2019 Home Project List

Our 2019 Home Project List is getting off to a slow start.
Here it is, almost May, and we have just begun.

We have several ambitious projects to complete this year.
A few things we can tackle ourselves,
but some more complex ventures will be hired out.
We have put money aside for several things,
including new kitchen countertops.
The bathrooms may not get done until next year,
when we can use our tax refund to fund the projects.
Whatever we do, we always try to pay cash,
so that we are not getting into debt just to improve our home.

One of the things I've been wanting to change out
was the front door.
Our home faces south, but very little light was coming through this door.
The style was a little busier than I liked as well,
so we made a switch.

This shaker-style door fits in better with the design of the house.

Simple, clean lines that better suit the character of the home.

The window at the top is high enough

that we maintain our privacy.

I like how the panes on the window echo the windows on the porch.

This weekend, Big K dressed it up with a beautiful periwinkle color.
It just happens to be my favorite color,
and it adds a little life to the front facade.
We've already picked out the storm door that we want,
which includes a screen so that we can enjoy cross ventilation
and a lot more light!



 This project wasn't even on our list,
but we had talked about a swap out on the porch.
This fishing basket was purchased at a flea market
over 4 years ago.
I remember seeing it on the table for sale
and thinking it was so cool,
but I don't fish, so what could I use it for?
I went back and bought it and held onto it
knowing that I would figure out some way to use it.
We did.

The porch light that was on the house was much too small
and lacking in any type of personality.
I think we kind of turned that upside-down!
We added a ginormous Edison-type amber bulb to the inside
and replaced the diminutive fixture.
I love finding new uses for unusual items.
I can imagine putting in some party lights at different times of the year.

It's coming together.

I'd like to repaint the porch and perhaps add a painted rug design.

Of course, as the season continues, I hope to have some potted flowers to adorn the entrance.

We are thinking of painting the shutters to match the door

and then moving on to the next item on our project list.

There is always something to do when you are a homeowner.

What a blessing to be able to put your personal stamp on your homestead.

One down.

Next!

Desk Top Project

It seems like there is always another project
when one moves into a new house.
We have been working on our home,
one room at a time.
The office has been the object of our attention 
for the past couple of months.
It was first painted to match the living area,
 then beadboard was added to the space.
 This project was relatively quick and made a big difference in the feel of the room.

Sister had left these boards here, knowing we could do something with them.
She was right.
As soon as I saw them, I knew they could be repurposed into a table top for our computer.

I like the natural elements of the wood and steel together.
A work space was set up out on the driveway and I got to it.

Knowing that I wanted to do some kind of finish,
a good sanding was in order,
making sure to go with the grain.
After sanding, I simply wiped down the boards,
to eliminate any leftover dust.

Within 10 minutes, I had both boards completed.

The grain of the wood was too sweet to cover,
so I decided to white wash the boards instead.
I used some leftover interior white paint,
and mixed it half-and-half with water.
A small paintbrush was used to apply it,
again, being sure to work with the grain.

As I applied the paint, I periodically wiped it off with a rag.
This step was necessary to make sure that the paint wasn't covering the wood too much.

The paint dried fairly quickly, so it was imperative to work in a small area at a time.

After applying one coat,
I decided I wanted it a bit darker,
so I used an additional coat of the same ratio of white wash.
If you know from the outset how dark you want it,
you could add less water to your paint before beginning the project to make it darker.
Since this is the first time I've ever white washed,
it was best to err on the side of caution.

I'm glad I did.
The second coat was exactly what I was looking for.
I then used a water-based sealer to give it a glossy sheen.

Big K went to pick up what we needed for the legs.
He found all of the materials in the hardware department.
These pieces were screwed in to the underside of the board.

Buying the correct depth screw is important,
so that they don't come up through the top of the wood.

He bought several galvanized pipes from the plumbing department,
and had the store cut them to the proper length.
We found plastic feet with cork bottoms to ensure the floor stays scratch-free.

It's made a fabulous work space.
Everything we need fits on the desk
and the tower for the computer tucks nicely underneath.

We're really happy with the way the finish turned out.
You can be sure white washing will be repeated.
I'm already thinking about doing some picture frames.

These curtains really helped bring the room together.

It was one long panel that I split in two,

and they fit the window perfectly. 

The simple pattern keeps the desired sleek look in mind.

It's a bit more streamlined than before,
which is exactly what we were going for.
Our final alteration to this room
is to find a simple eating table,
as the one we have is a bit too bulky for the space.
A few more pictures on the wall,
and this room will be complete!
We've had to adapt to this smaller nest house,
but it feels good knowing that we can make it work using what we have.

New House Series:
Moving Toward Bliss 
A Fresh Look 
Under the Spell of IKEA 
Fan-Tastic!
Closet Project 
Bad to the Bone Beadboard


What projects are you working on?

A Fresh Look

We have been busy giving our new home a fresh look.
New ceiling fans, light fixtures,
even some new additions in the furniture department
have helped us to make this house a home.
One of the easiest ways to make a statement
is by painting.

Here is the living room when we bought the house.
The previous owners had a light yellow on the walls
and a bright orange on the fireplace surround.
This room doesn't get as much light as we'd like,
as the windows are on the north-facing wall
so we decided on a color we thought might brighten it up a bit.

So far, all the paint we've used in this house has been No-VOC.

This kind of paint is supposed to be better for the environment

and better for us, as it doesn't outgas like other paints.

The brand we used also contains a primer,

so one coat did an ample job of covering over everything.

The color we chose was Sea Wave.
We're going for a vintage/modern farmhouse look,
but this color just spoke to me.
In our last house we never painted,
so I had vowed that this time around,
we would paint every single room.
No white walls for me.

 

The color was striking,
but it's hard to know how it's gonna look on an entire wall,
much less the whole room.
We started cutting in first around the windows, ceiling
and baseboards and then filled in with a roller.
The fireplace wall is a shade darker,
so that it stands out a bit more dramatically.

It really went pretty fast.
With both Big K and I working,
we knocked it out in a few hours.

A couple of hints I'd like to pass on:
1.  use a screwdriver to poke a few holes in the top of the paint can.
This allows the paint to drip back down into the can
so that it doesn't build up inside the rim.
Paint isn't wasted and it keeps things tidier.

2.  instead of buying the specialty products the paint stores try to sell you,
simply cut the bottom off of a soda or milk bottle
and use it as your "cutting in" can.
It sits flat on any surface, and you can put as much or as little paint
as you need.
3.  refrigerate brushes when you need to take a break.
This saves from having to wash them out every time you stop painting.
Simply wrap them in plastic wrap or a plastic bag,
and place in the fridge.
We've left them overnight when we need to.
Just take them out 1/2 hour before you begin painting again
so that they can get to room temperature.

We're gettin' there.
We have a lot of tweaking to do
with furniture placement and hanging our treasures on the walls.
Once we get it all put together,
I'll write another post to show the before and after shots.
The new color motivates me to do more.
I love living in this new space.
It has so much energy and really makes the white trim pop.

Our project for August is the office.
We will paint and install something we've never done before.
It feels wonderful to be putting our stamp on this house.
So grateful to be home.

New House series:
The New Homestead
Moving Toward Bliss
Organized Downsizing
Fan-tastic