Storage for Sarah

Sarah, you were looking for ideas for your entry way. I could not figure out how to post pictures under a comment so here is a blog, JUST FOR YOU.. ha.. I know (from looking at your house renovations) You and the hubby can do things and build things yourself. These are just some ideas for your entry way. Furniture you can buy or things you can build. Enjoy.. (you are more than welcome to link this to your post if you want other people's opinions on what they like.)

I do not really like this one but I love the concept. Sort of what I am going for in my house minus the coat rack part of it. My bench is prettier though. And I am still looking for the perfect shelf thing like this.

I ran across this. It looks small but pretty cool. I had never seen thing before. I found it at http://shoestoragesolutions.org/ I just typed in shoe storage bench under google then looked under images. not sure where to buy this or if it is large enough.

Simple way of doing this, bench piece, or build bench with basket underneath and attached a pretty bookcase. Your creative, you can do something easy and fun

Yall could build this

Yall could easily build something like this and then put baskets under the bench part

This one I like because it has a cubbie that closes for your shoes (they have blankets) I don't like exposed cubbies and clutter (even though mine is exposed right now) The down side, you can not sit and open the cubbie at the same time.

You can find tons of furniture like the last pic at places like liquidations by lila (That is where I got my bench) (plus they are already put together) or goodwill or biglots and so on. Some even have mirrors in them where the tall part is. some with built in cubbies an so on. Good luck with your weekend projects.

It is all about what greets you

It is a work in progress. I knew exactly what I wanted though. The picture on the shelf is usually hanging under the shelf but we did have stockings hanging there. New light fixture! (it actually isnt yellow like in the pic, it is white) The shoe bench will be covered with padding and pretty fabric, one day. Still looking for the perfect baskets for the shoes. 3 cubies, 3 people. PERFECT. I love my mail holder by the door! Thank goodness for kirklands.. (MY FAV. STORE EVER) and I have the hooks for the jackets just not sure what to cover them with (fabric or paint) and if I even want to put them up next to the door on the brown wall. I would stagger them. I don't like a messy look (although this pic is sorta messy) but we need hooks because everything gets set on the bench. Everything but our rear ends that is. The table is the perfect height with a (ugly) basket for keys and such. It is coming along I have to say.

p.s. but the way my wall is not that color brown. It is funny how a picture can show imperfections or show the "untruth" It is much more chocolet and you can not see the wood slabs or whatever it is called as much. In other words, it looks much better in person!

Master Bath

Like I said in the master blog, this is my bathroom the day we got the keys. Taken with an old cell phone so quality is not so good but here it is.

With some paint, and a shelf, and rugs, it makes a world of a difference, now for a town rack, decor, and so on. It is coming along pretty nice though.

The light square around the towel bar is not really that color. It is a reflection from the mirror. The vanity needs to be painted or stained. Probably going to stain it black instead of painting it.

Like I said needs decor. But looks much better!

It is just a bathroom

This is our hallway bath. Madyon's bath. This is the bathroom that I don't really want to talk about. For such a small bathroom, they waster a ton of space. This WILL be fixed one day. For now, it will do.. It gets her clean and that is what matters. Plus the toilet is brand new and the tub is very clean and new looking (after my wonderful mother scrubbed the living heck out of it) Thanks MOM!

Lets just say it will be gutted! From ceiling to floor! 

I did my best with what I had.  We will leave it at that.

I am your MASTER

Again, above is the day we got the keys.

The door goes into the master bath.

Below is the master - work in progress. It isn't the size of a master I was looking for, but it is fine.. enough room for us and plus it has a master bath.. I can not complain. The walls are a elephant gray with the wall at the head of the bead a dark gray. I love multiple colored walls in a room. The windows are just covered (with thumb tack.. embarressed to say) for now.. Many ideas for the master but 2011 is not the year for it. Maybe next year Master!

THE BED.. Zak and I have had a mattress on the floor with boxsprings for years now. The bed is new. We have had our eye on it for a while. Black leather sleigh bed.. Dreams do come true to those who dream!!

This is a shot from a cell phone of the master bath the day we got the house.. Then the updates we did. 

Walk Right In

Our living room was the only place we did not have furniture for. We had our old living room suite in the downstairs area. Along with the T.V. and everything else. For a while the only thing in the living room was a recliner for Mady to sit in. We began to make the living room our 2010 project. I have to say I am impressed. It is by far my favorite room! It is the first living room suite Zak and I bought, actually Zak and I bought everything in it. No gifts, no hand me downs, just us and our money. It does have hardwood floors under the carpet but the carpet is in wonderful condition so for now it stays but hardwood.. you will one day be seen and tackled!

Above is the day we got the keys! I fell in love with the windows!

Below is the almost finished product. On the wall across from the windows, we have a art decor that actually has pictures in it. We also have a shoe bench next to the window, a small entrance table with lamp right when you walk in (pictures to come soon) 

This piece sits next to the couch. It store all of Mady and my art supplies. Plus games. It is in the middle of being fixed up. Just looking for the right knobs.

Below is my hallway Leading to my amazing linen closet!

Like I said, amazing! I have never had anywhere to put towels, blankets, sheets, and so on!

Place for jackets, cleaning stuff, and more blankets!

MY KITCHEN

My kitchen is pretty out dated. It has the olive green 1970's oven. So small not even a pizza pan will fit in it (not that I need to be eating pizza anyways) To turn it on, you have to click the knob up, then click it down, then hold your breath, squint one eye, stand on your right foot, and then while hopping over to your left foot, click it right in the middle. The hood is UGLY. I can not stand it. It too has buttons you have to hold your breath for and stand on one foot. The light button does not work, FOR ME, and the fan button.. like I said hold your breath. The fridge did not come with the house. It is a hand-me-down given to me by a wonderful person. I have no complaint other than the freezer is to small for anything,(I will never have a side by side fridge again) the light blinks at us just to let us know it does and can work if it wants, the door handle has a weird sticky feel to it no matter how many times I clean it, and the side bar pops out here and there.. Like I said no complaints (if you are reading this wonderful person who gave it to me.. I am truly thankful! regardless of its issues.. ) Plus it doesn't match but hey, neither do any of my other appliances. Then there is the dishwasher, lets just say it is old.. must wash the dishes twice sometimes. The cabinets are outdated but I actually think they are pretty nice. We do have a wonderful pantry which we have never had before. The floor.. oh the floor.. I just try not to look down. Other than that, other than the outdatedness. I LOVE IT. It is huge and fits all of out stuff! We need more counter space, but that is soon to come. I have extra cabinets to install, just have to get the counter tops.. The counter tops will be replaced when the appliances are replaced.. 2011 is the year for my kitchen!

This is the dining area.. just ignore the light fixture..

It will be replaced ASAP

Below is the Kitchen the day we got the keys. The door to the right is the HUGE pantry. I could not imagine my life without it. Don't forget to check out the 1970s oven!

Below is after it was painted. YES, we have had a basketball goal in our kitchen..The back door goes to the garage. The huge light fixture above the cabinets and fridge it king of tacky but it puts off the best light. I wont ever change it. It is florescent like you would think it is. It makes the kitchen bright and clear. Ok maybe one day track lighting would be nice..

Like I said, 2011 is the year for my kitchen. Updates to come!!

Home Owners!

 This is our house. The day we saw it for the first time. It happen by suprise. We were looking at another house on our street and there were other people still there. Our (awesome) realator decided to just drive down the street so we could take a look at the neighborhood. There was a for sale sign. We pulled in. I had not had a very good "looking" day and I said in my pestamistic tone, "This house is too nice, it is out of our price range, I just know it" She (being awesome) said "Lets at least call and find out". Come to find out it was exactly in our price range. It was the very highest number we said we would do, but hey.. it happens. The crazy thing was that it was the first day it had gone on market. It had not even been advertised yet. It wasn't even listed on the MLS yet. We were the first to find it, see it, and but a bid on it. Needless to say, after a easy then turning into a stressful buy, WE GOT IT!! This is our house and we LOVE it! It needs some work but that is the BEST thing about owning a home. The work that is needed is all updating nothing major or having to do with the foundation.

3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, single car garage, fenced in yard, finished basement, workshop, over 1,700 square feet of finished living space. PANTRY and LINEN CLOSET. Windows high enough that no one can break in them. I could not ask for more! (well I could.. but.. beggers can't be choosers)

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April 9th 2010

 1st time Home Owners