We’re still at it! Slow but steady, we are getting there with this house renovation. There are a lot of little details to work on and one of these days, there will be some huge changes going on. In the meantime, here are a few updates from this week.
My sister and I went to pick up some things from Lowes and dad got the table saw back out to finish cutting the MDF boards for the rest of our board and batten in the dining room. We pulled back in the driveway and saw this scene in the back yard. Mom’s a good helper too! Aren’t they great? Mom’s birthday was Friday, the 4th. She turned 84 years old. I love my folks!
Dad and I headed over to the house and finished up the rest of the board and batten. It’s looking SO good and now I can’t wait to get it all painted. I just finished caulking in here this week and soon will be painting this room. Our next big project will be priming and painting the trim.
Bit by bit, this house will come to life.
So glad I decided to do this treatment in this small 10 1/2 by 10 1/2’ dining room. Board and batten will really add a lot of impact in here. I’ve ordered a pretty 8’ square seagrass rug for here too from Overstock. My old seagrass rug got ruined in my sister’s basement flood and we got a payoff from the insurance company, so the new one will look fantastic in here. This 8’ square one will fit perfect in this small dining room.
The rest of the room.
Dad came up with a nifty idea for the lightswitch, which is in the middle of our top row. He got longer screws and pulled it out flush with the board.
So, now when I get new white covers for all my plates, it will sit on top of the board. Genius, huh?!
We got the grass mowed last week too. Dad started the back and the next day I finished off the back and then mowed the front. At least it is a yard I can handle and can do it myself.
I sure don’t have to work out with a renovation going on, exercise is happening on a daily basis!
We started working on finishing the window trim in the kitchen. It was done in a really rustic way (as is most of the house), so it really needed an update to make that trim look better. Here’s a closeup of the existing inside of the window trim. Very rough and basic. He took off the front boards, which were basically 2×4’s and not very pretty at all.
We are covering it back up with plain wood too, but at least it will look much more uniform and better.
You wouldn’t believe all the discussions one can have with their fathers over window trim. Yep, that head-butting thing keeps happening. He wants to do it one way and I want to do it another. We are compromising, but mostly I say, with a little extra effort on this trim-out on the windows it will make a big difference in the overall look. He’s going with my plan for the most part. 🙂 It is not going to be fancy trim at all, since this house is on the rustic side. It has basic traditional trim all over with baseboards and door trim, but then they did some really rustic trims on the bigger windows and I’m OK with that, just want to make it all look good when painted out white.
He added a little window sill and that looks better already. Once it is all caulked and painted out white, that will make a huge difference too.
Here they are after both are trimmed out.
We did a basic Craftsman style header across the top.
With the window sill at the bottom.
We also added a trim piece inside left and right and top on each window to hide some of these seams (using baseboard, the perfect fit inside these windows). I’ll show you that part later. After caulking and painting, it will be a world of difference. Next week will be a ton of caulking and then I think we’ll be ready to tackle priming the trim.
Another lunch in the living room with some rest for the weary. They are troopers and hanging in there. I caught them with their mouths full so that’s why they aren’t smiling.
Atlanta girls!
One week from Saturday, May 19th, we are going to plan for a painting party. Anyone in the area who’d like to show up and help, I will give you a room and let you all go to town on priming that stained trim. We are going to have to prime with oil-based primer to get it ready for the latex trim paint. I sure appreciate the help so much! That will just get us further down the road to getting the house painted.
If you can make it, please bring a paintbrush with you. And if you have an extra tray for paint, that would be great too! We will only be doing trim primer that day. I’d love to meet you, so let me know if you’d like to come out and help. We’ll feed you too!! Not sure what, but we will come up with something for lunch. You can stay as long as you want to, no pressure on time. Email me at: rh[email protected] if you’d like to come out and I’ll give you directions.
Thanks so much! That’s this week’s update.
Next week, I’ll tell you about the floors. Looks like that old engineered hardwood in the diningroom and kitchen is going to come out. It’s not worth saving, unfortunately and that is the conclusion we have come to. I’m probably going to be putting down all new prefinished hardwoods (we are going to do it ourselves). I am hoping to do all the rest of the house in hardwoods, Lord willing! I should be finalizing my choices on that soon and I’ll share with you.
Cabinets are another story. I’ve gotten a couple of estimates and I’m not really happy with either of them, so we will continue checking around for a better deal. If I have to, I will totally get Shaker style cabinets from Ikea. They are very pretty too!
Happy (belated) Birthday to you mom, she is a trooper! Looks like the progress is really coming along. Enjoy watching it all from the comfort of the computer but I wish I lived nearby to join in “the fun”.
I just LOVE that your parents are so active! That is awesome.
Yay, I’m so glad you’re going to let us help! I’ll be there, God willing! Happy birthday to your mom!
Love, love, love the house reno posts! Keep them coming. You are doing the right thing by priming with oil based primer. I used Zinser stain blocker primer on my very old stained kitchen cabinets at my beach house in Galveston. Then, I did use oil based paint to paint them, it was a pain and took forever but so worth it in the end. However, they do make wonderful latex products. The primer is the key. The finish paint goes on so smoothly. Love your parents and their level of participation. Keeps them young!!
Hey Rhoda, I would SO be there next Saturday if I didn’t already have plans. I’m in Chattanooga, but would definitely make the drive!
Speaking of Chattanooga, you should check out Southeastern Salvage for your cabinets. That’s where we got ours for our recent flip house. I love them and we got a great deal! Check out my blog for pics.
Everything is looking great!
Wow this looks so neat! As far as the light switch, its a great idea to extend them out (I hate when they’re buried so deep) but you should really get an extension box for it. You can get them at any home improvement store, and they are just like a little ring of plastic that would keep the wires from touching your boards-an extension of your electrical box. I don’t think they are required or anything, but I would think they might help in protecting against a fire 🙂 Everything looks so great!!
Rhoda,
I am with the majority — ADORE your folks! You are so blessed that they are healthy and able to help you.
I am watching all your progress and can’t believe how much you’ve completed already. The board and batten looks fantastic. If Thomas and I were closer, we’d be there with paint brushes in hand to help.
Your Friend,
Deborah
Rhoda,
I am so very happy for you. Looks great! Have fun – Lynn
Things are coming along nicely. I’m so happy for you!
I love the house and it’s wonderful your parents are helping. I do wish HGTV would do a special on your house – the style and size represent what most of American is living in + showing a loving family working together is great. Wish I lived closer and could attend the painting party. I’m wicked with the Purdy sash brush.
I’m sorry I just have to say it again !! I LOVE your Mum and Dad, and they truly are amazing ! LOVE and CHERISH them every minute of every day – I meant it ! I can’t say it enough – I lost both of my parents 4 years ago (4 months apart from each other ) and I can’t tell you how much I miss them – not a day goes by that I don’t think of them, and wish I could see them and talk with them again……CHERISH THEM.
Oh, by the way ! Your home looks beautiful, and you are doing such a fantastic job !
Wish Raleigh wasn’t so far away. I’m great with a paint brush. 🙂
God Bless Your Folks!
I love reading your blog…enjoy looking at all the pictures that you post. We are in the process of renovating an original 1967 cedar house at a lake in Texas. We had to completely gut the kitchen as you are doing. Kitchen cabinets were a huge research project for me, as I was not willing to pay the price of custom cabinets, estimates coming in for nearly $8,000 (and that price was not even stained or painted)! I considered doing used cabinets from a place and was fine with painting them myself. I happened across a website where I found some awesome cabinets (http://www.rtacabinetstore.com/RTA-Kitchen-Cabinets/natural-shaker-kitchen-cabinets). I actually saw them at a Restore. They are 100% wood, no partical board at all. The hardware is hidden (which I really love) and the drawers are the “self-closing” – and are wonderful! I ended up going with the Tuscany Maple. I received my order about one month ago and have not regretted them at all. In fact, they are better than I had even imagined. They have the Shaker style like you are wanting. I ended up paying $3500 (with shipping, an extra pint of paint so I can add trim myself) and I have a ton of cabinets (full island with tons of storage). You can even get the price down more than that…I splurged on two sets of 3-drawer cabinets because I LOVE drawers.
Anyway, thought I would pass that information on to you – as that is one option I think you won’t regret checking out. You are an awesome inspiration for me and I have seriously thought about starting my own blog to document the progress as we go through our renovation. I just don’t know how to find the time! But it is in the back of my mind…maybe one day!
Good luck in your progress and enjoy having your parents helping you. Such an awesome blessing!
Good Morning- You know it just brings tears to my eyes to see your Dad and Mom there helping you out. We never really quit being parents, do we? What a blessing that they are in good enough health to be there and actually hands on. I am sure it makes them feel vital and connected to be able to do what they are doing there.
I love what you are doing with the dining room. It is going to be just gorgeous. I wish I lived closer I would be right there helping you paint. I really LIKE to paint (I know-weird, huh?;>) I especially like painting trim.
Have a wonderful day-and make sure you FEED the help!!! xo Diana
I say go for the Ikea cabinets. I’m thinking about doing the same myself because they are so well made and, apparently, very diy friendly.
Hello there! Oh, remember these treasured moments with your wonderful parents! What a treat! I love your board and batten, too! It’s going to be fabulous…just like the rest of the home!
Hardwoods for the whole house??? Oh Rhoda….. BEAUTIFUL PLAN!!! Like some others who have commented…. I would so be there with a paintbrush in hand!!!! Atlanta is about 6 hours away from me…. LOL ….. … Love the dining room and the trim on the windows….. this is alllll so exciting…… when I first discovered your blog…. you were ripping carpet off your stairs back in Alabama…. WOW!!!!! I don’t have a blog…. but I AM HAVING A BLAST LEARNING FROM YOU AND YOURS!!!! 🙂
Rhoda,
If I didn’t live so far away in Delaware I’d love to help you paint! That said, I need to get on my painting – it’s been almost 3 years since I bought my house and I have more left than I would like to think about:)
Good luck:)
I bet your parents are having so much fun! It is so great that they area able to do so much at their age.
The house is coming along. I love the board and batten in the dining room. And can’t wait to see the rest of the house unfold.