A few weeks after we moved in, our neighbors gave us a triptych painting. It’s got some outlines etched in which is cool, but it’s not exactly our style (it’s airbrushed in gross colors and generally very dated – it is something that must have been very popular in the 70s and 80s). We didn’t really want it, but we felt rude refusing it – especially considering the...
Our kitchen is finally finished! Prepare yourself for the before and afters. We did soooo much work on this kitchen. The only thing we still need is a dishwasher, but that’s a bigger project, so it will come later. For now, just enjoy the photos. BEFORE: Dark and dirty (so, so dirty) cabinets with carved trim and nasty brass handles. AFTER: Cabinets painted white, trim removed and new handles. These...
The boys room! Complete with track carpet! Another room finally finished! The hard part about this room was fitting everything in. It took a lot of grumbling and arguing and yelling and swearing and even a little bit of hacking too, but the boys room is now done. These bunk beds are great – sturdy, stylish, compact, and modular – but they are a pain to put together/take apart, AND there...
The aesthetic = teenage girl meets family room. This room didn’t really involve any hacking, but I’m just happy that it is finished and I want to brag about it a bit. Our big kids aren’t here all the time, and as they get bigger and bigger, they’ll be here less and less. We choose to rent this place because of it’s size:affordability ratio. It’s big enough to accommodate...
Our fireplace is finished! We have many projects in various states of partial completion, but not this one! This was one of the more tedious tasks, and I kept adding to it as I went. What started out as an ugly, mismatched fireplace has turned into a cozy and clean focal point for the living room. The original eyesore was composed of many different materials – brick, another type...
Upcycled ice bucket to food scrap container. Vancouver is aiming to be the world’s “greenest city” by 2020. The tagline “Greenest City 2020” is plastered all over the place, including on our trash cans. We basically have 3 trash cans – a traditional bin, a green bin and a recycling bin (plus a few yellow bags for paper). The traditional bin takes everything...
Arlo approves of the upgrades (especially the stool!) The ensuite master bathroom is finished! The first complete home renovation. This bathroom was actually not that bad. It just needed a good scrub (like everything in the house), some fresh paint and a few pieces of new hardware. Here are the photos: BEFORE: Ugly curtains and dark, dirty window sills. Plus, who would put that towel rack there? AFTER:...
1. You’re just happy to have a kitchen you can cook in. Ramen with a side of latex paint? Hooray! 2. Your teenagers are ecstatic when you pull the mattresses out. And the only argument is over who gets the one closest to the power outlet. 3. You allow your toddler to freely tag his name on the doors and walls. A true masterpiece. Now, finish priming the rest of it, kid! 4. You find your husband...
Here are a few photos highlighting all the work to be done on our new home: Dark downstairs front entryway. Trim will be painted grey and doors painted white. Ugly ‘natural’ wood trim and railings accent the pink walls and dirty blue grey carpet. Also note the dingy popcorn ceilings and grimy beige electrical plates – lovely! I can live with the unfinished laundry room but that curtain...
Our Vancouver Special! We’ve finally arrived at our new home! It’s a lovely Vancouver special that is spacious enough for our family and cheap enough for our budget – it just needs a bit of sprucing up. We’re renting the upper suite and plan on making a few improvements over time. There have been a lot of articles written about updating Vancouver specials but most of those projects involve...