Consistent Projects for the Incosistent Blogger

Obviously I’m not the consistent blogger that has something new to publish daily. I wish I had the discipline to be consistent in my posting as Mark and I are in our renovation projects. That’s the thing, we are so consumed with our projects that recording them on the blog doesn’t come easy.  It becomes one more thing to do.

Just before the weather got warm, Mark wrote this and saved it as a draft.  I thought it elegantly described our relationship with the our blog and wanted to share.

“So we once again have the living space downstairs put back together.   Another room “finished.”   Project after project and still the list is so long.  Every item on the list promises experience, knowledge and frustration with a dab of satisfaction at the end.  I had forgone writing about it and focused on ‘getting it done’ instead, but now, as cold, wind and precipitation impede progress, reflection and contemplation sprout through plaster dust, splinters, paint drops and scattered tools.  I need the blog to remind me of what has been accomplished so that the daunting task of what’s still ahead is not so overwhelming.  I need to be reminded of how little I knew when I began and how much knowledge has been gained in the doing, yet humbled still by the vastness that is my ignorance.”

So after reading that, I can only say we are still working and this blog is really just a glimpse, a sheer shimmer of what we have accomplished so far.  One day I hope to be more consistent in my posting and shape it into something more but for now, this is really just for us.  To remind us that the list is shorter than it was a year ago.

Kitchen Gets a Makeover (of sorts)

We opened the blog with a picture of the sloping floor that led into the kitchen and a rather rough description of some of the “character flaws” that came with the house and became some of our projects.  Some were more fun and fulfilling than others and some were just things that needed to be done.  Renovating the kitchen was a little of both.

The tile desperately needed to be replace and the poor layout made it awkward for two people to move around.  The cabinets were not our style preference but were in good condition.  We knew that it wasn’t in our budget to do everything that we wanted to do but we could definitely get started with a fresh coat of paint on the walls and cabinets, a new floors, and a better layout.

So here is the current layout…

As you can see the hardest part was trying to figure out a way to lay the kitchen out in such a way that would allow for an open flow throughout the kitchen without sacrificing natural light.  There are four windows in the kitchen and a backdoor that opens to the deck.  Behind the back door is a radiator.  There is also a  non working chimney by the doorway entrance to the kitchen that once upon a time provided heat to the upper portion of the house.   Needless to say, there are not a lot of walls that could be made into productive counter or storage space.

We went through several scenarios and finally came up with a layout that would increase the amount of natural light that we get currently and give us a tab more productive counter top space and storage.  It also would allow us to expand and do other things down the road.

The work breakdown looks something like this.

• Paint the cabinets and island, and replace the hardware
• Replace the back door with a patio sliding door
• Remove radiator
• Install radiated floors
• Replace the floor with bamboo
• Move fridge
• Build a base cabinet
• Install cork counter top
• Move island an additional 2′ from the stove

First up, paint and hardware.

We decided to keep it simple and inexpensive by using paint that we already had for the trim throughout the house.  I did some research on hardware and planned on getting some from IKEA but on one of my many trips to Home Depot I saw that they had some decent mark down on bulk selections of pulls and handles, saving me a drive to Northern Virginia.  I bought brush nickle handles for the wall cabinets and matching pulls for the base cabinets.  Along with brush nickle hinges to complete the look.

I was now ready to get started on renewing the cabinets.  I took all the doors off the black iron hinges and filled in the holes from the previous hardware, smoothed out any rough spots with sandpaper, primed, and painted each door two coats of “Refined.”  Easy enough, moving on to the base and wall cabinets.  I allowed the cabinets amble time to dry before installing the new hardware but once I got it on and everything put back together it really made a huge difference.  Even the island looks great with its new shade of “La Fonda Jalapeno.”  I re-faced the seating of the bar chairs with some material I found at a local fabric shop and the kitchen was starting to take on a new persona.

At this point, we were only able to do the first bullet point on our list.  Stay tune, the rest will be revealed shortly!

One year today

Looking back at the last year we are very fortunate people. Not only were we able to buy this great house that we wanted to make into a home. We have been able to do just that. It’s been amazing what Mark has been able to accomplish in a year’s time. He has really been the pillar to getting this house into shape and without his craft we would not have been able to accomplished so much.

I can’t wait to see what the next year of renovations will bring. Especially since Mark and I are on the verge of planning our wedding and what would be more perfect then to have it at our home. Can’t Wait!!!

Happy Anniversary Baby!

Front Yard Garden Part 2

Anyone that knows me knows that I am not an endurer of manual labor. You are not going to see me framing the porch or lifting drywall. I did not own a decent hammer until Mark and I started dating and he bought me one. The thought of trying to figure out why the kitchen sink is clog isn’t something I would go any further than the sink drain to investigate.

But when it comes the garden, I will indulge the sore back and dirt embedded fingers to create the floral haven that is my front yard. In pt.1, I showed you the beginning stages of half the work. Now that I am pretty much done for the summer with the front, I want to share the other half.

Enjoy!

This view is from the side of the yard. I have a viburnum, a butterfly bush, a weeping cedar, some black eye susans, a couple different color coneflowers, some lavender, rosemary, and 3 types of basil.

One of the many coneflowers. This one is hanging out with the black night butterfly bush.

In pt. 1 you got to see the beginning stages. My, how they have blossomed.

One of the center points, a Japanese Maple. It’s so pretty and lush that pictures do not do it justice.

I’m starting to get peppers now, I’m just waiting for them to turn red.

Behind the red pepper plant are green beans and snap peas. I’m already getting beans and the snap peas are diligently climbing the trellis.

Pretty sweet smelling lavender. Just behind it is the rosemary. I love smelling these as I approach the front steps each day after work.

You may not be able to tell but these coreopsis tickseed, called “Red Shift” are a creamy yellow with bright purple/red in the middle. Quite lovely and have really bushed out. I should be able to break them up next year.

Along the both sides of the front walk are different herbs like dill, parsley, lemon thyme, hyssop, sage, and ornamental curry. The walkway ends with coneflowers, black susans, daylilies, and catmint.

So you may be wondering, what’s the next yard project??? Well I have sunflowers, bee balm, and dahlias just waiting to get in the ground and I have this backyard that needs some post clean-up TLC.

Holy Cow Bathroom, wait there’s another one!

We are at it again, another bathroom makeover. This 22 sq. ft room was not hard to gut, in fact I was able to do it myself (insert hi-five here) with some tips from Mark and a crowbar. I removed the paneling, trim, and tile in an hour.

We are replacing the paneling with new freshly painted bead board panels, replacing the tile floors with eco-friendly cork from Lumber Liquidators (total score on that one, Thanks Toni), and redoing the walls above the trim with venetian plaster.

Our inspiration… the beautiful stain glass window in the bathroom.

Can’t wait to show you the finished product.