Thursday, January 5, 2012

The Attic Room


There are three bedrooms upstairs. All three of them are quite small. We decided my daughter would get the attic bedroom. It just looks like a girly room with it's low ceilings and painted wood floors. You can see from the before photo that this room was in very poor shape. We pretty much gutted the whole room. We carried 70 five gallon buckets of plaster down the stairs for disposal. It was exhausting! Hubby sealed up the old chimney opening and framed around it. That's where the bed sits now. I actually chose an exterior wood paneling to get the tongue and groove look that I wanted. It went up really easy and after a light sanding painted up nice. The floors were sanded mostly by hand with an orbital sander. I painted them with porch and floor paint (Dove white). It came out a little more cream than I had anticipated, but I was ok with it. They have held up quite well. A few scuffs here and there, but nothing the good old magic eraser can't clean up. I must say, I was a little nervous about moving from a home with wall to wall carpet to a house with all wood floors , but I absolutely love it! I love being able to swiffer under the beds.
Hubby made good use of some of that extra attic space and framed in a little closet for our girl. He found an old door in one of our barns and just cut it down to size. It worked out perfectly. I'm happy with how this room turned out. It's very cozy and most nights I wish I could crawl in bed and sleep with the girl for the night. No offense to my hubby, but if you could see the master bedroom you would certainly understand. We have yet to tackle that room and it's very creepy. There is a large peace sign spray painted on the middle of the floor and the room looks like something that could be featured on an episode of hoarders. :) That has been the hardest part of this renovation...feeling like nothing has a place and there is no organization. It has also been the most rewarding part, finishing a room and seeing it all come together...moving all of our things in and putting them in their place. The sense of accomplishment we feel is so rewarding.
Hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday and your New Year is off to a great start!!
Jen

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

One Hundred Fifty Years of Finger Prints


The very first time I stepped foot in this old house these stairs warmed my heart. Sounds silly I know, but I could picture the many children that must have raced up and down them with dirty little hands skimming the walls. I then imagined my own children racing up and down them with friends and neighbors tagging close behind. It was these stairs and the four rooms at the top of them that we tackled first, the winter we moved in.
After months of hard work and all three children sleeping in the living room amongst boxes piled high, I can finally say that all three of them are now upstairs sleeping snugly in their beds.
Wishing you all a blessed New Year!
Jen

Sunday, December 25, 2011

One year ago!


Hello all! It was one year ago that we moved from our comfortable ranch home into this run down old farmhouse. Follow along as I start from the beginning of our journey. Share with us the many ups and downs as my handy hubby and I fix up this farmhouse one room at a time. We have plans to add some farm animals into the mix too. I hope to make some new friends and reconnect with some old ones too! I will apologize ahead of time for my rusty blogging skills. :) I have been away for quite awhile, but I am so excited to be back!!

Jen