Move over Norm Abrams - Check out This Old House

Many of you have been asking me to send photos of our bedroom remodel; I thought it might be easier for those of you with older model computers if I posted them here rather sent them via email.

Steve and I began this project two summers ago, when he replaced the windows in our bedroom. Unfortunately, as often tends to happen with parents and home owners, other things in the house took precedence and we lived with beautiful windows outside, but unfinished trim inside. As you can see from this picture, the old sheetrock had been hung and taped by a novice - something that truly annoyed my handy husband.

One of the factors in the delay was that we knew that the project was going to be huge; horsehair plaster needed to be ripped out (several layers as it turned out) not to mention the fact that the lathing strips must have been installed in the late 1800's. As an aside -I've decided that ripping this stuff out is most certainly the seventh circle of Hell. I don't ever intend to do this again!

After ripping this stuff out (almost a four day project), I installed the insulation and then Steve hung the wall board. I then announced that for my birthday, I wanted Steve to hire someone to finish the sheetrock and taping for us. He did - what a great husband.

The carpet badly needed upgrading - After all the carpet in the room had to be AT LEAST 40 years old. Once we ripped it out, we discovered several different layers of floor underneath. Surprise!

Yikes - check out this lovely linoleum. Hard to imagine that this was once in style, huh?

The fellow Steve hired, hung the sheet rock and began the process of taping and mudding the walls. Then he disappeared on us. The strange thing is that he left all his tools here!

I was afraid he may have been in the hospital or something, but Steve says that he was either on a bender or in jail. He says that sheet rock and taping guys are "the drummers of the construction world" (translation - they are total party-animals and trouble makers when off the job site. Think Keith Moon or Tommy Lee trashing their hotel rooms and you get the picture). Luckily, we found a great handyman to finish the job for us. In fact, we were so impressed with his skills and his work ethic that we've hired him for a few more jobs. Check out these shots of what he did with the walls and ceiling:

I wanted the room to be a warm, soothing and relaxing color - we agreed on brown, but spent a good deal of time debating on the shade. I wanted a darker tone than Steve. Eventually we met in the middle (as most good married partners do) and settled on what I think looks like a shade of coffee ice cream.
After taking a day or so to level the floor (after all, this house is nearly 150 years old), we had new carpet installed. Steve says that carpet will have a greater impact on resale value than hardwood floors will - especially when you consider the fact that we would have had to do major work to level the base floor in order to install hardwood.

Rather than take the time to make new curtains, I simply bought some marroon panels. Then the new furniture arrived! After 2 weeks, we we no longer had to sleep on the pull out sofa. I am finishing up the new quilt, it will be a scrappy patchwork of maroons, tans, and greens. For now, we will keep this "summer quilt" on the bed. I will post new photos once the quilt is done.