the preparation process was to be followed by a fresh coat which eventualy would give way to Silk Vinyl Emulsion coat in the client’s chosen finish and colour.

 

 

This brief conversation left me quite curious and when Crown Berger’s resident decorator arrived, it was time to get more insight into what the expected outcome would be both from the decorator’s and the client’s point of view. As expected, the apartment owner had taken time to look up different homes from the internet for inspiration. She had settled on blue for her kid’s bedroom and different shades of brown for the rest of the house. I also learnt that a special faux technique called Ruff ‘N’ Tuff would adorn the feature walls for the living room, master bedroom, and cloak room. Having gained the big picture, it was time to take pictures. Click, Click, click I snapped away. Inspite of the challenge paused by the intense light that filtered through the undrapped walls I was able to get a fair impression of the initial look.

 

 

A week later it was time to check out the completed job. The team was doing the final touches and cleaning up. I must admit, it was a fine job. The Ruff ‘N’ Tuff textured finish was vivid and mesmerising. I couldn’t pass up the chance to get a word from the painters. These were men in their element doing what they love and obviously enjoying the appreciation from me. Omosh, one of the men, expalined that the living room feature wall had been finished by using a plastic trowel to create the jagged and somewhat perforated apperance. As for the Master bedroom, a comb had been “brushed” above the stoneless ruff n tuff for a corrugated look. Taking pictures of these awesomely finished walls was sheer ecstacy.

 

 

As I left the site, having completed my assignnment, I found myself musing at what the apartment owner would think of the outcome. The thought of how she would drape her windows and furnish her rooms, tugged on my mind. Well, if her taste in colour and wall finish is anything to go by, she was well on her way to creating a real cozy home.

 

LIVING ROOM

 

 

 

 

 

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After

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Upclose: Normal Ruff ‘N’ Tuff  Textured Finish

 

 

 

 

 

 

KID’S BEDROOM  

 

 

 

 

 

 

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After

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MASTER BEDROOM 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Upclose Ruff ‘N’ Tuff  Textured Finish