As I have been preparing for launching this site, I have spent hours organizing all of the pictures that we have of the remodel. My plan was to blog as we worked, but that didn't happen. And as I looked through all the pictures, I realized that I didn't have any "after" shots. I have the after's of the construction, but very few actually completed and styled rooms to take pictures of. I know why. It's because none of the rooms in my house, I now realize, are completely finished. There is something to do in every room, so I have no way of actually showing you the real "after" pictures.
In some spaces, there was a lot to collect over the next three years. Other spaces got far enough to live in, but not far enough to be considered "done". Plus I don't really live in a perpetual state of "staged". Those phenomenal sites that show these amazing after shots, well, they stage those shots, obviously. In real life, I have stacks of paper work all over the house. I have unfinished rooms and spaces. Sure, I can keep those flaws out of the "after" pictures, and it would look fantastic. That's not necessarily what I want to put forth here. Yes, I would like to share what I have done-especially for those that haven't actually seen our new home. But, I don't want to add to the pressure of having everything perfectly "done" and staged all the time. I know so many women who apologize for their homes when you walk in. They feel the need and pressure to explain why everything isn't "perfect".
And that breaks my heart.
In this Pinterest and HGTV era, the pressure to have a "style", to have an original space staged perfectly for the world to see, that pressure is real. And sometimes, it just messes with our heads and keeps us up at night. Not everyone cares, and most people don't really have the time. I have a knack for this...I have an eye for pulling this stuff together, so I gravitate towards a home that is more styled than most. And that's ok. Just like it's ok if you don't care. For a long time, I didn't know what I was doing. I styled my home for my husband and I, and tried not to care what other people thought. And I think that is the way it should be.
So as I scrolled my pics, I knew I would have to show you all the flaws and reality of every single blogger out there that has a family. Stuff doesn't always get done. Rooms aren't always complete (until we go to sell our homes because, well, we want to sell our homes). So I will show you all what I have so far.
First up-the remodel. The space our girls would live in from the perspective of that room.
This is what the room looked like when we started...
Wait, that's right, there was nothing there! So this was what it looked like after a week of construction...
NO JOKE-this is legit work!! We had a great crew come in to start the work here that we got a permit for. This was too big of a job for us to do on our own. Plus, we don't own any of these cool things...
Yeah, we could have rented one, but these guys worked so incredibly fast and efficient. The truth is, we were adding HVAC stuff, moving some plumbing (to move the washer and dryer), and dealing with structural stuff. Contractors were the only way to go here. So feast your eyes on some of the major changes going on here.
Those windows that are covered by the new floor will come out...but here is what the room looks like from up top.
This whole space will be where the closet and "hang out" space will be. We didn't want the closet to have four windows in it, and closing off this space completely would mean we would loose that light from all those windows. I have to say, though, this space was so big! And seeing the ceiling line lowered felt so dark all of a sudden. We knew this would all work out, but for a second, before those windows were gone and the drywall went up, I really wasn't sure.
Here are some more perspectives...
I can't believe we had that carpet and bulky pony wall still in there!
And from above...
What an absolutely amazing transformation! Sure, there is still so much work to be done...framing needs to happen, drywall and paint needs to go up, but in one week, this place looks so different. And for that, we get a happy dance...
Gosh my girls look YOUNG!! What a difference four years makes at this age.