House before and after Pictures

Many of you know how much work we have put into this house, but most of you haven't actually gotten to see any of the changes. While the pictures show all of the changes, you can't possibly imagine the difference from the first day we move in to today! Only our parents can really understand that miracle. My amazing husband has not spent more than maybe two evenings laying around enjoying all the changes in the last month and a half. He goes to work, and then comes home to work. I guess that is the price you pay for being a know-it-all: electrician, plumber, flooring installer, sheet rocker, and anything else you can imagine! Luckily, other than having the carpet installed, we have been able to do the rest ourselves! Here are some before and after pictures for all of those who hear us talking about it! Thanks to our parents, we could never have gotten this far so fast if they hadn't taken the kids out of the equation several weekends!

This is Cole and Claire's room. We started there because we wanted to make this a smooth transition for them. So far, they have done great with it. Occassionally Cole will ask to go to our old house, but as soon as it gets nice, he will think he is in heaven outside here.
Notice the lovely wood paneling which was in all three bedrooms, and the lovely lighting.

Lime green is growing on me. It was a little bright with nothing else in the room! There room was close to ready before the carpet was installed. We wanted the dirty jobs done so we didn't make a mess on the new carpet. I hope I never have to live in sheet rock dust again!

Matt and Sarah-notice the vanity next to her bed. Still her favorite gift!

The bathroom was probably the easiest. It needs a more up to date medicine cabinet and lighting, actually I might go with just a mirror, we don't really use the medicine cabinet. The bath tub and toilet will eventually get replaced, it is a pale yellow. Basically I painted it and bought new towels. It is aqua blue with chocolate brown towels.
The kitchen was probably the worst when we moved in. It was so far out of date, leopard looking carpet, wallpaper on the walls, old cabinents and hardwear, lovely brown sink, old countertop. But the HUGE sliding glass door and oversized eat in kitchen is amazing! We have fixed the worst part, Nick put in a lam. hard wood floor. I am in the process of spray painting the hardwear, and I pulled down the wallpaper (thanks Marcie and mom) and painted the walls. There is a bunch more to do in here, but I am very happy with how far it has come!


The walkway between the kitchen and the family room had the ugliest brick planter in it! My favorite part was how there was real dirt filling it to support the fake plants! We for sure removed that! Behind Nick, there was a little half wall (brick wall with a shadow box on top)right next to the door separating the entry way from the living room. That is gone as well! This picture is obviously on the day we moved in.

This front door has to go soon!

The living room required little work, just a few major cracks in the walls and a nuetral paint job. I do plan to replace the valances, and we will add lighting. The valance lighting is not cutting it for me!

I thought I would spare you from another picture of wood paneling, although the red and black shag carpet was quite appealing. This is the only room I bought new bedding for. I love it, the comforter is a chocolate brown and the room is a silvery green.

The last of the sheet rocking! Poor Cane, had to look at the wood paneling the longest.







The basement is great, it is not finished yet, but will be someday. This picture was taken a while ago, there is now a play area with most of the kids toys back in the corner in this picture. Is so nice to have somewhere for ALL of their toys. It is ridiculous how many we have!