Before and After 5 - Staircase

This is getting its own post because I completed this project (minus the touch-ups that still need to be done and the trial stairs which Tyna helped me start)... when I was 8 months pregnant. Let me tell you how easy it is to tape off the stairs 3 times and kneel when you've got a basketball-sized uterus. Ha. Well, enjoy the pics.

Before:


After - not sure why it looks so dark... different time of day i think:

Before and After 4 - Formal Dining

Pictures pretty much speak for themselves here. If you notice in the before pic, there is a fake wall surrounding the window. It was not finished, so I started to take it down - against Shawn's wishes. We found a nasty surprise behind it. See "Intermediate" photo. Thankfully, our sheetrock/ceiling guys were still around and just added it into everything.

Before:


Intermediate:


After:

Before and After 3 - Informal Living/Family Room

This room is where we spend most of our time. It has received the de-popcorn treatment, new floors, paint, baseboards, outlets and a ceiling fan. We also painted the red brick fireplace and finished the mantle.

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After:


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After:


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After:


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After (this one's a tad dark because of the light coming in, but you can at least see the new windows, kinda):

Before and After 2 - Formal Living

So the "retro avocado" paint color and orange furniture might not be everyone's first choice... but at least there's a floor, a ceiling fan, baseboards, new outlets, no more popcorn and fresh paint.

Before:


After:


Before:


After:

Before and After 1 - Exterior Front

From the to-do list

EXTERIOR:

• Repair damaged/missing stucco
• Paint

Shawn added - rock the front yard to this list... as the grass was too hard to keep alive in the AZ heat!

Before:



After:



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After:

it must get worse before it gets better

Some of our "progress" photos! It's much better now.


A view of the dining room wall after we removed the fake wall that was there. Not a nice surprise!


The master bathroom after Shawn demoed the existing shower.


Our dining nook - losing its popcorn.

The kitchen getting new IKEA cabinets.

The downstairs guest bath, demoed... slate getting laid out.


The back door - before we had it fixed.


The patched up doggie door that went to nowhere.


Shawn's makeshift workshop, cutting tile by the light of the toilet.


Master bedroom in progress.

a quite lofty to-do list

So here is a list of the things we will be changing/fixing on our fixer-upper. This will also be a table of contents of sorts... as I plan to publish a post once an item is completed. It is organized, as you can see, by room/area of house.

EXTERIOR:

• Repair damaged/missing stucco
• Paint

BEDROOM 4:

• Paint walls
• Complete window seat
• Install bamboo flooring

LANDING INSIDE BACKDOOR:

• Paint walls
• Install slate flooring
• Install new light fixture
• Replace exterior door

GUEST BATHROOM DOWNSTAIRS:

• Paint walls
• Install slate flooring
• Install pedestal sink and faucet
• Install new light fixture

DINING NOOK

• Paint walls
• Install bamboo flooring

KITCHEN

• Replace cabinets and countertops
  
• Install bamboo flooring
• Install wall oven/cooktop in place of range
• Put shelves in pantry
• Replace light fixtures

FORMAL DINING

• Remove "fake wall"
• Repair damaged sheetrock
• Paint walls
• Install bamboo flooring

ENTRY WAY

• Paint walls
• Install slate flooring

FORMAL LIVING

• Paint walls
• Install bamboo flooring

FAMILY ROOM

• Replace broken windows
• Replace ceiling fan
• Paint walls
• Paint fireplace
• Finish mantel
• Install bamboo flooring

MASTER BEDROOM

• Paint walls
• Install bamboo flooring
• Replace ceiling fan

MASTER BATH

• Replace shower surround with tile
• Replace shower pan
• Replace vanity and mirror
• Paint walls and trim
  
• Install tile flooring
• Replace bathtub and/or fixtures
• Install bamboo flooring in closets

STAIRCASE AND LANDING

• Install bamboo flooring
• Modernize railing (not sure how just yet)
  

UPSTAIRS BEDROOMS

• Paint walls
• Install carpet

UPSTAIRS BATHROOM

• Nothing for now! But I'm sure a makeover will happen eventually.

Whew! OK... I'm sure I'm leaving something out. Also, know that every outlet/lightswitch will be changed out from "bisque" to white. Popcorn ceilings were removed in all rooms except for kitchen, bathrooms and laundry. And of course we'll be installing baseboards after the flooring is complete. Once a room is completed, I will publish a new post with pics!