Bathroom update..

It has been a while since we last talked about the Bathroom first stages. I was so happy about that pumpkin wall back then...........well guess what it didn't stick around to long. It just didn't tickle my fancy after a few months - the color was off.  So I repainted the wall to match the others, BEST DECISION. It really made the vanity look even better.  So not a ton has happened in the bathroom since I last shared. Flooring and some decorative things are about it.  Jason still needs to build the storage over the shower and linen closet, it will happen someday................I think. Ha.

Entering the Bathroom

 New wall color..so much better!

 

 

 

If you are wondering the door is to the utility closet that has the water heater, etc.

 

 Still need to finsih the linen closet and upper storage.

 



 

Kitchen in the making..

The kitchen came as a surprise - it was not in the plan...well not in the plan a month ago. I just happened to be cruising craigslist after Jason and I had yet another talk about the kitchen its design, the budget, blah, blah, blah.  I had always felt deep down that going and buying a kitchen (even a semi-inexpensive in stock at a home improvement store) would be "cheap".  Not meaning cost wise - or quality wise.  It was just that in my mind we had done this amazing job of repurposing, yard sale finding, habitat shopping and down right dumpster diving for deals.  How could I "buy" something.



 

I came across this post.

 

The post was several days old, I thought for sure they would be gone. I sent the email and waited - to my delight the owner responded the next morning that they were still available - one day later they were in our garage! 

It  is the steal of the century (or at least we think so). We got 20+ cabinets, granite counter tops, sink, garbage disposal, refrigerator, wall oven and wall microwave.

SCORE. SCORE. SCORE

 

The only problem (well for Jason anyways), semi-redesigned the kitchen. Since the granite was obviously already cut for the previous configuration we had to stay pretty much the same. That meant extending the floor, building out a wall, adding a wall and moving the half wall.  Oh how Jason loves me. Ha.

 

The kitchen use to look like this....sorry for the birthday party photo but it was the quickest one I could find of what it use to look like..

 

Basically the wall use to come straight out and then a straight half wall. The kitchen before was pretty square. We use to have ikea cabinets hanging in front (see below).

 

 

 Now it looks like this...

 

 

 It is kind of hard to tell here, but the half wall got a little shorter and it angles back..also the wall coming out is longer and angled. See below for the "in-progress" photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also I will not apologize for the photos, this Garome is being loved and lived in while the WHOLE process is happening. 

We still have alot to do but I feel so lucky to have a "real" kitchen again. We lived out of storage containers for a whole year.  My only counter top during that whole time was a piece of plywood covered in contact paper. 

Update on C1 & C2 room

Wow time flies, I haven't done an offical blog post since February! Life just gets busy sometimes and there aren't enough hours in the day to do it all. I am NOT superwoman  - though sometimes I pretend that I am.

Anyways lets spend some time catching up where we are right now.  We have done alot in the last 7 months, especially the last month, when I did something crazy - like bought a whole kitchen off of craigslist.  

Today I will catch you up with where we are in the boys room.   Lots of pictures  - face it everyone wants to see not hear about.

Arrow stencil, if you follow the Garome on facebook you might remember this.

This is Carson's bed  - the boys call their "headboards/cubes" their holes. Ha.  This is also the access ladder for the 2nd story loft.

Again Carson's side of the room.

Cooper's side of the room.  He has a "hole" too. Ha.

 

 

Ceiling over the boys sleeping area. It was wall papered with map wallpaper. The oars are actually a find from the pole building before it become the Garome. I just love that.

Upper loft area or play area. 

Other side of loft, where the trap door opens up.

Looking into the room  - loft railing.

Close up of loft railing.

Welcome our new addition - Kevin

Welcome our new addition – Kevin the Moose…..

 

 

Seriously you guys didn’t think I was pregnant did you?!?  

I have wanted one of these guys or one similar for a LONG time. I think they are just great!  This is a good compromise for us – Jason being the hunter and me being the “I will never hang a (dead) animal in my home.” 

I spent months searching the internet for an inexpensive one.  One that wouldn't bust my very small budget. I really wasn’t stuck on any particular animal.  So I found some here.  Then I started searching for a DIY version and came across this website, The Aspirational Hipster - SCORE!   This allowed me to see how someone else DIY'd and provided where they bought the moose.  So over to Ebay I went and made the purchase!!  Once it arrived Jason spray painted, waited for it to dry and spray painted some more! Then....he found his home!

 

So, Kevin is the new addition to our family and will great all vistors that come to visit the Garome!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

C1 C2 finally a place of their own

The boys have been loving their new room! There is still plenty to do but at least they are able to sleep in "their" room - which means it is only a matter of time before Jason and I will no longer be sleeping in the living room. YES folks, we have had our make shift bedroom in the living room area since day 1 of moving in - that was back in August.

I shared a few of these photos via facebook, Jason building the 2nd floor loft.



Bargain Bedroom: So my style is always SAVE MONEY.  I have been buying things along the way, slowly building their bedroom sytle. I was able to score really great target sheets at Marc's for just 7.99 a set, and the really cute fox pillows are also target threshold, at Marc's for just 4.99 each. Oh, and I scored mattress covers, thanks to target mobile coupons, cartwheel app and red card savings, for the price of one, saving about $28 bucks.

 

 

The best bargain to date for the room has to be the carpet.  Have you heard of ishoptcounty.com ? If you haven't you are missing out!!  I scored a $500 Bear One carpet gift certificate for only $125, we were able to carpet the boys floor & purchase the flooring for the 2nd story loft with that gift certificate!!! 



 

 

Just a sneak peek of the 2nd story loft, still have some things to do before I get up there to snap and share pictures.

 

 

 

 

This is the opposite wall from the boys bed.  As you can see still lots in boxes and disorganization happening....someday it will all come together.

 

 

To Do List

Install Lighting (hence why the lighting in these pictures is so terrible)

Build stairs or ladder to get to 2nd story (we can't decide which to do)

Install some kind of barrier for the loft (so kids don't decide to jump off of it)

Build headboards & small nightstand in between beds

Art (above dresser)

Finishing painting window trim & install wood blinds

Install celing (under loft) have a great idea just need to figure out how to do it cheaper & DIY

 

 

A slice of sunshine for the foyer

So we have been working like little busy bee's on the garome since Carson's 4th Birthday party was quickly approaching.  Through the month of the October we had a lot of accomplishments, most of which I have shared with you along the way.

1.  Bathroom Vanity
2.  Washer & Dryer hookup
3.  Furnance installed

Those 3 things alone make me feel like a rapper in a music video just throwing money up in the air, so rich and famous. Reality is most people take these everyday things for granted but when you go weeks upon months without them, you truely do appreciate them. So seriously go kiss your bathroom vanity cause without it you would be brushing your teeth at the kitchen sink or with a garden hose (trust me I know this).


Ok - so onto another project! The foyer/coat closet/mud room/message center - it's an all in one spot for us. It is a small spot but the high ceilings gives us a little more space and can "fake" a larger area.
The space is the only access in or out, so it will have lots of traffic and be a dumping ground for sure. It's the first place and last place you see when coming and going - so it needs to have a little funk and a lot of funk-tionality.

The lighting for these pictures are terrible - but it was midnight folks - and we have one light source right now (there will be more in the future).

Up go the boards... LOVE it!!

 



So I am going to create a bench with storage for shoes underneath. Coat hooks on the back wall, small hooks on the small side for keys and stuff.  Garage door wall will have all the message center boards and bins (its the pottery barn collection I have had for a few years, considering painting it, its black but I might go for another bold color that complinments the yellow?)

 

So what do you think? Some suggested we not board the garage door wall but my vision see's it all boarded so that it is cohesive to my overall plan of this message/mud center.  What do you think?

Long Overdue - In more ways than One

So when I finally logged on to my blog page and saw that I haven't shared anything since August 25th I thought "wth Katie what's the hold up"...........and then it hit me, work, moving, building, parenting, school, life, work, work, work, work! But here I am, we made it and you are about to see some changes - Exciting Right?!?

So let's get to it.  The last time you visited the blog you were just seeing mostly stud walls and a little drywall...well more drywall has happened (which is good because going to the bathroom while the world/family can see you is, well, interesting). 

Back wall of Bathroom

Utility closet in bathroom

Doorway into bathroom

 

Once the drywall was complete, it was on to tiling the tub/shower. If you know me well you know that I like saving money.  I have a passion for repurpose/reuse/recycle. I find great pride in trying to create a small footprint - making the unloved loved again. So that drive and philosphy in me, is totally in FULL force with this entire project. Sometimes maybe a little bit too much, like holding out for bathroom faucets for about 6 months until I could score something on clearance. Listen a girl has to do what girl has to do, right?

 

So for the tub/shower I scored a brand NEW tub from the habitat for humity restore for only $37! The only problem fun trick is being able to accomadate for the grooves around the top of the tub where a surround would be snapped into place. I am not a fan of surrounds, they are zero on the ten scale for beauty. So I already knew I wanted to use white subway tile, not only are they cheap (about 19 cents each) they create a nice timeless look that can really accomdate a lot of decorating styles or trends.

 

Pair that with shower/tub faucets for $59, we have ourselves a great shower at an even cost.

 

 

Once the tiling was done we shifted back to drywall - man I forgot what a process drywall is, mud - sand - repeat - times 3 or 4....man oh man I didn't think we were ever going to get done.  (and when I say we, I am really saying Jason - that poor guy is a one man show when it comes to mudding drywall).

 

But we did make it and that meant - P.A.I.N.T. Finally a job that was all mine.  If you follow the garome sweet home facebook page you saw a sneek peek of paint color - well here it is live in action!

The color is roasted pumpkin?!? Guess that is fitting since we love fall and halloween in the family, but I was hoping for more of a "coral" name - but apparently even paint colors are seasonal?!?

 

So back to the topic of SAVING (my fav). For the vanity we decided to repurpose an IKEA dresser we already had. I have been following some IKEA hacks on pinterest and thought why not. I love the color of the wood and well FREE is what I love the most. I mean why go spend the money on something when you have something that can function just as well. I will say that some planning and wood skills came into to play to convert the piece, but lucky for me Jason is well HANDY!

 

Vanity top, do you love/hate/not sure. I guess all white wouldn't be everyone's choice but I loved the squared bowls and the modern touch. I like a mix of modern and traditional. Let me hit you with another amazing deal this vanity sink was only $75 at the habitat for humity restore (it was also brand new). Amazing right, you are asking yourself right now, why have I not been to this store!!

 

Faucets are Martha Stewart and another amazing steal at just $24.50 each (see why I held out for six months).

 

DO the MATH, that is $149 total for a bathroom vanity. Most people spend that one faucet alone.

 

 

 

Yes there are drawers missing they will be fixed into place eventually.

A working faucet, its a beautiful thing!

Hard at work getting that mirror clean.

 

 

So what do you think off to a pretty good start right.  There is still lots more to do, like trim work, linen closet build, flooring, etc. but I will be sharing it all with you.