Ohhhh - the stress this house has caused me! Sometimes people ask me if I'm glad we did it (that is purchase a very run down 95 year old home) and I really don't know how to respond. It depends on the day. Someday's I love it; I love the fact that we're central, I love the character and history, I love our basement suite and the help it is financially, I love seeing the amazing work that Mike can do with his own two hands, I love the work that I'VE been able to do with my own two hands (who knew I'd become so acquainted with power tools!). Other days I think about ALL the work that's been done and ALL that has yet to be done and I feel utterly overwhelmed. Ask me in a year and I guess we'll see what my response is then! As for now projects ARE slowly being completed and I'm excited to say we have FINISHED a room (I use the term "finished" loosely because there are a couple tiny things left to be done :) Introducing Carter's room!
These first two photo's are of Carter's room partway into the reno. How we wish we would have taken more before shots! These pictures really don't do it justice. The new drywall on the ceiling is due to the fact that half of it was caving in, we didn't remove the flooring - it just wasn't there!, the light fixture consisted of a bulb hanging from a wire, no door, no electrical or light switch covers, missing radiator covers (which meant the radiator fins were filthy and smashed to bits - I spent hours cleaning them and bending them back one by one with pliers!), no baseboards, I could really go on forever with just one room so I'll stop there!
The above photo's don't really show the GRIME that was present in the home so I had to add this shot of one of the basement rooms prior to starting the reno's. (Can you believe we bought this home?!) The previous owners were serious hoarders. And do you like the artwork on the far wall?? (sorry for the PG-13 rating of it!)
Post Reno
There's a couple small things I'd like to change about this room, one being getting rid of the 2nd hand wardrobe in the corner, but alas part of the beauty of old homes is the minimal closet space - so it will stay! Really though can you believe the transformation! The door is new (we replaced them throughout the upstairs) and Mike built the moulding around to mimic the original moulding found in the entryway. I've gone on much too long but I'm just too excited. It's hard for me to believe sometimes that that scary OLD room is the same one where Carter and I now sit and read books and play!
