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When Life Gives You Lemons…

June 12, 2015 By Kendra Remington 4 Comments

Especially when they are Harvest Gold lemons… Try very hard to make lemonade.

You may remember that our guest bathroom started out like this:

Harvest Gold Wallpaper

Harvest Gold Floor Tiles

Harvest Gold Shower Tiles

Harvest Gold Toilet

Harvest Gold Sink

If those aren’t lemons… I don’t know what are…

Someday… that land where our dreams live… this bathroom will be completely redone:

1) Wallpaper gone,

2) Tile gone,

3) Toilet replaced with a lovely white one, and

4) Sink replaced with a lovely white one that sits on a reclaimed cabinet.

But since this is today, and not someday, I am making a very large bathroom sized container of lemonade.

First, I was very excited to find some patterned towels that work nicely (who knew???) with the existing color scheme and wallpaper pattern.

Towels

Next, I added some farmhouse inspired accessories to mask the counter/sink area. I love the mason jar soap dispenser and the hobnail glass items. Gold sink… what gold sink???

Farmhouse accessories

A cute galvanized bucket to collect the trash.

Trash can

And finally, some artwork, aka my old friends, and another hobnail piece, a mirror.

Artwork

Artwork

Mirror

Strangely enough, the things that give me the greatest pleasure in this room are not the pretty things, but the two “functional” things that I added. These two I installed myself (Instructions??? We don’t need no stinking instructions!!!). Behold the mighty towel bar. No more towels on the floor (Connor!). The towels on the bar over the toilet? Yeah, those are for show, not for use by college age sons.

Towel Bar

And second, the magnetic doorstop. It seems like an unusual choice, I know, but we have the most lovely breezes that come in that side of the house. And without the magnet, the door slams shut. Problem solved!

Magnetic Doorstop

And that my friends, is how lemonade gets made!

 

Filed Under: DIY, Home Sweet Home, Renovation, Welcome Home Tagged With: #harvestgoldbathroom

And a Partridge in a Pear Tree

June 8, 2015 By Kendra Remington Leave a Comment

On the first day of summer (almost) my true love gave to me…

2 screws,

2 roller shade brackets

including 4 nails,

3 pieces of tape,

5 cup hooks, and

13 nails.

Removal of the above is what it took to denude the walls of sun room. I know there are other nails still in hiding, but I’m ignoring them. I’m also ignoring the fact that there are still drapery brackets hanging (we will not be hanging any draperies in this lifetime… or in the next one, come to think of it) and radiator covers to be replaced (eventually). So if we agree not to look too high or too low, we might actually have a room that we could consider complete!

The sun room is our second living room. We have a comfortable sleeper sectional which is great for napping, I mean, watching wildlife through the big windows. And it’s nice to have a space where Xbox can be played, sports can be watched, and hanging out can be done behind closed doors. It’s the only living space in the house with doors and they do come in handy.

Sectional

TV

The thing that really made this transformation special to me was the hanging of artwork. It is the first room in the house to have this done. Looking at the walls now really makes me smile. As long as I don’t look too high or too low, that is…

Our art pieces all have a story behind them. Getting them up on the walls again is like seeing old friends. The apple picking was a favorite of my Mom’s. The landscape was picked up in Block Island when I was there with Alyssa for her pre-baby trip in 2009. The berry basket was painted by a long time family friend.

Artwork

This one hung in my family home growing up. The landscape is very reminiscent of that home. Very sweet.

Artwork

This native American rug was also my Mom’s.

Artwork

And finally, our Oaxacan Maiden. She came back all the way back with us from Oaxaca, Mexico on a family vacation by car in 1971.

Oaxaca Maiden

Hello friends. It’s good to have you back.

Filed Under: DIY, Home Sweet Home, Renovation, Welcome Home Tagged With: #artworkatlast

A Plank with Random Stuff on It

March 9, 2015 By Kendra Remington 2 Comments

That is the kind way my older son described my latest accomplishment. Thank you, Ian!

Our kitchen is a long way from being complete, i.e., nowhere near my dream kitchen, but I still have the complete vision in my mind. Originally, everything was a lovely shade of Harvest Gold. This included the walls, the counters, the backsplash, the sink, and all the appliances. We painted the walls a slate blue (BM Yarmouth Blue), but much of the original “charm” remains. The future plan is for white cabinets and a large island with soapstone counters, a gray marble backplash, a large farmhouse sink, and all the appliances with door panels that match the cabinets. Meanwhile… here in the present, we brought in a white cupboard for additional storage and today I added a white shelf, aka “plank”, above it for “random stuff.” I am quite pleased with the result, regardless of the way my son characterizes it.

The top of the cupboard had become a repository for all things that didn’t have a home… as most horizontal surfaces around here tend to do.

White Cabinet

Step one: Clear off the top of the cupboard… done.

Step two: Perform complex mathematical calculations to hang the shelf brackets at the desired height with a minimal amount of cursing… done.

Shelf Bracket

Step three: Hang the shelf… mission accomplished! (Please ignore the “charming” light fixture that has yet to be replaced.)

Kitchen Shelf

Now for the fun part: Random stuff.

My Mom passed away several years ago now and she left me some Fiestaware dishes. I love using them. I also decided to collect a few pieces in what is called Radioactive Red. I thought it would be a nice accent color for the future white, black, and gray kitchen and I especially love the shapes of these pieces. I found some Remington Dairy bottles online. Added a couple of Ironstone pieces. Et voila!

Pretty ThingsThe collection is still a little sparse, but adding to it over time is half the fun!

 

Filed Under: DIY, Home Sweet Home, Renovation, Welcome Home Tagged With: # decorativeshelf, # fiestaware, #harvestgoldkitchen

The Cupboard Under the Stairs

February 2, 2015 By Kendra Remington 4 Comments

Now that our house is feeling more livable… I’ve decided that we need to add a little fun! When my granddaughter saw the door under the stairs she said, “Oh look! It’s Harry Potter’s cupboard!” I decided right then and there that I would turn it into a play space for her and her brother. When I announced this to John, he said “I thought we’d keep the vacuum cleaner in there.” Seriously??? That doesn’t sound even remotely fun.

Currently it looks like this.

Cupboard Door

Inside the Cupboard

Under the Stairs

Just a 3×8 space with a bare bulb and a musty smell. If it was a space for Riley alone, it would become the most awesome Frozen Ice Palace you ever saw… but since it also needs to accommodate Jamie, I’m going to go with something more neutral… it needs to be a place where they can both engage their imaginations. My plan is to get a colorful rug, some throw pillows, a simple light fixture, and create a spot for toy storage as a starting point. I will let Riley choose another pillow for each of them (Jamie is only one. Pillow choices are still beyond him.) and the paint color for the walls.

This is my jumping off point…

Rug with Pillows

I will invite Riley for a sleepover and then we’ll get to work. And by we’ll get to work, I mean Riley will tell me what to do and I’ll do it. She is very good at giving direction.

Mission accomplished! Riley and I took a quick trip to the paint store where she chose light blue, dark blue, and teal green. Then we got to work painting and adding the pillows.

Heart

In the Cupbooard

Next I added Riley’s pillows. She chose the pink flower for herself and the truck for the vehicle loving Jamie.

RIley's Pillows

And the finishing touch…

Cupboard Under the Stairs

I’m looking forward to many happy years of children playing in the cupboard under the stairs.

 

Filed Under: DIY, Home Sweet Home, Renovation, Welcome Home

Back To The Future

December 31, 2014 By Kendra Remington Leave a Comment

It’s New Year’s Eve. A traditional time for reflection. The birth of this blog accompanied a big change in our lives. A move from our family home of 15 years to a home that fits the next phase of our lives… or will once we have completed an inconceivable number of projects both inside and out to our Harvest Gold baby. Thankfully, we found the holidays, along with the guests and parties that go with them, to be incredibly motivating.

What happens once the last workman has finally pulled away in his truck and you take stock of what has been accomplished? You cry… tears of gratitude and tears of frustration. For all that has been done and for all that still remains. And you realize that there are no more workmen coming to help with the remaining projects, and that both thrills and terrifies you.

If we take a closer look, we can see the substantial changes that have already been made… walls opened up, carpeting and tile removed, hardwood floors and slate tile laid, walls and ceilings painted… the key is not to look at what still remains undone, if you value your sanity.

The first time we saw our house, it felt neglected… unloved. John and I are working hard to bring the love back. I would liken it to the moment in Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House when Bill Cole says, “It’s a good thing there are two of you. One to love it and one to hold it up.” When we started this adventure, all the rooms were dark and closed in and had at least one feature that was Harvest Gold… the paint, the wallpaper, the carpeting, the drapes… with the kitchen and the exterior tied for first place.

Harvest Gold Kitchen

Front Facade

I can’t say that we have significantly altered either of these features… they wait for another day, but I am very pleased with the livability and lovability that we have added elsewhere.

New and Improved Living Room

This view of our back yard is one of the things that helps me take a deep breath and keep going.

Snowy Yard

Happy New Year! I’m wishing for a little more love and a little less Harvest Gold in 2015.

 

 

 

Filed Under: DIY, Home Sweet Home, Renovation, Welcome Home

Mission Impossible

November 17, 2014 By Kendra Remington 2 Comments

There is nothing quite so motivating as a holiday… when I was a kid, I was motivated to behave myself every time my parents sang, you better watch out, you better not cry… as an adult, I am motivated to get some projects completed, yes, you heard me correctly… completed, around the house before my Thanksgiving guests arrive. Impossible? We shall see… The first thing you should know is that all these guests but one (my Dad) either live here or have been here multiple times. Simple enough, right? The second thing you should know is that in order to have all of us together on one day, we are celebrating on Sunday, November 23rd. Not simple, not simple at all… that is less than a week from now. I am at DEFCON 3, high alert. By the end of the week when both Connor and my Dad arrive, I could easily be approaching DEFCON 1, the point when Robot from Lost in Space waves his mechanical arms yelling, “Danger, Will Robinson.” And as any member of my family can tell you… that is not a pretty sight.

So what have I been doing to avert this catastrophe you might ask??? Well, while John rode around on his tractor turned leaf vacuum all day… I worked to convert two rooms into usable space. FYI, he might challenge my representation of his actions, but that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

First Connor’s room, aka the room my Dad will use while he is here (sorry Connor, I promise it will be all yours at Christmas). If you think back to our very early (and not so early) days in the house, you may recall that it all started with John and me on a mattress on the floor, while Kaitlyn and the boys lived a life of luxury with their friends (thanks again, friends). Two weeks before Connor was due to head back to school, we forced him… I mean, he begged us to come home so he could sleep on his mattress on the floor just like Mom and Dad… all the cool kids are doing it. Since the floor refinishing wasn’t completed until after he left, we never really set up his room. And I don’t know about you, but what happens around here when rooms don’t get set up is that they turn into storage rooms, in this particular case, the paint and tool storage room. This was extremely convenient as you might imagine, because we have been using lots of paint and lots of tools, so it’s been really nice to have them all in one spot. Ah well.. all good things must come to an end.

Paint Cans

Paint and tools come out and relocate to John’s office closet (because if not in Connor’s room, where else would one keep paint?) and the garage (a more reasonable choice), respectively. A bed, a dresser, a bookcase, a desk, a chair, a night table, three lamps, and an alarm clock move in. Sheets are washed, the bed is made, and usable space #1 is all set. My Dad will be extremely grateful, Connor… not so much. (The cats seem to approve.)

Connor's Room

So where will poor Connor sleep, you may ask… why, in the sun room, of course… sounds restful, doesn’t it… SUN room… anyhoo… this was a similarly un-set up (un-set up? I’m going with it) room. This is where we first had a TV hook up, with a TV, but no TV stand, so all TV viewing was done… you guessed it… on the floor! Eventually two camp chairs moved out there, to better facilitate TV viewing, and various other odds and ends joined them. As with the tools mentioned above, the camp chairs and odds and ends have now moved out to the garage, and a sectional sleeper sofa moved in. Getting that beast back into the house was no mean feat! Especially since I have already asserted that I was working alone… well okay, maybe I had a little help. The corner piece was in the garage. The right and left sides were in the little house. And the cushions were all over the place. I think we finally have them all present and accounted for. More sheets washed, a foam mattress pad added and we should be all set for usable space #2. (Still no TV stand, as you see, although, again, the cats seem unperturbed.)

Sun Room

Mission complete! This blog post will self destruct in 5 seconds…

Filed Under: DIY, Home Sweet Home, Renovation, Welcome Home

Like Putty in my Hands

November 15, 2014 By Kendra Remington Leave a Comment

And I mean that in the literal sense… putty in my hands, under my nails, in my hair, all over the place… When you take down half a wall, but still need to support the ceiling above, you may build a wooden framework, which requires nails, which make holes, which must then be puttied. It is another mindless and seemingly endless task akin to removing carpet staples (don’t get me started!).

Let me remind you of how we began…

Step 1: Complete Wall Separating the Living Room and the Dining Room

Wall Between the Living Room and Dining Room

 Step 2: Half of the Dividing Wall Removed

Still More Wall Demo

Meanwhile, a lot of time passes and various and sundry projects become partially completed, emphasis on the partially, and finally, our contractor is ready to install a more esthetic suppport structure and remove the prison bars, as I so lovingly call them. Hurray! And then I say to my contractor, as all home owners do, I’ve been thinking… and he says, oh boy, here we go again!

This is what I’ve been thinking…

Our Porch Roof has an Arch Detail (and an ugly brown downspout)

Front Porch

Our Living Room Built Ins have an Arch Detail

Living Room Built In

Wouldn’t it be nice if our dividing wall had an arch detail?

Step 3: Done!
Dividing Wall

Nice, right??? But I digress… the nice part of this is that esthetically, I love the arch… what I do not love is when my contractor completes the arch and turns to me and says, the only things left for you to do are putty the nail holes, caulk the joints, prime, and paint. For anyone who has read Wanda Gag, you will totally understand when I say, hundreds of holes, thousands of holes, millions and billions and trillions of holes… now I may be exaggerating just a wee bit, bit it didn’t feel like it at the time…

Holes Before:

 Nail Holes

Holes After:

Puttied Nail Holes

Now where did I leave that tube of caulk…

 

Filed Under: DIY, Home Sweet Home, Renovation, Welcome Home

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About Us

Once upon a time there was a family of five who lived in a roomy four bedroom colonial. One day when the children grew and began to live away from home, the parents said, “This house is too empty when the kids are gone, lets downsize”. This is their story…

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Recent Posts

  • When Life Gives You Lemons…
  • And a Partridge in a Pear Tree
  • A Plank with Random Stuff on It
  • The Cupboard Under the Stairs
  • Back To The Future
  • Mission Impossible
  • Like Putty in my Hands

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