Halloween happenings! But…

The thing is, nothing Halloween-related is happening over here. I have put up not one decoration because remodeling is happening instead. So not scary unless you consider dust on every surface a scary thing. In fact, the only thing “Halloween” here is Halloween Harmony Boards.

When I bought my home on November 10, 2017, I had about a dozen remodel projects in mind. Here they are in order of importance to me, which translates into the order of completion.

• Build a courtyard in the front yard
• Install propane tank for gas stove and BBQ
• Resurface double-sided fireplace
• Barndoor to separate the main living area from the 4th bedroom
• Remodel the backyard, resurface the pool, add a built-in BBQ, etc.
• Built-in shelves for Harmony Boards supplies in what used to be a closet in 3rd bedroom – now office (see photo above)
• Flip the 3rd bathroom to better serve the 4th bedroom and to not open into the breakfast room … ew!
• New kitchen countertops!!!
• New carpet in 3 bedrooms * not yet done

You can click on the links above to revisit past projects.

The current projects are the 3rd bathroom flip and the new countertops. The photo above shows the old counters. It also shows the door that leads to the bathroom that is being flipped. It is between the two bookshelves filled with cookbooks. If you look closely, you can just make out the opening and framing of the door.

Below are the “before” photos of the bathroom.

I honestly think the tiny sink was meant for a trailer. The shower never worked properly and the glass doors leaked. And of course, the entry door was off the breakfast room which was my biggest pet peeve with it. Not to mention that it is basic and boring as hell.

The bathroom remodel began on November 15 and is still ongoing as I type. The shower, toilet, and sink were all moved around. The floor too had to be jackhammered out. Jackhammering happening inside your house is NOT fun! It was a day and a half process and I ended up with a migraine after day 1 and my male cat, Bombay, wound up with feline herpes after day 2. That sounds worse than it is. Feline herpes is basically an acute upper respiratory infection for cats. Symptoms are sneezing attacks, sometimes with bloody discharge. Bombay had it two summers ago when I was in the rental house and went out of town. Stress brings the symptoms on. So the stress of a big move and then me leaving town was the cause of it the first time. I attribute the jackhammering to this second attack. He’s better now and, of course, my migraine cleared up in a day.

There is always a surprise or two with all my remodels. The big surprise this time was a block wall where we thought there was drywall. So that meant that sledgehammering was also occurring. Oh, Joy! In the photo above, the wood floor area was a hall closet. I am reclaiming that space to enlarge the bathroom and turn the door from that opening on the left side wall to now come out right here where the closet used to be.

After the plumbing was moved around, the cement went back down, and then the new floors.

All the tiling and grout are done. Today some of the electrical were put in but by the time I returned home from Harmony Board deliveries, it was too dark to take a new photo. So let’s move on to the NEW KITCHEN COUNTERTOPS!!!

These two photos were taken after I’d cleared off the counters and taken out the top drawers in preparation to remove the old and install the new.

Drum roll…….

I was too excited to take a photo of the counters before I put the kitchen back together.

I could not be happier with the end result and I can’t wait to use this background for food, cooking, and Harmony Board photos! It is like a clean slate and so much more visually appealing than those busy, dizzying, brown counters!

The bathroom remodel should be wrapped up in about a week. I’ll put up an update post as soon as it is!