Mic Drop

Bam.  It's done.  We have accepted an offer on our house so now, we are truly done.  We're not ones to toot our own horns, but DAMN!  We did some good work here.  When hearing of our move to Portland, some people said, "Oh no!  All that work you did and now you are leaving!"  For Andy and me, that's not even a thought.  Renovating houses is our hobby and even if we were staying in Decorah, we would probably be looking for our next renovation project.  We love getting into the bones of a house, bringing out the character and making it livable for the modern family.  There will be many things that we did to this house that I will miss (a post on that coming soon!) but everything we learn in each house we do gets brought to the next and so on and so forth.  Conquering the world, one house at a time.

So.....drum roll please.... this is it.

Exterior Before:

Exterior Now:

What we have done:

•   Removed the old siding on 2nd floor and put in board and batten

•   Painted upper board and batten (Raindance by Benjamin Moore color-matched by Sherwin Williams) and lower siding (Rushing River by Benjamin Moore color-matched by Sherwin Williams)

•   Removed chimney on left side of house

•   Ripped out and rearrange garden beds

•   Created a gravel walkway and widened the driveway

•   Removed the garage and prepped area for seeding

•   Painted deck with Behr Deck Over

•   Replaced concrete steps to main entrance with small wood deck

•   Repaired cellar entrance

•   Replaced gutters on portions of the house

Porch Before:

Porch Now:

Things we have done:

•   Built-in storage

•   Painted all walls and trim white

•   Removed coat hooks

•   Painted ceiling blue (Flint Smoke by Behr)

•   Replace light with fan/light

•   Updated door hardware

Kitchen Before:

Kitchen Now:

Things we have done:

•   Removed curtains

•   Painted ceiling white

•   Painted walls (Flint Smoke by Behr)

•   Painted cabinets (Spanish Olive by Glidden)

•   Painted handles black

•   Painted all trim white

•   Removed paint from hinges (previous owners had painted all 30 of them faux wood!)

•   Replaced light (can't see it here but we got a great one!)

•   Replaced fridge

•   Replaced stove

•   Painted all trim and windows white

•   Painted doors (Natural Linen by Glidden)

•   Installed a dishwasher

•   Replaced sink and faucet

•   Removed carpeting and painted stairs

Dining Room Before:

Dining Room Now:

Things we have done:

•   Painted ceiling white

•   Painted walls blue (Flint Smoke by Behr)

•   Took down blinds

•   Painted trim and windows white

•   Replaced exterior screen door

     Updated door hardware

•   Painted door (Natural Linen by Glidden)

Living Room Before:

Living Room Now:

Things we have done:

•   Painted ceiling white

•   Painted walls blue (Flint Smoke by Behr)

•   Took down curtains

•   Replaced ceiling fan (the new one is a flat black)

•   Tore up carpeting and refinished hardwood floors

•   Painted trim and windows white

•   Replaced beige outlets with white

Kids' Playroom Before:

 Kids' Playroom Now:

Things we have done:

•   Painted ceiling white

•   Painted walls taupe-ish color (Puddle by Behr)

•   Took down curtains

•   Replaced light

•   Tore out carpet and replaced with hardwood

•   Painted trim and windows white

    Updated door hardware

•   Removed door from living room to playroom

•   Replaced beige outlets with white

Master Bedroom Before:

 Master Bedroom Now:

Things we have done:

•   Repainted walls  (Blue Grey Slate by Glidden)

•   Painted ceiling white

•   Tore out carpet and installed hardwood floors

•   Replaced beige outlets with white

•   Painted trim, doors, windows white

•   Updated door hardware

•   Built a new closet organizer and removed bifold doors

1st Floor Bathroom Before:

 1st Floor Bathroom Now:

Things we have done:

•   Painted walls purple/grey color (Milestone by Behr)

•   New ceiling light

•   New shower curtain

•   Removed some of the handicap bars

•   Painted all trim and doors white

•   Painted vanity (Puddle by Behr)

•   Built a wood farm around existing mirror

•   Replaced hardware on vanity and doors

•   Replaced beige outlets with white

•   Built shelves into the closet (originally just a clothing bar)

•   Replaced vanity countertop

Laundry Room Before:

Laundry Room Now:

Things we have done:

•   Painted walls and ceiling white

•   Replaced washer

•   Tore out ceiling drywall to replace upstairs bathroom plumbing 

•   Moved and painted coat hooks from porch

•   Replaced dryer

•   Painted trim/doors/windows white

Upstairs Office/Craft Nooks and Hall Before:

 Upstairs Office/Craft Nooks and Hall Now:

Things we have done:

•   Painted walls and ceiling white and green (Spring Cactus by Glidden)

•   Made the stair wall a half wall

•   Tore out closet for office nook

•   Widened doorway to craft area

•   Tore-up linoleum and painted wood floors

•   Painted trim and doors white

•   Replaced all lighting

•   Replaced beige outlets with white

•   Replaced breaker box

2nd Floor Bathroom Before:

 2nd Floor Bathroom Now:

Things we have done:

•   Complete renovation from framing out including new electrical, insulation, plumbing, flooring, window, tub, vanity, lighting, paint.

2^nd Bedroom Before:

 2^nd Bedroom Now:

Things we have done:

•   Painted ceiling (Arctic Ocean by Behr)

•   Painted walls (Ancient Pewter by Behr)

•   Moved ceiling fan from living room and painted hardware silver and put on new globes

•   Tore out carpet and laid square tiles (classroom tiles)

•   Painted all off-white trim/doors/windows white

•   Built a closet organizer, painted closet floors and walls

3rd Bedroom Before:

3rd Bedroom Now: 

Things we have done:

•   Complete renovation including new electrical, insulation, drywall, flooring, new vaulted ceiling, in wall electric heater, window, door, lighting and fan.

Outbuilding and Property Improvements:

The outdoor shower- our most Pinned post!  Thinking we may start an outdoor shower business in Portland...

Forgive the terrible picture but it's super windy today and I wasn't in the mood to mess around!

•  Built an outdoor shower
• General clean-up of all outbuildings
• Created a fully functional workshop with lighting and electrical
• Made a children's playhouse with loft
• Built 4 raised garden beds
• Built 3 compost bins
• Built a chicken coop
• Removed extra fencing and old cattle bins
• Built sandbox

Looking over the pictures, part of me is still surprised Andy got me to buy this house.  Must have been those pregnancy hormones but I don't regret a single day of living here.  Three years of frustration, stress and mess of constant renovation has also brought us the joy and pride of doing work yourself and making a home.

We've seen Esther grow in this house and brought in two more babies.  It's going to be hard to leave but the memories are always there and we are always together.  On to the next project.