New House, New Look :: Part One - Downstairs

In honor of the (almost) three year anniversary since we took possession of our house I thought I'd do a "Before & After" special on what it looked liked the first time I viewed it, and what it looks like today! Keep in mind this is the previous owners furniture and decor on the day I had the first viewing. So come on in, take off your jacket, kick off your shoes, grab a cup of tea and make yourself at home, in my home.

Looking towards the back of the house from the kitchen (front) area - Before....

-After-

Some major changes would obviously be the color, vast (but hard to see) improvements in the garden and the subtraction of the cement slab and pea gravel and addition of a cedar deck.

Looking from the living room towards the front of the house - Before.....
-After-

Again, color is a big change here as well as the wood floors have been sanded and refinished. All of the blinds have also been replaced in the downstairs.

Downstairs powder room/laundry room - Before.....
-After-

Notice in the before of the bathroom, the matching pink strip of melamine on the edge of the door.....each cabinet door (both bathrooms and kitchen) had to be removed, taped off and painted with numerous layers of white paint. All of the cabinet door hardware in the house was replaced as well. We weren't feeling the plastic matching handles. You can't see, but the floor was redone with stick down lino tiles. The sink and faucet were also replaced.

View from the dining room table into the living room - Before.....
-After-

Again, new blinds, paint and electric fireplace with lots of fun decor.

Looking from the patio doors to the front of the house - Before....
-After-

New kitchen light fixtures, blinds, counter tops and the stove was replaced (thanks M&D) and a new dishwasher installed as well as updated cabinets, door hardware, sink and faucet. Oh yes, paint as well (if it wasn't obvious).

Another shot from the kitchen to the back of the house -Before.....
-After-

Notice a new light fixture......you get a good view of the difference in the countertops and hardware in this one. They were a mauve color. Barf, I know.

Looking from the front door, down the hall, to the living room - Before....
-After-

Refinished hardwood floors, paint (have I been clear that we painted each room a different color?) I've also pretty much "adorned" each wall in the house......not one has been left bare.

The opposite view, looking from the living room to the front door - Before.....
-After-

New light fixtures.....I think that's pretty much all that I haven't mentioned already that's new.

From the back to the front again - Before.....
-After-

Great view of the new light here and you can see a peek of the washer and dryer that's opposite the sink in the powder room.

So there you have it.......a full tour of our lower floor. I'll start work on the upstairs soon so make sure and check back for the next installment!

It amazes me, now looking at these photos, how much we've poured into our house. If I had to pick, the downstairs bathroom and the the back garden/patio as my favourite changes. I think the deck we built (with much help from my dad) holds the most sense of pride for us. I love our home but it is fairly small and humble but I feel like while it may be small, we've got a small bit of everything we need here, including a deck, garden and a sizable side yard. I'm sure eventually we will outgrow this place but for the foreseeable future, this is what we can afford and I've settled in here so well and have just grown to love it.

Hope you had a blessed weekend......mine was spent at a church fundraiser, then a very relaxing and enjoyable visit with Denay's Grammie and Grampy!