Counters are picked

I picked out our new counters this weekend and I am very executed about them. I think it will come nicely together and I am hoping that by next weekend I have a functioning kitchen again since I don't want to eat out anymore.

We have made some good progress even if not as much as expected this weekend because Brian was not around. In any event the cabinets are going in tomorrow, then the floors will be installed and our counter template will be measured on Friday.

If you recall this is what we had started with.

And today it looks like this

It may not be much but we are getting there and fairly quickly as well.

Thanks for reading.

Sarah

Kitchen Progress

I have to say that I am very excited how quickly our kitchen is coming together. Its been two weeks and I feel like I have not yet lost my sanity. I can't wait for the taping and sanding to be done in order to paint, install and organize (not just the kitchen but the whole house).

This is from yesterday before the walls were installed.

And this is what it looks like tonight.

Thanks for reading.

Sarah

What used to be our kitchen....

I came home the other night to find my kitchen looking like this…

I have to say that I am very excited even though I am sad I missed the demolition part since I love ripping down walls. You can see that the new window is already in and I can't wait to get the room back together. Definitely a lot to do before we can move to the beach full time but we are slowly making process.

If you recall this is what the kitchen used to look like.

While we will only have one window in the new layout I think overall it will be much better and we will gain a ton of counterspace, plus we will have high hat lighting everywhere. I am excited to see how it will come together even if currently it is really cold.

Thanks for reading.

Sarah

Master Bedroom- repainted again

Ok, its been way to long but summer is a really hard time to keep blogging since there are so many other things to do. So after I've been thinking about repainting the Master bedroom for a while I finally did it. The new color is Benjamin Moore Winterwood and I am loving it. It is more in line with the color scheme that I like (greenish undertones) since the BM Moonshine was too blue for my liking or maybe it is just the lighting in this house. Again I do really want to get new lighting but that's a whole another project.

I will show you a full shot of the room soon but now I have a new area that is teasing me. Our little reading nook doesn't work as is and really is just an area for Brian's clothing to end up (if I am lucky on the chair). In any event I am trying to determine what to do with the side table/ lamp color. Any suggestions?

I am also thinking that I would really like some new lamps for the nightstands but I haven't gotten lucky so far. Maybe if we are moving here full time (which we are thinking about) I can use the ones we already have. So many possibilities….


Liebe Grüsse
Sarah

Master Bedroom

I decided that now that I am a good blogger again I need to tell you about our Master bedroom transformation. This whole process started 2 years ago and was already completed last year but it is still fun to share. Plus, you never know what will happen since I have been itching to repaint our room but I can't decide on a color.

I wish I had a full before picture. When we inherited the house we had green shack carpet from the 1970s, which smelled the same way and a matching bedspread/ curtain combo. Grandma was very handy and I have to give her credit but unfortunately, it really was not our style.

You get the idea and this is after the curtains were removed.

So over time we remove the carpet and refinished the beautiful oak flooring that was hidden under the carpet, painted the whole room (Moonshine by Benjamin Moore), including all trim and doors (white). The room is pretty spacious and we  I had 4 closet doors and 2 main doors to paint. We also replaced the door knobs with levers and OBR'ed all closet handles. Brian was so kind to install a ceiling fan and replace all light switches, outlets and outlet covers.

Since it is only a vacation home we decided to keep the bed but bring it more in line with our style. Thanks to Ana White we  Brian built a bed frame based on her design and I am loving it. We do get a lot of compliments on the bed.

I was originally thinking of refinishing our furniture but it has been growing on me since I switched the hardware and I will keep it as is for now. Who knows down the line I might change my mind.


Here is the final for now and  I really like how it turned out even though I am now thinking that I want to add a bench to the foot of the bed, maybe repaint and even install some curtains. I am still hesitant about the curtains since it is a beach house and then I have more to wash while spring cleaning. Who knows where we will end up, but for now the room works for me even though I am thinking that it is missing something.

After

And the before one more time for comparison

Long term I can't wait to redo the bathroom and turn our pink flowery bathroom into a nice calm beach retreat.

Thanks for reading.

Sarah

So much to do- Fence

Ok, I feel like I have been MIA for a long time and not because I have a lack of projects but because I think have the projects are not very interesting.

Let's start with our exciting fence, which we had replaced last year and got installed as well. I should have taken a before picture just to show you how bad it was but I guess after 30+ years that was to be expected.

The main purpose of this fence is to keep the sand from the beach on the beach and not on our walkway.  Unfortunately, during the install this was not taken into consideration and the company left a 2 to 5 inch wide gap on the bottom to make it even.

Its a little hard to explain since our yard is sloped. Its a lot of fence.....

In any event, this did not work for us so while we lived with it over the winter (when we get the storms that blow the sand onto our property), we finally decided that it was time to lower it ourselves. We still don't like the high gate that they had installed but that will still need to be addressed.

Clearly not a very exciting project but it needed to be done and I am glad it is complete. Now it also looks much better. Not only did we lower it but we also put boards on the bottom to hold the dirt back from the fence and the new grass grew in really nicely.

Sadly now I see all the imperfections of the walkway and this side of the house. Maybe next year we can take it out and lay new slate tiles.

Sorry perspective is off a little

This whole side of the house needs some love and attention, including:

• walkway
• paint side door
• replace storm door or completely remove (I like to but the hubby thinks we need it)
• get new lighting
• walkway lighting
• raise flower beds

Thanks for reading.

Sarah

Where I have my morning coffee....

Ok, this is our little sitting area where we have coffee or just enjoy the view of the water. It's a great spot to sit and relax, read the paper (or a book) and have a coffee or a drink.

Sitting area

I still can't believe that somebody wanted to throw out these lovely Adirondack chairs. I got 4 of them and 2 tables for $150 on Craigslist. Granted they needed a lot of love including sanding and painting but it was so worth it in the end. See the transformation?

This view is pretty relaxing if I may say so myself.

Now my questions is the beautification of this area. There used to be a little flower bed behind, which I took down but I still need to dig out the fence posts. I am thinking to just put 2 grasses there.

Any other ideas?

Thanks for reading.

Sarah