Reno Reveal: Part 2

Alrighty! Ready to see the rest of the rental redo, aka Face-lift on the Cheap? Let's continue on with the walk-through. I'm not feeling so hot tonight, so I'm not up to typing much. After three to four weeks and two trips to the doctor, I'm still not up to par. Whatever this bug is I've had is wicked! So, due to a huge desire and need to rest, I'll be brief and hope this makes sense (because I'm feeling a little woozy:)!

From the dining room I moved on to the Family Room. Here's two "Before" pictures:

"Before" shot with all the old carpet and louvered sliding door to the hallway that was removed.

Be gone old blue curtains and darkness!

 The new hardwood flooring was continued on into here and the hallway. The walls were painted SW Muslin, a new ceiling fan and storm door were installed, and new window dressings. All trim was once again scrubbed down with TSP and re-stained.

So much airier, light and bright! 

Then there was the hallway to tackle:

Paneling, carpet, louvered sliding door...!

The homeowner had started down the right path to lighten the hallway by painting the paneling,
but the colors were just all wrong. It was the same cold toned green/gray.

Out came the paint cans again, and the same treatment was given here as everywhere else. The top was the SW Muslin and from the chair rail down was the custom mix.

All trim and doors were re-stained. The light was replaced
as well as continuing the hardwood flooring into the hallway.

Then came the master bedroom and bath. Here's the before shots:

Some nice tenant had painted the master bedroom lemon yellow. Ugh!

If I'd have had the money in the budget, this would have been a gut job. Gotta love the
old laminate countertop, chipping painted vanity, Hollywood strip lighting, and gold fixtures!

 The master bedroom and bath both received the trim treatment and paint as well as new carpet.

Much better.

In the master bath, I started with stripping down the vanity. I have to say, the master bath and the kitchen were by far where I spent the majority of my time. My furniture revamping skills came in handy with both rooms, but particularly with the master vanity. See for yourself.

Lots of nastiness!

Then is was all sanded down.

Scottie Dog had to check out the action:)

Then the first coat of my favorite stain, Minwax Dark Walnut went on.
Don't you just love the gold toilet with the wooden seat?!

Next, a new vanity top and faucet were installed before the second coat of stain went on.

The homeowner had changed out the lighting and installed new laminate flooring. Some Polycrylic and new chrome hardware left the homeowners having a hard time believing it was even the same vanity! Bingo! Add a new white shower curtain and nice chrome rings, chrome accessories, white towels, toilet update and it was a whole new room.
One I'd actually like to spend time in getting dressed each morning:)

I was pretty happy with the final results:)

There you have it. The finished tour of what I've been working on for the last two months! Looking at it now, it's hard to believe it took so much work, but oh, my word, did it take work! God was gracious, though. By his grace, and ONLY by his grace, I was able to finish on time even though I was sick and ready to drop the last week. It became a constant battle to keep moving. There were so many little times he reminded me he was there holding me up. For instance, when I walked into the family room to see a little wren just sitting on the mantle! He'd managed to squeeze in through the few inches I'd cracked the garage door for fresh air. It may seem totally unrelated, but it was at that point I was really needing his uplifting hand to keep going. Seeing that little bird just sitting there and how easy it was to open the door and watch it fly out, made me truly feel his presence. It was like he was saying, "See the bird and remember,

Matthew 10:29-31

"Not even a sparrow, worth only half a 

penny, can fall to the ground without your 

Father knowing it. And the very hairs on 

your head are all numbered. So don’t be 

afraid; you are more valuable to Him than 

a whole flock of sparrows."

Philippians 4:13

"For I can do everything with the help of 

Christ who gives me the strength I need."

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Rental Reno Reveal: Part 1

Well, the much anticipated rental redo/face-lift is complete! I can't tell you how good it feels. I took a ton of pictures, and decided the best way to do this reveal was to break it into two parts. Otherwise, I'd take forever getting everything edited and posted.

Our original deadline was February 1st, but it became apparent to everyone that wasn't going to be possible so it ended up being completed by mid February. A lot of repairs and exterior work had to be done and hired out. One of the things about renovation is you never know what you're going to discover. Inevitably you'll find repair work you never planned or budgeted for (which then affects your finishing budget!). Keep that in the back of your noggin' if you plan to tackle such a job. The older the house, the more likely you'll spend a good sum of money on hidden repairs.

That said, want to see what I've been working on (literally) for the last two months? Today I'll show you the kitchen, dining room, second bathroom and two of the three bedrooms. Tomorrow I'll post the family room, master bed and bath, and hallway. For a house so small (1530 sq. ft.) it has an amazing amount of storage! Which meant I got to paint a lot of closets as well:)

Let's review, shall we? Here's the little rental I've been trying to bring into the 21st century on a super tiny budget (for a reno):

It's really a rather cute little ranch that just needed a lot of lovin'!

The outside wasn't too bad. I don't have any updated pictures of the exterior to show as of now. Suffice it to say it's very much as it is here.

Now, let's see that kitchen as it was. Bear in mind, these are the best pictures the homeowner could find to send me. I wasn't able to get many taken before it became a work zone.

It may have been built in 1984, but I swear it looks like it was built in the 60's or 70's!

It had it all...laminate butcher block for counter AND backsplash, wallpaper border, a cold green/gray color on most walls, old groovy cabinets, scallop valance, flourescent lighting, old shiney brass fixtures, old appliances and a tiny budget.  I had my work cut out for me!

By the time I managed to get a few before pics in, new appliances had already been installed, walls painted and a few cabinet doors removed. I wasn't the only one working here (but I was the only woman!), and it was a disaster zone! Construction is a messy process:)

The "yellowishness" was overwhelming!

On one trip back I managed to squeeze in a few "During the Reno" shots. This was the weekend I tiled the backsplash:

Can I just say... this mess made me twitch... and when I work alone it's not exactly clutter free!

Even with everything a mess and cabinets still unfinished,
you can see what a dramatic difference the new subway tile backslash makes!

The last thing done was hanging the refaced cabinet doors and adding new brushed nickel hardware. The homeowners had two very specific wants when it came to the kitchen redo...almond/biscut appliances (that they purchased on their own) and stained wood cabinets...NO paint! That made for quite the challenge. In order to lighten and brighten a room with limited sunlight, naturally you want to slather on the light or white paint. But, I had to keep the cabinets stained. So, instead I went with a glossy off-white subway tile and old white grout. Then, I revved up the lighting wattage! Walls went a creamy white (SW "Muslin") and old fluorescent were replaced with halogen fixtures. Halogen gives a much crisper, brighter light with more lumens for the maximum wattage.

If budget would have allowed, I've have switched out the bar stools, but a tenant can do that later.

I was also instructed to leave the mini-blinds... which I would have loved to replace. But, like I have said before. You have to invest in what's going to make the biggest impact and we were maxing out the budget as is.

As much as a new counter-top would have looked fantastic, I knew we could make the most of the laminate butcher block, so it didn't make the budget cut.

A new light fixture put in by the homeowner brings the breakfast area into the 21st century. Your's truly scrubbed all the trim (in the house!) down with TSP and a sanding sponge, then a fresh coat of stain was applied! Talk about work! I did more squats than I've ever done at the gym:)

This window underwent a minor, but major impact change. I took down the wooden scallop valance from the 60's and replaced the fluorescent tube light with a hanging halogen pendant.  The amount of light that flooded in just from those two changes was amazing!

And last, but not least, there was the cabinetry reface. I'm noticing I forgot to remove the wide angle lense with the way the horizontal lines are curving:)

For the cabinet refacing, all of it was sanded down and scrubbed with TSP, veneer was applied to the doors and drawers, trim mitered and applied to trim out the doors, two coats of Golden Pecan stain applied to the veneers and trim (in order to match the look of the old finish on the cabinet bases prior to adding the new stain), then a fresh coat of Minwax Polyshades in Misson Oak applied to all the cabinetry to achieve a rustic look, and new brushed nickel hardware installed. Whew! Makes me tired just thinking about it all:) 

Just as a side note, unless you plan to spray the Polyshades or want a rustic look like this, don't use it. It gives a streaky appearance and isn't really staining. It's tinted polyurethane. It just sits on top of the old finish. So, it's really TONING the wood... not re-staining it. Meaning, if it doesn't go on smooth, and you keep applying layers, it will only deepen, not fill in like paint or stain. When applied correctly,  it can give a fantastic deep, rich, lustrous look, but it's really hard to do with a brush. I didn't mind the streakiness here because it kept with the more "Pottery Barn" look we were going for.

Now, moving on. Next we come to the little dining room. This is how it started:

Parquet floors that were falling apart, wallpaper boarder, old shiney brass chandelier,
cold wall color and a vinyl roll up shade.

At this point, the light fixture had already been changed out and the wallpaper border had been removed previously by the owners and an unflattering cold grey/green color applied to the walls. You can begin to get a feel for how bad a shape the trim was in from the doorway!

New solid, three quarter inch white oak floors were put down on a diagonal and two coats of satin poly were applied - no stain. I loved the natural look! Then I tackled the dining room which was a pretty quick redo. Walls were painted in my custom mix of one part SW Bittersweet Stem and two parts SW Muslin in eggshell. The trim was all scrubbed and re-stained. And the homeowner had already installed a new light fixture. Lastly, I added some sheet linen-like panels to the window to help dress the room up more for showing.

This was probably the brightest room in the house, but I ran out of daylight and had to get my "After" shot in the dark.

Next, comes the family room and hallway, but I'll save those for tomorrow. Lastly (for today), I'll show you the improved front bathroom. I REALLY wish I could have gotten a before shot of this one! The homeowner had this picture with it's lovely mauve and dusty blue sea-shell wallpaper that was peeling off, hollywood vanity light, old groovy cabinetry and pink/white linoleum flooring.

What this picture doesn't show was the pink/mauve sponge painted walls that had most recently replaced the wallpaper! When the SW Muslin went up, it almost looked green next to the unpainted section of mauvishness, causing me to doubt my choice of color for just a second:)

Once again, walls were painted, all cabinetry and trim was scrubbed, sanded, and the Mission Oak Polyshades was applied to all the cabinetry. Trim was re-stained to freshen existing color with Minwax Express Color in Pecan. Everything was re-caulked, scrubbed with a toothbrush (I'm picky!) and bleach, and new linoleum flooring was installed. New lighting was installed by the homeowner and matching brushed nickel hardware replaced the old brass knobs on the cabinetry. With a few photo props, the final result was nice and clean looking:

All freshened up!

By darkening the stain, it helps to hide the grooves and draw you eye to the clean white top. Gotta love contrast! I would have loved to replace the faucet, but it wasn't in the budget, not to mention not enough time.

Last, but not least, the two secondary bedrooms each received fresh paint in the custom mix of the dining room, new carpet, refreshed trim, old curtains tossed and the hideous carousel ceiling fan was replaced. Beyond that, other than than installing larger windows (which was never going to happen with this budget), there wasn't much else to do.

Here's the before shots given to me:

The back bedroom with it's cold grey paint and eighties balloon valance.

The carousel room...enough said!

Much brighter and warmer. Not so cave like.
Given a few props, this room could really take on the "Pottery Barn" modern feel.

These closets were amazingly large for such small bedrooms! And, yes, they got the paint treatment as well:)

This was not a good lighting shot. I tried to do some correction in Photoshop, but this was as good as it was getting. Oh well. You can see the changes. Carousels and cold grey....be gone!

And yet another closet.

Well, there is the Reno Reveal: Part 1. Probably the toughest thing in design is being able to give the homeowners what THEY want... not just what you like. It's super easy to come up with ideas to update spaces. The tricky part is tweaking that plan until it satisfies their wants, likes and budget. You wouldn't believe the amount of time spent just doing the planning for this face-lift!

Stay tuned... because tomorrow is Reno Reveal: Part 2!

Mudrooms Guest Post

Today, I'm typing up a Before and After post on the Rental Redo and editing photos! So, while I'm working away, I decided to take Arcadian Lighting up on a guest post. They found some of the most gorgeous mudrooms to share with you below! Check them out and see what they have to offer. You're bound to find something you like. Nothing transforms a room like a new light fixture. Thank you, Jessica!

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Hello! I'm Jessica, a writer for Arcadian Lighting, a wonderful source for affordable lighting fixtures and interior design inspiration. Today, I'd like to share a selection of mudrooms on Bee Interiors. For those living in less forgiving climates, it can be difficult to keep your home clean when a trip outdoors results in soggy shoes and heaps of extra clothing layers to store away. A mudroom is the perfect solution for keeping an entryway uncluttered and your home a little more clean. Enjoy!

This charming country house mudroom provides plenty of storage for shoes and umbrellas with very minimal furniture. A mini bench and a few well placed pegs make this room neat, tidy, and inviting.

A mudroom doesn't only have to be convenient for the people in your household, but your pets too. This built-in dog bed in this shelf is such a great idea.

The beautiful woodwork and woven baskets in this mudroom add a slightly rustic contrast to the crisp white painted cubbies and modern pendant light. The slate tiles give the room a subtle 'outdoorsy' feel to help transition from outside to inside.

This staircase provides the perfect spot for storing shoes and outdoor clothing if the entryway is not spacious enough. The purple color palette is a very serene and modern choice that goes beautifully with the wicker baskets.

A coat closet in the entry way can also be transformed into a mini mudroom. The pale yellow and white color helps brighten the small space and attracts the eye. A very clever DIY project.

I love the distressed quality of the green paint in this mudroom. Recessed ceiling lights are a great option for lighting smaller rooms without taking up space or getting in the way.

The woodwork and the natural color scheme in this room is simply lovely. The stone floors are also durable and easy to keep clean.

The gingham pattern on the bench adds such a friendly quality to an already cozy entryway. The cupboards and drawers make this mudroom particularly neat and clutter-free.†Images†1†|†2†|†3†|†4†|†5†|†6†|†7†|†8

If you have a mudroom, how do you keep the space organized? Let us know! And don't forget to stop by Arcadian Lighting for perfect pendant lights that will brighten your own mudroom.

Where is she?!

via www.keepandshare.com

(Sunday morning:)

As I pry my eyes apart while trying to drink my second cup of coffee, I sit here and wonder if you all think I've fallen off the face of the earth? You're probably wondering, "Is she still blogging? Did she ever finish that rental face-lift, is she still alive?" The answer to all of the above would be yes!!!

The last month and a half have found me buried in more work than I ever should have taken on, and...frankly doubting my sanity! I'm sure you all did when I told you I was doing this face-lift two hours away that could only be done on weekends while trying to stay married and raise three little boys. You probably thought things like,
"She's NUTS"
"She's insane"
"She's a glutton for punishment"
"She's just flat out stupid"!

Frankly, I'm shocked any of you still read my crazy ramblings as I sit here and process just what all must have crossed your mind. You're one fantastic and patient group of people to put up with me...then again maybe you're just curious as to what the next stupid thing is that I'm going to do! That's it. You just need someone to laugh at. Well, go ahead. I deserve it. BUT...I've become a better person for it. I've learned my limits and some serious appreciation for tradesmen. Chalk it up to a learning experience.

So, about that rental...this morning I'm trying to give myself a pep talk to go finish up today. It's pouring rain and only 7:30 and I'm sick. I'd rather be in my bed at home getting ready to round up the crew for church. Not that I've not liked this job. I've loved it. I'm just ready to be done. Never again will I take on a job two hours away that can only be done on the weekends (not anyway where I'm doing most of the work)! It's kicked my tail.

Today I'm hanging cabinet doors, finishing a few minor details and then taking photos of the finished product. I'm also feeling like I've been hit by a truck. This week I succumbed to a nasty sinus and upper respiratory infection and I'm moving like a snail.

The biggest reason I took on this job was the challenge of it. Could I do it? Second, it presented an opportunity to practice some skills usually hired out to trades (for a good reason!). I have always felt like if you're going to make suggestions for things that are going to cost people money, you need to fully understand what you're talking about as well as the time and skill involved in the project for many reasons. Least of which would be negotiating costs for trade labor. The only REAL way to do that is to do it yourself once. You'll see things from a whole new perspective and have a much greater  appreciation for tradesmen. Folks, they don't charge those prices just to gouge you (anyway, not all the time)! This is some seriously time-consuming and hard work! But can I tell you how good it feels to look back and say, "I did it [and I'm still married]!"

As a side note, the hubby and homeowners deserve some serious praise for being so patient and willing to let me do this. It has been a fantastic learning experience. When I consider how much better it looks now and for no more than it cost, it's simply amazing! This was a fairly inexpensive face lift when you consider what all was accomplished. It just goes to show...if you invest in the RIGHT things, you don't have to spend a small fortune (remember...it's relative!) to make a place look 100% better. I'm not saying it's going to be cheap, but knowing what will give you the most bang for your buck is critical. So is knowing when to stop...because renovation can be like a run away train. One thing can lead to another and before you know it...you're in way over your head! Not that I've got any experience with that:)

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