Living in During

Last weekend Mike and I began a kitchen fix-up project much like other home improvements we've made since moving into our house sevenish years ago. It's not a full-blown renovation or remodel. Like our other work, we considered what we could do to update the space for the least amount of money but with a significant, quality impact. Reno or not, it's still likely to take another week or two to finish.

I'm obviously choosing not to go into much detail about the project itself until it's done. It's just more satisfying that way, isn't it? 

In the meantime Mike, the kids, and I are living in the during phase, no longer in the before, and a ways away from after.  Honestly, though, I don't mind.  I'm a fan of a work in progress.  My anxiety usually comes in the final stretch as loose ends slowly get tied up.  Right now the final stretch is well in the distance, and therefore I'm still my easy-going, chaos embracing self...for now.

With fix-ups on the brain, I thought I'd share some before and after photos from the past.  While I hope anyone who visits this blog will enjoy this glimpse into our home's transformations, there's one reader in particular who might benefit from this post.  It just might help keep his spirits up as he transforms that kitchen.

BEFORE

This is our living room when we moved in back in 2005, before refinishing the hardwood floors, repainting, and generally redecorating:

AFTER

BEFORE

This is the basement living area in progress with studs for a new wall and before adding a drop ceiling, painting, adding carpet, and hanging up some honeymoon photos:

AFTER

BEFORE

Here's the back deck before removing the sunbursts, repairing old wood, painting everything that was gray including the gutters, and adding some perennials:

AFTER

BEFORE

This is Mike taking a picture of his bathroom within days of moving in.  For some reason Oberon likes to be photographed in bathrooms.

AFTER

In both bathrooms I painted the vanities white.  

BEFORE

Here's my bathroom before the same fix, and there's kitty again:

AFTER

We've also fixed up our laundry room and organized our storage space in the basement.  We just never took before pictures of those.  This was actually the last project we finished before Michael and Sophie arrived, hence the stacks of diapers from our shower in the laundry room!

Laundry pantries and drying station:

More laundry (and I swear we only have one cat):

Over the last seven years or so there have been a number of other transformations, but you get the idea.  We like to fix spaces up.

After spending two years surviving twins and just keeping our home livable, we're up to it again!