The delights of home improvement simply cannot be fully enjoyed until the project is finished. And if you’re the type who doesn’t actually finish, it can, indeed, be a nightmare.
I always find it exciting to start a project and especially enjoy any shopping involved. We decided to put the same vinyl plank in our upstairs that we installed downstairs last year. Part of our desire was aesthetic, but part was practical. I don’t think any project we’ve ever attempted impacted our decor to the degree flooring did. Supply problems can mean delayed projects. The fact our flooring could be discontinued made it seem like a good idea.
Emptying our entire upstairs of furniture and stuff seemed overwhelming, but doable. All those trips up and down the stairs were certainly a workout. Soon our entire living/dining room areas were full.
We were fortunate to have Victor, the same wonderful installer we had for downstairs. Although we had access to our kitchen the entire time, it was rough to be displaced from our bedroom. In no time, the four old floorings (two kinds of carpet, tile and linoleum) were replaced.
Stairs before.
We decided on white risers on the stairs—just like the designer shows on TV. Victor applied beautiful trim to cover drywall damage.
Last touch was having the trim, risers and chair rail painted.
Since I never liked the stair rail, this was a big improvement. It looks so clean and fresh.
Naturally, dragging everything back upstairs took much longer than bringing it down. There were closets and cupboards to clean, walls to wipe down, chandeliers to polish. Am I done? Not quite, but close.
It’s not always drudgery, cleaning out drawers. I uncovered some family heirlooms that were fun to see.
Drawer treasures included three vintage beaded and sequined cocktail bags:
Somebody’s mother of pearl opera glasses
Our old family Kodak, used to take pictures such as this:
These are the Kottke cousins. That’s me, second from the right, looking all angelic.
But back to home projects. Rearrangement of my sewing room means I now have an island. It might be a bit tight, but I really enjoy having that workspace near at hand.
There’s that new floor!
The sewing room closet also got an update with steel shelving and new, smaller, fabric bins—easier and more convenient for my old body to lug around.
I am now an expert at manipulating steel shelving, not that it was easy to learn. Directions, much like other things, are not what they used to be. And yes, all the bins are full now. My cleanout meant three trash bags full of fabric went on to better places. Now, I can actually find what I want in my stash.
Am I overcome with a sense of accomplishment? Hardly. I look around to find scores of waiting projects. But those home improvements can wait for another day. It’s time to hang out under the fan and put my feet up!
Please share your recent home improvements in the comments below. I’d love to hear what you’ve been up to!