Wednesday, May 08, 2013

Living Room Makeover

When I first bought the home, the living room was painted a yellow color. Which was ok, sort of. But there were so many holes in the wall when I removed the nails and screws. And there was a spot that was painted a different yellow.

Since the kitchen was redone, and the living room was right off the kitchen, I figured I might as well keep going.

So on Sunday I gathered two friends and we went to town.




My job was to do the cutting in with the paint. The Shur-line paint edger is a God-send! I want to kick myself for trying to cut in with the paint brush when I was painting my bedroom. This saved so much time and blended in so much nicer with the roller brush.

Kristin was the Roller Queen. Pam took over painting the walls and trim in the little hallway outside the bathroom. You can't see it from the photo, but its the little alcove to the left of the closet door.

It was a long day. Even with three people this was a 4 hour job.

So after a quick walk with the dogs, we went to reward our hard work at Thai Cafe for dinner.  

Friday, May 03, 2013

Color shift

In the midst of all the renovation / moving nonsense, I need just one space where I can close the door and relax. That will be my bedroom.

I took a vacation day to get my room set up. First, paint the trim.

I changed it from a dingy off-white color to a bright white. You can see the drastic difference.


Then I painted the room a lighter color. Even though this photo was taken before I had overhead lights working, you can see the difference.


Any romantic ideas about how nice it will be to paint my entire house went out the window. Painting is a bitch. Mostly because my canvas tarp wasn't large enough to cover the whole floor, so I had to keep sliding it over to the area that I was working on. And that involved moving paint cans, a ladder, various crap. Stepping into flip-flops whenever I stepped on the newly finished floors so as not to get any paint on it. Then checking and wiping off any paint droplets before they dried.

But the result, as I finally laid down on a borrowed air mattress (that did not leak!) was pretty awesome.




Wednesday, May 01, 2013

Moving Day

I moved my stuff out of my apartment this weekend. After looking at the pictures, there was a lot more stuff than I thought. 

Saturday began with my good friend Jane arriving with her huge SUV to help cart boxes over to the house. If it was in a box or a plastic bin, and we were able to carry it, then we shoved it in her SUV or my car and drove it over. We did two trips. 





Then later in the day, Trosa arrived to take the furniture and anything left over. One hour is all it took for three guys to put stuff in a truck, drive it 20 minutes and unload stuff out of a truck.

By the way, Trosa is great. Wonderful people, professional and courteous. I love them!


The majority of my stuff got crammed in the back bedroom while I still have renovations going on and while I figure out what needs to go where.


Poor Barry is so confused.


Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Day 19: Kitchen Remodel

I am so close to the end.

I took a vacation day on Tuesday so I can gain some sanity. I was handing over my key to the apartment and still had to clear out the remaining crap. My house was still a shambles and nothing was set up.

The electrician came to finish his piece of the insane remodel puzzle.

Now my lights work and whatever crappy, illegal, hack job wiring that was done in my crawl space was removed and replaced with electrical work that won't set my house on fire. Score one for the electrician.


Today I stopped by to see my countertops being installed!

Friday, April 26, 2013

Day 12: Kitchen Remodel

Did a drive by yesterday and the last of the cabinets pieces are in.


How I feel about it.

The flooring crew kicked out the contractors before they could install the crown molding and kick stops. Getting the floors sanded and finished is the critical element here. 


Thursday, April 25, 2013

Day 11: Kitchen Remodel - Cabinets

They're here! They're here!


My lovely Martha Stewart knock-off cabinets are here! And they're getting installed!


When I checked in on the house last night, here's where they left off. I"m loving the glass front wall cabinet in the corner.



Day 11: Kitchen Remodel - Floors!

The critical piece to me moving in my furniture in this Saturday is to get the floors done. Sanded, refinished, dried... done.

The small repair area between the two bedrooms is complete. This once was the location of we think was a floor grate. It might have been something used to pull hot air out of the home. Anyway, the previous patch job sucked and now its gone.


The sanding equipment is in place and phase one can begin.
My bedroom has already been sanded. Looking lovely!

Day 11: Kitchen Remodel - Electrical

It's been a week since I posted about the kitchen. After a few days of inactivity that caused some nervousness, there is a flurry of activity at the house again.

The electricians arrived and started making holes in the walls at proper counter height.




And that crazy old fuse box in the kitchen that still had some knob fuses has been removed.

And all those extra fuses have been relocated to the main breaker box. This was an upcharge. $$. Fail.

I now have a light fixture in the small hallway outside the bathroom.

Things are progressing, but slowly. Turns out the electrician crew did not run the outlet for my electric stove or move a light switch in the living room as requested. Fail again. They'll be back. 

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Most annoying dog

Yesterday I worked from home to let my poison ivy-ridden body heal. And because I was actually working and not taking a day to spend with Barry, he got a little lonely.

When he gets bored and I'm not paying attention, he does things to get my attention.

Like climbing on to my closet shelf.


Or tossing things out of boxes to sit in them.

Or trying to squeeze in really tight spots.
I bet I can get up here...

Oh, hai!


Umph, just gotta turn around...

Ooh.. balance...


Ta Da! Hey Mom, look at me!

He climbed my stack of boxes like a mountain goat.

And got all nosey in my stuff.

So I yelled at him finally and made him go outside.

Where he sulked.

My dog is an asshole.

Day Four: Kitchen Remodel

I have floors! Lovely, oak floors that will match the rest of the house. 



Next in, the electrician and the floor guy to sand down the rest of the house and then refinish everything.

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Day three kitchen remodel

It's the third day and lo and behold, the sub-floor is cleared and the hole in the floor has been repaired. The wall has also been added. The shell of the kitchen is now complete. 


On deck are the hardwood floors that will occupy the kitchen. The floors throughout the house will be sanded and then the entire house will be finished together. Yeay hardwood floors. 


Boo price tag. 

Friday, April 12, 2013

Day Two: Kitchen Reno

It is a form of torture being at work, just two miles away from the house, knowing a transformation is going on. It was especially difficult this day because my attention was shifting from the house, to the poison ivy blisters. None of it was on my actual job.

I was thankful when it was 4:30 and I could drive over to the house to see the progress.

There is a clear sub-floor and the hole in the floor is patched. The walls are even prepped for a smooth coat of paint.

I can't wait to see what happens next.