Our first set of French Doors

Before

Really, I wish you could have seen this. This stunning, duct taped attempt at a refrigerator. I wondered how one can put a house on the market with appliances in this state - but then I look at the rest of the house and smile. Oh yeah, that's how.

However, aside from the duct tape, it worked. And our motto for these first few months, "if it ain't broke don't fix it" applied. Until we had all the cabinets painted and the hardware installed. Because then, well, it just looked really bad.

So off to Sears and the fancy appliance store we went.

From $8000 Miele's to $10,000 SubZero's to $1000 seconds at the Sears outlet, we saw them all. Side by side, French door, freezer on the bottom, ice machine in the door. And well, at the end of the day, a super sale at Sears gave us this Kenmore Elite winner.

Now if only I could figure out how to not run out of apple juice.

A cabinet in the corner

Before

After

Just a piece of the October 2011 kitchen remodel

Stay tuned for more to come!!!

Rainy day art space

We have all sorts of "Harry Potteresque" nooks under stairs in this old house - so it seemed only appropriate to make one nook an art space.

And the best part, if the nugget paints on the walls, I just smile.

For more pics on our rainy day art space, click here.

A grown up living room

Aside from the leaopardesque rug, I think I want everything single thing is this living room.

But then I remember that I have a toddler, a husband and new baby boy. That makes 3 guys. Which means dirt, trucks, flying helicopters, soccer balls and paint.

But a girl can dream and I certainly can take this image out of the new Ballard Designs catalog and use it as my inspiration when we finally do get around to redoing the living room.

A place for peanut to sleep

The moses basket arrived.

For more pics and the rest of the story, click here.

A toddler sized kitchen

BEFORE

AFTER

DURING

Sometimes things just fit perfectly. I knew when I saw the built in wine rack that it would have to go as having glass wine bottles at toddler grasping height would be no good. So out went the built in and then there was just empty space. 

You can imagine my glee, when the play kitchen fit right in.

Under the stairs

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

From the quality of the pictures, you can tell that the lighting is bad. But for a reading and play nook under the stairs, it works just fine.

The massive oak staircase is going to be replaced at some point so for now it was a matter of making the most of a totally weird and unused space. You should have seen the way it was staged while on the market! I should have taken a picture!

Everything was transplanted from the reading nook in our rented house, plus I added some IKEA shelves and papa built a swing. A lamp, a toy chest and some toys - just about write for our little man.