Deconstruction

I've been quiet on the blog...which means I've been busy at home. 

But I've been struggling.  Because none of it seems very blog-worthy.  In fact, it's all opposite of what I've posted.  Everything I've done.  Now it's un-done.  This is not progress.  Well, you could argue this is progress, just in a different way. 

Progress toward demolition.

!!!!

Here goes:

BEFORE - organized mudroom

AFTER - hooks drilled into cleat

BEFORE - styled livingroom

AFTER - basement couch, coffee table gone, rug rolled

BEFORE - dining room

AFTER - table & chairs sold, pictures away, staging area

BEFORE - dining room other view

AFTER - boxes for storage, goodwill pile

BEFORE - welcoming basement

AFTER - 1/2 an ikea kitchen, rolled rugs, bannister removed

I'm documenting "befores" of the 1st and 2nd floor.  I'm mega-stressing over clearing out half a house.  I'm dreading/anxious to be moving into a local furnished apartment for three months. 

I can't wait to get this party started...!

Door done

Third coat finished during naptime this morning.

I walk by it and get a warm fuzzy feeling.

I'm in love!

Here's the transformation by coat:

Before

One Coat

Two Coats

Three coats = DONE

Streaks are gone.  It's a deep, rich, velvety brick red.  

With the bell cover back on, I'm kinda thinking that needs to be painted red, too.  But don't worry.  That red paint will be making a reappearance.  Now that I've put three coats on the back of the door, I decided I need to add one to the front this spring.  It's lookin' a little pink on the outside compared to the true red on the inside....

...which, did I say, I LOVE!

Mudroom - Part 3

Ever feel like you pull a string and the whole thing starts to unwind?  That's my mudroom.

This morning, I finished rolling the walls with the 2nd coat of "Cloud White".

So I thought I'd get started on the door. 

Dear God

This is my "holy crap" shot.  It's that early moment where I get that sinking feeling in my stomach because I can't go back to the way it was.  I'm in it now.  And this was really dark red into it. 

Streaky

The first coat went on well.  But it's so awfully streaky.  I forgot how bad the red looked at this point when we painted the front of the door a few years ago.  Thankfully, right now I can just open it to reassure myself the back won't look this way forever. 

Since we're sick of piling up our jackets on a chair in the living room, I thought I'd use my NEW DRILL to put the shelves and hooks back up. 

Sweet

Back in business

Steve helped me by holding the shelf while I lined up the screws to the holes and drilled it in.  Now, he and I can work together well, but we readily admit to almost getting a divorce over assembling furniture from Ikea.  (We'd so never win The Amazing Race) 

The shelf was heavy.  And it was impossible for me to find the old holes when the shelf was up in place.  It was touch and go for a minute.  Until finally a screw caught and I quickly (and oh so easily) drilled it in.  Afterward, he said, "Imagine what would have happened if you didn't have that drill."  Oh.  Yeah.

Here's a shot from the staircase looking outside...it's kinda what I get to see when I'm standing in the kitchen:

Hello beautiful

Ok, so I'm loving the white walls.  The ceiling never looked so high.  I'm definitely loving the red door, too.  But the wood?  The mirror frame?  Not loving those.  Gotta go back to my inspiration and figure out a way to make them work...in a kid-friendly way.  

But before I do that, I just want to enjoy thinking about how far we've come:

Before

After

Before

After

Yikes!  Wow.  I'm impressed.  I did that? 

Mudroom - Part 2

Purple be gone!

WHITE!

Do I look bigger?

Steve walked in halfway through the second coat and gave his approval.  Nice. 

I'm really seeing how a light color can make a small space feel B-I-G.  Not that my entryway is big by any means.  But purple wasn't doing it any favors.

Also got the patches taken care of:

Where are you?

Nemesis gone

Pretty rocker

I can't believe two coats got the job done.  I'm probably looking at two coats of paint.  It's my same favorite Cloud White by Benjamin Moore.  But with the hiding purple and blue-glow-white of the primer, I don't mind some extra elbow grease in the entryway.

Operation Elimination: complete!

Wait.  Too much white on the first floor now?  Where's the color, you say?  Stay tuned for my mirror idea...

Mudroom - Part 1

Today is a very special day.  It's my dad's birthday.

It's also the day that Jake & Henry are at Grandma & Pop's house.  So you know what that means...Git 'R Done.

At first, I was going to finish painting the walls in the kitchen.  But the absence of two children and a husband's offer to take care of the third made me aim higher.  Tackling the mudroom, it is.

You may remember my entryway inspiration post from a few weeks back.  It's still haunting me.  The gorgeous rug and the breathtaking door.  LOVE!

Be mine

One big difference between that picture and my reality...is purple. 

So, today is Operation Elimination.  Here's some "before" and "currently"...as of midway through said operation:

Before

Prep

First coat of primer

Oh boy.  I'm at that stage where I go...AAH!  What have I done!?  The primer isn't covering and I can't wipe it off. 

This is the darkest darn purple known to man.  So I've steadied myself for 3 coats of primer if need be.  grrrrr....

Before

Prep

Currently

The prep picture here shows you the attempt by the previous owners at staging some sort of coat hook board thing. 

When we had kids, I immediately realized we needed something waaaay more functional.  So when I asked my super-handy step-father-in-law to install the current coat hanger/organizer, I was so mad that I couldn't figure out how to take the old board down without (probably) destroying the wall.  Instead, he just installed it right over the board.  The best part is, that board makes the organizer even more secure...because hanging anything from these century-old lath & plaster walls can be quite tricky!

Before

Prep

Sorta hiding?

I was living with the mudroom in purple for so long.  I didn't love it, but it was tolerable. 

Then, as soon as we had the overhead light installed during our basement reno, the mudroom was sent up the totem pole.  Those patches were hideous!  They bothered me every time I walked in the front door.  Never seeing those again will be the best part of this project.

Eye-level patch - my nemesis

Getting better

Purple, I still see you

Definitely need more coats...

Mudroom Makeover

That's what's been on my mind lately.  I got totally inspired by this picture:

I joined pinterest after hearing so much about it.  It's a collection of people (members of the website) who create boards (like bulletin boards) that hold pictures from the internet (like push pins).  That explanation is for you, mom.  So, if you're looking for inspiration, go here.  There's nothing but. 

After looking around, I found my dear friend Sue.  Art director extraordinaire.  She "pinned" that picture (from adesignstory.com).  I fell in love, so i "re-pinned" it onto one of my boards.  Now I can't get it out of my head. 

Why you ask?  Here's my mudroom:

Help me

I know, it's sad.  But I swear it has personality...on the outside.   

Do I look orange?

So I just need to invite it inside.

I'm actually red

I'm a little bit scared, cause I'm the furthest thing from a DIY'er.  But with a little bit of paint and a showstopping rug, I think I can do it.  Well, I can at least try.

But first, I'll have to address this...

Family of five between seasons = mess

Patch jobs left from installing overhead light

I think I can...I think I can...I think I can....!!