Update 7 of 7 - The Reno

The final installment of Updates... I DID IT!

The long process of getting to the reno started probably two years ago. It was just before COVID shut everything down that we really decided we need to go all in with our current house or move. Well we didn't move. We decided to make the reno process more livable by not doing it all at one time. Phase one was the right back side of the house. 

It started in January when the power company came to move the meter. (The cable company came too and it took three months to get them to rebury the cable line!) 

Then it rained for the entire month of February so the footers were not poured until the first of March. Lee and I were out there often with one of his pool pumps draining the footers out. 

This is the view you had walking in from the garage into the mud room / laundry room 

This is was the view for a good portion of the process. Getting the water and power run so they did not have to keep moving the washer and dryer back and forth was a game changer. 

This is the finished product. The barn door and the auto light that comes on when you walk in is really cool. 

The wine cooler fit nicely next to the duct work. And no we are not all much into wine but we never really had a spot so its the cooler now instead of a wine box in the front hallway. 

Yes there are nine cubbies and yes everyone counts them... because we have that many more cubbies to fill. 

Everyone already has all their cubbies full... 

Including Lee and I

Round the cubbies to the left is the back hallway. The only thing I've found so far I would consider changing is the opening between the pantry and this hallway. 

To the left is the chapel - which is a perfect media room 

But that's not what we will use it for

Then Lee's office which is currently full and when he finishes making the bookcases I'll write about that. 

Then there is the kids study/library. It is my favorite room of the project because they needed an escape from the noise where there aren't toys everywhere.

The window seat is great and I still need to get fabric for the cushion. 

We are still working on desk chairs 

And Lee is going to do a builtin bookcase for ALL. THE. BOOKS.

The view from the back door

The bathroom is right there so dirty feet won't traipse through the house for bathroom breaks and showers. 

We went with pebble tile in the shower and it is really cool and no rubber mat required. 

The lights are really neat. We weren't sure about them at first. 

Then next to the bathroom is the laundry room. We put a divided kitchen sink for soaking stuff 

The folding station with sock drawers underneath. Our contractor asked - you want me to make drawers for socks? I'm not a sock folder so all the socks get put in the middle drawer until they are paired up. Girls on the left and boys on the right. It sure beats the laundry basket of pairless-socks that was a figure on the fireplace. 

And the hanging racks. Between uniforms and bathing suits there are alot of clothes that get hung. 

Overall we are thrilled with how things turned out. There were times we wanted to pull our hair out and kept asking ourselves if we could even attempt phase 2 which would be kitchen and master bedroom so time will tell. For now we are enjoying our new spaces and freed up rooms so people can carve out spaces/rooms for themselves. 

Just Because... the casa

So it has begun... nearly a year to the week that we were dared by our friends to put an offer in on a ridiculous foreclosure - which we did not do, the work - finally - started on phase one of the reno. We aren’t doing the kitchen or the master (looking at you master bath) but we think if we ever did phase 2 then we might actually have the space available to not have to move out. 

The cost issue of doing both together was the driving factor in the decision to divide but also there’s no way we could have lived here - with all the kids - without the entire back of our house and a kitchen for several months.

So when it’s all said and done - whenever that may be -

1. the chapel will be downstairs right next to the garage so no more traipsing upstairs across the boobytrapped playroom every morning to pray. And if you can’t believe we are making room decisions in our house based on a home chapel, I’d dare you to start praying (with or without kids) every morning. Setting aside the extra five minutes and making a point and doing it. In the beginning it is hard and annoying and there’s not time but I promise once you get in a groove and find a rhythm then your day will not feel right without it. Our prayer time is not silent and I routinely ask the kids if they are actually taking some time and talking to God and some days it doesn’t feel worth it but I know it is. 

2. Papa’s office will be freed up to give the big girls a lair upstairs. Hopefully that won’t turn into a huge deal project but I really want them to have some fun sleeping space.

3. The kids will have a study/library/reading space because we have so many books and I don’t foresee homework getting done at the kitchen table forever. 

4. The laundry will be a dedicated room with functional storage and places to fold and racks to hang - instead of on the shower curtain rod.

5. The pantry should be pretty awesome

I’m excited but I’m not getting over excited or impatient because to me all of this should have been done by Christmas last year because I clearly have no idea how construction and permitting and stuff actually works. All in due time and grateful this door opened 

Linking up with Rosie... Just Because