From this 2 this:

The first stage of the house's face lift!

Original: 

This front room has been through many transformations. When we first bought the house, the carpet was gross, full of pet urine and ugly dark paint. Before we moved in, we laid new carpet and painted in order to use this room as our living room. 

Then we built our great room, changed the carpet to laminate and this room became our dining room. Usually the table was placed lengthwise but once this current renovation and the old "office/playroom" was torn down, we had to double the dining room as a play area.

Old dining room

For those of you familiar with home renovations, you know that when you have to create multi-purpose space for the duration of the project, life can get cramped. But oh well. 

This week they removed the old window and door (picture above). We had to put the dining room in the middle of the kitchen, move the portable Pier 1 island along a wall in this front room, create a place for the computer desk, as well as toys. But oh....I love the new window and door. I'm not sure when they'll put up the drywall, mud and tape, but in the meanwhile, my goal is to keep things clean and safe for the little boys, as well as give a semblance of space among cramped quarters.

New wall for future front entry room

Here are some inspiration pictures that I'm using to decide the paint color for the inside of the door, as well as decor. It will be a rather unorthodox foyer/front entry room because the whole area is 16 x 13. Creating a wall to divide the space for a small office was not in the budget. So I'm going to divide the space with a DIY shoji screen-of-sorts to make a place area/school room...future office, and still have sufficient space for a proper foyer. You can see  other inspirational pictures on my Pinterest boards: https://www.pinterest.com/tinacwebb/

Plan on Rainy Days

The crew isn't coming today. The forecast declared that. But it's okay cause...

I can still plan!

It's amazing when you can actually walk the architectural plans that you've been drooling over and living within in your head.

So I can put on my rain hat and measure and plan for:

key hooks, mail storage
mudroom coat closet organization:
storage room organization: http://lookiewhatidid.blogspot.ca/2013/06/a-well-organized-utility-closet.html
furniture placement
Kid toy bin

I've found some great websites and of course Houzz and Pinterest help!

Key Hooks/Mail

When carrying in backpacks, groceries, laptop bags, and other daily luggage, the keys and the mail are the first items that I need to be able to quickly put in a place where they'll be found when I need them. I can't tell you the endless amount of times that my keys, despite currenly (in the present house scheme) having a designated hook, end up on a kitchen counter, or on the island, or on a hook under a baseball cap.

Upon entering the mudroom there is a 24-30 inch space of wall. So I will buy (probably from Target or World Market) or make (depending on my DIY energy) a narrow but long rack on which to put keys and mail.

Mudroom Coat Closet Organization

We are a family of eight. Having all of our winter gear mixed up in one bin doesn't work. Been there, done that. So I need eight cubbies (two columns of four) in the middle of the 6' long coat closet with space for coats on either side and shoes at the bottom. This idea may shift depending on the measurements due to the fact that I need room for 2-3 coats per person. (similar to picture)

I don't have enough of a corner area in the mudroom to place a ball bin, however the mud porch has an overhang so I may just use a large plastic bin  with a top, to sit outside the mudroom door.

Some pins on my boards that I'm getting ideas from:
http://www.pinterest.com/tinacwebb/2014-reno-mudroom/

http://www.pinterest.com/tinacwebb/let-s-do-it/

I may make on a smaller scale
for all of the keys.

I like this too,
especially the names
above each hook. #mustdo

I've been saving my Altoids and
Trader Joes Green Tea mint containers.

end of last week

The 2nd story may be finished by the end of this week if the rain goes away.

Countdown

Walk with us as we venture into our 4th and biggest home renovation. Years ago at our townhouse, we finished a basement, turning into a master bedroom suite. Then we moved to this house and put in a great room addition, finished the walk-out basement and renovated the kitchen. 

So why do more?

We are a family of eight and currently the youngest children, ages 4 and 2 share our bedroom...not cool! We put our house on the market 4 years ago when I was pregnant with the 4 year old, but well, our house never sold. This past January we decided to stay put and make this house work for a larger family.

Hopefully this renovation will be done by Christmas, but since I've watched my share of DIY and HGTV I know that anything can happen when it comes to timelines.


 I'll be posting design, decor and organization ideas. With daughters that love aesthetics as much as I do, and little boys that love to makes messes as much as I don't, it'll be an interesting juxtaposition of practicality and artistry.