Kitchen Renos Before & After

It has been 10 months of constant work, ripping out flooring, cupboards, bathrooms, painting...and more...as evidenced from these renovation photos. We are tired but elated at the progress we have made. I felt really good posting these before and after photos...its kinda weird to look at them and think of all that we have done in the last few months. A bit of a visual diary... 

Before

When we moved in we had decided to live in this home a while before we started to do anything...but alas the reno bug hit and I couldn't sit still. So out came my thinking hat and I started to plan and scheme.
 My hubby said go for it...so I did...and he being the wonderful husband that he is became my carpenter, plumber, tile setter & electrician...and so much more...thank you honey for all you have done. We worked hard and made a great team!

After

 Antique reproduction grey cabinet from Donald Kirkby's 18th C Atelier. The cabinet holds my collection of white Medalta farm bowls that I have been amassing for some years now. 

The small white cabinet is an antique kitchen piece which I purchased back in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. On the wall is a old grain sifter...I have placed a nest, shells and feathers on the inside rim. The ceiling mounted chandelier is from Pennsylvania. Everything sits on our new slate floor.

Antiqued oil rubbed black kitchen cabinets and island with Walnut butcher block top.
 Doing 98% of the work ourselves allowed us to splurge on the kitchen. I have never been a fan of those all white kitchens...I prefer warm and cozy...dark and rustic. 

Before

After

 

We put in a gas stove, stainless steel appliances, white apron farm sink and a granite counter-top. A tile back-splash will be installed at a later date.

Home Sweet Home

Thanks you so much for your comments...sorry if I haven't gotten back to you...spring has sprung and I have been busy in the garden as well as unpacking all the stuff that has been in the garage for the last 10 months.
Have a sunshiny day!
Susan

Plain & Simple Powder Room Reveal

Oh happy days our home renovations are 95% complete and I can finally start unpacking the boxes that have been stored in our garage for the last 10 months...time to play...hang some pictures...add the little details that make a home.

I am a bit of an old fashioned gal and I like my homes to be a little old fashioned to. When we started doing our renos I knew that I wanted an old world rather Primitive farmhouse look. 

I asked Dave Coyle...a local craftsman specializing in antique reproductions to create our bathroom vanity...a painted and antiqued pine cupboard. I really want to keep things plain and simple and his vanity fits right in with that vision. I got my hubby to install the bowl sink and the hand pump style faucet. The lighting was purchased from EBay and was handcrafted in Pennsylvania. Last but not least I hung an antique mirror and picture...& a fresh spring bouquet sits on the windowsill.

I also added texture to the wall...sanded paint that adds a bit of farmhouse personality to this powder-room. The color is Delaware Putty by Benjamin Moore...Ultra White trim color also by Benjamin Moore.

I hope you enjoyed the little peep at my powder room...hope to bring you more photos of our renovation in the coming weeks.

Cheerio and have a great week-end!

Susan

Happy Easter...& Happy Birthday to me!

Easter Greetings to you...hoping your holiday week-end is filled with family, friends and festivities.

 &

A Happy 45th Birthday to me...I have been thinking back on how fast this year has gone by...how busy and how full life has been. Thinking on the good and the bad, the transitions that took place, the lessons I've learned. What I have gained and what has been taken away. How I want to see positive change, how I want my home to stay my home for more then a few years, no more moving...time to set down some roots...grow some relationships...stabilize my life...restore my spirit and health.

Reflecting, remembering, and pondering what the year ahead will hold.

Susan

Cave Horse Hooked Rug

I  finally complete this hooked Cave Horse rug which I designed last year. Cave art is a passion of mine and a trip to visit the Lascaux Cave in France is definitely on my bucket list. Unfortunately you can no longer enter this cave due to the damage caused by human respiration. They have actually gone to the trouble of recreating this site underground so that you can get some idea of what it would be like. Below is the original cave horse painting that inspired my rug.

I have always found Cave Art images to be a wonderful design resource for primitive hooked rugs. The subjects and their backgrounds such as the cave walls have wonderful shading, gradations of color and interesting shapes...the primitive cave animals and people are similar in shape and style to North American antique primitive rug motifs.

Antique Hooked Horse Rugs

I free hand drew my cave horse onto a long narrow scrap of rug backing that I had been saving for my smaller designs...this piece measures 27" by 15" inches. I used recycled hand-cut and hand-dyed wool which I married together in a big old pot so all the colors would blend nicely.

After having this rug sit around unfinished for so long...that when I finally got back to working on it I noticed a lot of hooking I didn't like...so I pulled out a bit and redid it...the original design actually had two black stripes around the edge. I like to engage the motif shape with the outer border...makes for more interesting negative shapes in my rugs.

 I finished the outer edge with a neutral colored tweed yarn which I doubled up twice to give me the needed thickness to whip-stitch the border. The colors are a little washed out in the photos...the rug is actually very warm and honey colored with lots of desert colored greens. I took the photos outside in the early morning so they are a bit over exposed. Over all I am quite happy with this rug...looking at it now I wish I would have made the horse a little less long, more fat and pot bellied like the original cave horse. Hopefully I will find a special place for it in our new home.

Cheerio, Susan