This old house

For the past seven months my family has been simultaneously living in and renovating our 47-year-old multi-level style home.
The first time my husband and I laid eyes on this house in April 2009, there was something about it that immediately peeked our interest. It definitely wasn’t the smoke-stained wallpaper, smelly shaggy carpet, lemon yellow master bath barely big enough for my five-year old; or the Pepto-Bismol pink half bath about as big as a broom closet; the dungeon-like basement with red-orange carpet, dark paneling, and an orange vinyl wet bar; or the centerpiece of the first floor – a very dated two-sided white brick fireplace, rusting with age.
Somehow we were able to see beyond these cosmetic issues and look at the house with a vision of what we could make it look like. It was a great shell with a lot of potential.
We were drawn to the corner lot location in a quiet storybook neighborhood; the driveway which could fit about ten cars; the closets and storage space; the central air and two car attached garage; the large sunlit bow windows; but most of all, we couldn’t resist the “bargain” price tag.
Since July, we’ve gutted the original gloomy kitchen and installed fresh, new cream-colored cabinets with a seven foot granite eating island; all the wallpaper has been removed and the plaster underneath sanded and painted; the odor-filled carpet has been ripped up and the hardwood floors underneath re-finished with a high gloss stain; the fireplace in the living room has been transformed using medium-density fiberboard, crown molding, wainscoting and marble; and the basement is a much brighter, friendlier place for the kids to play now that we’ve added recessed lighting, tile flooring and painted the paneling a lighter cream color.
Taking on a project like this has been a great challenge, especially since we have never done anything like this before. There were many bumps along the way, but we managed to get through the first phase and learned a lot during the process.
There is still more work to be done; but for now, we are taking a much-needed break. It’s nice to finally live in an environment free from work boots, sawdust and the annoying sounds of drills and hammers.
We can sleep a little better not having to worry about all the choices and decisions; but most of all, it a tremendous relief for our very tired checkbook.