A New Front Door

I always loved this door.

It had great midcentury modern style and so perfectly fit with our little brick ranch house that was, naturally, built in the middle of the last century.

But this door had to go. For one, the outside had become so weathered you could quite literally get a splinter just from leaning up against it. (Had I thought to remove it, stand it, and stain it when we moved in more than five years ago, it might have looked OK today. But that thought never once crossed my mind until it was beyond repair.)

Plus it was so old and warped that you could actually see light coming through from outside on three of the four sides. That, of course, also means cold air was escaping in the summer and warm air was coming in. Not cool.

And, perhaps most importantly, the door handle no longer worked. It flat out didn't work. We tried to replace it when it broke, but our door is so old that new hardware won't fit it—the knob and lock on this door is set much farther away from the edge of the door than new hardware is. So we went for months with a worthless door handle that jiggled but did little else, with our only security being the deadbolt.

In other words, for this decidedly un-handy family, the door was beyond repair.

Since we aren't very good DIYers, of course, we finally had to break down and hire a contractor to install a new door for us. (We used the same company that did such a great job on our new kitchen.) So the hardest part for Conservative Hubby and I was picking the door and the color.

The book of doors the contractor gave us didn't include prices, so naturally we selected an incredibly expensive one without realizing it. After we went back to the book and tried again, we found a door we liked at a price we could handle. We also picked out a new screen door, which is one of my favorite parts, because the screen is built right into the door so all you do is push down on the top of the glass to let in great breezes. (Butter likes it, too.)

We knew we wanted to let in lots of light, so we thought this door would be just right. One thing we didn't consider, however, was how little privacy we'd have with so much clear glass. (Nor did we realize that it's hard to find curtains that actually fit a door like this, but the sheer hanging there does the trick for now—at least it ensures people don't have unfettered views straight into the dining room.)

For paint, I picked the same sandy-white hue as the walls for inside. For outside, I wanted something a bit fun, so I decided on a playful but not too crazy bright green called "Edamame."

I have to say, it's wonderful having a door with a handle that works, that opens and closes easily, and that isn't a safety hazard. Plus it brightens up the front of our house, which is a plus.

Another household to-do crossed off the list. Now if only those darn ugly bushes would just disappear ... and the carpet would replace itself ... and oh how I could go on ... and on ... and on ...

A New Kitchen (After)

Yesterday I regaled you with the tale of why we had to update our kitchen. Today I'm going to show you what the new kitchen looks like.

What's the same: The basic layout. The flooring. The cooktop and range hood. The fact that I have way too many small kitchen appliances, gadgets, cookbooks, you name it to stash in the kitchen.

What's different: The cabinets. They're a basic oak selected because it matches the trim around our windows and doors. We wanted something to lighten up the room, given the darker flooring already in place. They're nothing fancy, but very nice. (We do have the fabulous drawers that shut themselves, which is super cool). 

One major plus to the new cabinets (besides the fact the drawers actually open and the cupboard doors aren't falling apart) is a bit of added functionality. We have an easy-to-access turnaround now, a divider to make the cookie sheet cabinet more useful, and best of all, a real pantry to replace my futile attempt to create a pantry from a too-small cabinet.

(Someone else enjoys the pantry, and all the cabinets and drawers he can now get into, since we're loath to screw in childproof locks yet so only a few are inaccessible to Little Man right now.)

What else is different: The countertops. They're laminate, nothing fancy, but look like stone and are a great neutral color that hides spots and crumbs and such very well. This is a key feature in my world. (Although I kind of miss the gold and silver speckles in our old countertops. Kind of.)

The dishwasher, combination wall oven and microwave, and fridge. (Hooray for matching appliances and an oven that works! Plus now I can actually use the microwave and oven at the same time without blowing a fuse. That's big. HUGE.)

The kitchen sink and faucet (thank goodness—the old ones were seriously nasty).

The light fixtures, including the chandelier above the table. It's not nearly as cool as the retro chandelier we had before, but we don't have to worry about it burning the house down.

And the walls. Instead of old wallpaper and pink tile, now they're all just painted a sagey green. It makes for a welcoming, serene space.

I absolutely love the new kitchen. It's taking some getting used to, though. It's a place I'm comfortable with and know well, since we kept the same layout, yet it's still so different. I'm not quite sure it feels like "home" yet, but it's getting there.

I just need to spill and splatter a few more things first. And maybe actually hang something on the walls. (Even though I know the gaping hole in the soffit where our doorbell ringer is looks quite attractive as it is.)

A New Kitchen (Before)

For more than 5 years, this was my kitchen.

When we moved to L-Town, I was still working for a custom publishing company in Des Moines and spent a portion of my days looking at photos of and writing about dreamy kitchens. I did not consider this one of those dreamy kitchens. Not even close.

At first I wondered if I'd ever get used to the mismatched appliances, salmon tile, and retro wallpaper. But I did. I spent a lot of time in this kitchen, trying all different sorts of recipes every chance I got. I got used to the finicky oven, to the ever-present spots staining the white countertops, to the way certain drawers didn't open correctly. It became my home. I appreciated its midcentury modern style (and its quirks).

But then Little Man came along. And our oven moved from retro-cool to fire hazard territory, getting so hot you could actually burn yourself if you touched the outside of it without a pot holder. Not a good situation with a toddler in the house, particularly one who likes to play in the kitchen as much as his mamma does.

The oven also made it harder and harder to bake with any consistency—it got so bad I pretty much stopped using it because everything I tried to make either came out overcooked or undercooked (because I was afraid of burning things, which seemed to happen in mere minutes).

We looked into replacing the oven but, alas, they don't even make ovens that size anymore—unless we wanted to spend thousands of dollars buying a used replacement that looked like the original, with no guarantee it would be any safer.

We could have replaced the oven with a new one of different dimensions and had our contractor rig up the cabinet it was in so it looked like it fit, but we knew that would be a temporary, rather unfortunate fix.

And so replacing the oven suddenly became replacing the oven, the cabinets, and the countertops. And while we were at it, the refrigerator, microwave, and dishwasher too. Oh, and tearing out the tile. And ditching the wallpaper. And painting. And getting new light fixtures in the kitchen and dining room because the lovely retro chandelier in the dining room was a fire hazard, too.

It's amazing how quickly a little project becomes a big project.

So we picked out new cabinets and countertops, ordered new appliances, found light fixtures and a new sink and faucet.

Once my semester ended, I hastily packed up our kitchen (for such a small space, it's amazing how much stuff we had in there!) and tried to take off the wallpaper on the soffit. It was dreadful, let me tell you. The number of hours I spent steaming and scraping was ridiculous given how little progress I made. But that's a story for another day.

Once the kitchen was cleared out, we ran off to Georgia. And when we came back two weeks later, we had a new kitchen. How's that for glorious timing? I can't imagine how dreadful it would have been to try to work from home and keep an incredibly curious dog and little boy away from the action for two weeks. So I highly recommend getting the heck out of town the next time you hire someone to work on your house. It was terrific.

Anyhow. Now that I've talked all about what our kitchen was and how it got remodeled, I'm going to stop for today. You'll just have to come back tomorrow to see the "after."

Being Home

For a week and a half, we packed up the necessities in our house (which, I've discovered, is more than a carload of things when you have a little one, a dog, and a kitchen full of food items you need) and moved over to Conservative Mom and Dad's house.

They were headed out on vacation and asked if we'd help dog and house sit. So, rather than have two big labs underfoot in our own small ranch house, we moved into their much larger ranch house.

It was ... chaotic, to say the least.

At least once a day Conservative Hubby or I or both would have to stop by our house to pick up something we forgot. Collar stays and suits for him. Flax seed and coconut and chocolate chips (very important) for me. Extra pajamas for Little Man. A brush for Butter. You get the idea. (By the end of our stay, I think we'd moved pretty much our entire house down the street.)

On mornings when I woke up early, I'd have to try to get ready and get both dogs out and fed without having them notice when the newspaper delivery person stopped by, because then they'd go beserk and everyone in the house would be up.

I won't even tell you about the many things we have to move around or hide once Little Man discovered them—even though Conservative Mom baby-proofed their house more than ours before we moved over there.

There were pluses though—like the nice, clean new shower instead of ours with the grout that makes me angry every time I step in. Having a front door with a knob that actually works. The treadmill and the elliptical in the basement, which saved me from making the trek to the gym after Little Man went to bed. The spacious kitchen (even though I could never find what I was looking for because I hadn't put everything in the cupboard myself). The newspapers on the doorstep every morning for me to read with my coffee.

Still, at the end of our time there, we were definitely ready to move back to our house, flaws and all. We were all happy to sleep in our own beds and to have all the necessities of daily life at our disposal.

Adventures in new places (even if they're right down the street) are fun.

But there's no place like home.

Animals!

You may have noticed a theme with many of the pieces of art I showed you in my last post.

(In case I need to be Captain Obvious, that theme was animals.)

But the animal fun doesn't end with the walls. In fact, it's kind of scary how many animals already populate the nursery. If this is any indication, our house is going to be overrrun by little furry creatures, like all these little critters with their big googly eyes.


I won't bore you photographing all of the terrific animals hanging out in the baby's room, but I do have to share a few of my faves. There's this colorful pillow pet.


This friendly little fellow.


A handsome gorilla, who also has a couple of friends in the form of a hippo and a lion.

These animals are particularly cool because they are part of a Jane Goodall collection and are made from organic cotton and plant and mineral dyes.


Part of the proceeds from the purchase of each one go toward the Jane Goodall Institute. Pretty cool, eh? (Plus have I mentioned how adorable they are?)


Then there are the two little buddies hanging out on the rocking chair. The giraffe plays a variety of soothing sounds and the monkey is just known for giving really terrific hugs.

Every nursery needs a monkey known for giving really terrific hugs.

A Cheerful Little Pot

Come on, look at this precious little pot. Doesn't it make you smile? How can it not?

This pot resides on the bookshelves in the living room where the little yellow dog used to sit.

I love this single succulent. Particularly its shape and its color. But even more so, I love the birds perched on the pot.

Butter isn't nearly as interested in them as he was in yellow dog, though.

A New Centerpiece

I needed something new for our table. I just wasn't sure what.

Then I found this pretty pot and decided to fill it with a couple of varieties of succulents. Now our table makes me smile every time I look at it.

Succulents are an instant mood booster, I think. And no, there isn't some succulent industry association paying me to say these things. I'm just a plant lover.

A Spring Update

Lately I've been a bit disillusioned with the decor in our house. It's fine, it's just tired. I blame my sudden interest in changing things up on the fact that it's spring. A time of fresh blooms and new things.

The thing is, I'm on a budget and a bit strapped for time, so I didn't want to make any major overhauls right now.

Instead I wanted a simple, cheerful change. I found it while wandering around Lowe's yesterday: Succulents.

(Yes, those precious little plants I was so obsessed with when visiting My Sister in California.)

This is the first of them, which I carefully placed in the little yellow dog that had previously been sitting on the bookshelf in the living room. Now it's on the windowsill above the kitchen sink.

So, sadly, Butter can't bark at it and lick its nose (which he really did do on occasion). But now I can enjoy it every time I'm at the sink.

Little Pretties

A steady stream of little pretties appeared this week ...


in the palest of pale yellow


and purple


and more purple.

And there's more on the way too ... for months to come. Hooray!

Spring Flowers

Rejoice! Spring has sprung in our front yard.

It actually began a couple of weeks ago, with some new buds never before seen on our property.

That's when the first of the smattering of bulbs I planted last fall made an appearance,


starting with the anemones.



Followed closely behind by the giant hyacinth.


And then the crocuses.

Pretty little buds signaling a pretty wonderful start to a new season, wouldn't you say?

The Bathroom Remodel (Part 2)

It probably won't come as a surprise that last weekend's basement bathroom remodel hit a few snags.

Doesn't every home-improvement project get stalled by unforeseen challenges?

The challenges in this particular project took the form of a leaking shutoff valve (for the whole darn house) and leaking pipes in shower.

And an extra trip to Home Depot in Bloomington and about 50 extra trips to Ace Hardware in L-Town.

Despite these holdups, the boys made progress.


First all the plumbing fixtures came out.


Then the ceiling came down and was replaced with a nice, smooth drywall ceiling.


Then the shower underwent some demolition and gained new tile-covered walls.


And a lovely tile floor too.


Next came the bathroom floor.

It was at this point in the process that I was completely shocked and amazed and impressed to learn that the fellow working the wet saw in the basement was none other than Conservative Hubby.


I did not know he possessed the skill to make such delicate cuts.

(For the record, he didn't know this either. And T-Bear and James K. were as surprised as I was.)

But it turns out he's got a talent for the tile-cutting.


This came in handy, along with T-Bear's knack for laying tile in perfectly straight lines and sacrificing holiday Mondays to grout said tile, even after the others had to go back to work.

But you're just going to have to wait on the edge of your seat for those grout photos. Sorry! (But not really.)

The Bathroom Remodel (Part 1)

You might call the bathroom in our basement partially finished.


Maybe.

It has beautiful wood paneling on the walls—the same paneling that graces some of the walls elsewhere in the basement.

And it has a sink and a toilet and a shower.

Well, if you call this a shower.


I can tell you I certainly haven't ever showered in it.

The bathroom floor is concrete. And the sink doesn't actually work anymore, because the faucet leaked so badly that we couldn't fix it and so had to disconnect it from the water.


(And by "we," I mean T-Bear, with Conservative Hubby's assistance.)

In other words, the bathroom in our basement leaves something to be desired.

And that's why, last weekend, T-Bear and Conservative Hubby and his long-time friend James K. decided it was time to do a little HGTV-style weekend remodel.

Well, HGTV-style with plenty of expletives and a couple of beers thrown in for good measure, that is. Perhaps that would count as HBO-style HGTV remodeling? I don't know ...

Regardless of what you call it, make sure you come back tomorrow to see how far the boys progressed last weekend.

Yes, that's right, I'm making you wait until tomorrow.

A Succulent Obsession

I love succulents, even though the only one I've ever had is the aloe plant sitting by our kitchen sink.

Whenever I see the petite, unique varieties in the houses featured in Sunset or on blog posts, I am enamored with them and dream of positioning them throughout our house.


The thing is, you don't see many succulents for sale in central Illinois.


But in California, it's another story.


They're everywhere—in the windows of little shops, on the tables in restaurants, on the counter of coffee shops.


Even in My Sister's apartment. A handful of varieties in big pots or a single one in a small container. In soil. In water. You name it.


Each one with its own personality, its own style.


I've decided I'm going to seek them out. If the greenhouses don't have them, I'll try to order some online.


And if that doesn't work? Well, then I guess I'll just have to go back to California and bring some cuttings home with me.

Boy, that sure would stink if I had to do that.