A Renovation Update

We have officially owned our new fixer upper for 11 weeks, and we have been working tirelessly to renovate. (For more photos from the start of the process, see here). This process has felt a little bit like drinking out of a firehouse.  We have been living in our unfinished basement for 8 of those 11 weeks, and we have been without a functional kitchen during that time. It’s been trying, but we are making headway, and it’s so exciting to see my vision beginning to come to life! 

As a reminder, here are a couple photos of where we started… 

I want to update you on several parts of the process.  

1. The Kitchen  

We did a kitchen planning post here. There you will find all kinds of details about where we stand with this kitchen Reno. As of right now, we are about a week and a half to two weeks out from a fully functional kitchen.  

What we have done:  

– Rip out everything old  
 – Close up the existing patio door  
 – Install new drywall
 – Wire new electrical
 – Install cabinet frames
 – almost finish painting the cabinet drawers and doors
 – Build out the frame for the island
 – Install a new beadboard ceiling
 – Build out a new pantry
 – Purchase all appliances
 – Order our countertops (we chose Aurea Paragon Quartz) 
 – Installed pendant lighting and recessed lighting 

What still needs to be done: 
 – Rework all plumbing
–  Paint entire island blue
 – Install cabinet drawers/doors and finish painting
 – Find a sliding pantry door and install
 – Install sink
 – Install subway tile backsplash
 – Paint ceiling and walls
 – Finish trim
 – Install appliances
 – Build range hood cover 

That list of things that still need to be done feels so doable! I can’t wait to have a functioning kitchen. I have grand plans for a beautiful, intimate and elaborate multi-course dinner party at the end of the summer. 

2. The Living Room Ceiling 

The biggest structural change we are tackling is the vaulting of our living room ceiling. This is the first big project we have ever hired out, and I have to say that it’s been amazing! I will do a detailed post on the process of working with our contractor, but it’s nice to come home at the end of the day and know that people have been there getting the job done. Here are a few photos of the progress! 

3. The Floors 

We did a detailed post about the process of doing the floors here. It was the hardest, most painstaking, least fun project we have ever done. But the payoff is huge! We love those floors so much. And we are done! Thank goodness. 

4. The French Doors 

In addition to the living room ceiling, our contractor put in French doors to our patio. They are installed if not yet trimmed out, and we love them! 

5. Details, Details, Details 

After the big things are done, we have lots of detail work to do. Trim, painting, finishing the dining room built-ins, etc. There are a lot of small projects yet to come, but I’m excited to be in the phase where that can really be our focus! 

6. The Bathroom 

I have no updates here. Although I have some fun ideas! For now, it still has ugly linoleum and weird painted countertops. 

Bonus: The Basement (aka our living quarters for the last two months) 

This deserves its own blogpost: how we survived living through our renovation. But for now, feast your eyes on the beauty that is basement/boxed in living! As I type this, we are still living down here. Yes, indeed. Oh the stories I could tell. 

Progress is being made, y’all! It’s real–even if it feels SO SLOW! I can’t wait to have so many more photos to show. This is only going to get more fun from here.