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Two and a Half Year House-iversary Tour

Renovations· The Home Tours

23 Aug

With our one-year wedding anniversary only a few days away, I thought it was fitting to celebrate another exciting milestone: two and a half years in the house!

Two and a half years of renovations, projects, furniture builds, sanding, house conversations, building, tearing down, planning discussions, tiling, painting and oh so much more.

To commemorate this exciting time, we’re taking a trip down memory lane and sharing alllllllll the changes. From the very first demo to where we are today.

So, grab a cup of coffee and let’s dive in!


The Exterior

When we first moved in, there were four exterior doors, two of which being main entrances.

before – february 2016
after phase #1 – july 2016

before – february 2016
after – july 2016

We removed the ramps going up to either one, picked a main entryway and replaced the other entry door with a window.

before round #2 – october 2017
AFTER

The front porch got a set of stairs and most recently, a complete re-seal and paint job.

BEFORE
outdoor deck with outdoor furniture

We built two entrance pillars, added a fence for the dogs, put a deck over the crumbling concrete slab and are about halfway through adding an attached garage to the east side of the house.

side of the house with foundation poured for garage
before – august 2017
after(ish) – august 2018

CLICK HERE to read more about the exterior.


The Interior

The Entryway

As I mentioned above, we had two main entrances when we moved in. We knocked down several walls and moved the main entrance to the east side of the house.

before – october 2016
before – october 2016

The first space to get an overhaul was the entryway. We added brick flooring, put up built-ins, swapped out the door, added a barn wood wall and installed overhead lights. Most recently, we replaced the south window and Brett built another storage bench to add a little division from the rest of the room.

entryway
AUGUST 2018
entryway bench
after – august 2018

CLICK HERE to read more about the entryway.

 

The Living Room/Stairs

Since knocking down the main divider wall, this area hadn’t seen much action until recently – with the most eye catching being the addition of stairs and a linen closet.

2016
in entry towards stairs
after – in entry towards stairs

before – MIL apartment
AFTER

before – from kitchen towards entry
in kitchen towards entry
after – in kitchen towards entry

We also added a new window and replaced one of the old ones; they will be on either side of the fireplace (where the TV currently sits).

before – january 2018
new windows
AFTER

before – january 2018
AFTER

CLICK HERE to read more about the living room.


The Kitchen/Dining Room

The kitchen has been in constant transition since we moved in. It started with moving around the standing pantry and then transformed into painting the cabinets… and then repainting them… and then moving the stove-section to make room for the pantry door.

before – february 2016
before – february 2016

kitchen summer home tour
before – may 2016
kitchen summer home tour
BEFORE

It’s been an ever-evolving space but I think it may be safe to say this is how it’ll stay until we do the complete makeover.

AFTER
after – august 2018

CLICK HERE to read more about the kitchen.

 

The Guest Bathroom

This was our first complete room transformation. We cut the size in half and reconfigured the plumbing, moved the doorway, added a tub/shower combination and built a custom vanity with a concrete countertop.

original bathroom
before – february 2016

after – august 2018
after – august 2018

CLICK HERE to read more about the guest bathroom.

 

The Laundry Room

When we first moved in, the laundry was downstairs. We took space from the guest bedroom and framed in a laundry room and closet, reconfigured the plumbing and added a giant window.

before – january 2017
industrial style laundry room renovation reveal
after – september 2017

before – january 2017
industrial style laundry room
2017

CLICK HERE to read more about the laundry room.

 

The Guest Bedrooms

Originally, there was a mini-mudroom that had a doorway to the mother-in-law apartment and the main house. We knocked out that space and combined the office and mother-in-law bedroom to make two guest bedrooms, each with a closet.

before – mother in law apartment bedroom
before -mudroom; MIL apt. to the left, main living to the right

The larger of the two bedrooms hasn’t been touched too much, with the exception of making the entryway door a window and replacing the other window.

 

after-ish guest bedroom #1 – january 2017

The second guest bedroom was made over during our second time participating in the One Room Challenge.

2017
before – guest bedroom #2 – august 2017

simple summer bedroom decor

after – november 2017

CLICK HERE to read more about guest bedroom #1.

CLICK HERE to reach more about guest bedroom #2.


The Office

The latest room to (almost) be completed is the office. This was part of the stairs/linen closet/pantry addition. It seemed like an easy add, especially since we’re both working from home a little more often. It’s not quite done but definitely in usable condition.

before – march 2016
after – hallway – august 2018

 

rustic sign in home office
after – july 2018
home office with plywood floors, floating shelves and shiplap
after – july 2018

CLICK HERE to read more about the office.


So, there you have it. Two and a half years of projects, renovations, planning, blood, sweat, tears and oh so many memories. It’s funny how quickly time flies. And also how much we love doing these posts – it’s a good reminder to ourselves that we actually have come a long way. It’s easy to get lost in the busyness and go down the rabbit hole of how much more there is to do – but these little reminders are great for perspective!

Here’s to many more projects and even more memories in the next two and a half years!

All our best,

 


Related posts:

One Year Anniversary Home Tour The Thirty-Five Day Check-In Adding Walls & Doors The Home Tour: Six Months

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We’re Brett and Kelly! A husband and wife team tackling our first complete home renovation. We love all things DIY, our two furbabes and lazy summer days out on the lake. Our mission? To share the journey of turning a house into a home.

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