A Little Lincrusta

The tub in our master bath, has been something I have wanted to spruce up for awhile. I wanted to add some sort of wood molding or paneling to the exterior front, but because of it's curved nature, it just isn't possible.
Here is a pic from before we moved in:
Holy Purple Paisley, Batman! Looks like the 90's just threw up all over our walls!

Here is another before, after the walls have been textured and glazed:
(still kind of blah)
(Also, I was told we couldn't change out the hardware without ripping the tub out)
You can also see the 90's wall 'o glass block

One lovely day last May, one of the last days of freedom, er, I mean preschool, I headed to Josh's office. He was busy in interviews so I ran across the street to Goodwill, and because I was flying solo, I also got to look around :)
I found a brand new box of what I thought was a giant paint able wall paper border for $2.99.
When I got home and looked it up online, I was silly with excitement.
From the Lincrusta site:

Lincrusta was launched in 1877 to instant success in a host of applications from royal homes to railway carriages. A British invention, it was the brainchild of manufacturer Frederick Walton whose father pioneered linoleum floor covering in the 1860´s. Originally launched as "Linoleum Muralis", it was subsequently re-named "Lincrusta-Walton" − Lin for Linum (flax, from which linseed oil is made) and Crusta (Relief), with the inventor´s name being added to prevent other firms using the same title.
It has been used in the White House and the Titanic.

Turns out I have a frieze, in the Diana pattern and it retails for $300 a roll (11 yards)
SCORE!


With 33 feet, there is not enough to do an entire room.So I measure our tub surround, cut the two lengths of lincrusta, and trimmed it to fit the proper height. It is important to do two pieces, because it will not bend enough to be flush in a corner. Soaked it for 30 minutes. On the back I heavily applied Liquid Nails, the Heavy Duty, and also the small projects version. I took a plastic knife and smoothed it over every square inch, like a nice toxic icing. When I applied it to the cultured marble, I held it on for a few minutes to let it set, but then used painters tape to keep it in place while it dried.Also, the part I trimmed off looks like baseboard moulding, so I applied it on the outside of the tub, where it meets the floor.


I caulked every edge to give a seamless appearance. Also, on the fireplace surround and the front of the tub, which were both still smooth, so I took painters caulk, and with my hand just lightly smeared it on, in kind of a streaky fashion. It gives it the appearance of rough aged wood.


I then primed it with an oil based primer.
Waited a day or two.
Painted a base coat of Cliveton Leather, a nice neutral khaki
(Leftover wall color)


Then I dry brushed two shades of grey, three browns, and an antique gold over the high relief areas.


Made a stencil in Adobe for an antique crest
(turned out a little small, but I am too lazy at this point to start over.....)
I like to use the rough side of a kitchen sponge to distress soft paint, because none of the layers have cured, it is not as abrasive as sandpaper, and just took off the top layer.





I used an old rag and rubbed the entire area with raw umber oil glaze.
Let it dry over night, and then covered it all with two coats of polyurethane in semi gloss.



I had two yards of beautiful woven tapestry-like fabric left from recovering some chairs, so what's a girl to do? How about make a pointless curtain? Perfect! Fabric always softens a room!
I used a piece of PVC I cut to length as the rod. I drilled holes at 45 degree angles and screwed it into a 4" piece of wood. That made it easy to use drywall screws to attach the wood flush to the wall. It was still hanging at a slight angle, so I took a piece of the burlap trim I used for the tieback, wrapped it around the pole and screwed it inside the skylight. Then just hot glued a finial on the end!