Renovation Updates

{Please excuse the craptastic Iphone photos}

Our renters moved out of the house the last weekend of February and we quickly got contractors in to give estimates. Here is Brad and his friend checking out things before he got a little sledge hammer happy. Take note of the book shelf and the wall to the left where you can see my reflection.

It was so dark in there with those heavy curtains.

Here is a view looking in to the kitchen, see the wall running down the left side of the photo... It will soon be goneA before of the narrow entry way with faux plastered walls

And an after once Brad took down the dividing wall.

The view looking from the living room

And a view from the front door {We have lots of areas of hardwood flooring to repair}

This is the support wall for the house, so we cant get rid of it. But we are going to put a nice big open doorway to help the floor plan flow better. I think it would be a little too bare without some sort of structure there, so I think the doorway will be a nice solution.

I like the kitchen being a bit more opened up, especially since the kitchen is where everyone always congregates. We are going to open up the door to the kitchen too.

This is the same entry way and living room with all of the old plastered sheet rock ripped out as well as our prickly ceiling. Brad attempted a few techniques to sand down the ceilings on Saturday with no luck. They were relentless to change and did not want to get rid of their 70's glory. They were pretty badly damaged from the wall coming out and we weren't digging the starburst pattern on them... therefore, he ripped them down. =) Smooth ceilings here we come! The room also had no overhead lighting and added to the dark dungeon feel, so we will be adding can lighting overhead.

As you can see, we have a long way to go, and a short time to get there. {Sorry I was just subjected to watching Smokey and The Bandit with my dad and Brad, its not my fault!} In other news, I think that I finally settled on paint colors. Although I cant show them to you right now... because Brad ripped out the wall that they were on! I painted them on pieces of poster board, and if it ever stops raining I will try to get a non iphone photo of them. They are both from Sherwin Williams and I think they go great together. I am now on the hunt for good neutrals for the other rooms, I cant let my entire house be shades of gray.

Has anyone used Bleeker Beige from Benjamin Moore? Thoughts? Also, have any of you seen this blog? Favorite Paint Colors? It is a blog with real submissions of other bloggers paint colors in their homes. SUPER handy and helpful!

Well kids, its time to go pack lunches and settle in for the week. I really forgot how much I don't like Mondays until today. I hope everyone has a great week.

Until then...