Category Archives: before and after

Before and After: Dining Room

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We did lots of painting in this space. We also replaced the chandelier, and vertical blinds (we hate those things). I chose to do big grommet curtain panels for easy opening and closing, and also so that I could take them down and throw them in the wash (done that lots) whenever I wanted. I made Jon hang up the faux pergola (which he HATES and is therefore getting left behind as I promised him he wouldn’t EVER have to move that thing again.) and grape vines above.

The dining room as it was when looking at the house.
So we got a hand me down (free!!!) dining set shortly after moving into our house. I REALLY love this table. It’s magic! Easter egg die, permanent marker, crayon, blueberry smoothies… It can take it and MORE. I don’t even care. The children don’t get in trouble (well for purposely coloring something they shouldn’t they do, but accidents… NOPE!) when messes happen. The ONLY reason I would ever consider replacing my magic table (we are talking soap and water clean up!) would be if I NEEDED a bigger one. Anyway the freebie chairs didn’t match the bar-stools we had picked out and purchased.

This bugged me,  but I had a problem. I couldn’t for the life of me pick a color to paint them, or fabric to reupholster them in.
 
 

My dining room is most of the time without the sewing machine.

And so they stayed like this for YEARS. Bugging me. And then something wonderful happened. 

I was finally inspired from Brook at All Things Thrifty. I saw the dining room set she did and it was just perfect. I no longer had to pick just ONE color. AND I knew I would LOVE it and that it would work in my crazy house.

I showed Jon and he was ALL for it (he is the BEST!!!). Then I had to show my Mom (a visual was required to prove to her that I had in fact NOT lost it.) since she was going to be helping me fabric hunt.

These are the fabrics I picked out for my B-day gift from Jon. He actually liked them all. He just request nothing TOO girly. Isn’t my cousin the cutest?!

I did the bar-stools in yellow, orange, and blue. It took me a while to find an orange that went well enough with the other fabrics, and since orange is Kaylee, and Jon’s favorite color it couldn’t be left out. I am hoping to be able to change out the table legs in the near future.

Anyway we LOVE it!  It’s SO nice in the winter when we are trapped in feet of snow (although that’s no longer going to be an issue!) to have a bright and colorful space to remind us of spring/summer/fall….



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Before and After: Hall/Children’s bathroom

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We (I) did lots in this small space. I painted the counter (the pink counter HAD to go), the walls, trim, the hanging cupboard got paint, and the sink cupboard got satin (found out I SUCK at staining) and new knobs. Not to mention the toilet seat (they had wood seats which I think is gross), and floor! I also removed the old towel bar (brown wood) and put up hooks, and Kaylee’s bow holder. I have a third hook to hang in place when I pack up her bow holder.

Before
After 
After

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Before and After: Kitchen

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So as you know we are moving. (What you didn’t? Sorry. Been SUPER busy.) Jon’s oldest brother Josh told him of a job opening at the hospital he works for in Phoenix (I.T. dept). After much fasting and prayer on the matter we decided that Jon should go for it. Well he got the job and for the last several weeks we’ve been house hunting.


Last Friday we found a house. This Monday he started the new job. So this last month and a half has been exceptionally busy/crazy with interviews and house hunting.

Now I have the pleasure (SO excited to get rid of all our extra “why do we even have this crap” crap! No really, I am.) of packing up our lives here and being a solo parent for a bit. (Jon does TONS. It’s been a LONG week!)

So I wanted to do some posts for me. So I could remember how much we’ve done with our Cedar house. Because looking back we’ve realized that man have we done a lot!

So here’s my kitchen ALMOST finished. Pretend that is has new shinny counters (any color other than the nasty light pink they are now), a farm sink (stainless steel, not white.), and that the flooring matches the rest of the house. All that was going to happen next year, but as we are moving…….

Oh, and you should know something and not be too too scared. I.LOVE.COLOR! I’m VERY aware that not everyone likes this amount of color. But our homes should reflect us, and well this is me. This is where I spend the majority of my time. So I made the space for me. I am VERY fortunate that Jon “gets” it, and even helps pick out colors. The Green cupboards are all him, and I LOVE THEM!

Regan thought that the empty cupboards were AWESOME!

What my kitchen looked like for a few days. (I stuck EVERYTHING in the guest room.)

Then there was tons of Jon doing this. He was very clever and got out the vacuum to suck up dust as he sanded. (Clean up? What clean up? Ya. He’s dreamy.)

Kaylee had less fun than Regan. Daddy made her wear earplugs. She wasn’t a fan.

So this was taken a month or so into the ordeal (I had finally started to put things BACK where they belonged). Our sander had died, and snow had come before were were able (We are poor. Had to wait for a good deal.) to get a new one. So I lived an entire winter without cupboard doors. It sorta sucked (Visitors LOVED it. Never had to ask were the cups were…). But then spring arrived we got a new sander and I was able to paint inside (It’s windy here and our yard it mostly dirt. I didn’t want dirt being blown on wet paint.) with windows open without freezing/fuming anyone out.

So here she is ALMOST finished, and we think looking TONS better.


Oh, and of course a picture of what the kitchen looked like when we looked though the house and decided to buy it. Jon was really good at taking photos so I could have a reference for new fixtures and paint colors.

I don’t think that the previous owners would recognize it. We got rid of the ugly spot light, and put in a fan. Kitchens get hot. They should ALL have fans. And got all new appliances, and faucet.

Ignore the crap on top of the fridge. It’s not usually like that, but the family photo is already packed, and I was TOO lazy to clear off my new catchall while I’m packing spot for a photo.

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