The good, the bad, and the very ugly

We had a bridal shower here on Saturday.  I wish that things had been a little more finished (ie., the walls painted!!) but it was still very nice.  There were places for guests to sit, eat, and socialize; and the bride-to-be had a good time!  Overall, a success.

I am really enjoying my new job--I'm off early on Wednesdays and all day Thursday, so I can get a lot accomplished around the house.  Today was "let's see if the fireplace is operational" day.  Spoiler: it is!  Once we cleaned all the stuff out of it (including SEVEN dead birds), I could see all the way up to the top of the chimney.  Adding to the list of stuff to do: mesh on the top of the chimney to keep the poor creatures out.  I also closed the flue.  Not sure why it had been left half-open for three years, but there you go.

Some progress photos:

Couch console is actually an IKEA shelf set on its side!
Eventually it should have more clutter in it--games, decorative
knick-knacks and such.

The black lines on the wall are spray paint.  Your guess is as
good as mine for why it's there.  My best theory is that it was
to mark where electrical line was run.

Note the pretty pretty paint test area XD

Obligatory dog photobomb

It looks so much better than it originally did, but we're still only part-way there to a finished product.  Still to accomplish in here for the meantime: paint on the walls, painted trim, and a light solution for the living room.  Long term is new windows that actually open.  WHAAAAT?!  Crazy concept, I know.  For the meantime, it's blistering hot in here.  I can't imagine why functional windows weren't installed when the house was updated in the 70s.  Every other room in the house has them, including the basement (wut.)

Heather's wedding is this weekend (yay!) so she'll be moving out and we can reclaim her room (mixed feelings...we'll miss you, little sis!)  I think for the meantime it'll be a guest room with the eventual idea that it'll be turned into a nursery.  No pictures of it--that's the very ugly part of this post, haha!!  It's half packed, all dark brown and miserable.  Heather started pulling down ceiling tiles to get to the light so she could change it out, so the ceiling is visible.  Sadly it does a lot to lighten the room.  I still don't understand the 70s obsession with dark rooms.  I don't want to live in a cave, thanks!!

What updates are you working on in your home?  Do you have any fun (or disgusting!) projects that you'd like to share?  I hope nobody else finds seven birds in their fireplace.

Check list, take one!

Things are subject to change.  Actually, things will probably change in the next few months.  I'm exhausted from working all day and then going over to the house, but I'm super grateful for the opportunity to make our house into a home.  No new posts for the next few days as I'm going to be prepping for my trip down to Portland to visit my parents/pick up my wedding dress.  Hopefully Joey will keep me updated with pictures as he works on the house this weekend!

Note: everything in bold needs to be done before we can move in!

Mudroom
ÿ        Remove fire extinguisher bolt
ÿ        Remove panel with plaques
ÿ        Get windows to open
ÿ        Replace the door trim
ÿ        Remove hooks in wall
ÿ        Repaint windowsill, window trim
ÿ        Tear up carpet, refinish wood floors
ÿ        Bench and hooks for shoes, bags
Kitchen
ÿ        Remove, paint cabinets
ÿ        Raise cabinets
ÿ        Install shelf above counter
ÿ        Paint, tile walls
ÿ        Make curtain
ÿ        Install laminate wood floor(?)
ÿ        Reupholster or remove kitchen table
ÿ        Fill hole in floor
ÿ        Fix ice maker in freezer
ÿ        Clean fridge
ÿ        Get aerator for sink
ÿ        Install recessed lights (ceiling)
ÿ        Clean!
Hall
ÿ        Remove Formica walls
ÿ        Remove metal rail
ÿ        Install new light fixtures
ÿ        Decide on paint color
ÿ        Remove carpet, refinish/replace wood floor
ÿ        Purchase carpet runner for hallway/use green runner?
ÿ        Paint hall closet/remove weird mirrors
ÿ        Repair hole in wall above closet (????)
Living room
ÿ        Texture ceiling and walls?
ÿ        Remove fake wood panels by fireplace
ÿ        Remove old light fixtures
ÿ        Repair(?) ceiling fan
ÿ        New curtains!!! (Ikea?)
ÿ        Stain (???) back of front door
ÿ        Repair lock in front door (lubricate??)
ÿ        Repair/clean fireplace
ÿ        Remove laminate, refinish/replace wood floors
ÿ        Paint trim white!!
ÿ        Add crown molding
ÿ        Replace door, adjust for swelling
ÿ        Update thermostat
ÿ        Clean
Bedroom 1 (Liz and Joey)
ÿ        Remove ceiling tile
ÿ        Remove fake beams
ÿ        Update light fixture, add ceiling fan?
ÿ        Add crown molding?
ÿ        Replace baseboard molding (painted stark white)
ÿ        Closet????????
ÿ        Sewing room????????
ÿ        Finish painting
ÿ        Refinish floors!
ÿ        Curtains (Ikea—gauzy white panels)
ÿ        Bedframe!  (Joey!!!)
ÿ        Replace trim (painted stark white)
ÿ        Clean!
Bedroom 2 (boys)
ÿ        Remove paneling
ÿ        Texture walls
ÿ        Remove metal framing
ÿ        Replace light fixture
ÿ        Curtains?
ÿ        Closet????
ÿ        Paint/stain dresser?
ÿ        Refinish wood floors
ÿ        Paint back wall dark blue, other 3 walls chalk white
ÿ        Layer wood slats over blue wall (a la Pinterest inspiration)
ÿ        Bed for Connor?
ÿ        Paint all trim stark white
ÿ        Clean!
Bedroom 3 (Heather/guest)
ÿ        Remove paneling
ÿ        Remove ceiling tiles, metal framing
ÿ        Replace light fixture
ÿ        Closet?????
ÿ        Remove carpet, laminate; refinish wood floors
ÿ        Paint all trim stark white
ÿ        Curtains
ÿ        Paint walls (choose neutral color)
ÿ        Bed??
ÿ        Bedding??
ÿ        Clean!
Bathroom
ÿ        Paint tub
ÿ        Paint toilet???
ÿ        Paint sink
ÿ        Paint cabinets
ÿ        Frame mirror
ÿ        Remove all laminate (wth.)
ÿ        Replace shower fixture
ÿ        Aerator for sink??
ÿ        Add something to the toilet tank to save on water
ÿ        Laminate flooring????
ÿ        Clean!
Basement
ÿ        Install railing on open side of stairs
ÿ        Seal nooks and crannies
ÿ        Seal walls, floors
ÿ        Upgrade water heater
ÿ        Repair dryer vent
ÿ        Repair sink
ÿ        Hook up bathroom/update!!
ÿ        Repair all cracking foundation
ÿ        Replace furnace

No more red room!

Monday night was spent on an experiment: we (and by we I mean Joey) de-wallpapered one wall and primed 2 more walls with Killz, using a paint sprayer. The wallpaper was not coming off easily but is now 90% removed from that wall. The Killz covered up the other two walls beautifully. Last night I went back and painted the two primed walls and the third unprimed, wallpapered wall with Valspar's Feathers of a Dove in satin. It covered beautifully with just one coat, even the awful red wallpaper! I'm very pleased with the outcome and am regretting thinking we needed to remove the paper in the first place. Shaena and I both had the idea to put board up on the wall that had the wallpaper removed. I'm toying with that idea. I was already thinking of doing something like this behind bed! Realistically the only things of immediate concern left to do in that bedroom is fill in the spaces where I couldn't get the roller to go (corners and edges), strip and refinish the floor, and put the door frame back on. Oh, and clean up the mess we made!

I spoke too soon

We went over to the house on Saturday with Joe's brothers to show them the house and decided since we were there that we were going to start ripping stuff up!

The blinds were nasty and ancient and broke as soon as I tried to open the windows in the livingroom to air it out, so they got tossed, too.  I also discovered that the windows in the livingroom do not open!  Add that to the list of stuff to change.

Thankfully, the ugly carpet came up much easier than I expected it to.  Between the four men, they had it up and in the garage in about a half hour.  I also took the opportunity to try to see how easy it would be to remove the awful lights and fake paneling on the wall near the fireplace.  I tried to whack Joe in the head, but thankfully he keeps his ninja skills finely honed at work, where flying hammers and boards are a constant danger.

 In tearing up the carpet in the bedroom, we uncovered this neat laminate flooring!!  More pictures when it's totally off.  And then we'll tear this up to reveal the wood floors.  Yay!

 I, sadly, did not get a before picture of the hallway.  That's okay.  It was strange and low and now looks much better.  I can't wait to get the laminate off the walls.  YES, laminate on the walls.  Anybody know why someone would think this is a sweet thing to do in a home?  I guess it would wipe clean pretty easily and wouldn't have to have paint touched up!

 Weird mirror thing at the end of the hallway.  So you can see people sneaking up on you when you're putting away linens.  Or use the "eyes in the back of my head" excuse on your kids.  Whichever.

We also discovered this fire extinguisher.  Tell me when you notice what is wrong with this picture.  (Don't worry--I'll replace it!  It's on the list.)

What is this list?  Well right now it's in my head...but pay attention to the tabs at the top of the screen.  Soon I'll add one that has a list of the updates to be done and purchases to make.  We're still trying to finalize a fridge option.  Joey is going to look at one today, hopefully it'll be a winner and we can bring it home!

First things first

I wish I could tell you that the first thing on the to do list was something cool, like ripping up carpet and refinishing the wood floors. Sadly, the discovery of a black widow in the stairwell to the basement has me all creeped out, so we're having an exterminator do a walk through of the house next this coming Wednesday to give us some options and quotes. At least I'll have peace of mind about letting the boys/dog play in the basement. YUCK.

I stopped by the house and turned on the water yesterday (apparently the valve us inside--strange, but handy!) It drips a little, but thankfully that is a quick, inexpensive fix. Luckily there is a shut-off valve above it, so we won't flood the basement in the meantime.

Other bad news: apparently the 1/4 tank of oil foe the furnace that the previous owners did not get done, or got used. We have an alternate option to paying to upgrade to natural gas or paying an exorbitant amount to have the tank filled. Details on that later!

Reading through Pinterest is both fun AND annoying. I keep seeing all these awesome things I want to do someday. Like this linen closet makeover. Adding/converting cabinets above the laundry area like this. Upgrading window trim, because ours is non-existent. Adding some wall interest in the dining room, because THIS is just lovely. And subway tile in the kitchen (because I'm obsessed with subway tile in the kitchen.)

You can see all my home obsessions (and more) on my Pinterest page.