House Renovations 3.1

Morning Glories! My favorite!

We are expecting guests all winter, and we wanted as many of the renovations completed, but most of it is still in the state of “work-in-progress.”  We have hired a contractor to start on our patio when the snow melts.  And our basement is slowly being designed to be the next “man cave” per Mr. RMK.  Our fence is almost done except for one size.  We’re hoping to be garden party ready by next summer…landscaping and all.  I have picked out all the beautiful things I want to plant and my dream herb garden.  Oh the joys of working on your own home

Bougainvillea. Gorgeous patches of intense color!

My favorite flower bush of all time is bougainvillea, but sadly, these will not survive Colorado winters.  I am debating if I can plant the bush and then bring it in before the first frost.  Does anyone know of a plant similar to this one that would be a perennial?  We also ordered some Plumbago, which is a hearty perennial with a long flowering season.  I promise to have pics up of the new fence after this last batch of snow melts, if it ever does!

Plumbago, beautiful blue color from May to August.

Before pic of office in progress

After pic...ignore the mess. Paint and shelving done. New desk!

Fence in progress. My dad helping out on this very LONG project. After pictures coming soon!

The House Renovations-Part 1

Our Little Nook in the Living Room

Well you can tell our priorities based on what we got done first: the guest bedroom and the entryway.  We’re expecting lots of guest from here until the holidays, so important things first!  The entry way has this marble flooring that I hate, so we’re replace that when my dad comes in October.  My sister did all the painting, and this wouldn’t be possible without her.  Furniture from Pottery Barn, Target, and Habitat for Humanity!

The Guest Bedroom Before

The Guest Bedroom After

Guest Bedroom After

Entry Way Before

Our New Entry Way

The Housing Project

The best attraction: large wide-pane windows

We have now realized no one can come visit us until at least after Christmas.  Or see how we live like slobs.  RMK and I arrived, half unpacked to survive the first residency rotations, and left my sister to do most of our renovations.  It has been slow and painful.  Thankfully, we have a bed.  And now a couch.  And that’s about it.  Our house looks like a tornado hit it for sure.  Visit at your own risk!

Sister taping off the walls...our workhorse!

We are constantly in repairs with contractors, landscapers, etc.  RMK had this great vision we were going to do it ourselves…with what time!  We don’t even walk our dogs!  I highly suggest if you live in Denver, to visit Bud’s Warehouse and Habitat Home Improvement Outlets.    First of all, Bud’s has over 200 brand new fully constructed, solid wood drawers and cabinets for literally 10-20% of the cost.  And they’re beautiful.  We bought a pine wood solid door for $10.

If you are ever in need of a new toilet...Habitat for Humanity Outlet

And Habitat Home supports Habitat for Humanity.  Great finds: new toilets that they ordered too much, some minor wood paneling if you are thinking just doing some baseboards in a room.  We found a brand new bed frame that looks exactly like this Pottery Barn frame I saw for $110 (orig $500).  It even had it’s tag on!

Our horrendous living room

Yes, we’re slobs.  But everyday, new work is being done in a room, and the furniture get’s shifted.  RMK and I just push everything around as things are being renovated…slowly but surely.  So better pictures, with before and afters…after things are done…in like 5 years.  Ha!