Whew! How did we get to November 19 already?
It’s been a crazy-busy few weeks since my October Letters from Readers series, and every day I’ve been trying to get back here to chat with you. Finally . . . today’s the day!
I promised I’d give you an update on our old house renovation happenings next time we visited. But you don’t reeeally want to know boring details like . . . the hot water heater had to be replaced unexpectedly last week, do you?
Rather than multiple disjointed projects (because that’s exactly how it feels around here: disjointed!), let’s look at the transformation of the main guest room.
One year ago (hard to believe, but November 16 was one year since we closed on our small-town Victorian), the guest room was a heavily-painted floor, floral wallpaper, and filthy lavender sheers.
Not long thereafter, thanks to the grit and dedication of my hardworking Renaissance Man and Yours Truly, it was a clean slate; heart pine floors and plaster walls.
The black section on the fireplace surround is where we removed the 1980s sponge painting to see what was underneath. The result? Black metal. Nothing fancy—yet.
By early January, when Daughter the Younger came to visit, the guest room got a quick air mattress and some simple sprucing up. We considered it progress!
Tip: You can make quick curtain panels by safety pinning one end of a Quaker Lace tablecloth over a spring rod.
A few months later, we hosted father-son guests here. Same room, different look. (Today, these twin beds and the trunk are now upstairs in a small attic room for the grandsons, the rug is in Renaissance Man’s office, and the “curtains” served their purpose.)
Tip: Quick curtain panels can be made from sheets. Just flip over the top and sew (or pin) a header to insert the curtain rod. An old porcelain door knob attached to the wall served to hold back the curtains until nighttime.
By the time Sister and her husband arrived in mid-Summer, friends had moved away and left us a wonderful king-size bed they no longer needed—with the agreement that this would be “their” room anytime they came to visit. Deal!
Tip: Shop around! I found this bedspread on sale at Hayneedle for $50—and at Macy’s online for $200. Guess where I bought it?
Eventually, we focused a little more on this room and made some real progress!
The shutters we collected over the years were used to create a focal wall behind the bed. That king-size bed almost looks tiny, doesn’t it? They also serve to “remove” a window behind the bed. After all, it’s a bedroom, and one window is plenty at night.
The fireplace surround now sports pretty blue tile!
And when our most recent guests were coming, these “I’ve had them forever” lamps were pulled out of storage and added. Aren’t the colors perfect? I love the quirky mix of casual and formal!
So what next?
- Finish the chippy-blue-paint dresser salvaged from a late 1800s North Carolina farmhouse
- Move the needlepoint rug from the Master Bedroom to the Guest Room
- Decide on paint colors
- PAINT
- Add bedskirt (using thrifted fabric found recently!)
- Make curtain panels (using same thrifted fabric)
All in good time!
But today, I’m thankful for family and friends willing to make this old house journey alongside us. Beloveds who look beyond the unfinished and “less than” to see the complete and functional. Who share a single bathroom without complaint. Who encourage us in the progress we’ve made rather than focus on the many started-but-not-yet-finished projects evident throughout virtually every room—and outside. Bless you, dear ones!
And I’m thankful for you! Friends (some virtual and some real-life) who stop by here on occasion to share in our journey. Who leave words of encouragement, share joys and frustrations, and weave yourselves into the fabric of my life. You’re the best!
All progressive steps are moves toward a fabulous vision. And, visions evolve over time. You are an amazing team.💗
Thanks, Beverly!
Susan,
I, like you, have no idea how November 19th got here!! Your guest room looks amazing! I love the shutters! I love all the persona’s it took on for its different guests! Sounds like you are enjoying your new home!
Love,
Cindy
Seriously, November 19! How? It’s been fun “personalizing” the room a tiny bit for different guests, but I’ll definitely be glad when my vision becomes reality. Sometime in 2020 surely! Thanks for stopping by.
Lovely to see the progress you have made and to see that “in progress” does not stop you from receiving guests.
Thanks, Angie. Our door is always open to anyone willing to take their chances! LOL
Oh, you have such an eye for decor! I’m totally missing that gene, alas. 🙁 But I appreciate it all the more in others who can put things together so well. We’re currently looking for a new kitchen table, and that one decorating decision is throwing me in a tizzy. 🙂 Love what you’re doing here, Susan!
Lisa, I wish I could go table shopping with you! Since I can’t, just take a deep breath and keep looking until you find the table that:
1) makes you happy to look at it
2) fits well in your space; not too “tight” a fit
3) is functional and meets your family’s needs for memory-making (meals, puzzles, board games, etc.)
Good luck!
Wow, so many iterations in the process! It’s looking super sharp with the bed and shutters, and that tile around the fireplace! Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, Susan!
Thanks, Rita. Happy Thanksgiving to you, too. Your first holiday season in your new home!