Family Room Remodeling Progress

It's been so long since I've given a remodeling update on the blog.  It's not for lack of work.  Heck, no.  It's for lack of joy about the same dang thing we've been doing for 2 years!!!  

But I got a second boost of remodeling energy this weekend when I saw some major shifts take place and realized whether its instant or takes a handful of years getting your dream house is fun.  I tried to get it by building.  I was mad when that didn't work out.  Instead I got it through the very complicated foreclosure purchasing process.  It is fun, really fun, to see our hours and days come together into something we can be proud of.

photo circa January 2012

So what have we done in the family room so far?

1. Installed a ceiling fan (there was NO lighting in this room, just dangling wires.)
2. Removed wallpaper
3. Demolished the old fireplace surround
4. Removed carpet
5. Bleach treated the sub-floors
6. Sealed the sub-floors with paint-mixed primer
7. Had carpet installed
8. Painted the walls
9. Somewhere in here I need to add purchasing scaffolding.  We've used it in many more places than this room but it's become a permanent fixture as we use it *every* week.  See, I even store comfy quilts on it.  Totally permanent fixture :).
10. Built a lego/train table that is also the coffee table

So, obviously the "rock" fireplace isn't done yet as it currently holds no rock but it is 100% ready for it now.  All we need to do is buy a cement mixer and the faux stone we have picked out.  That little step is a chunk of money so it could even be a few years before we have that rock but the electronics parts of the fireplace (and the minor detail of the actual FIRE) are all in place so we can still enjoy it until it gets pretty.  Fun fact:  the rustic looking mantle we have placed there is recycled wood from the old deck!

photo December 2013