Fixer Upper- Week 15

Last week we were slowed by some family get-togethers.  We had to attend two birthday parties, one wedding and one funeral.  Sounds like a title to a movie?

Work continued anyway.  And I promised last week that I would show you our countertops!  I decided to give concrete a try.  I found a local who did concrete countertops because we could try to DIY but we just don’t have the time.

I wanted something that felt more upscale than laminate.  But also something affordable.  We considered stainless steel but the price wasn’t right.  I also thought about butcher block but I wanted something a little more maintenance free.  Concrete it was!

We thought about doing this project ourselves but since we already have a renter, we felt in the best interest of time, we should just hire it done.  One less project waiting for us!  We found a local who did concrete countertops and put him in charge!

One thing I love about concrete is how rustic it can feel.  You can have concrete that looks polished and like real stone but I wanted it to feel more organic than that.  So I told the concrete man to mix in a tint (a darker grey) and to seal it in a matte finish instead of gloss.

The concrete man came out and took measurements for the countertops.  I decided on no backsplash.  I think it looks a little dated.  Plus eventually we might install some subway tile or a tile backsplash.  He also took measurements for our island.  Remember the one with the door back?

I wanted an overhang so that there could be a couple of bar stools slid up to it.  We discussed support and he took his information back to the shop to create the countertops there with his forms.

The only hiccup we had was the sink.  We had him measure for an old stainless steel sink we had and the corners of the sink were bevel cut.  And the hole that was made was square!  Thank goodness he brought out a new sink he found that fit the hole.  We were scared we wouldn’t find one that would fit!

I think they turned out fantastic.  I couldn’t be happier with the look and feel of concrete!  Here are some picts!

Close Ups of Concrete

Close Up of Concrete 2

New Sink and Faucet

Island

#fixerupper #homedecor

Fixer Upper- Week 14

Here we are on week 14 and we’re still working away hard on the inside of the place.  I’ve had a few panic moments that soccer starts a month from now and we haven’t touched the outside of the house.  Gah!

One of the things I thought would really enhance the kitchen was a small island.  There isn’t a ton of countertop space or work space when you’re cooking.  And by taking out the walls that enclosed some of the kitchen space, that left it open to incorporate an island. Specifically the island would have enough room to have space for some bar stools!

Measuring the space and what we could fit, we chose a cabinet that was as wide as we thought would fit comfortably and still allow movement in the kitchen and space for a small table to the side.

And here’s where I had an idea.  Instead of walking up the stairs to see the backside of a plain white stock backing to the cabinet, why not put something there that gives the back a little character and maybe also a bit of color?

So I found an old door that we could use to give the piece a bit more dimension and with my dad’s help, we cut it down to fit so that most of the pretty pieces would show.  Here is the door in its original finish.

We took the door and gave it a good coat of paint and mounted it.  And here’s what it looks like now-

Door Painted

I thought leaving the old hardware was cool too.  All around this door will be trim so no raw edges will show.

So now there’s a little bit of muddy gray loveliness in a bright white kitchen.

Next week, hopefully we can get outside and get going.  And soon to reveal…the countertops!!

#fixerupper #homedecor

Fixer Upper- Week 13

Right before we were to receive our renter, we had started working on our stairs.  More on that later…

The stairs, when we purchased the home, were already carpetless to the upstairs and we also removed the carpet off of the steps to the basement.  So we were left with stair treads that had leftover glue on them and were in rough shape from years of wear.

My dad, who is the foreman of this little project (remember, I’m the designer and laborer), made an incredible suggestion.  He also might just be a “cut-the-corners-genius” (it comes from years of remaking and redoing on a small income).  He knew if we would take up the stair treads and flip them over, they would be good as new.  Yes!  What an incredible suggestion!  Forty-five years of wear on one side of the treads, zero on the other!

Here’s a little before and after-

Up The Stairs

Weathered Stair Tread

I had to sand a little bit on the old side because of the hangover of the tread.

Round One of Sanding

But here’s the original tread, just the side that was nailed down all those years.  Looks pretty good!

The “Other” Side of the Stair Tread

The sanding commenced and I went through three different sizes of sandpaper on the old stair treads.  The risers also got a good sanding so they could be painted.

It was then that our renter moved in and we had to quickly nail down the stairs temporarily so we could move furniture!  I also decided anytime you’re working on stairs, it’s best to only do three at a time.  😉

After our renter was settled, the tops of the treads were stained and sealed.

Here’s an “almost done” after-

Stairs After

And the basement-

Basement Steps

You want to know the best part, there aren’t anymore squeaks!  Taking them up and redoing them let us put in new glue and get them attached again so they are like brand new steps!

#fixerupper