Adding some finishing touches

poppy

It has been quite sometime since I updated my blog.

The living room has been painted a new colour, yellow. I miss my red - but red would have been too dark. The room lacks punch, which will have to come by accessorizing, a slower process than painting.

pictures still need to be hung

plants need rearranging

so it looks very yellow still

The kitchen has also gained a few additions

new bar stools

they swivel

new blinds

still needs valance which I hope to make and match with other window treatment

new clock too

We reused the old cabinets by putting them downstairs in the laundry/furnace room.

tall uppers organize wall above freezer

short uppers organize above washer/dryer

Slowly but surely

Gerber Daisy

It's Sunday morning and after a very busy Saturday of cleaning, rearranging, and beginning the process of putting the house back together, here are the results.

Rene was able to have the fridge and stove operational before he left on Friday. We do not have the sink hooked up (so we took the opportunity to change our minds about reusing the old faucet and bought a new one), and the dishwasher, microwave, and lighting fixtures need installation - still we made due and have moved in.

Esther is partially moved back into her room as well. She gave her floor and walls a good cleaning before bringing in the bed and her clothes. This week she hopes to bring in the rest of her funriture and hang up shelves and pictures.

Without focusing at the clutter and lack of railing along the landing, this gives you an idea of what you see as you enter the house.

Enter through the doorway, look to your left and you see the kitchen.

Stand at the sink and this is what you see. The dishwasher is waiting for it's turn to be installed.

They're here!

asiatic lily

With out any furthur ado, here is the results of day one - cabinet installation. Definitely open concept. I love it.

looking in from the hallway

looking in from near the sliding doors

the whole thing - with out doors obviously

The cabinets are next

mandevilla

By looking at this flower, you would think I've been very busy in my garden. I wish it was true. When we arrived home from the West, my garden was dried out and looking awful. Besides watering and later rain, the garden has been neglected and will remain so until October when I expect a layoff from work for a few weeks. This mandevilla, however, was babysat by my neighbour while we were away because I intend to bring it indoors and I didn't want to lose it. The rest of my planters had to fend for themselves.

The renovation moves along - fresh paint on the walls and brand new floor. The space has 'shrunk' with the dark colour scheme but I'm expecting it to 'open up' again when the cabinets get installed. That should begin tomorrow.

The living room's progress is slower because the kitchen prep was the priority. It is drywalled and quite cozy as a separate room. We've definitely changed the traffic flow of the house, which was our intent.

here's the kitchen side ready for cabinets

here's the dining side with the just delivered dishwasher

I'm back from the West

Calibrachioa - million bells

Well, I'm back. I had planned to post a few pictures before our family left for the West to deliver Julie and Christine to their perspective colleges/universities but time got away from me.

Anyway, we managed to squish everything and everyone into the van (much to my surprise and Fred's confidence) and drove straight to Iowa, settled Julie in, continued into South Dakota for a few more hours then crashed. We toured through South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana on the way to Alberta , spent the weekend in Calgary where we settled Christine in. Then we drove straight home with one overnight rest at Thunder Bay, and were home Wednesday night.

I may go into more detail in later postings, but let's get to the renovation details.

Before we left, we arranged as many salvagable kitchen cabinets into Esther's bedroom to create a temperary kitchen, along with the fridge and stove. Esther is bunking out in Julie's room and her room furniture is divided in Brad's and Christine's rooms.

we reduced the table to seat four

Rene later added another base cabinet from the portion of the kitchen we didn't attempt to remove

the microwave moved to the other base cabinet to give space for food prep

it's very manageable, but hot when the stove/oven is used

The next couple of pictures show what the kitchen looked like before we left

view of the kitchen

view of the dining room with the new window and door ready for installation

When we returned home, the back outside wall was completely redone, the inside was still at stud stage because the wiring, plumbing and heating duct work was in progress. Apparently, it was quite a sight with the whole back wall laid wide open right to the studs. It was also quite a job breaking out the cement steps at the back door.

backyard - before

backyard - after

cleaner look, eh?

So, the last pictures will show how things are today, Sunday. The drywall is up in the kitchen but not on the living room side because we have to figure out some wiring issues first.

looking in the front door straight through to the back yard

looking into the kitchen from hallway

looking out of kitchen into hallway

looking out of living room into hall/kitchen

Wise Words of Solomon

columbine is a favorite of mine

The supper devotion scripture passage of the day we took out the kitchen wall was Proverbs 14:1 which reads

The wise woman builds her house,

but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down

We all had a good laugh.

beginning to remove drywall behind cabinets

another wall is gone

The time has come

foxglove

The kitchen wall comes down

After a few years in our present home, with four children under the age of six, I began to dream of removing the wall dividing the kitchen from the 'dining' room. The 'dining' room was the playroom and the wall was a barrier between myself and the kids, and I dreamed of one large play and work space.

At some points it became an obssession, other times an obstacle between Fred and I, and once in a while I could dismiss the desire. Three times, I came close to battering a huge hole in the wall to force the issue. The reality was that the choices Fred and I made concerning our family - stay at home Mom and Christian education - and Fred's opening of a bookstore kept us frugal (to say the least).

Then, a few years back, Fred closed the bookstore, began an new job, and financially things began to ease. Fred expressed an interest in renovating the kitchen and I began to dream again in earnest. If we were going to do it, said Fred, we would do it well - think big, think outside the box. The process was slow; it stalled for awhile (third time I almost battered a hole) even though plans were being developed. My patience was stretched and as I was just shutting my heart to the possiblities again, things began to fall into place.

Fred was dreaming the dream with me and it has begun.

My brother, Rene, has agreed to do the work and he plans to begin the last week of August when we deliver our two oldest to their perspective colleges/universities. In the meantime we are rearranging the furniture, deciding how to set up house during the reno, and trying to do as much dismantling before Rene comes. The deposit on the cabinets is in, the flooring ordered, window and sliding patio door as well. We aquired a new microwave and dishwasher, but the biggest step, the one of no return has been made ... the wall has come down!!!!

Through pictures and my thoughts (if I can navigate this blog stuff), I hope to walk you through the changes. The plan is to switch the places of the kitchen and dining room, but as one open space. The kitchen will be U-shaped with a peninsula facing the dining area. If you are familiar with Len and Anita's layout, it is very similiar.

Julie asked if she could doodle on the walls before we tore them down - she always wanted to do the forbidden - write on the walls. Knock yourself out guys! Which they did.

So, here are some before and after shots of "taking down the wall"

view from hall into kitchen

same view, no wall

view from livingroom into kitchen

same view, no wall

Fred opens my blog

Clematis beauty along the fence.

Hi. It's actually Fred with this post. I just wanted to see what this would look like. It's Amy's magazine quality photograph of her Clematis.