So here is another piece of the puzzle; the backsplash is finally up! In the before picture you can see, not only ALL the junk in my kitchen, but the faux tile backsplash that was up before. That stuff REALLY wanted to stay up there!
After much spraying and scraping I finally removed all the old wallpaper and put up this:
I really love how it turned out! The wallpaper is less forgiving than the tile kind had been. It is a softer vinyl with more give and the strait lines don't help hide any imperfections in the wall behind. There are just a couple of spots where the old owners had once nailed things in the wall using railroad stakes and since the holes didn't show up before I figured it was okay this time. Not so much. Good news is that you can BARELY see them, unless you are me and knitpicking everything to death.
Lou and I also finished up the cabinets and woodwork in bright white paint and the dings and spots on the walls have been filled and will be ready to paint next week. Including the really nasty spot above the beadboard in the above picture. That spot is giving me the perfectionist willies. ~shudder~ I also have some half round that will be cut to fit there, but not until after. So much to do, so little time! Four more weeks!
