It's hard to live across the country from my sister. Whenever one of us remodels, or moves, the other just has to imagine the changes. Of course, there are always photos. Now that I'm posting the "befores and afters" from my place, maybe she will show me photos of the changes at her house! :-)
Our house was a foreclosure, and had been vacant for months at the time we purchased it. The backyard was pretty wild:
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| Photo: An overgrown, weedy backyard |
It is still a work in progress, but here's the latest "after" photo:
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| Photo: The lawn is mowed, and grapes and other shrubs planted |
Probably the biggest changes inside were in the kitchen and the adjoining dining area. I remember floral wallpaper being very popular, and I remember pinks and blues being used quite a bit, but I don't remember the combination being used along with brick floors:
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| Photo: A kitchen with brick floors, floral wallpaper, and a blue and pink tile backsplash |
I hardly knew what to think. Everytime I looked at the kitchen, I laughed. Fortunately, we have a friend who is a contractor, and he had suggestions for us. I don't find my kitchen laughable anymore:
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| Photo: A kitchen with the same brick floor, but granite counters and backsplash and with no wallpaper |
I learned that the fastest way to remove wallpaper is to use the steaming machine. It was well worth the cost. Even with it, though, we removed wallpaper for what seemed like forever! I have a tiny bathroom that remains completely wallpapered. One of these days I will be ready to tackle that project, but I still am haunted by memories of this room:
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| Photo: the wallpapered dining area and kitchen |
With wallpaper removed, painted, and curtained, we get this:
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| Photo: The dining area with no wallpaper and with painted walls |
I do want to put in a disclaimer of sorts: I am a terribly practical sort of person, and I realize that I don't NEED much in a house. None of the projects we tackled were true needs. I enjoy seeing the changes, but what I love most in a house is the feeling of home.
Making a home fit your own personality and taste is what makes it YOURS! I think your changes are wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThank you. :-)
DeleteLove the changes you made in the kitchen.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I do, too.
DeleteI love your new kitchen and that backyard is so inviting. In our neighborhoods lot size run around 6000 sq. ft. Your hard looks lots bigger than that!
ReplyDeleteWe do have a big lot--about 1/2 acre. I love the space, but it is hard to keep up with the weeding, etc.
Deletegreat post
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteThat looks so much like our house and yard in California looked! And our house had floral wallpaper in the kitchen and dining room, too. Late 1980s floral.
ReplyDeleteBlock wall, stucco siding, tile roof=California house. I still haven't tackled the completely-wallpapered (including ceiling) bathroom. I'm pretty sure the wallpaper is original to the (late 1980s) home. Maybe if I wait long enough, the 80s look will come back, just like Mid-century modern did. :-)
Delete