Monday, November 4, 2013

This Old House- Gascoine Style

there's been a lot going on lately; too much seems to have been shrouded in sadness.

so i'm taking the moment to update you all (and remind myself) of the good things that i shouldn't be overlooking.

REMODELING!
i'm not certain how many of you out there are Do It Yourself-er's. i'm also aware that levels of DIY range; while i think nothing of taking a sledge hammer to a wall, or a shower- some people consider repainting their houses to be more trouble than it's worth.
so let me start by saying that when Mark and I consider renovations, we mean renovations. we'll tear it down, to the studs, and build it again. fortunately for our wallets, Mark was licensed as an electrician in Europe, and American laws are a lot more lax. he also apprenticed as a carpenter before he went to university. 
in light of this, i'm not certain how much i really bring to the relationship! but i will say that i've got endurance for the crap jobs- like bagging and removing 30 trash bags of tile, 100 bags of ivy/leaves, a dumpster full of the fragmented remains of a kitchen, etc. i'm unstoppable at finding a bargain, and i've never met someone who is better at drywall. 
anyway- here's a series of before and after shots to capture what we've been up to the last 18 months in Texas. in case you're wondering, the only hired labor was for the installation of the counters in the kitchen.

ENJOY!
The Front Entryway- BEFORE
AFTER- paint & wraparound curtain track

Guest bedroom- BEFORE- the room was MUCH darker than it looks- dark brown on ceiling
AFTER - added dog door (we can replace with the real door when we leave), paint, updated lighting

Hallway bathroom BEFORE (it was DARK turquoise, even the ceiling!)          
AFTER-paint, new vanity, lighting, and fixtures (begone vile gold fixtures!)     

Kitchen from dining- BEFORE - taking out the tile hurt the most!
AFTER- new everything    

Kitchen- BEFORE from living room 
Kitchen AFTER          

Kitchen BEFORE from nook
 Kitchen AFTER                            


Upstairs bedroom BEFORE   - with brown ceilings again 
AFTER- paint & too much baby stuff 

Sunken living room- BEFORE   

AFTER- hardwood floors, paint,   
 molding, windows. Also, the living room in the back is now painted as well.


Below is another shot to show off the old green concrete floors
BEFORE  

AFTER

Backyard- BEFORE         

AFTER- ivy removed  from trees & walls,  gate installed, all surfaces pressure washed, trees and branches trimmed all around the house. New pool pump, new filter. 

There's a couple other rooms that have been painted and work on, but they aren't quite finished, so I'll save them for another post.






2 comments:

  1. wow you guys have been busy!
    A Simply Lovely Home! Looks like you are all ready for the baby to arrive!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. awe thanks! it's definitely not done yet- but we've put in a fair amount of work. the end is in site. that is, assuming we can stop hemorrhaging money for a couple months!

    ReplyDelete