Summertime Part 4: Home remodeling

Y'all remember we bought a real fixer upper, right? That's putting it mildly. We're pretty much gutting and rebuilding each room as we go. So far, we're about 1/2 way done. The bathroom, kitchen/den, and hall are done. We have the living and two bedrooms left and since there's no plumbing there, it'll be a breeze compared to what we've done so far. I'll post some before/after pics once we put the finishing touches on the "done" rooms.

One of the last "big" projects for our kitchen/den was to put down flooring. This was a hell of a job. The room is 12 x 36 so it's VERY long and narrow. Originally the room was divided in two with different flooring on each half and built ins separating the space. I had a vision of it being one big room where we could watch TV, eat dinner, and be in the kitchen.

So far, so good!

We made a trip to Ikea to pick up some decorative items for our kitchen/den and I picked up this rug. For $24 I think it's perfect! I put a cheapie slipcover over our ugly (but very comfortable) couch so it doesn't stand out so much now. The coffeee table is a vintage one I got off Craigslist for $15. There are more Ikea goodies in the background!

 

We refinanced our mortgage too. The rates had dropped SO LOW that we could save $87K during the life of our mortgage. If we keep paying extra every month, we'll have it paid off in about 20 years.

I also got a little crafty and made this wreath (and a second one to match) for $4. I love Dollar Tree!!