2 months into the cottage makeover--
can you believe it???
Hard to imagine there remains any appetite
whatsoever out there for more pics of messes
in the house we plan to call home in a few weeks,
yet share them I will
for y'all faithful design masochists.
p.s.
In the future, I'll probably
just post monthly on our progress
as I need all the time I can get
for moving us over and ummm, life.
This was the lowdown for WEEK 8:
KITCHEN CABINETS!
Kitchen cabinets arrived and remain in boxes
until the flooring is installed.
I chose a simple painted shaker style door,
and when I learned that one of my design heroes,
Sarah Richardson
used this exact custom cabinet made by Schuler,
in her own home, it sealed the deal.
CEILINGS!
We decided even though the ceilings were an okay
shade of off-white, we wanted to bring as much
bright airy-ness as possible so in came the
scaffolding and paint sprayer.
This did the trick, and fortunately, my husband's
athleticism allowed him to survive the daunting task.
SMOOTHER CEILINGS!
Remember this blogger's decision to try
plastering in order to smooth textured ceilings?
these girls are the greatest! missing from the photo is
artist/photographer Melissa, who took the photo of me
in my kitchen above and does incredible work.
I did it!
Yep.
This girl smoothed the kitchen ceiling
and intends to smooth more.
The job is not yet done, and as much as I'd love
to snap selfies up on the ladder with
my trowel...gurl, pleez...use
your dang imagination.
STAIRS!
Mr. Lovely turned to the open stringer stairs
that I was soooo not a fan of and made
me a very happy girl indeed by
closing those motherlovers.
the stair makeover, but if I think
too much about the craptasticness
right now, my head might blow up.
WOOD FLOORS!
Very very exciting!!!!
We hired a master craftsman for our white oak
wood floors which are going in the first floor
and the master bedroom upstairs.
They are gorgeous, and even though
this is a huge expense and tons of
hard work to get just the right
look, we know the value
will be there in the end.
The above is the master bedroom floor after
we ripped carpet and 3 million staples out.
And here it is in progress.
MASTER BATH DEMO!
It has begun.
It is an ongoing nightmare.
I'll tell you why.
The window in this photo looks absolutely fine.
It's not.
So it has to go.
That is a lot of dough.
The toilet had been leaking like forever.
The floor under the toilet was shot and water damaged
so it had to go, and we'll need a new one.
Again, a lot of work (and hence, a lot of dough).
KITCHEN PREP FOR CABINETS!
Our kitchen still looks like this, but the gas line
was moved to accommodate a new location for
a gas cooktop, and recessed lights were moved.
There is still much to be done this weekend
so it will be ready for cabinet installation next week.
Lessons Learned in Week 8:
*I love working with plaster, and it feels good
to leave my comfort zone and push myself.
It's the only way to grow.
*My husband and I make a great team because
we honor the strengths and limitations of each other.
I stand in awe of the fearless warrior spirit he
brings to all aspects of his life, and I am so grateful.
*Always hire the very best to do the work for
which you are not skilled...be willing to pay and wait
for as long as it takes for things like flooring
which will be in place for decades.
*Uprooting twice within a few months is more
stressful than I can say, and I am paying a
steep price as far as my emotional health.
THE 3 F'S:
faith, friends who care,
and a fierce sense of humor.
Thank you for following, friends.
Please come join me
in this DIY adventure by
clicking here for all my fixer upper update posts!
(And thanks for subscribing here so you don't miss an episode.)
Coming soon:
KITCHEN CABINET INSTALLATION
MASTER BATH FIXES
FINISHED FLOORS
Peace to you right where you are.
