June 20, 2014

Remodeling Update #1

It's been a busy 2 weeks!  We have a long list of projects to tackle in this house, but I should let you know that we already took one thing off the list.  We've decided not to add a wall and connect the guest bedroom to the guest bathroom.  We were originally going to do this and then make it the master bedroom/bath, but it's not any bigger than the one we're in right now and this one's already connected to a bathroom.  Essentially, we're looking to add value.  That might not add any true value, so we're going to let it go.

Here's what we've been up to…



One of the deal breakers in this house were the wooden toilet seats.  Yes, brown wooden toilet seats.
On our first joint trip to Lowe's last week, we picked up a white toilet seat and bronze towel rack.  $34 and 20 minutes to make the bathroom look much better.


The bathroom already has nice tiling on the sink and shower and dark copper fixtures.  Eventually we'll replace the linoleum (it's in good shape for now) with slate and I plan to paint over that sea foamy color as soon as I can. How about yellow?

We added a doggy gate.


We have an "open" basement with no door and certain little animals like to run down there and get into things.  Right now there's lot of stuff to get into.   

I painted and decorated the entryway into the kitchen. I can't say why exactly, but I was extremely passionate about this.  I HAD to have it done.  There was no waiting or thinking.  3 coats of paint and 2 days.  

Before pictures:




Eventually, this entryway will have a slate floor and I plan on doing something to get rid of that ugly electrical panel cover (suggestions welcome).  

After pictures:


We painted that bench blue a few years ago.  I *think* Scott's dad built it.


The wall color is Valspar Gray Silt.


I saw this sign on Pinterest, loved it, and then found it in a store in Rolla, Missouri.  Wearing shoes in houses is one of my pet peeves.  But King George does what he wants.  Much like Chuck Bass or Tim Riggins (In fact, I would like a sign that says "Unless you are God, George Strait, Chuck Bass, OR Tim Riggins…take off your boots".)


The rug is from Target.



I'm aware that this coat hook doesn't necessarily fit the theme, because my theme is not rustic-log-cabin. But we bought it at the start of the Iditarod in 2010, so it has meaning.  Also, we hung it in the house we lived in then, but have just kind of carried it around since.  I'm glad it has a place now.


I bought the chalkboard in Missouri too, and then carried it to Colorado in my suitcase.  #dedication

And the hardwood floor…


It's coming along.  We can't finish it until we have our kitchen done and the kitchen probably won't be finished for awhile because we're ripping it all out, improving it (painting cupboards, new appliances, changing the island), and putting it all back together. Should be…fun.

I do want to keep these updates positive, because what we're doing is rewarding (albeit expensive). However, it's exhausting.  The physical labor of it isn't (though Scott might disagree), but the waking-up-and-going-to-sleep-in-a-construction-zone is draining to the spirit.  I just want to unpack!  But all of our stuff is mostly still in boxes.  Someday…

9 comments:

  1. Everything is look great so far!! We have decided that when Kyle retires we want to buy a home that we can remodel. :)

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  2. Wow, you guys have already done a lot in a relatively short period of time! Your comment about the wooden toilet seats thing made me laugh because our house has wooden toilet seats. We're just renters, what do we care? :P Maybe it was a thing in country houses in the 90s...

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  3. You guys have gotten a lot done, I'm impressed! Can't wait to watch the transformation!

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  4. We're hoping to move into our first house next year, with dreams of renovating to make it ours. I love your honest perspective on it! You'll get through it and then it will look beautiful (and actually reflect the 2 of you)! Though, via instagram, I was sad to see the Unicorn go.

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  5. Love it! Thanks for sharing your changes. I have a nasty electrical panel in my kitchen. I modified a cork board with a little fabric and upholstery nails to put over the cork board. We now hang invitations, fun pictures, and random stuff there. It works in the kitchen, could you do something like that and just tack up pictures to cover yours?

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  6. I can totally agree with the "draining of the spirit". With Jason's summer semester, I am just trying to do the best I can to get this place in order while working full-time. I have a list of things I want to do, but they'll have to wait. Because I am starting to feel a tad insane.

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  7. Remodeling IS exhausting! It's so hard to live around all of the chaos, but it will be finished eventually! Then you'll be happy with all of the changes! :)

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  8. There are number of good online stores that offer wide variety of bathroom furniture to choose from, the prices at which they offer will help you get a new bathroom within your budget.see page

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