We did remove the pantry (doors were set aside for a TBD repurpose at a later date). The plan is to open the office space onto the kitchen via a large “doorway” and onto the front rooms with a half-wall to create a breakfast nook area. The kitchen is starting to feel quite spacious!
Every project leads to a multitude of smaller projects and decisions. Removing the pantry and opening up the office space (and removing the fireplace and chimney) means new floors. So, added to our list is finding cost-effective flooring we both like (no plastic). We’ve eyed cork for barn flooring, which might also work in the kitchen (not the front rooms where rearranged furniture might expose dented cork). I’m kinda feeling a painted floor in the kitchen – has a shabby chic/beachy feel to it, but Ryan isn’t sold on that.
We spent Monday of Fourth of July weekend working on our bedroom, which we’ve decided needs to be our shelter from the home renovation storm. It was pushing 100-degrees outside, so Ryan was happy enough to go shopping with me, debating the pros and cons of various window treatments and matching bedside lamps. We went with chocolate brown and a brushed nickle scheme, which will go nicely with our bed set and the lavender walls we've inherited (in an effort to avoid repeating work, we've decided to live with the paint upstairs until we renovate those rooms... my apologies in advance to any friends or family that stay in the Fire Engine Red guest room). We also installed our air conditioner to complete the oasis (a major FAIL on our part, as the ensuing week continued at 95 +/- degrees and that’s our only AC… oh well, we survived).
We’re working with an electrician to rewire the kitchen, re-install pot lights, and wire for a ceiling fan.
Once that’s done, we can start putting up this nifty insulation on the vaulted ceiling. We will run it right over the strapping and the R-rating (an indicator of how well it insulates) is pretty darn good!
In other sub-contracting news, our plumber neighbor Bob said he can help us out with the new hot water heater, which should also remedy the shower situation – magically, just like I hoped!
This past weekend, we ventured to DC to see our good friends Abby and Bry get married.
It was a wonderful wedding and we promised all our friends (many from NYC) to have the house ready for visitors come next summer and to take off a weekend from renovating come fall for a visit. Deadlines are good. So are weekends off.
The garden has been a complete casualty of the heat and weekends away. I’m hoping that we can bring it back to life once we are in Ipswich fulltime… which is Thursday. Yup, Thursday.
So, for the next three nights, I will be packing up Salem and Ryan will be working at the house. We caved and hired movers and are feeling very good about that decision.
We don’t have the kitchen up and running yet, but check out what I surprised Ryan with as an early birthday gift:
Ryan’s summer birthday always gets sandwiched by weekends away, weddings, and this year, it is the night before we move out. So, we had an early birthday celeb in Townsend when we went to pick up Tela (she stayed with the “grandparents” while we were in DC).
As you can see, we have a bit of work to do, so entries might be a little sparse for the next few weeks. We also are still working on things like um, an internet connection at the new place. Stay tuned…
Trips to Home Depot: 1… I think?
Trips to Bed Bath & Beyond: 1 (wildly unsuccessful)
Trips to Pier One: 1 (no window treatments!)
Trips to Target: 1 (successful, after I swore up and down that this would be an "adult" house and I would no longer decorate with items from said store... go figure)
Next up: MOVING
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