Remodel

DOWNSTAIRS BATH / LAUNDRY

before: motel-style shower insert that was peeling away from the walls
after: handmade Mexican Talavera tile niche, subway tile to ceiling, new shower pan, shower head, and glass door
before: windowless dark room
after: added window and recessed lighting
before: 4 different flooring types showing and rubber baseboards like a hospital
particleboard shelves with painted-over brackets
after: butcher block countertops and floating shelves, painted vanity recycled from upstairs, cabinets for additional storage, and white subway tile with consistent flooring throughout the room.
Shower niche offers space for soap and shampoo, while ceramic knobs are hooks for loofah
*Special thanks to my dad who flew up from California to help with the massive amount of tile work involved in this project and the kitchen!

KITCHEN

before
after

during…

Shelves and drawers were heavily scratched and stained
Removed top hat light from kitchen
Removed dining room Tiffany-style light
replaced top hat with 4 recessed lights and glass pendant over sink
New pendant light for dining room
stick-on fake floor tile was peeling. The paint used on the countertops was flaking off so it was hard to cook without ending up with paint flakes in your food.
Had to level lower cabinets and build sturdier structure around dishwasher to support granite countertops before installation
Wallpapered damaged cabinet backs with constellations (similar to state flag)
Sanded many layers of caked-on red paint, repaired split cabinets, filled grain with AquaCoat, primed and painted white, sanding between each step
Tiled backsplash and one wall. Painted upper accent wall on the other 2 sides of kitchen.
Stripped white and red paint from wood trim, refinished with danish oil and polyurethane, and added trim to to elevate molding beyond tile
Added drawer pulls to previously bare cabinets. Replaced hinges with Blum soft-close concealed hinges.
Replaced flaky painted laminate counters with granite.
Built wine rack in previously unused space
Wine rack has trap door on lower shelf to maintain easy access to dishwasher hoses in case of leak. Beadboard framed with combo of MDF and wood so the peninsula sides don’t extend beyond the countertop. Installed same vinyl plank flooring we’re using throughout the house.

UPSTAIRS BATHROOM

before: Pre-fab plastic shower surround. Tub base was covered in cracks so dirt couldn’t be cleaned out of standing surface. Same peeling stick-on fake tile floor as the kitchen.
after
before: Limited storage; no medicine cabinet. Only light source was vanity light. Oversized toilet blocked shower access.
replaced peeling plastic door trim with new wood trim and baseboards
after: Recycled mirrored doors from damaged ReStore medicine cabinet with new recessed box built from leftover butcher block and bead board with wood shelves to replace original particle board ones. Granite countertop and vanity bought used from a contractor who removed it from a client’s house but saved it from the dump because it’s solid wood.

during…

Miles showing his rope and climbing harness to prove it’s perfectly safe for him to drink a beer while outside the second story in the rain balancing on two wet ladders.
New window to bring in natural light, framed with tile and sill to match three shower niches. Added recessed light above shower and new fan/heater with light.

LIVING ROOM

brown carpet on stairs doesn’t match rest of house. Baseboards and walls damaged and not lined up at corners

DOWNSTAIRS OFFICE

before: The photographer from the real estate company did a remarkably good job hiding the horrible, irregularly blobby texture on all the downstairs walls
during: Months of skim coating

DOWNSTAIRS BEDROOM

MASTER BEDROOM

GARAGE