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kaylagrl
Guest
Oh you will be a total asset when the zombie apocalypse comes,everyone will want to be your friend.
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kaylagrl
Guest
Thank you so much!! I was hoping to redo the counters if I could afford to one day soon.They are very light and stain really easy.Hard to keep clean.I think that will be the next project.Cant afford new ones though.I heard they can be painted but it sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.Unsure of trying that one.
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DesiredHaven
Guest
Good job with what you had to work with there kaylagrl. Its a great feeling to do something for little and come out with really awesome results. I have a couple of before and afters of our old home (which I cant get to because hubby is sleeping) and the only ideas I could ever find that could be cheaply applied were more for the bathrooms.
So good on you, because I lack any creative remodeling for a kitchen (done cheaply)
I dont have have a single idea of what to do in our present home (not a single thing ever come to me since we moved in). I have never been so clueless, and yet I have remodled an entire house (the one we sold) to buy this one (which I wasnt crazy about)
This current house (because of the layout, and cost to redo because of it) has just stifled all creativity for me. I have been in brainfreeze mode for over ten years, trying to think of something, and I honestly cant think of what I could do inexpensively because anything I could possibly come up with would just cost a mint, and so I have dropped any expectation of ever doing so.
Our floor was coming up in one spot, so I did decided on that fake wood stuff, not sure what its called?
I am perfectly fine with that, I dont need anything expensive. Besides, we live in an earthberm home and we arent covered by insurance (nor can be) for water coming into the home (at ground level) so I figure, why put out the expense for stuff like that if you just like the look of it but the cost makes no sense?
Thats the only thing we ever done in the kitchen is the fake wood stuff on ours
This is not such a good picture but the flooring went from that 99 cent white sticky tile stuff to that fake hardwood floor stuff
Oh yeah, where the lights are by our brady bunch (style) cabinents, we used to have these waffle house light balls, which everyone made fun of when they come in. They'd say, Hey, waffle house has them ball lights (lol). And we just got rid of those a couple of years ago. Newer lighting, track (within the beam) as well and new fan.
None of our apliances dont match or nothing.
My husband is in that pic.
So we still have that seventies sorta thing going on and those square pillary things (that conceal pipes) in that island part, those really throw me as to what to do.
We are mostly underground our light coming in from the center of the home, so when you look out from where the light is coming into the ktchen, you see this...
Its cool during a lightning storm (at night)
But theres nothing out there but a broken wooden toybox filled with plastic water bottles, a dog crate where I hide my mason jars cardboard boxes, and empty birdcage and a table or two really.
Its quite obvious that I dont know what to do with it. So if anyone had cheapy idea (because I am frugal) I might give it a go and post how it turned out myself.
It was built as it was inspired off of a better homes and gardens house back in the 1980's
This is how that magazine lays out their center part
Which is nicer then what I have done to it (which is nothing) lol
But even then...?
The flooring colors are different from mine because its a northern home, and mine is a southern one, white was chosen to reflect the sun rather then absorb it,
But all I can make out there other then that is a few plants, and if the heat doesnt kill the plants come June/ July, I will just end up killing them.
It will likely stay the semi storage room it is.
Would be nice to add something, if just a litte something I just dont know what,
So good on you, because I lack any creative remodeling for a kitchen (done cheaply)
I dont have have a single idea of what to do in our present home (not a single thing ever come to me since we moved in). I have never been so clueless, and yet I have remodled an entire house (the one we sold) to buy this one (which I wasnt crazy about)
This current house (because of the layout, and cost to redo because of it) has just stifled all creativity for me. I have been in brainfreeze mode for over ten years, trying to think of something, and I honestly cant think of what I could do inexpensively because anything I could possibly come up with would just cost a mint, and so I have dropped any expectation of ever doing so.
Our floor was coming up in one spot, so I did decided on that fake wood stuff, not sure what its called?
I am perfectly fine with that, I dont need anything expensive. Besides, we live in an earthberm home and we arent covered by insurance (nor can be) for water coming into the home (at ground level) so I figure, why put out the expense for stuff like that if you just like the look of it but the cost makes no sense?
Thats the only thing we ever done in the kitchen is the fake wood stuff on ours
This is not such a good picture but the flooring went from that 99 cent white sticky tile stuff to that fake hardwood floor stuff
Oh yeah, where the lights are by our brady bunch (style) cabinents, we used to have these waffle house light balls, which everyone made fun of when they come in. They'd say, Hey, waffle house has them ball lights (lol). And we just got rid of those a couple of years ago. Newer lighting, track (within the beam) as well and new fan.
None of our apliances dont match or nothing.
My husband is in that pic.
So we still have that seventies sorta thing going on and those square pillary things (that conceal pipes) in that island part, those really throw me as to what to do.
We are mostly underground our light coming in from the center of the home, so when you look out from where the light is coming into the ktchen, you see this...
Its cool during a lightning storm (at night)
But theres nothing out there but a broken wooden toybox filled with plastic water bottles, a dog crate where I hide my mason jars cardboard boxes, and empty birdcage and a table or two really.
Its quite obvious that I dont know what to do with it. So if anyone had cheapy idea (because I am frugal) I might give it a go and post how it turned out myself.
It was built as it was inspired off of a better homes and gardens house back in the 1980's
This is how that magazine lays out their center part
Which is nicer then what I have done to it (which is nothing) lol
But even then...?
The flooring colors are different from mine because its a northern home, and mine is a southern one, white was chosen to reflect the sun rather then absorb it,
But all I can make out there other then that is a few plants, and if the heat doesnt kill the plants come June/ July, I will just end up killing them.
It will likely stay the semi storage room it is.
Would be nice to add something, if just a litte something I just dont know what,
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Galahad
Guest
In addition to your DIY practice, which saves $$$ and makes a big difference, visit yard sales.
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Galahad
Guest
Hope you don't mind ideas:
From what I see, seems the living room flows into the dining area. The living room and dining area together appear to be more rectangular than square. Don’t know if the windows run through into the living area.
Okay, I’m thinking, on long picture on the right wall.
Remove table and lamp.
I picture earth tone furniture, 3 pieces, one living room center table.
Perhaps the couch could run parallel with the wall and that long picture, but create walking space between the wall and the back of the couch. Another piece of furniture, a couch, or sofa placed so it is facing the dining room. Would not have the back of a couch facing dining room.
Is it possible to replace track lighting with recessed lighting?
Here in OC California, the new homes, which my wife and I enjoy going through (the models homes), are open and airy. I like it. So you might want to remove that table extending from the wall.
In short: remove as much as possible that is there (yard sale), create a bold living room area with roomy sofa, consider running couch parallel with wall, with about 3 - 4 feet from wall, or with plenty of space for people to walk comfortably through. The highlight area seems to be the living room.
Remove small tables, stands, display shelves, small pictures.
I don’t mean to suggest anything negative about your home that you are blessed with. Cost is a big factor in maintaining a home. My wife and I know that. Thank you for sharing and allowing me the opportunity.
All the Best,
G
Galahad
Guest
If you bought your flooring through Lumber Liquidators, they are giving free test kits to customers to test flooring for chemicals. This is in response to: ​Lumber Liquidators CEO makes surprising admission - CBS News
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kaylagrl
Guest
Lol you sound like my hubby.He goes to work and comes back to a changed house.When we married he said I could have the upstairs and he has his man cave downstairs.So what I do upstairs is up to me.Boy did he make a mistake! Your wife did a great job!! Some woman are really great at home decor and improvement. Im kinda so so. The internet is a big help with ideas though.
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kaylagrl
Guest
Yes that is a good idea too! We have the 127 yard sale that passes near to us.I think it starts in MI and goes down to AL.If you look hard enough you can find something in all that junk sometimes.lol
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kaylagrl
Guest
Good ideas! Also a good idea to look through new homes to see what updates can be made.
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kaylagrl
Guest
Your home is decorated very nicely! The wood floors were a really good idea.It looks nice and light in that room.As far as appliances not matching they actually make a paint now that can make all them look like stainless steel!! Im thinking of trying it.Its not real expensive,like hundreds.If you had a little extra money it could be a good idea. Like I said with my kitchen we painted the cupboards to lighten the place up.My house is probably 80s style.Have you every been on pinterest? I go there and type in diy decorating and also decorating on a budget.Its amazing the stuff people do on hardly any money at all!
I wanted back-splash for my kitchen. Tiles were totally out of my price range so we bought vinyl floor tiles with the sticky backs on them? We're in the middle of it right now. It was a cheap way to get the job done without looking to bad.Also I buy different decor for different seasons. The picture I posted was fall.I have changed things out for spring now.It lightens things up and makes you anticipate the new season.Just a few ideas.
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kaylagrl
Guest
Here are a few more before and after pics.My bathrooms are pretty small so I had to have something for storage.The house is two story but they made the baths quite small.So here was my idea for it...
We kind of took a theme of the same colors throughout the house instead of different colors in each room. Didnt plan it but just kind of worked out that way.Havent added paint here yet but plan to keep it light so it doesnt look smaller.
We kind of took a theme of the same colors throughout the house instead of different colors in each room. Didnt plan it but just kind of worked out that way.Havent added paint here yet but plan to keep it light so it doesnt look smaller.
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kaylagrl
Guest
We were lucky enough that my hubbys step father is a carpenter so we added another whole piece to the deck.I told them to put it down a step so it is lower and gives more privacy because out neighbors are so close.The first pic is what we started with...
In the second pic we stained the deck.That was fun to do in 90+ degrees heat.I think I actually melted a little.The last one is the extension deck with my doggie. lol I dont celebrate Halloween but that pumpkin dude looked so cool to me.So no judging! Im not a secret witch and I dont agree with Halloween.I just sinner a little
lol lol
In the second pic we stained the deck.That was fun to do in 90+ degrees heat.I think I actually melted a little.The last one is the extension deck with my doggie. lol I dont celebrate Halloween but that pumpkin dude looked so cool to me.So no judging! Im not a secret witch and I dont agree with Halloween.I just sinner a little
lol lol
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Mitspa
Guest
This is kinda what amazes me about some gals, they can take normal things and make them special. Im a builder but just never really got the colors and putting the final touch on things 
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kaylagrl
Guest
This is kinda what amazes me about some gals, they can take normal things and make them special. Im a builder but just never really got the colors and putting the final touch on things
My husband said "are you ever going to be satisfied? you do like the house dont you?" So I went over how much things cost that I had changed on the cheap and how much they could cost if I shopped at like Pier One. lol But I said "women are nesters they like to make a home inviting and cozy.They call it a womans touch.Some women are fantastic at it.I just do little things that warm the place up a bit and give it homeyness.Or I try at least! lol
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DesiredHaven
Guest
Yeah its definately long, retangular (not squared) weird across the board, too dark for my taste too but I had the hubby and the dogs and things dont look so clean fast.
Yeah they run together, here is just a partial picture of that view
So about a two foot space then a glass door that leads out (into the atrium) another 25 foot space and then another window.
I can be creative with a house, but this one I have just ran into too many problems with (its always something).
Heres that side your talking about
It is possible, looked into it we have that popcorn ceiling stuff and alot of incompetant contractors here and just decided to remove the white track and make it disapear a little more with the brown. It was far more obvious before, but more cost effective. I am frugal that way but I thought it was the least of my worries. Besides, we live in SC not Cal and these people use old cars for lawn ornaments. So, it might pretty dated (but so is the whole set up) but I am okay with those, they are less obvious then what was replaced, they give us light and match the others that were replaced.
Oh no, Im just looking to add something, I dont need my house to look like its out of a magazine or anything like that, (well for me) in fact going down that route (for me) would be a sin because the house functions. Appearance matters to the smallest of degrees but I set some limitations for myself, I need something more functional. I do need to replace the carpet in that room, but I dont know if I should do that (gotta start somewhere) but since my dogs all passed, and it needs replacing I havent decided with what (or what color) Its pretty drab in there.
No, not at all, as I said I moved from the home I liked to this home (which I dont so much like) for other reasons.
And I do appreciate your advice here, I was honestly asking, we had already spent $18,000 on a new roof and another $7000 on a new heating/air system (around $25,000) over the last three years so yeah we are pretty tight, but those necessary things had to come first.
Hey, my sister underwrites loans for a private bank which lends specifically in the area of home rehabs (so if anyone is looking for a loan.. plug plug) I am kidding (but not really) because that is what she does. We pay as we go for the most part, but I wouldnt harness myself to any loan like that.
Anyway thanks for the advice
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DesiredHaven
Guest
Your home is decorated very nicely! The wood floors were a really good idea.It looks nice and light in that room.As far as appliances not matching they actually make a paint now that can make all them look like stainless steel!! Im thinking of trying it.Its not real expensive,like hundreds.If you had a little extra money it could be a good idea. Like I said with my kitchen we painted the cupboards to lighten the place up.My house is probably 80s style.Have you every been on pinterest? I go there and type in diy decorating and also decorating on a budget.Its amazing the stuff people do on hardly any money at all!
I wanted back-splash for my kitchen. Tiles were totally out of my price range so we bought vinyl floor tiles with the sticky backs on them? We're in the middle of it right now. It was a cheap way to get the job done without looking to bad.Also I buy different decor for different seasons. The picture I posted was fall.I have changed things out for spring now.It lightens things up and makes you anticipate the new season.Just a few ideas.
It is not decorated (at all) lol. And its not real wood floors its like some fake laminated stuff too lol
I recall the days, I really had fun renovating, its very rewarding to do something yourself.
The only thing I detested was drywalling, we ripped out 75 % of the drywall (of our other small house) got a few pictures of that but very few clear afters (even in the first house). Ripped up floors, ripped out a stairacse.
For our present home, I dont like stainless steel though (my sister loves it) but I took some of that out actually (and gave it to her boyfreind at the time) Our wall oven is ancient, its that black glass, and the dishwasher is newer but is of the same, our fridge is white, but its on the end of its lifespan (13 years) but it outlived my dogs. At the time they didnt have freezers on the bottom that matched (which I must chose now because of my back). Just in case it decides to croak you can see some big white thing off to the left (back part) of the kitchen and thats a chest freezer because I cannot (now) reach into the one on the fridge.
I think lots of factors play into our choices too, some folks just arent going to have matching stuff lol!
That would be us.
We used to make sure stuff matched, I went looking for our older renovation pictures, I have more on the demolition of every room then I have on the actual finished product even at that time. Im really bad at taking pictures, in fact the ones provided in the above really were taken by an adjuster, I just refer to those lol
(Below) we had lived in the before picture of that kitchen for seven years before starting, we had no idea of cost and we torn into it before counting it, its like what Jesus said, do you not sit down first and count the cost? Otherwise if you cant finish folks would laugh at you (my mom refused to visit me, she hated we lived that way lol (thats just my mom though lol)
Take a gander at the 2 inches of counter space (in the before pic) I had to work with for seven full years while I need to prepare serval meals a day on it (with no diningroom table either) lol
Seeveral years later we put the stove where the sink was located. We had to hire someone to relocate a heater (which was actually in the kitchen) which costed a few thousand to relocate and another two thousand to build something suitable to house it outside (that is what threw us off financially).
That house was a mess we gutted the whole thing, I have all the gutting pictures and pictures of various angles of the kitch there are just people in there blocking everything in each one.
Pinterest looks interesting but I feel weird about joining for some reason so I will not. I felt the same way about joining facebook as well so I never did, sounds weird I guess but I never did for the same reason.
I can get visuals through image searches but I cant enter into it.
You did a really remarkable job though Kaylagrl, you ought be proud of yourself, kudos for all you had accomplished and saved in doing so.