Kitchen Progress

I love kitchens; I think they are one of the most 'popular' spots in a home. As you will see as you follow along, my style is really farmhouse/vintage/cottage. I have a big collection of Moderntone dishes that I really wanted to be able to show off in my kitchen. 

I wanted this space to be functional but I also wanted to be able to 'show off' my dishes (I planned to use them as my everyday dishes), and still display some of the serving dishes that would not be used as often. I had to keep this in mind when I went to order my new kitchen cabinets from Menards (of course during a sale).  SO, I ended up getting a decent deal on new cabinets - with a free sink base and upgraded self-closing drawers! This kitchen is not big, but I have found that I have no problem with storage (yet). Besides I'm all about simplifying - so if it doesn't get used and it's taking up space - it's going to go!

Here are some pictures of during the process. We had to replace some sub-flooring and some sheet rock on the exterior wall. This worked out well because we were able to re-insulate and vapor barrier, fix some electrical issues, and then we were able to fix/cover up (with a skim coat) the (awful) wallpaper without having to remove all of it! Win-win if you ask me.

My Blue House {before}

I haven't gotten around to taking pictures of rooms that are completed since I officially moved in, so I thought I would start just some of the before pictures. I must admit that when I first saw this house I was scared; I never saw the house in person before it was actually mine. I found the place online while I was still in college living in Nebraska. My parents had looked at it a couple of times and we (mostly my lovely dad) decided to move forward. However, I had been dreaming of a reno project for quite some time, so obviously I was able to see the potential and then got really excited! I couldn't wait to get to pick out the finishes and truly make this house into something that actually felt like my home. 

This house was a foreclosure and it needed A LOT of TLC (and then some). The previous owners stripped the house of basically everything, and what they didn't take was left damaged. They took everything from the furnace to Hostas from the landscape. There were a few fixtures missing and the doors had holes punched in them. The carpets were badly stained. Let's just say it didn't smell very nice and one of the first things I did after getting the keys was rip out ALL of the carpet and pad. 

front, from street

kitchen

basement bathroom

basement family room

utility/laundry room

'eat in' area of kitchen

looking from kitchen into the 'dining area'

living room

upstairs bathroom

bedroom #1

bedroom #2

office/craft room

 Whew. So there you have it. She was a real beauty! I am so glad that I got to incorporate my own style into this house and even though we still have a ways to go, I love that it feels like home! Of course, this little peach helps in that department, too:

little miss emma

Progress, not Completion

Progress is wonderful, completion would be best, but that can wait for a rainy day.

Life has been busy here. However, I was able to enjoy the long holiday weekend at the lake. The weather was great and we spent a lot of time just relaxing. It is always nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life for a couple days.  It's funny how when you're away from home, work, and school for a couple days you can really let go of everything. The down side to that - now it's back to the daily grind!

Classes started again this past week and I am having a bit of a hard time getting back into the swing of things! I need to really get focused and map out study time. I'm hoping to really get organized this week and stay on top of things.

With the lovely help of my parents we are really making progress on the basement, and even starting in on the backyard (thanks, Dad)! My parents have been so wonderful through all of this house 'stuff'. I don't think I will ever be able to repay them or thank them enough. We did a complete renovation of this house, so it seems like we get into a little of everything and never quite get a project (completely) done, but I am OK with that. Patience is necessary during this project. I am just fortunate to be in the situation that I am in, and need to remind myself that it is going to take time. I can't wait to start in on the home tour. It is going to be a fun way for me to relive the process, too! Stay tuned.