I’ve been delaying sharing what we’ve completed hoping that it would be done, but that doesn’t seem to be happening. There’s odds and ends that still need to be done, oh! and money! Money helps.

I have this issue with sharing my projects that are unfinished. I don’t know what it is, or why, but it is what it is.  So, if you could be so inclined to break down this psychological weirdness for me, I’d be forever grateful.

Until then, I am sweating and nervous to show you my kitchen, mid-transformation.

If you haven’t seen what it looked like when we moved in, here it is!

First of all, the lights. They’ve been changed out. Simple and inexpensive alternative to Teh Shit.

No more ceiling fan 6 inches from the cupboard!!

Now? Now I have sexy stainless steel a la KitchenAid.

No more broken-down-piece-of-ghetto-trash oven.

If you have a range when resembles the unit which was left here? My condolences.

The fridge looks freakin’ ginormous compared to the dinky cupboards, but trust me when I say: it’s normal. It opens to its entirety, which is more than I can say for the original fridge. Its door would hit that countertop protruding at the bottom right of this picture leaving it to only open half way. It was impossible and stupid, also boggles my mind how someone could live with that for ten years or more, which the previous owner did.

For those interested: my range, microwave, dishwasher, and fridge.

(And no, this is not a sponsored post for KitchenAid. I just love them and I’m really happy with them. BUT! If they wanted to send me small appliances in red I would not object. Just so you know.)

The lower wall area will be covered with tile backsplash; around the doorway still requires paint (which I’m doing today). I am still trying to convince Mike that we need penny round mosaic tiles. He’s concerned that if we do complete a full renovation in five years that we’ve wasted our money. But! I think it’s a way to make this space livable and beautiful for the time being and maybe even prolong the complete gut we’re saving for. And really? What a couple hundred dollars if it makes me happy.

Happy Wife, Happy Life! (That’s what I like to remind him on a regular basis. Very. Regular.

penny round tiles used in a bathroom

There’s tiling, baseboards, (hopefully) new linoleum, and finishing touches yet to be completed (like new blinds that are not metal mini blinds).

But the linoleum… oh, the linoleum.

It’s disgusting. It’s faded. It’s stained. It’s damaged.

The spot closest to the kitchen sink is so discoloured I can’t even scrub it clean. Trust me. I’ve tried. Hate.

But once again, Mike and I are wondering if this part could (should) wait. Though, five years does seem like a horribly long time to live with this shite.

I (just right now) priced it out and found that for less than $500 we can put down new sticky groutable tiles which give the illusion of tile. So yay! for new tiles!

Home Depot: Groutable Natural Concrete

Painting was a whole other demon. The thick and OLD wallpaper glue was a nightmare. After fighting for what seemed like FOREVER; washing and re-washing, sanding and re-sanding, we were finally able to remove the glue and get the paint to adhere to the wall without peeling off with each roll.

Paint colour: Cumberland Fog by Behr.

P.S. As of Sunday (yesterday) the high chair is gone. I can’t freakin’ believe it! He’s out of a high chair already!

Ahem.

This is where you come in, my dear reader(s?). I need help with artwork for the above wall.

I have these prints. I’ve been considering the red one to bring a bit of pop and colour to the space even though I am completely in love with the sage green one.

But, because of the awkward placement of the outlet I think I’ll have to break up the art a little and add some more items.

I need your ideas. I need your style and know-how to make this space work. I want to add a couple pieces that don’t necessarily match, but compliment each other and bring it all together.

So, if your so inclined, please fill my comments with suggestions: Etsy stores, your art, friends art, general ideas, prints from anywhere. I’m open!

I’m hoping my next update will be our main bath which is currently underway, and it damn well better include a conclusion to this kitchen. I am more than ready to have something DONE!

We moved about three months ago now – Ohmygod I can’t believe it’s been that long already – and I still have yet to share our new home with you. A little background: we bought this house knowing we were going to renovate and re-design. It has great bones and a wonderful layout but the current decor left much to be desired. Because, well… it’s by no means current.

Our ‘new’ stove wasn’t quite up to snuff as it required a small set of pliers to turn the oven on, and seeing that the dial was broken and long gone there was no way to determine was temperature the oven was on except for trying to gauge it by the rotation while turning the small pin behind the fake wood facade.

The clock forever remained on 4:42 but managed to have the right time – two times a day.

My favourite part? The wallpaper.

What was completely surreal about this paper was the fact that my dad’s old farm house had this exact patterned paper in one of the guest rooms, which was my bedroom two weekends per month for YEARS.

This paper was gorgeous in that 100 year old farm house. There was no border in my bedroom, but with floor-to-ceiling lace curtains and espresso brown dark wood floors, it was really beautiful. In this kitchen it was little stifled, a whole lot of ugly.

Oh, the spice rack that was left behind for us? Wicked awesome, right?

A full length shot of the kitchen eating area beyond with my what-we-thought-was-in-working-order dishwasher. That was until I turned it on to clean it with scalding hot water and bleach. The piece of junk proceeded to leak all over the floor. So not cool.

Oh! And the ceiling fan…

Notice anything a little, um… awkward about the ceiling fan?

Ya… opening the cupboard above the stove while the ceiling fan is on could be extremely hazardous. Wonder who would win that battle…

And, this is where we began. Things are by no means complete, but we’re working slowly towards completing one room at a time. Our renovation is going to be a feature of sorts. I had toyed with the idea of creating a renovation type blog, but I just don’t know that I’d ever keep it up-to-date (Because I’ve been so dedicated to doing that here and all).

So it begins… welcome along on our adventure of pretending we know what we’re doing. Buckle up, it’s going to be a bumpy ride, because dude? I already wish I had enough money to hire Jeff Lewis and all his psycho babble.

Oh, and please feel free to laugh at my misfortune. I have. Though it was kind of manic, but whatever.

We move in 28 days. Twenty. Eight.

We went from just looking to owning a new home so fast that I think I’ve now began having cold feet. I’ve started panicking, thinking we can’t afford it, we didn’t think it through, we jumped in too fast. But when everything is said and done, I remember that I LOVE the house and the possibilities are endless once we save a little more for the renovations we have in mind.

With our enormous childcare bill each month, we’re now going to be in a tight financial bind for the next 12 months, but we knew that going in. It’s just a little daunting thinking that we’re putting out a HUGE portion of our income in childcare and mortgage costs alone.

Welcome to big city living.

I’m managing my house, my children, my job, the packing, the purging, the lawyers, the realtor, our bank, my business and I can’t seem to find enough time to do everything. I’m staying up later, getting up later (meaning narrowly being late for work each day) and lacking any semblance of normalcy at the moment.

Though I find it extremely nerve-racking, I am better at organizing, prioritizing and more productive. (Not that you could tell from the state of my house at the moment because HOLY. SHIT. it’s a mess.)

I’m stressed.

So stressed.

I worry, I over think, I compare, I am pessimistic and I can’t stand when Someone* is not doing as much as I think they should. I get upset and angry; I lash out at Someone when Someone comes home late from work even though I know Someones hands are tied. I know what the construction industry is like, yet I feel this resentment and anger that I am on the short end of the stick all the time.

(The next three paragraphs had turned into a woe is me rant about how hard done by I am so I erased them…everyone’s problems are significant to them and really? I have nothing to complain about at the moment. Things are on the up swing and we’re moving to a new house with a POOL!! I can’t complain. I’m just stressed and closing in on my capacity of handling things somewhat efficiently before I start dropping balls.)

((Moving day hasn’t even arrived yet.))

(((Or BlogHer.)))

((((When I asked Mike what he would take care of the weekend I was away at BlogHer he said “Well, I’m not packing or anything. I have two kids! How do you expect me to get anything done?”))))

(((((I replied with manic laughter.)))))

((((((He got mad at me.))))))

((((((Someone bring me some Xannax at BlogHer please?))))))

__________________________

*Someone who shall remain nameless because apparently I’ve been nagging and harping a lot. It doesn’t feel like nagging or harping when that person’s name is not associated with the nagging words so it’s better this way. Says I.