It’s Friday. I, like all of you, have 32 bazillion things, give or take, on the to-do list for this weekend. Instead of focusing on what needs to be done, I’m going to share some things we actually finished.
First, some history.
A long time ago, in a Land Before Children, we took a house from this:
Yes, we LIVED in the house while it looked like this.
To this (sorry, somehow I do not have an after picture from the same angle as the before picture. You’ll have to use your imagination.):
The family room.
The living room.
Mark and I not only lived in the house throughout the entire process, we did a huge amount of the work ourselves. Mark and his dad built the bottom portion of our staircase and installed all of the balusters and railings. Some day I may tell you the story of that process. It was painful, but the outcome was worth it, don’t you think? Professionals handled things like relocating plumbing and electrical, and making sure the place was structurally sound. Then we handled everything from sheet rock (Never again. Never.) to paint.
The entire project, start to finish, took many, many – oh, so many – months. In The Land Before Children, however, we had the time to work and the freedom live amongst a mess, complete with sharp tools and buckets of nails lying about. (OSHA would have loved us.)
After we had kids and found out we were moving to a new city, we evaluated our housing options. It took about 22 seconds to realize that total remodels were not on our list of wants. These days it’s just not okay to leave buckets of nails lying around. We know that because we are good parents.
Even though we bought a house that doesn’t need major work, we still have home improvment projects. We cannot help ourselves. Apparently, Mark and I don’t feel complete if there’s not a project in progress. We may keep all the sharp objects in the garage, at a safe height, these days, but we still have buckets of nails.
Not too long ago I wrote a post about the best laid plans going awry (again with the kids – always throwing a wrench in things), and I mentioned that I had a bathroom sink in my dining room.
I’m proud to say that I now have a bathroom sink in the powder room. Due to the change in my circumstances (you know, the kids I keep talking about), I feel the same sense of accomplishment with this bathroom that I felt when I remodeled my entire house. Kids really do change everything, especially your perspective.
We still have some touch up paint and accessorizing to do, but it’s complete enough for me to call the project a success. As proof, here are a few gratuitous bathroom shots. (Oh, I cannot wait to see the bizarre search strings that come from that sentence.)
Running water and all.
I never know what to do with an art niche...
Reminders of travels and family, two of my favorite things.
How cute is this trash can?
I’m not being compensated by any of the companies I’m about to mention, but I know if you’re like me, you’re curious about paint colors, etc. Here is a source list:
:: Paint – Behr Premium Plus Ultra, from Home Depot, in Poppyseed
:: Sink, faucet, mirror and lighting – all from Lowe’s Home Improvement
:: Accessories – some of the things were mine, but the cool mirror/photo display, the framed key, the lidded glass jar and the clock are all from Creative Co-Op, based out of Memphis. So cute! Our local Bed, Bath and Beyond told me they are the only store in Texas carrying Creative Co-Op products, just FYI. Oh, and that adorable trash can came from Target.
:: Framed photos – the pictures are all mine. The one of the Texas State Capitol is from an antique shop. I’ve had it for about 15 years and can’t remember where I found it. It is a reproduction, though, so I’m sure other copies exist out there somewhere. The photos of the Statue of Liberty, Big Ben and the Eiffel Tower are all my personal photos.
I wonder…
:: Are you a home improvement buff? (If so, link to a favorite project in the comments below!)
:: Where are your favorite places to shop for accessories?
Lapsed homemaker. Looking to hire a full-time housekeeper who will work for the sheer joy of a job well done and free coffee. Interested parties, DM please. 
I am weeping with jealousy. My bathroom started to disintegrate about 12 months ago now. We currently shower in a room that is completely covered in plastic so as to not allow any drips through the rotten plasterboard, AND a sheet of acquaboard lives (permanentely? It’s almost got its own visa!) in our dining room cum office cum lounge cum junkroom. My husband the dashing Engineer is so busy with other stuff he hasn’t quite got around to fixing the bain de salle. Sigh. Will this damsel ever be a CLEAN damsel in distress?
@Vegemitevix, Oh, I live with an engineer, too. I feel your pain. Really. I do.
I guess I should have given the timeline of our powder room re-do. Let’s just say it was NOT a weekend project. Things take time around here. Lots and lots of time…
Love the color! It looks absolutely beautiful!
We live in a 80 year old house so it’s really more home maintenance than improvement, but we constantly have a project going!! My guest potty is one of the favorite rooms in my entire house. It has toile fabric padded wall, a red vanity, an antique mirror and a little antique chandelier. I did absolutely none of the work, though am still as proud of it as if I’d birthed it myself.
Next up — kids bathroom. They currently have only one sink (I know, poor things) and a bathtub, but no shower. They do not take baths much anymore which means they are always in our bathroom. Must remedy the situation, but given that I do none of the work myself, I first need a huge bucket of money. Plans are in my head. Just waiting for the huge bucket!
@Amy ~ Eat. Live. Laugh. Shop., I am dying to do my boys’ bathroom, too! Theirs is just not functional at all. I’m like you – lots of plans, just waiting on the bucket of money!
I want pics of your powder room – sounds gorgeous!
Wow, you guys do some AMAZING work! In the land before children or not. It is great!
http://www.pampersandpinot.com
@Kristy, Thank you – too kind. My husband would be a great contractor, actually (so would I, for that matter). We have mastered the art of starting a project and then leaving it, languishing, for months. 😉
Love it! You should be a designer! Of course you showing a picture of your beautiful previous home made me have to go and look at HAR pics of the psycho new people’s version of it…it just saddens me. I know I should let it go but I wonder why people take good decor and make it bad!!! Miss you!
P.S. If you and Mark want to come to Houston and help with our bathrooms I would welcome that 🙂
@Kristin, I can’t think of anything more fun that spending someone else’s money on a decorating project. 🙂 You guys buy the beer and Mark will be there. Ha.
Thanks for the sweet words. Our poor, old house… I can’t look at the pics anymore. They’re just depressing! That woman does not quite share our taste, does she?!
Looks fantastic – hope to see it next spring! Miss you my friend
@Maggie, Mags! Well, it doesn’t hold a candle to your bathroom redo, but we’ll take it. 😉
Conf call this week?!? Finally???
OK, so this is where I sound all one-up-ish. We did a total remodel with Kate and while pregnant with Maddie.
Touche, dear friend. 🙂
Doesn’t it make you want to go out right now and remodel your house just to even the playing field?
Beautiful, Missy! Your first photos are so impressive, too! My husband is generally no Bob Vila, but the man can paint. This summer we painted and painted and painted some more, had one bathroom remodeled and got all new curtains. But then the school year started and I look around and see all the things still left to be done. Darn kids. :0)
@Melinda, Isn’t that how it goes? You get some amazing momentum, but then life creeps in. Sounds like you got A LOT done, though.
My husband is a master painter, too. In fact, I keep telling him my ineptitude slows him down, and that it might make more sense for him to just do all the painting from now on. 😉
Wow – what an amazing transformation. Do you want to come help me w/ our house 🙂
@Eden Godsoe, I really can’t think of anything more fun that decorating on someone else’s budget!! I can be there any time… 😉
I love the memories of your travels on the wall. Simply lovely!