Front entry - complete!

I am so pleased to report, the front entry is complete! It's bright, functional and even abit unique.

The improved before.

The coat rack is an original horse gate given to me from a neighbour that had planned to burn it. The bench is a re purposed piece of truck apparatus that fit the space perfectly. All doors and woodwork received a fresh new coat of sparkling white paint.

The improved before.

The dresser is a hot $5 find from a garage sale that stores tons of mitts, hats, etc. The lines on it are so pretty. The finishes on the bench and dresser are lightly distressed so extra marks and dings simply enhance the finish more so.




Thanks to Vic's quick thinking, the frames are old barn windows from a recent demolition. I LOVE them! The letters inside are CNC routered samples I painted up from a few of Dan's router workshops I helped with. Art is individual and should speak to us. There's nothing but good thoughts and memories when I look at this wall.

AND the floor. Wow, the floor. It took me AGES. (mainly from pure procrastination) However I'm so pleased to report it turned out awesome! This has been my wildest pattern designed and implemented to date. And I hope it's my last but I highly doubt it somehow..

This was just last night. The grout is finally ready to go on. The dog clung to me pretty tight as there was a thunderstorm going on. And she was such a good girl not running through the muck.

And the floor comes to life!

The stairs and moldings still need to be placed in this room. And the inside of the closet and around the back corner still needs the floor finished. However for today, we are happy to have a beautiful, bright and functional front entryway!

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This post is shared with Thrifty Decor Chick's Before & After Sept 6 2009 party! Many more befores and afters are there for your viewing pleasure!

Entryway tile progresses!

Woaaaa... it's been awhile since I've updated this blog. So a little remember when is in order for the entryway.

Waaaay back in the olden days (2008), we started with a few very stubborn strips of ancient tile that needed removing. Vic was my hero big time that day.

I had tiled the laundry room area first, with the tile going on the bias to avoid obvious crooked walls. And then I had this big brainstorm to do a pattern in the entryway.

It sat like this for quite awhile. Grout in my option is totally overrated. I quite enjoyed sweeping without requiring a dustpan...

However, nothing lasts forever it seems. So it was time to get rid of my built in dustpan and get that bias tile wrapped around the center pattern.

I'm glad I did the pattern. It really looks cool and all, however, did I ever give myself a bunch of extra work. Hence, the veeeeery long procrastination.

So this is where it sits as of tonite. Here's a shot of one corner as there was just too much stuff in the way to get a picture of the entire floor anyway. Some of the bias tile is mortared down, and some is sitting loose. I like cutting tile to size one day and mortaring on another day to speed things up some. The main part of the room is now cut at least!

I made up a few rookie tile install tips I've posted on the Funky Junk Interiors blog. Click HERE if you enjoy collecting rookie tips! (Pros, keep the laughter to a low decimal)

So what else is going on here? I've been busy decorating and collecting stuff from here and there. And improving the great outdoors as well now that summer has arrived. As rooms become complete, I'll post the finished results.

Next up: mortaring the cut tiles in the entry, and then finally grouting!

(I feel a grout procrastination party coming up shortly...)

Front Entry - Part One - progress!!

I have not left the planet earth! I have finally done something on the house worth reporting in for!!

I have a new concept. One room at a time. That way I'm not dapping or painting for 8 weeks straight. So, the front entry it is.

This is not an intentional two-tone fancy dancy effect. This is how yellow the door was and how badly it required a fresh coat of white.

The closet door was just as bad. Isn't it lovely now? I also painted that bench to prepare for the decorating. I realize this is a little backwards with the floor not done quite yet. But progress is progress I say.

What's especially nice about not having the floor done yet is, the cement sections are wonderful for those painting projects. I have NO idea how I'll handle all the floors complete. (but I think I can get use to it if I put my mind to it) The front door and mouldings got a blast of white too. I'm tellin' ya, I'm going to town here! Above that very long white bench, I have a unique idea for hanging up coats in a jiffy. But you'll have to wait for Front Entry Part 2 for that one.

See this sad little dresser? I scooped it up from a garage sale a couple weeks ago for a whopping $5.. But it needed a slight tweaking.

Ahhhh! It's all about white in this entry. Much better! The dresser will come in mighty handy for a key catch all/letter drop off, as well as wonderful storage for mitts and hats etc.

I guess after this paint is cured, it's time to work on that (gasp) floor. I don't think I can stall it any longer. Tile cutter got tweaked to perfection today (thanks Dan!) so I guess the neighbourhood will be hearing a lotta screeching over the next while.

Thanks for tuning in and not giving up on me here! I've been ever so busy having fun over at Funky Junk Interiors and working outside while the weather has cooperated. For a peek of the outdoor improvements..

Character Building Part One

Character Building Part Two

The Birdhouse Garden

Next up.. getting that coat idea on the go, setting up the rest of the room and then the completion of the tile floor. I know. A little backwards, but I have to have some fun before the real hard work takes over. (have you bought that?)

Front entry tiling commences.. when along came some food!

I have this loyal internet follower friend named Melissa. Girl, you got your wish! I worked on my entry tile AND have pictures to prove it! Whew... she's keeping me on my toes. (I think I need her on me more than she realizes)

And I went for the gusto and did a pattern around the square partition. Everytime I do a new floor, I seem to throw in one extra curve ball to jazz things up. Getting braver or crazier, I've yet to figure out. I suppose it keeps me from feeling like I'm doing the same 'ol. I just really like designing with tile.

Here's a dry run of the pattern. The center squares are already mortared. The little black tiles were cut from a sheet. And I hand measured and cut the longer strips utilizing the big tiles I was already using. The tile from the ajoining laundry room is on the bias and will continue and circle around this square partition.

Here's a closer shot of installing that pattern. The file shown is to give the freshly cut edges a light scuff so you don't catch a sharp ridge on top of the tile with your bare feet. Because we do a lotta bare feet in this house during the summer months.




Ahhhh...my critters! It took until the end of the night to get my furry little critter company. They were either getting lonely or their food bowls were empty. I think they simply desired my company. The dog only walked through the wet mortar once, so that's not bad. Beethoven is lounging on my saddle blanket I use for my knees while tiling.

And here comes the best part. Janette paid me a short visit to see what in blazes I was up to now. We joked about how she'd rather bake and I'd rather tile and as she left, I yelled out to her to bring over something with sugar and icing on it like, anytime, ok? So she did! I squealed as I dug in. But I didn't scare her too bad because she stuck around for a quick picture, because I'm my own paparazzi as well, here at Extreme Home Renos. Anyone that steps foot on this property, beware.. it's a camera zone. And I will put your name in lights right along side me!

Because honestly, I just love to share what's happening here, and others that keep me company and help in special ways such as Janette did tonight, make a big impact on me and they deserve a little recognition too.

Renovating is hard work. But it's also extremely gratifying and fun, when you take the time to morph it into such. And yeah, Janette's visit would be fun without the cake too. But I'm soooooo glad she brought it over anyway! Thanks girlie!

And thanks Melissa, for keeping me on track here!

Next up... not sure about doing more tile for the rest of this week. It's my mom's birthday Wednesday and then Cody returns home so it may morph back into family zone for a few. But you can be pretty sure I'll be reporting (bragging) when something is being done.

Plugs, lights and smashed up tiles

So a few things have been transpiring the past few days. Back to work we've gone.

Vic and Pete came and installed this very cool outlet in the kitchen island. I LOVE it! I left the dust in tact for that true reno in action kinda experience. Honestly, it was pretty cool seeing abit of mess happen again.

AND... they finished the under the cabinet lights by hooking them all up. WOW. I kept the microwave light off on purpose to showcase their fine work. Isn't that sharp?



And last but not least, the ugliest job of all, perhaps even to date. There were a few rows of old tile that had to be removed before I could install the new tiles. About 8 rows or so. Hero Vic gave these old nasty things a good hammering, and I followed through with a fancy dancy tool bit loaned to me by Dan, a jackhammer kinda chisel run by my own air compressor. It worked really slick in removing all the old mortar and grout left. Boy was that one dusty job!

I know. He does look tired. I'm glad there weren't many to do because he wouldn't stop when I asked him to. Thanks God, for the incredible strength this man seems to grasp from nowhere. But we know you had a part in it...

I tried smashing tiles and the tool simply happily bounced right back at me without leaving a scratch. So let me tell you, strength and stamina x 1000 was definately required here.



Next? I'll be painting my staircase for ONLY the 3rd time ( first it was sage, then chocolate and now I want it beige. I saw that look...)

Then hopefully staining staircase wood.


And maybe even get ready to finish tiling my floor downstairs if any of the above is delayed.

If I don't repaint the staircase yet again that is.

Thanks Pete and Vic, for helping me with these tasks! They've all made such a tremendous difference.