DIY and Take Charge

With our Contractor taking a weekend vacation, Todd and I decided it was a great weekend to take matters into our own hands.  We couldn't take looking at the light-wood kitchen island anymore so we decided we would remove the cabinet faces, sand everything, stain it, seal it, and cure it.   Luckily we didn't have to do half of that! 

Through many google searches, we came across this kit that requires no sanding and was almost fail proof!  There were a few options but we discovered our local Home Depot had a kit so we tried it. 

We first removed all cabinets faces.  All cabinets and trim had to be wiped down to remove excess dirt or grease.  Since our cabinets were brand new this went smoothly.  We then had to put down a bond coat, a glaze, and finally the top coat.  This actually took two days because each coat had to dry for at least 4 hours.



Painting in my pajamas



Putting the cabinet faces back on (with help from Hera)

The results were worth it though!!

Before- way too light!



After!  The dark Kona color we loved originally!




While we were at Home Depot, I noticed some unfinished cabinets that looked as if they would be the perfect size for another weekend project.  Our master bathroom has an open linen closet but we prefer our toiletries be hidden from view.  The cabinets ended up being the perfect size! With a few coats of paint, removal of beadboard, and some man power they fit nicely and gave us plenty of covered storage.   

Open linen closet with one cabinet in place



Covered storage made simple! 

 There is a some touching up to do around the linen closet but I'm glad we spent less than $150 on this project! 

On the note of saving money, we were very happy to find some tiles on sale for our downstairs bathroom.  Although it is definitely not our first choice of colors or tile, we felt it was neutral enough to appeal to any buyer in a few years.  Additionally, saving money when the budget is already blown is always a great feeling! 

Shower coming together

Mixing these tiles together to create a modern bathroom

Bathroom painted!

Our master bedroom is also coming together.  We need as much storage as possible so I originally thought wardrobes next to our bed would be a great idea; however, they have become a bit too modern (and massive) for the bedroom.  However, Todd fought me on this and the wardrobes are staying.  You wouldn't believe the amount of clothes and shoes that Todd owns!  

I love modern but our bedroom was not intended to be styled in that manner.  We do plan on replacing the wardrobe faces with mirrors instead of the current doors to hopefully tone down the modern feel. We also plan to put floating side tables that will be a dark color.




Still debating- too much and too modern?



We love our new bed!

We are very excited for the next few weeks.  We have our 12 foot patio door on order along with the flooring for my office.  The countertops for the kitchen were also ordered last week.  Of course, one of the colors of silestone we chose is custom so it might take a few days longer than the 8-10 day lead time. 

My office and the kitchen should be finished within the next two weeks.  The downstairs should fall into place quickly after.  Todd is working on the banister and front door.  Once those are in and the downstairs bathroom finished we can have Total Floors come back in to install the flooring downstairs.

Although it seems like a lot, it's much better than where we started.  We are looking forward to the day were all the minor touch up work is completed and we can have a party to celebrate and relieve the stress of renovating!!

The Dark Side... of the Kitchen Island

It's been a whirlwind since we last wrote!  The floors were refinished again and we were very pleased.  The gentlemen at Total Floors in Alexandria were so professional and timely that we decided to get a quote from them to replace our lower level with either hardwood or laminate.  It's becoming a big decision because although laminate is cheaper, the resell value is lower.  They just measured today so we are looking forward to the quote shortly.

The kitchen cabinets were installed; however, what was supposed to be the highlight of the renovation didn't go as planned.  The kitchen island was intended to be a very dark "kona" color and it turned out very brown.  This was a miscommunication between us and the contractor that handled the kitchen.  He originally showed us a black sample; however, it had no wood grain showing.  We stated we loved the color but wanted the wood grain. He asked us to go on his website that night and pick out the type of wood grain we liked from the collection.  We assumed the dark stain would be applied to it.  However, he assumed we were picking an entirely new color because we wanted the wood grain.  Long story short, we are going to have pay around $3,000 extra to have the island refaced.   

We are very happy to have cabinets though and can't wait to get the appliances installed tomorrow!!  The sink which is farmhouse style and cooktop can't be set until the countertops arrive.

The white cabinets turned out great! 

The sink will go here after counterops are installed

Island is definitely not dark enough!  Love the design though!

One room that came together nicely was the upstairs guest room.  I was looking to keep the room fresh but vintage.  I found these great bird paintings and pillow that I immediately fell in love with.  The buttoned headboard was also a great find! 

LOVE this pillow

Couldn't pass these up!

Guest bedroom coming together. I just need to find a white vintage dresser now.

One room we are very pleased with is our master bathroom!  There are still some finishing touches like baseboards, drywall patching, and new mirrors for the vanities but it came together nicely.  We went for a clean, crisp, serene feel and definitely accomplished it. 

I'm loving the little details

The shower turned out great!  We just need to order the glass shower door now.

So happy we have double vanities!! Mirrors on order.  These are temporary.

Our master bedroom is also coming together but we have most of the furniture arriving on Thursday so your sneak peek is below...

I love a lot of pillows!

 Most of our furniture is being delivered on Thursday so we will have updates to the living room soon.  Also, now that the kitchen cabinets are out of my office we can complete that room very quickly.  I just need to order the flooring and it will be next on our priority list. 

I can't wait to get my desk, storage, and some organization back in my life!