Greetings everyone! With the year end approaching and Christmas around the corner, my goal was to make sure and get out one more blog before this year is over. As mentioned in my last post, my schedule’s been a bit busier at work these days so I don’t have the time I used to for posting. However, I really need to share an update, because some of the changes are …magical.

Kitchen check in: When you last saw the kitchen, we had it ready for me to tape and glaze. This was my attempt to match the glazing style of paint we have on our cabinets. As you recall, the island looked like this:

After some hours of painting with the color match, then applying a glaze with a paint brush and wiping it off with a wet rag where needed (bucket of water by my side all the way), you can see the results. We think it blends it beautifully with the cabinets and anyone would not know those were not part of the original design.

Some day we’ll have nice floors. 😉 For now, try to look past that. We try to. lol

The counter tops were the next item to address. We went back and forth on whether to go tile, or quartz or even butcher block, or a combination of them. Butcher block seemed to fit the era better and would go with the cabinets. As we studied several to see what tones, colors, etc…we preferred, we began to wonder if we could do it ourselves? Well…you can guess how that conversation went.

After some research, we decided to give it a try. What did we have to lose but a little time and relatively less money spent.

And so, we began. We found the lumber we wanted, Paul connected them together, he did the first sanding and then I sanded again with higher and higher grit, until with your eyes closed, as you ran you fingers across it you couldn’t feel the different boards. Paul then added beautiful beveled trim. We sealed them and clamped it in place and it was ready to use. At first we thought we’d stain them but found the look of the natural wood was already the tone we wanted. So we left it alone.

We then worked our way around the kitchen, tackling each one. We’ve completed 3 so far. Until we get these done, the stove top could not go in nor the main kitchen sink, so this was utmost to us. Especially me on the stove top. Not that the small hot plate I’ve been preparing meals on for over a year isn’t quite lovely but..I’m ready to be really be cooking with gas!

Check out how the counters turned out. I will add that for the most part it went relatively as we expected. There were a few areas that had their ups and downs, areas that were trial and error and areas that felt more like trial by fire, lol but we did it! And we love the way they look. We will add a tile back splash before it’s done in the butler’s pantry area. Isn’t that wood grain wonderful? You see why we didn’t stain it.

For those of you who have also restored, remodeled or refurbished anything, I’m sure you will understand what I am about to say. We’ve done so much electrical, plumbing, plaster repair and drywall that there have been many times when we grow a bit weary of the work. Never of the project, but the day to day tasks. They sometimes become so routine and mundane, yet you push through but at the end of the work day you see very little to show for the effort. Oh you know the work has been done but it’s behind a wall or in the cellar. Therefore, when you finally get the design part of the work, well, let’s just say it no longer feels like work.

The project, and the design you’ve had in your mind and on paper for so long, when you finally see it begin to come to fruition and take shape before you, let’s just say it’s renewing and rewarding. With that in mind, I bring you the next set of pics.

The Ballroom. This was not our name, but the name we found on the old breaker box outside and so we kept it. It fits the space quite well and for those who know, it’s where we now have the antique piano which Paul plays most evenings. Therefore, the ballroom name fits!

As for the space, here is basically what it looked like when we walked into the home in 2021 with our new set of keys (yes, many exterior doors were unable to lock and many windows you could just lift up and come on in, but I suppose at a closing they have to give you a set of keys, right? 😉 Oh and notice the lovely stain on the far right wall.

We decided it was time. Time for the design. Two years ago we bought wallpaper for this room because we knew it was perfect. The pattern, the color, it was just one of those things where when you see it, you buy it. We decided to finally put it up. We wanted to go bold and have those columns jump out.

However honestly, after it was up and we stepped back, the first thing we noticed was how much it made the windows truly pop! Those beautiful windows! They were made for this kind of bold color. Two pics below for you. You can slide between both and get an idea. (Oh and yes, we have a plan for the ceiling and crown molding, don’t worry. lol).

You might not be able to tell from this photo but between each of the columns, this room previously had hung lights there. We were told after the last owner occupants no longer lived here, they were taken out. We’ve had the old black cloth wires hanging there since we bought the house. The downstairs rewiring project was done and with the ballroom now wallpapered, we finally bought the two lights. Not knowing what was there before, all we could do was look for something that would fit. See below what we found. We think they work well and are so elegant.

The last area I wanted to show you is the parlor. Being right next to the ballroom, those two rooms had to be done together. One can’t be completed and the other not. So I broke down and got to work. It definitely needed help as you can see below. We repaired the plaster, a coat of primer and paint and it was ready.

Since it was December, we also knew we needed to put up the tree.

When we first put up a tree in this house, I think back to what it looked like at the time. We weren’t even living in it, everything was still in disrepair as we tackled only the most urgent of items and holes were in some of the walls.

Still, the house was coming back. And so, it needed a tree. We did it then and were actually thanked by several of our neighbors for doing so. I guess that special light in the window meant it was coming back to them, too.

We think this home is starting to look like we wanted it to, 2 years ago…

…and dare I say, looking a little magical.

With that, wishing everyone a glorious and Merry Christmas! Have a blessed season and new year!

Sneak Previous – a glimpse of the area we are working on now…Be sure to tune in next time to see where this goes!