Our summer project

So around January, Joe and I started talking about what to do with the house.  Do we buy a bigger one in the neighborhood?  Do we just renovate the kitchen so we can live here a bit longer?  Do we commit to a bigger renovation and stay?  After looking at a lot of houses online and talking to some contractors, we decided to renovate our bottom two floors and stay.  

Before pictures of our main floor.  Granted we were in the middle of packing, so it was messier than usual, but you get the gist.  Tiny kitchen, no storage, toys everywhere.  

Hate the white cabinets.

Note the useless platform area where a pantry could go.

Loathe the blinds.

Light wood floors.  

So many toy boxes.

Demolition commences.  It was a HUGE undertaking and we totally underestimated how big of a pain it was going to be to live without a kitchen and living room for 8 weeks.  We made a makeshift kitchen in the girls room with a microwave, refrigerator and toaster.  We ate a lot of cereal, veggie burgers and quesadillas.  When our kitchen cabinets were delayed by more than two weeks, we wondered whether it would ever be worth it.

But it so was.  A living room with no toy boxes.

A kitchen where multiple people can cook without running into each other.

A pantry all my own!

I love these blinds so much.

Downstairs demolition.  A ridiculously big bathroom will be made into a bathroom and toy storage closet.  

A laundry room will become a bar.

Hardwood floors installed.  

A comfortable family room.  I love the mounted tv.

The bar.  Joe and I's happy place.

Love the concealed washer and dryer.

Cute bathroom.

And lastly we decided to switch out the dated ikea book cases on the third floor for built-ins.

 We love the renovation.  So much storage.  So much less clutter.  And a bar.  Bliss.