Home Improvement!

We are renting from good friends of ours.  They moved out of state right when Jason graduated from nursing school (almost 4 years ago - time FLIES... FAST!!!)  Their house was 2 times bigger than the little one we were squished into, the housing market was at it's worse and they didn't want to just leave their house here empty.  So, they asked us to move in and rent it from them.  I think it has worked out great!  We were definitely not ready to buy, Jason still has grad school, and we are not settled.  We have been so grateful to live in a house big enough while we are on this journey.

Our friends that own our home are very outgoing, artsy and creative people.  They had some really fun and crazy colors painted all over, and she told us to do whatever we wanted with that.  It has been fun, after renting for years, to be able to paint and decorate how I want!  I'm sure, if you read my blog, you have noticed the blue walls.  I have loved them, and enjoyed them.  But alas, I am kinda growing tired of them, and plans are in the works for a change sometime this year.... Stay tuned...

In the kitchen we painted RED!  I've always wanted a red, white and black kitchen.  The cabinets here were a light wood, and just didn't look right.  I wanted to paint them white.  Two summers ago, while I was on a 2 week road trip with the kids, Jason went to work.  He painted my cabinetry all white.  He didn't like it, and thought it was too white, so then he painted the inside panels Red, to match the walls.  

It was a shock to come home to.  As my good friends and family know, I did not like it so much, but he was SO excited!  Over time, I tried to be more honest with him by dropping hints.  

Last week we went to the store to get a small can of paint to refurbish an old dresser for the new baby.  We decided on white.  I told him, "We should get a full gallon so we can touch up all the trim and baseboards, and finally fix the red panels on the cabinets."  He was so surprised, and asked me, "Do you really not like it?"  After two years of just dropping hints, I had to just come out with it.  "I HATE it."  I told him.  He then said, "You're just jealous, because it wasn't your idea."  Now, OK, that was funny.  Glad he has a sense of humor.  We both laughed.

We also finally got the knobs and pulls for all the cabinets and drawers.  Also, over the last couple of months I have replaced the old, broken chairs that I bought years ago with the vintage table set on Craig's List, and new rugs to replace the old tattered ones.  Thank you IKEA.  

Jason came home and got right to work.  I love his work ethic.  It was one of the things that attracted me to him.  He painted over all the red panels - 3 coats, and put on all the knobs and pulls.  He also worked in the garage, sanding down the old dresser, repainting and putting knobs on the drawers.  

Before and After Kitchen cupboards.

All I had to do was clean out our closet and Master Bedroom.  The closet doors have been a huge issue for us.  They are always jammed, stuck, falling off etc.  Plus, the color of wood just really clashes with the colors in there.  Jason went to work once again, and figured out a cheap way to get an easier and better looking system. (Less than $100)

Result - New fresh dresser filled with clean baby clothes, in the corner of our room.

New closet! (The inside is the same, just better organized and clean.  It all feels new!)

Clean fresh looking kitchen.  It is like a breath of fresh air!

Closet doors before

Closet doors after