A Week of Gratitude: A New Living Space
I don’t imagine you’re surprised at the source of today’s gratitude, it’s taken up a lot of space in my head and a lot of money from my bank account! But, as you all kept telling me, and as I repeated to myself daily (sometimes hourly) it was all worth it.
This project started on September 3rd and was officially finished on November 18th. That’s 76 days of chaos and mess. Days of tearing down and destruction, dust and plastic sheeting. And then days of building back up, of hammering and sanding, building and installing, painting and finishing.
We went from this:
To this:
And from this:
To this:
Now, those original photos are actually from December 2019 and they were taken on the day our new furniture was delivered. So a few things were different when we started the renovation this past September but mostly everything was the same.
We’ve gone from wall to wall carpeting to hardwood floors. We’ve gone from dark brown walls to a beautiful shade of tan (It’s Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige if you want to know). We’ve gone from a weird old mantel behind the couch to a beautiful plain wall.
We’ve gone from this:
To this:
No more brick wall and big hearth and wood stove, instead a classic and gas powered fireplace.
And the rest of the money shots:
We’ve got a new wall of built in cabinets and shelves plus another set of shelves on the other side of the doorway. A new rug that, in the words of The Dude, really ties the room together. And new curtains. It’s styled for fall right now with autumn leaves and some pumpkins and that will change very soon because Christmas. Our tree will be going in the corner to the left of the fireplace.
It feels much lighter and so much more spacious. I have to keep reminding myself that this is my house (and not a fancy AirBnB) and that the vision I had of this room is now a reality. Eventually I will share photos of the dining room and front hallway but the changes there are much less dramatic, just hardwood floor and new paint.
So that’s the full reveal. I’m sure there will be more detail shots coming but for now I hope you enjoyed seeing how it looks. And thanks for keeping me going through the process, too.
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Love it, Carole! It’s so wonderful to see it all pulled together. (It’s easier to forget all that hassle and fuss, isn’t it . . . now that it’s beautiful and just what you had in mind from the start.) BRAVO! XO
Just beautiful, Carole! I love the hardwood floors, the new cabinets, the wall color, and of course, the fireplace! It’s great that you already know where your Christmas tree will go. I hope you and Dale will be very warm, happy, and healthy in your home now.
Wow, Carole, wow! That turned out so magnificently!! I love the subtle changes… as much as I love the dramatic ones! That wood burning stove to gas fireplace is just stunning! (and that rug is perfect!!)
Congratulations on this stunning success!!
Wow! It’s absolutely beautiful! I love it. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
Those professional decorator’s have got nothing on you, Carole. It is absolutely gorgeous! And yes, it was all worth it. You have feathered your nest just in time for Thanksgiving. Congratulations!
What a beautiful, serene place to relax with your loved ones. I especially love the light feeling of the white cabinetry and fireplace surround. Your vision was really spot on. It is perfect!
Lighter and Brighter and simply GORGEOUS Carole!! Well done. I know you and Dale will enjoy your “new” space so much.
It’s GORGEOUS, Carole!! I love the “lightness” of the room, the plain (non-mantel) wall, the built-in, and that very sleek fireplace. What a wonderful time of year to wrap up a project like that, too! Happy Holidays!!
(P.S. Is that a new rug? If so, where’d you get it??)
It’s beautiful and very chic! Well worth your efforts and patience. Enjoy! Happy Thanksgiving.
It’s fabulous! The paint and the flooring really make the room feel bigger and more open, and the new cabinetry is great. I hope you continue to feel like you’re in a fancy AirBnB. The Christmas tree is going to make it look like a catalog!
Looks great! Have a great Thanksgiving!
It looks so light and airy. I love it. Enjoy!
Fantastic transformation. My first thought when I saw it was how spacious it feels now. Seems like you had a great vision and made it happen. Hope you, Dale and the felines enjoy it.
Gorgeous! I’ve lived in my condo for 30 years and it is definitely looking a bit shabby but I just can’t face the chaos involved with a remodel. So I doubly salute you!
Lovely! I looks amazing and what a great feeling to have accomplished such a project.
Wow, it looks so much bigger with the lighter walls and the new floor. Very peaceful feel to it in these pictures. I love it and I love the new rug!
Soooo wonderful Carole! I’m so very happy for you and Dale. Home Sweet Home.
It looks so nice!! So glad you’re finally done and can really enjoy it.
oh my goodness, it looks fabulous and I’m sure you must be enjoying it immensely!! especially with that perfect spot for the Christmas tree!