{PSSST! See the finished space, here!}
Once upon a time, there was this wet spot on the carpet.
I know, right? Gross.
One day, we will look back and this will be hilarious. Right now… it is not hilarious.
Wet spots on the carpet around these here parts, usually mean someone decided to spring a leak…
And with a dog and three kids, that is a highly probable option.
Or there’s a total miniature fungi city dwelling in the walls.
We went with option b. Sounds legit. It’s where my mind will always go whenever there’s a spot on the carpet, even if it was spilled from a glass. Forever amen. Panic in the form of PTSD over mold.
So then this happened.
And this.
We were missing an entire bathroom, chunks of flooring and walls…
And… well… basically I’ve only been griping about it since February. Because I just want my house back.
So we figured it was time for a little bit of an update.
We’re certainly not finished. It’s not usually how we roll because I like to lead you into a space and cover your eyes like we’re friends and I get to yell “surprise!” obnoxiously and you can see it for the first time.
But a few of you lovely peeps have been asking, and I decided to break ‘the rules’ a little this time around.
I was seriously being a bit impatient the other night, when I went back and started looking at photos from the last few months for this post. We’ve run into a few Seinfield-esque delays. But then I realized… at least we took the time to redo that closet + revamped the homeschool space/entryway (aka some form of organization is helping me keep my sanity in the meantime). Sometimes, I can’t see the forest for the trees because I get so impatient, and Jamin has to reel me back in to reality.
Side note: Isn’t my contractor hot? Was that gross? Sorry. I’ll stop now.
So we have drywall back in… {no more holes!} and we hope to paint this weekend…
The most glorious fire engine/barn red you’ve ever seen. It’s gorgeous.
Jk. I like to keep you on your toes when reading. It’s a beautiful blue. Sorrynotsorry if that’s predictable. We’re blue people when it comes to the walls.
And now there’s also this awesome claw foot tub that’s been sitting in our space for about three weeks, while we cram into the hallway bathroom and take turns with our daily routines.
It’s mocking me.
But dangit, I’ve got my agate knobs on that nightstand.
And at least I made the bed.
Priorities.
Side note: The shop vac turned on by itself the other day. We were all on the other end of the house. Even the dog. I think I’m scered since you actually have to push a button for it to turn on. We’ve riled up the Busch Light poltergeist for mocking the can. He’s back for revenge.
Here’s the gorgeous tile we’ve now installed for the floors. We went for classic carrara, and I’ll have more of those deats coming up, but The Builder Depot has been absolutely amazing to work with.
Oh, and that vanity we’ve always secretly despised, is gone. {Happy dance.}
Check out the entire color our home once was behind those mirrors… Builders beige remnants. Hawt.
We’re basically calling in professionals for things like wiring, and help with the plumbing. Because we don’t need another catastrophe. Some things are left to professionals for a reason.
But slow and steady wins the race.
That’s rust. Not nastiness on the toilet. But let it be known even though Jamin kept telling me it was rust, I just couldn’t. I steered clear until it vanished from said toilet. Should I have admitted that?
True story: toilets totally freak me out. Some people have nightmares about being in their underwear. I have nightmares about having to deal with an embarrassing situation and cleaning up a toilet. It’s like a recurring stress dream. I’m in a restroom and a toilet is overflowing and it’s all my fault. That, and gum that won’t come out of my mouth. I just keep pulling and pulling and it’s this endless stringy piece of gum and everyone is staring.
I’m really high strung. I should stop writing now.
Can you see a glimpse of that amazing tile that will go in our shower? I’m so excited I can barely stand it.
But I really think it’s all downhill from here. I can feel the momentum gathering in my bones. ;}
I think we’ll leave that bathtub in the corner of the bedroom. Is that weird?
Meanwhile, for the floors: I think we’ve also decided to take the plunge after nearly eight years in our home, and get rid of a lot of this nasty carpet.
A. Because it’s to the point of no return. And B. We really weren’t going to replace the old carpet in our bedroom where it meets in the living room… because it’s kind of obvious in real life, and that would look dumb. So we’re looking at some affordable options now. I’ve always been a hardwood snob in my head, until I was given the opportunity on a budget. And now I’m all over it.
I think we’re going to install it.
And by install it, I mean get a hotel room, hire out the professionals and pour some sweet tea while they do it in a day, already. Over it.
I have children who need their parents to go for a bike ride at the park. Where did spring go? We’re covered in tile dust.
Cheers. {Cue glasses clinking, because we will revel in it’s completion soon.} Promise. I’m thinking we need a blog party or something else that’s vaguely arbitrarily official.
Have you ever tackled a project that literally felt like it was never ending? (You’re so not alone) And… as it pertains to reading: Do you prefer the big reveal… or little sneaky peeky updates here and there?
We’d love to hear – have an inspired day!
erin says
Eek! So exciting! I love the tile!
And I seriously involuntarily pulled the nastiest grimace when you said you were painting the bathroom red. Not funny. Not funny at all.
Angela R says
LOL me too! I hate red walls!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Haha! Red can be done well. It’s just not our thing. ;} Can you imagine if I painted that room red? Hilarious.
Jeni says
I have the same fun floor tile and you’ll love it! I stopped getting your posts via email about a month ago. It is like they are blocked. I have a Yahoo email account and I know Yahoo made some changes recently. Do you know why they are bouncing and
are you having any problems with other subscribers not getting your feeds? I miss your posts!
jamin says
Hey Jeni,
We recently learned that the service we use to send out the daily post is experiencing some issues. We are working to resolve the issue and will post an update once we know which direction we are going. Thank you so much for reading and for letting us know about this issue.
Take care.
Cara Yeh says
Ok, I know this is totally random, but I have that gum dream, too! I kind of freaked out when I read that. Can’t wait to see the rest of your bathroom.
ashley @ the handmade home says
I can NOT tell you how glad I am it is NOT JUST ME! People always look at me cross-eyed and crazy when I tell them about it. That dream freaks me out.
Donna says
That’s the reason I’m not a gum chewer! 😉 Wanna start a club? HA!
Cynthia says
I’d be in that club, I think I have that dream every other week! Weird! P.s. I keep checking for water spots on our floor because I desperately want to redo our bathroom and can’t justify it yet…
Sharon P says
I have lots of weird dreams! None of them have toilets involved. But I have a recurring dream about Super Elastic Bubble Plastic being in my mouth choking me. Ugh!
Sneak Peaks are what I like because that keeps it real, and that’s what you’re all about.
ANN W says
I personally like a little eye candy along the way – once you have everything in place and ready for the “big reveal” it always looks so “different” and AMAZING anyway – so, giving a little hint here and there along they way really doesn’t spoil a thing! It only adds to the anticipation!!! Like the count down to Christmas! The fun and anticipation just keeps building!!!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Haha! Thank you for the feedback! I will give a few more sneak peeks. I never know if people want to see or not! ;} I always try to have lots of content for that “in the meantime” phase, but it’s fun to do little sneak peeks, too.
Jessica says
I so feel you on wanting your house back. We are on week 2 of our kitchen renovation and I have to keep mumbling “eyes on the prize” to myself in order to keep sane. What with the sink being stored in our tiny mudroom along with the makeshift kitchen and the fridge currently blocking the front door I am about to go cuckoo for cocoa puffs!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Oh my word I can only imagine. Hang in there! Amen to eyes on the prize. ;}
Sandy says
I am a sneak peak kinda girl! I love seeing the little updates and how things unfold, but I totally understand that lots of bloggers don’t want all the “helpful advice” that comes with incremental reveals!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Ha! I think you just nailed it. I feel a little apologetic when I show it to people and then I chicken out. I have this whole vision in my head and I want it to come across well! ;}
Lori says
Oh my Gosh! I have the same nightmares! Luckily for me my husband cleans the toilet. Always hated toilets. As for the gum thing, I have no idea why I dream that. hahaha
ashley @ the handmade home says
I seriously thought it was just me. That I was a big weirdo. Jury’s still out on the weirdo part, but I’m glad it’s not just me. ;}
becky says
Your post made me laugh out loud! And yes, your contractor is HOT!
Rachel says
What a bummer. So sorry you’ve had to deal with mold & a missing bathroom. I hope you water proof your shower, otherwise this will happen again 🙁
Brittany Avery says
I LOVE how real you are! Tub in the bedroom, beer car in the bathroom. Thanks for showing us that you’re a real human who lives in a real home 🙂
P.S. I like a close-your-eyes-no-peeking-blindfold-surprise….they’re way fun!
Erin @ FierceBeagle says
I have the gum dream! I have the gum dream!!! I’m getting the willies just thinking about it.
However, I then start thinking about your tranquil new bathroom, and I’m jealous.
Marie M says
Looooove the tile!! Love it all! I can’t wait to see the finished room!
P.S. – so glad that red was a joke!
Jackie Lee says
Sneaky peeks for me please, with a side of sarcasm. Thank you very much!
Elizabeth says
It’s looking good! We did my moms bathroom this winter,and I hope I never have to redo another bathroom again! Of all renos bathrooms are THE WORST.
Becky Horst says
Oh my goodness I have the exact same reoccurring dream. I try to spit it out my gum but I can’t, it won’t come. I pull and pull, and off just comes pieces and strings of it until I wake up! WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!
Ali says
Check out this website about a simliar dream to yours .. maybe the dream interpretation means something to you? Take it with a grain of salt (I always do) but dream interpretations have always interested me and it’s ALWAYS nice to know you’re not the only crazy out there 🙂
http://www.lifetreks.com/cgi-scripts/WebPages.asp?page=Research/Dreams/Dream01_200005
Laura C says
toilets are the enemy!!
Tennille Mykula says
Both are good, little sneaky peeky updates and big reveals. I really like the hardwood you picked, that hand scraped stuff is just beautiful. I really think the lighter one will compliment your home well but I’m sure whatever you choose will work. Happy renovating!
Wendy says
What kind of flooring is that? Engineered wood? Laminate? It’s beautiful!!
I have ash in our house now and it’s turning a not so lovely golden shade as it ages and needs refinishing badly! I hate to say it but I really miss my laminate floors from our last house. I’m sure to have people booing ans hissing at that but dang they were easy to take care of!
jen says
Love the sneak peeks and can not wait to see it finished. That floor is amazing! I’m making a note of it for when we can re-do ours.
Jerri CZOSEK says
Our bathrooms are twins separated at birth. We fully gutted to studs in January & just put the new “wood” tile in last week. I painted the ceiling last week but I still can’t decide on my wall color….. light, airy, and spa-like????? What color are you planning on using? I need an inspiration?
Kathryn says
Yes, yes I have. Our entire house flooded last October from a stopped up toilet (three little girls…..use WAY.TO.MUCH.TOILET.PAPER) that never cut off. It ran for 4hours. We had to remove every floor in my house while we lived here and deal with a flooded basement since all the water ran down into the basement. It looked like it was raining down there! We just finished up this month. Of course, we’ve been in this house almost nine years so we painted every wall and ceiling and every piece of trim while we were at it….while we lived here and homeschooled and farmed. Yeah, I am very happy we treated and prevented any mold problems. And yes, I practically have a new house. However, it was very trying to live here while we ripped it all out…including the kitchen cabinets, laundry room…and accompanying plumbing, and put back. Oh, did I mention my husband, me and my father in law did all the work….including removing wood and tile floors and installing new ones? Yeah, I was ready to actually have things back in their “right” rooms again. Of course, if it doesn’t make it back in the rooms within 6 months…from storage on an enclosed porch and basement….I think we’ll just get rid of it…we must not really need it. :). Yeah, I was over this unexpected renovation months and months ago.
JennySue says
Seriously?! I have the same recurring dreams! The toilet ones are always that I have to go really bad but the toilet is nasty or overflowing or the door won’t latch and I just never manage to go… then I wake up because I gotta pee. And the gum dream- What! I never even thought to share that one with anyone because it was so strange and I just assumed I was the only one- I thought it may of had something to do with the fact that I wear a retainer at night and somehow my mind confuses feeling the retainer while dreaming with something that just won’t get out of my mouth. So strange! Thanks for sharing. PS. the bathroom updates look great so far 🙂
Jeanne says
I had to laugh out loud about your recurring gum dream, the one where you keep pulling and pulling and you can’t get it out of your mouth. Oh. My. Gawd. I have had that same dream?! Is that weird??? That and the one where I can’t remember my locker combination (and I haven’t been in school for over 20 years!) As far as the bathroom goes, I rather like the sneak peeks. Keeps it real. Shows that Rome wasn’t built in a day. We just replaced our stand-alone shower in our one bathroom about a month ago, wish we’d done it sooner! Hubs freshened the ceiling with a new coat of paint, spray painted the vent cover and now I’m itching to redo the floors, in there and the whole house. Not good. Spring/summer fever.
Rebekah T says
I like a little of both – sneak peeks along the way with a big reveal at the end. It helps us, the reader, to remember that it isn’t all perfect in blog land.
True horror story of my own about toilets. I was visiting my future husband for the first time (long distance relationship) and was staying at his parents’ house while they were out of town. I was getting ready for bed – brushing teeth, going the bathroom, etc. – and the toilet starts to overflow. My boyfriend had already left to go back to his house and was already home when I had to call and tell him that I had broken the toilet at his parents’ house while they were gone and I needed his help. I was young and stupid (22 at the time) and just barely got the water turned off before he returned. He helped me get it all cleaned up and then told me that they often have problems with that toilet. AGH!!! That would have been helpful to know before. I met his parents for the first time the following day. All went well! My hubby and I celebrated 10 years of marriage in December, but that still has to be one of my most embarassing moments EVER.
Thanks for keeping it real!!!
Rebekah T
Laura says
I like to see things along the way. Then it makes the final reveal that much more impressive when you know what you’ve gone through.
Leen says
We are such twinsies!!! Both had floods, both blue wall lovers (our new color is Ben Moore’s Ocean Air, LOVE!) our new bathroom tiles are the same as yours but with grey diamonds instead of black and our new wooden floors are handscraped eucalyptus (I have to send you a pic, they are gorgeous!) and I am also covered in tile dust, my kids are feeling neglected and my yard had spring without me 🙁
oh and my contractor is hot too 🙂
Julie Gilmore says
I love the tile and the tub. Where did you find that tub? I have been thinking about replacing that awful soaking tub with a claw foot tub and have been looking at them. I think that is a great idea to replace it…