Remodeling 101

We live in a 1960's three bedroom ranch with one bath. It is paid for and it is warm and comfy and has served us well raising 2 boys.

On the farm we are rough. There is always dirt, hay, feed, dog hair or something else making it's way into the house. While raising the boys we never had time or money to "redo" the house.

Necessity changed all that several years ago.

Back in 2001, we decided to do some remodeling. If you have done anything major to a house, you will know that nothing goes as planned. For every step forward there are two steps back.

We decided that we would do one room at a time, and as it worked out, it turned into one room or project a year.

The first question is what do you do with all the stuff in the area you are remodeling?

We started with the garage..... then we would have space to put the stuff from the house when we got that far. Dave did the garage the way he wanted, adding drywall, more electric, lighting,

a tool room and shelving.

We had to do some foundation work with the garage project, but it worked out well and I gained a breezeway addition to the house. It was a nice place to put coats and boots and other things instead of dropping them in the kitchen as in the past. I paneled the walls, laid ceramic tile and decorated the breezeway. Room one was done!

Life went on and we got to the kitchen. Walls had to come down, ceilings and joists repaired, new cabinets had to be custom made and flooring had to be installed. We lived, and ate in the living room with a microwave, and electric skillet and a sandwich maker for 6 months!

During this phase of the project, we also decided that we needed new windows, and if we were going to do the ones in the kitchen, we had to do the whole house so they would match.

One step forward, two back.

After the kitchen, college for two boys, a wedding and two surgeries interrupted the projects. Smaller bedroom projects were tackled and only consisted of paint, new carpet, and window treatments. This past summer, I finished the last bedroom by refinishing the hardwood floors and redecorating the room. In between all this, life went on...one day at a time.

During all this time there was never enough room in the garage to move the stuff out of each room as planned, so we moved stuff from room to room in order to have space to work.

This past few weeks, I started the the living room........ Then I interjected a project at my mother in law's house, installing ceramic tile floor in her breezeway..... I put my things on hold for about a week, did her project and returned to my work at home.

Although it isn't the most complicated project, we live in this room. We do not have a family room and so most activities and such are in this room. Not only did we have to paint and get new blinds, the furniture either had to be replaced or recovered and the biggest project was to refinish the floors.

Our budget didn't allow for new furniture and having one of the boys still at home with his friends, we decided that covering the older furniture would be best for now. I used denim to make slip covers for the cushions on the furiture.

This is also not the time of year to do the floors, so I tackled all the other projects and decided to leave the floors until Spring and warmer weather.

I finished sewing the last of the throw pillows for the couches last night. Whew!!! What a relief.

It has taken us almost 8 years to get to this point, and I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

The last project is the Bathroom. We only have one, so it will have to be done quickly. We can go to Grandma's for showers, but we need the facilities daily. We will wait for warmer weather for this project.

So here is a peak it the living room as it now. I can't wait to do the floors. It will make a big difference when they are done.

Living room with new blinds (I love my new blinds)

recovered Love seat and new lamp

Can you see the faux finish on the walls?

Recovered chair