Laundry Room Remodel finished (I guess)

First of April we moved, let me rephrase, I moved our room into our old family room

Silas and I moved the beds (a kind and queen) 

I was so proud of my firstborn

Then several weeks later in desparation I moved the tv up to the top of the safe...

Many things are possible when you are determined.... :)

The direct tv guy hooked us up yesterday and we watched repo games last night....that show is hilarious!

We merely changed rooms, not decor 

Here's the recharge station Cody is thankful for...

and my re-fuel station- my favorite part of the whole move....

please ignore strange dora umbrellas on the floor

thank you

In the great debate Cody won in getting the safe moved into the room but we compromised really, I wanted a little storage area for instruments and workout equipment

Compromise is the essential in a marriage, just sayin....

The bed isn't made so we'll skip that, 

He's the dance floor, 

oh sorry I mean workout room/floor- 

with Chris Tomlin and songs like shackles and worship jams work outs sometimes turn into dance sessions...Cody understands

and the new closet/laundry room, you've seen the floor and I have my 50 mm lens on, it's hard to get far off

we opted to keep the wood natural, it better matched the cabinets

I'm a little anti white, easily stains, and the gel stain my pop in law suggested wasn't as wonderful as we thought

this is my side 

Cody's side

it's not quite finished, my camera hides that well...

one thing need - more shelving, the baskets help with socks and underware but we need more shelving plain and simple

He did well on the detail and structure, he's good at woodworking

So here's to a walk in closet!

The laundry Room Remodel

Well since remodeling the kids rooms in August 

1.  It's been hard to walk in the girls rooms.
2. Cady is asking for her own space. Something about Charis talking at night
3. Two girls in one room is a lot of clothes and shoes.

So we have gone ahead and converted the laundry room into a closet so we can put our room in what we called the family room, which doubled as teaching room/guest room/workout room

It's been a SLOW process. We've done all the work ourselves so finding time is hard.

I had envisioned a "make do" plan but Mr. Incredible wanted real shelves. And he built them by golly.

We are still a long way from being done but here's what we started with...

Once we got all the existing junk out we could finally see the floor and it's lack of acceptableness. :)

Where a small upper cabinet set, removed for making of lots of shelves.

The more we uncovered the more there was to do....

Like a paint job...

New floor. Konecto. Boy we love it. Went in very easily, we discovered it last year when we had to remodel a rent house. Very durable, flexible and not bad looking.

Stay tuned...

The big Switch- kid rooms remodel

6 years ago I tapped into my neighbor, who was quickly becoming a dear friend's, incredible creative ability...she not only has taught me to texture and paint old furniture, she introduced me to power tools. HER power tools, not her husbands. My mind is very creative and always going...my four year old was into Thomas Trains and our collection was growing all the time. He loved those trains. I wanted to get him a train table for Christmas but I wanted one that could be stored under the bed and pulled out. Couldn't find one. At the time he had a large bed and room to store it. The legs would be removeable. Slide ins. I put my husband to work building it, he and his dad build the top but never could make the removeable legs I wanted so I marched down the hill to my neighbor's and said, "What do I do?" This is what I want. And we figured it out. It was the best Christmas, we had it waiting under the tree with new trains set up - he was SO excited. I loved age 4. sigh


My mind got to creating again and I wanted to make something as big for 2 year old Cady. Pottery Barn kids displayed a book shelf/doll house. Cool neighbor had made one before. She helped me and we did it. Cady used it more for a bookshelf than a Barbie house. But now that's all it is and Barbie has moved in, along with all her naked friends, lol.

All that to say.....

I fell in love in power tools and 2 weeks before Christmas I asked for power tools for Christmas and guess I got them! they even came in a tote bag!

I really haven't used it since 2004, but I brought it back the last few weeks and now understand why Cody always wants me to put his tools back where they belong. I finally got it all together ( in my tool bag that is, not my whole life). And I redid the kids rooms.

I am not unfortunately doing this on my blog, it's on facebook so you'll have to go here to see all the pictures and comments and how I did this all on a dime! not really but I did do it way cheap, under $100 not including paint (that was around 100$  too)

putting that Proverbs 31 woman to shame,
Lori Deevers :)

the bathroom remodel take 6 - it's done (almost)

Psalm 81:4 tlb

God has given us these times of joy.

I am so anxious to take you on the tour of the new bathroom. 

But before I do...

I have to give credit where's it's due

I won't list names of those on the building ministry team at my church- they don't want recognition. 

I won't elevate my church- we are just sinners made saints by the grace of God and the blood of Jesus shed on the cross to cover my sin. 

I will tell you this church is different. 

I live in a parsonage that has been nearly completely remodeled.

I grew up in a parsonage. I have many friends that live in parsonages. I know how this works. 

My mom tried to burn our parsonage down in NC one time. She was desperate for a remodel. JK

We have been here- 

cheering on the comets, going to THE annual Velma picnic, teaching the Bible, praying through sickness and death, rejoicing in marriages and births for 7 years.

We love this town, We love these people. 

The nice ones and the rude ones. 

God drew us here. He had plans. 

We obeyed, he's blessed.

Never easy, never dull

Amen. And Amen.

So....

To say I am excited about this bathroom is an understatement! It is gorgeous and it is beautiful. It is a blessing to our family and those we seek to lead closer to Christ through our home.

Behold the porcelain throne room...

Funny story, the plumber told me yesterday not to use the laver for a couple of hours yesterday, 

" Oh ok sure, what about the sink? That too?" 

He just smiled, yes that too. 

Ok on with the tour....

A little closer up on the vanity. One piece. One shot deal, it was good, copper top :) 

Can't let the toothpaste set.

The mirror, ignore me.

Haven't brought accessories yet, using what I have. I learned this from DYI network. Move stuff around. Go shopping in another room. Mix it up. It's amazing. 

And now for the tile- I asked for help on facebook on this. I gave complete freedom to Ronnie in this. And he didn't disappoint. Always asking me what I liked but continually giving options. The end was clearly beautiful.

Yes we put a cross in tile in a bathroom. 

Some before and afters.....

 

 

Velma has always let my family be a family, they have forgiven much, we aren't perfect. Even when Charis flashed them all at VBS 2 weeks ago....they still laugh and go on.

I want to say one more thing. The things we've put in our home are nice and it's a blessing that our church was able to provide this in the parsonage. But our hearts aren't into building our own stuff here in Velma.

Our church voted this year to give more in a single gift to build a church in India than this whole remodel project cost. One day I hope to go see that church building and praise God in it. 

Our Father, 

Who art in Heaven, 

Hallowed be your name, 

Thy kingdom come

Thy will be done

On Earth as it is in Heaven.........

UPDATE...


a week or so after I originally wrote this post Cody received a picture via facebook of the church in India, which has been built since Feb. 

Check out those granite floors! And get this they even named it Velma Baptist Church! Using what we have to give back at home and around the world. 

the bathroom remodel take 5

Well I came home from doing this  

to find this.....

like the paint? it's orange!

these are just  teaser pictures...

full discloser and before/afters tomorrow (hopefully)

We ran into problems with that faucet on the tub wall, no hot water

Ronnie is not only a great friend, he's an excellent hire. You can find more about Wright's Home Improvement here  it's mostly contact info. Ronnie is a meet you in person kind of guy.

the bathroom remodel take 4

We are nearing the end of the first week. While we had hoped this whole remodel would take place while we were working in Alabama there were some things that needed to be done before. For this reason I find Extreme Home Makeover very hard to believe. To finish a home in a week completely takes an army of people and months of prep- I still find it hard to believe and imagine,  they must work around the clock for those 7 days.

None the less Thur. morn we got Justice Plumbing out to rip out the tub, prepare the piping and set the new tub. All needed before the cosmetic stuff could happen.

I am so ready to walk away and imagine wonderful things happening while I gone and then walk in the door to find it complete and ready for use! What are my chances of that really happening?

So here's the termite infested wood we found behind the wall.

And how we plugged the whole in the ground to stop the smell, Ronnie's idea.

 This is a story about tubs.

Good bye ol metal friend....I had wanted to refurbish that tub, metal tubs are hard to find these days but they convinced me to go fiber glass. Hummm we'll see......

Cady found the secret passage too cool this is looking from the closet into the tub area. I think I could make a secret passage between their closets, how cool would that be?

Ronnie on the spot- ready to go, wood replaced.

Mr. Plumbers (on right) got everything set and then noticed a crack in the fiber glass tub- ???? !!!!!!

Back track, make a plan- back to Lowes, good thing we have Friday left to get this done. Mr. Plumbers tried to convince me it was Friday and he wouldn't be working tomorrow. Uh no, it's Thursday and pls come back!

So in the mean time , Ronnie's designing tile lay outs with what we've bought and we've decided we need another color in the pattern

On a mad dash to Ardmore (not really in the plan for the day but duty calls) I found three 6 in travertine tiles to put on a diamond (the bottom layer is the majority tile) They were only a buck a piece! I LOVE Builder Bob.

While waiting on the tub exchange at Lowes I found some 12 in tiles, because I live an hour away from these places I bought both (exchanging is easier than extra trips later)

so what do you think? Help us decide...comment below which one I should do....

I have personal conviction in mixing them up- but I have been found lacking in judgment in the "matching" area numerous times- I plead guilty of decorating blunder.

Here they are mixed.

We have even played with extending the border up and down to create a "cross" Which would be appropriate for the "parsonage" We have scripture on our walls , why not, right? This is a home dedicated to his use. Our hope is that people would enter, feel at home and be themselves and find peace with God in the process.

One reader asked about this being a parsonage and I'd like to address this. Our church has modeled something I've never seen in all my 30 plus years of being in a pastor's family. Going beyond necessity to trust. Trusting us to remodel. I think it speaks volumes of the wonderful and genuine people of Velma Baptist Church. And even more about their Savior Jesus Christ and the love we have in our fellowship. I think in going with some of the natural stones we have gone with in the remodeling we've proven the Creator is far more creative and greater than any man or man made product. And we've been good stewards of the money allowed to come through our hands. Good products are long lasting, durable and valuable.

Unless Ronnie sends me pictures this will be the last we see until I return a week from Saturday .

the bathroom remodel take 3

It's all coming back to me- the dust, the constant dirt, the unrest , things in odd places....

The contents of our "gift" closet over there on the right.

We are living out of suitcases this summer, as a totegirl is used to, so they were just there. We are gearing up for the highlight of the summer- family mission trip to Alabama!! Leaving Sat. I hope we'll have extensive video updates for all the friends and family from that all next week.

Wait a minute. 

Did some one really put the top of the toilet on my clothes in the suitcase? This is unacceptable, even for remodeling circumstances.

Please get me out of here!

the bathroom remodel take 2

Well I was wanting to pace myself with the demolition of the old bathroom this week. Today's agenda was get it all cleaned out, take off the mirror, take the border down and possibly rip up the linoleum.

I had remembrances from another set of linoleum (click here)

So the day started well, the top layer of the border came off quick. Next came the mirror. I didn't know what to do with it but thought I may keep it. Not after it slipped and shattered into a gazillion pieces. Extra clean up isn't fun. Then I worried about the kids getting cut. Argh!

  It's gone.

So around 4 cody came home and I seduced him into working with me :)

Because it's not to big an area, I quietly slipped out and on to other things :)

Well he'd summon me to take out things to the trash...

5pm

Some help showed up

Cody was going a little further than I'd plan on going today...oh well.

6pm

Oh you already took the toilet out too. You hungry? want to eat?

7pm

Ok you gonna leave anything for tomorrow?

Needless to say he was working hard and we are close- and the mess is adding up- dust everywhere!