Extreme Makeover...Small Budget Edition

Well, it's been a month since I've blogged and I am including pictures why. No, these aren't pictures of Brandon studying in his underwear until 1 am (though the bar exam has been a reason why I haven't blogged...mother always said 'If you don't have something nice to say...'). And no, these aren't pictures of Abby's runny nose (though that, too, has been a reason why I haven't blogged). But the main reason...the one taking all my time and leaving me so stressed I can do nothing but eat chips and watch whatever is on TLC at the time (BBQ pitmasters being my new favorite)...is my house. It's hard to even say 'my house.' We haven't closed on it yet, but we're dang close. Setting up the details of our remodel has been crazy. Truly crazy. Since we're only a few weeks away from completely gutting the joint, I thought I would post some 'before' pictures and some details about what we're going to do. Here they are in no particular order..

The upstairs hallway. You're looking into my master bedroom right now with my sweet submarine window and standing next to my awesome off-track linen closet to the left. The master has a very large sitting room attached to it which we are dry walling off and turning into a nursery/4th bedroom/office...we're not really sure, but we're planning on more little ones so we thought it was a good choice. We're doing new carpet and new paint.

My least favorite room in the house. My master bedroom. It's my least favorite because I can't afford to do anything about it. It has a nice sized walk-in closet attached and good bones...so until I can figure out what I can do about it...I'll be dealing with that red racing stripe of tile.

This picture is taken standing in my living room looking into my dining. This is one area we're making a lot of changes. We're laying a wood floor...taking out that wall between the family room/dining room...changing the carpet on the stairs, dropping the dining room ceiling down, putting in a new ceiling fan, 5-inch baseboards, putting some greenery on that sweet cinder-block wall view and...that's about it. It will be completely unfurnished ;)

Oh my kitchen. There will be woodfloors put in here as well, new baseboards, new window coverings, new lighting, new cabinets, new counter tops, ripping out the island and getting a new one...new appliances (though still white...it'll do)...new sink and fixtures...and recessed lighting (pulling the box out of the ceiling and putting up can lights) and moldings with light above the cabinets.

This is my front door and coat closet. Other than wood floors, baseboards, paint and window treatments...I can't do much here. You better believe I'm getting a new door for my coat closet. I have no idea why there is a mail slot in there.

The family room. SERIOUSLY tight. That is why...it is also getting new paint, wood floors, base boards, window treatments, ceiling fans, the wall on the left will be knocked down to open it up, the fire place will lose that awesome stucco-art above it and the mantle. I know you can't tell from this picture but that mantel is HUGE. It needs to be taken off and the fireplace needs to be flush to the wall for the space it will give us alone. On the right is a sliding glass door that will be replaced with a french door. Above the fireplace is getting wired for a flat screen TV (not that we have one) but the room is where one would naturally put a tv...and frankly, it is too small for a tv stand or cabinet.

The exterior. On a gray day. Such a vegas house. We're only doing some stucco repair and fixing the garage door. Other upgrades will have to wait.

The living room. Paint, baseboards and window treatments. It has 20 foot ceilings...so that is a lot of paint. Another room that will be completely unfurnished.


Downstairs bath. Doesn't look bad, right? I've had no less than 4 people tell me how much it reminds them of a gas station bathroom. So instead of attaching a key to a brick for my guests to use the potty, it's getting wood floors, paint and some new fixtures. The wall tile is staying.

My back yard full of cigarette butts and rocks. This is the area that frustrates me the most because it is SO vegas and so not kid friendly. I'm currently pricing patio covers, astro turf, rock removal, concrete removal, shrubs, planter boxes, drip lines...I have no idea what is going to happen back here but you better believe it is WAY high on the priority list though not currently budgeted for.

1/2 of abby's bedroom. It's getting paint, base boards, maybe solar screens, ceiling fan and carpets. She has huge ceilings in her bedroom. The carpets don't look too bad, but they are and the people before us we're smokers. My house reeks. Her bedroom is huge...here is the other half...

That's a walk-in closet. I'm planning on putting all her toys in her room and not having a toy room in this house...but abby is extremely insistent that there will be. I haven't decided...

Abby's bathroom. I just realized the other day that it has a sky light. Who knew? New countertops, (you better believe I'm getting rid of that bar over the toilet), staining the cabinets a new color, new fixtures, paint, new decorative mirror...and does it need a toilet paper holder? Why is there a random roll there?


The third bedroom that we don't know what to do with, but Abby does (toy room!) Sweet, smoked-in window treatments. This room will get the same treatment- carpet, paint, baseboards, fan, window treatments, solar shades...oh, and it has a walk-in closet too, awesome, right? This completes your tour of my home. Wish me luck!