Not Just Another Monday…
It’s Fashion Flash Monday! This week’s gracious host is Fab Over 50, featuring style, health, career, relationship, lifestyle, and money topics geared to les femmes d’un certain age.
Some of this week’s Fashion Flash Monday topics include:
- How safe are “Medispas?”
- Stripes: Do or Don’t?
- Plus size model Kaela Humphries
- Something to smile about
Meanwhile, chez femme, some substantial home renovation is about to get underway. An acquaintance once said, “a house is a pig that never stops eating.” He was absolutely right.
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| A different kind of Visible Monday. Rustic, isn’t it? |
I knew the light beige carpeting was a mistake when we installed it seven (or was it eight?) years ago, but someone (who will not be named) insisted that we needed light carpet to make rooms look brighter and bigger. Aside from that fact that it was impossible to keep clean even just from foot traffic, we have a sliding door that leaks in heavy rainfall, and a dog that leaks, well… when we least expect it.
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| Yikes, REALLY rustic! |
We were a bit surprised to find a few patches that with only a layer of cardboard over the frame! Guess that’s how the contractor came in on budget way back when. But that will all soon be remedied, as we prepare to install…
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| Staging are formerly known as Our Living Room |
…new oak flooring! This is the pre-finished stuff, so it can be installed one room at a time, and no additional sanding and sealing will be needed after installation. Even so, we’ll be living in transition (read: “Big Mess”) for the next 3-4 weeks.
We’re also replacing the original wood flooring in the two rooms where we’d originally pulled up the carpet and refinished it when we moved into the house 15 years ago. We went back and forth on this, and ultimately decided that a) we wanted the flooring uniform through most of the house, and b) the original floors are now worn, pitted and damaged in spots, and may or may not survive another refinishing.
The previous owners changed the footprint of the house, moving the one bathroom and adding a bedroom. The original bathroom tile was never removed from what is now the hallway (was just carpeted over), so demolition of this will be step 1. I’m anticipating lots of dust. :-p
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| 1941 bathroom tile |
In addition to the flooring, most of the rooms will be repainted, get new baseboards and have crown moldings added or replaced. Most of the house hasn’t been painted inside since we moved in, and even then some of it wasn’t done properly, so it will be nice to get everything freshened up. (We’re not touching bathrooms or kitchen this go-round, those are their own projects to be tackled at a later date.)
I’m dreading the process, eagerly anticipating the finished results. Will post the periodic progress updates, if anyone’s interested.
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I hate carpet! Nice wood floors make a huge difference–well worth the money. You will love it. We had to leave the house when we had some flooring installed–the fumes are scary.
I like the 1941 tile–I guess you can’t salvage it.
Yes please post updates with lots of photos, renovation projects are so interesting (especially other peoples, that I don’t have to live in!)
Oh you’ll love the new floors…take deep breaths and look away from the mess and keep reminding your self this is only temporary! I have been doing this for the past few months!
Would love to see updates of the reno. We updated our entire 1st floor 1 1/2 yrs ago and I’m still finding dust! But your right, it is so worth it – Good luck!!
I just lived through a kitchen renovation, and kept myself sane by saying “keep your eye on the prize”. Good luck to you, and please share lots of photos with us.
Huge project, but that engineered oak flooring will look fabulous when it’s down. And it will be so much nicer to live without carpet, imho. . .
Whoa. This too will pass. Tell those contractors once they start they must not stop. No skipping off to do another squeezer inner for another customer. Its going to look so nice. I adore your house! And new mouldings and paint is going to make it even more charmante!
Sounds like it will be wonderful, and of course we want to see updates!
Count me interested!
Oh boy, a reno is something I can so well relate to. Luckily you can proceed from one room to the other. Thinking about how wonderful it all will look, when finished, does help during the process.
And you have your outdoors to spend your time in too : ).
Living during the construction process is chaotic! Enjoy the results and can’t wait to see the end result.
We have light carpeting through out our house and I hate it! Can’t get the 2nd vote for hardwood floors. Maybe once my employment evens out we can tackle that battle!
The new floors will be so worth it. The new floors will be so worth it. The new floors will be so worth it. make this your mantra throughout the entire messy process. We are down to carpeting in our guest room only and much prefer how much cleaner it all feels.
Looks like a lot of work to be done…your wooden fkooring sounds great. Hope everything turns out beautifully
mongs
mythriftycloset.blogspot.com
I too am beginning some renovations, which feels daunting. Your photos speak my future!
Ooh i love a bit of a renovation – makes you tear your hair out – but god it is soo worth it when over – and kind of fun stress – or maybe that is just me! xx
Quite an undertaking! All house renovations are stressful so I can only sympathize :-)Guidelines for surviving transition period:
take off your glasses and keep them off at all times (things will magically appear cleaner)
indulge in chocolate, champagne and reruns of Downton Abbey
Pseu, I don’t envy you having to demo the tile. I had to do that in a previous home and the dust is horrid. However, you are going to love your new oak floors! I agree with Terri, make that your mantra.