If you follow me on Instagram you know that there has been a lot going on in my little house. When we bought it we knew it needed a lot of work and those home improvements have begun. There were three major projects to be tackled:
- Adding a second bathroom
- It had no kitchen to speak of
- Sheetrocking the ceiling and walls
The first priority as we saw it was the second bathroom. The only one in the house was on the first floor which was a royal pain in the tail in the middle of the night when all of the bedrooms were on the second floor. As the husband said – you really don’t want two old geezers having to navigate steps in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom!
So we took one of the upstairs bathrooms and turned it into a laundry room/second bathroom. It still needs some cosmetic work but it’s completely functional. Yes, I love that tub.
The washer and dryer are in the room which makes for a lot less carrying of clothes up and down the steps. It will only be in the warmer months when I can take advantage of my Sunshine Clothes Dryer that I will have to haul laundry up and down. But it’s worth it to me to hang the clothes outside.
The Kitchen
This was the BIG project. The existing kitchen was basically well, non existent. That’s all she wrote folks, in the photo above. THAT is what I had to work with. Until the hubby bought me a work table. That helped considerably.
But now I have a beautiful kitchen! It took a while as I am sure anyone who has had a kitchen done can attest. The very last item was installed today – a stainless steel border – and it will be ready to go tomorrow so I will have a video on Instagram of the new kitchen then. Right now it still looks a bit the mess because of having to move everything off of the counters.
The Dining Room
Likewise the new dining room that we created out of the downstairs space off of the kitchen. It’s full of the stuff that had to be moved for the stainless install. I’m very happy with that room as well.
I noted on Instagram today that the chandelier is installed….
…and I love it. It certainly was not a traditional choice and there were some comments when I first showed it out of context but I love it and that is what matters. We just have to add a brighter light bulb to it. I am also taking my time looking for curtains for the window.
The Bathroom Off of ….the Dining Room?
Yes, for reasons unknown but probably due to “where else are we going to put it.” The one and only bathroom in the house when we bought it was off of the dining room. So. very. strange. But it is what it is and one must make the best of it.
The main problem with this placement was the door. Any time you opened it the chair at the end of the dining room table got bonked. And that was with an empty chair – it is worse when there is someone IN the chair.
I came up with the idea to change the standard door for a barn door. As this slides there is no danger of hitting someone as they are sitting at the table. I also really do like the look of it and it does suit the house.
The husband also found really pretty grates to cover the heating ducts. I think they are much nicer than the simple grid grates that had been there before.
What’s Left?
There is still a little left to do. Well, maybe a lot. There is no sheetrock on the ceiling in the living room which makes for a less than attractive look. This is going to get addressed next week. Hooray. I am currently looking for a light fixture for the living room ceiling.
Then we just have to paint; the living room floor, the living room walls and the upstairs bedrooms. A bit of work but I find painting walls to be very calming. I won’t mind that in the least. I am hoping against hope that it will all be done by Christmas.
Fingers crossed?
