Showing posts with label remodeling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label remodeling. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

hiding place

when i got back from my trip last week, matt and max had a surprise!
and not just any surprise...a whopper of one! when we pulled up to the house i noticed our old and outdated (not to mention broken) porch light had been replaced with a shiny and snappy new one, all lit up...and i was beside myself! i thought that was the end of the surprises, but it was just the tip.
all throughout the house, "i's" had been dotted and "t's" crossed. doors finally painted and ceiling holes patched...lights that never worked were working and everything smelled fresh and new. we've been living in a halfway finished house for almost a year now...and in one week almost everything was fixed. my two boys just might be the best at good surprises and at loving on their gal. 
 
the happiest surprise by far was my reading loft! it's finished and ready for books and a comfy bed!
matt had a beautiful metal railing installed and built bookshelves. he had lights put up and spruced up the old wood attic floors (i cherish the mismatched boards). 
it's a dream. really and truly, a dream.
the truth is, time alone...finding a place to escape...has always been important to me. baby katie would sneak away and hide under the fern plant in the living room or curl up in that white chair to read and have time alone. as i got older, i would climb trees to hide away from the world...and that's exactly why matt built me this space. it's my white chair...my fern plant...my apple tree.

and not a moment's thought goes by without me feeling overwhelmingly loved and completely understood. he gets me. and i'm one lucky lady. 

if you don't hear from me again, you'll know where to find me.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

the state that i am in

 i thought i'd share a little on the state of our house remodeling.
we're inching our way closer to finishing the downstairs family and dining room (which used to be the garage and was converted by the previous owners). it's been in a drywall dusty and sad state for a few months now. but nothing compared to what it was before.
the drop panel ceiling is long gone (and half of the ceiling went with it), along with the textured faux finished walls and wood paneling.
we spent the day priming the room tuesday and it's got me itching for the fun part...scooping up new lighting, furniture, windows, flooring, more coats of paint, and other odds and ends.
doing this all on the cheap is the most exciting part. we'll see how well we do. 
 (the tv nook and existing bookshelf)
i would love to add a wall-mounted fireplace underneath the tv (the ventless fuel-flamed ones), but am having some trouble finding one that looks halfway realistic. 
  this is the view of the dining room (below the loft) from the family room. we're adding another window to add a bit of symmetry to things.
i'm still looking for the perfect railing for the loft. something with low impact...without being too modern?
our fingers are crossed to be able to find an old wood beam to replace the steel one there now.

it's been a slow process, this house...getting things done as we can afford. but i'm really enjoying this stage in our lives...making a mess and a niche for the three of us.
 and as of yesterday, the hole in our kitchen ceiling is officially patched and almost ready for paint! 
progress really does do wonders for a girl...