Our new digs!

[SerendipityCrafts]

DH and I went over to the house tonight for the first time on our own. Hugh carried me across the threshold!

We were out the back, taking some pics and our neighbour came over to welcome us! We chatted for a bit .... and he asked us if we would like to come in to meet his wife. They told us about their kids, they told us that if we needed anything, to just come over and even offered us a glass of wine! They are so sweet!

The old owner has left stuff at the house. I am pretty sure that he will want these things but they should have been out today. Hmmmmm :ooh:

Here are just some pics. 60 photos plus, full descriptions / explanations can be found in our flickr album - http://www.flickr.com/photos/serendipitycrafts/sets/72157607616606376/detail/

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3028/2902810853_c63bbdb6c6.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3003/2902810851_e5d0aa76d3.jpg?v=0

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2327/2903690356_508f9d6d19.jpg?v=0

[SerendipityCrafts]

Soon to be office / painting studio
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3262/2902810821_7c0797d2a0.jpg?v=0

A "different set up" - this is the hallway from the back to the front of our house. The hallway to the front door is on the left. The stairs to basement is on the right. The back entrance door to the kitchen is on extreme right.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3158/2902810825_1e40dc206a.jpg?v=0

Kitchen showing the back entrance to the dining room and office
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3075/2902837173_2641309e2c.jpg?v=0

Dinette area
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3150/2902837171_c098d448ce.jpg?v=0

[SerendipityCrafts]

Another hallway. This one is to the bedrooms, the upstairs bathroom and the laundry room. The pic is taken from the front entrance to the kitchen.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3070/2902841035_566cb5b973.jpg?v=0

Living room (complete with record albums LOL)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3160/2903666672_8589588bab.jpg?v=0

Master bedroom - just a large rectangle with a window on one side and a large closet on the other
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3195/2903666678_17b9eef3ee.jpg?v=0

Guest bedroom with built in desk
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3135/2903666682_5cef099cb4.jpg?v=0

[SerendipityCrafts]

Upstairs bathroom
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3127/2903666688_975185d044.jpg?v=0

Mmmmm I love this bathtub!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3281/2903666696_092fefa620.jpg?v=0

Skylight in bathroom
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2250/2902841017_0b725a9edb.jpg?v=0

Family room (basement)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3170/2903671416_16859304e7.jpg?v=0

There are pics of the rest of the basement in the flickr album - the previous laundry room, a cedar closet, a basement bathroom, a basement bedroom, a work room and a utility room.

We have a lot of painting and decorating to do but all that will be done in good time. We are just happy to be moving into our first house!

[MrsDM]

Its soooo cute! I bet you two can't wait to get your own things in there! Congrats on the new house!!

[WBandMe]

It looks great, and I can't wait to see how you make it "yours." Congratulations!

[bichonlvr]

It is sooo frickin cute!!!

[NOTKT]

I love it! :)

[caligal85]

What a great house! I love the hard wood floors and the tile floor in the kitchen. It's very stylish.

[Whitewater]

Wow!!! Congrats on finding a truly lovely house. I love the fireplace and the big tub and the skylight . . . and the back yard and the little eating nook in the kitchen . . . .and you have a finished basement, I am SO JEALOUS of that, 'cause ours is only partially done.

I hope you have as much fun decorating and moving in as you can!



Whitewater

[SerendipityCrafts]

Thanks ladies!

and you have a finished basement, I am SO JEALOUS of that, 'cause ours is only partially done.

No need to be jealous. The pics posted here, are the "best" of the basement. :) The previous laundry room, the utility room, and the basement bathroom are scary .... It's rather 1960-ish LOL

We plan to tackle the upstairs first .... removing wallpaper, painting etc. etc. The basement or any major changes to it will have to wait until we can save up $$$$. LOL

[Dani]

What a cute house Elizabeth!!!! I am so happy for you and Hugh and the DTB (dog to be) :)

[june0609]

That is so cute!
The bathroom looks beautiful w/ that skylight.

[Danielle9608]

Awesome Place! Congrats!!

[SerendipityCrafts]

Thanks ladies!

I don't know how soon the dog will come Dani but there will be a place for one sooner or later :)

[Nekochanpurr]

What a beautiful home!!!!! :D

[WebLady]

DH and I went over to the house tonight for the first time on our own. Hugh carried me across the threshold!
awww ;)

Congrats on the house!!

[SerendipityCrafts]

awww

Congrats on the house!!

Yeah I thought it was cute! I even offered to let him do a "fireman's hold" LOL

We were over at the house again tonight .... trying to decide on paint colours.

Ohhhhhhh the decisions!

Muted blue with the brown leather furniture in the living room?
http://furniturefromhome.com/images/store/22803-38-35-t730/155x160/image.jpg

Muted green with our pine country furniture for the master?
http://www.ogallerie.com/auctions/2005-11/110790.jpg

Pale(r) gold or mocha in the dining room, office and hallways?
http://lh3.ggpht.com/bethm1210/R_cBr5hU5II/AAAAAAAAAY4/HVHUk3cmtug/s400/4-1-2008%20035.jpg

Pale yellow guest room with white trim?
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2187/2466667238_cd8b42ff1a.jpg

White kitchen & bathroom? (at least until we can figure out what we want to do in there?)

[kgvettegirl]

You are going to have so much fun!!!!!!!!!

[SerendipityCrafts]

You are going to have so much fun!!!!!!!!!

Fun? This is hard stuff LOL

Hmmmmm looks like we are "colonial colour inspired"? :rofl:

[Kirby]

What a pretty house!! And I love all the trees.

[Thalia_themuse]

Oooh your new place is so pretty :grinhappy: Once we get our own place we definitely have to work out that home-swap :winktongue:

The upstairs is all very nice, especially that bath! Plus your backyard is fabulous... I'm sure the birdies will think so too! :grinhappy:

[lize566]

Man look what happens when I'm away from here...Elizabeth gets a house!! I'm so excited for you guys...the house is so adorable! Congratulations and have fun decorating!

[SerendipityCrafts]

Man look what happens when I'm away from here...Elizabeth gets a house!! I'm so excited for you guys...the house is so adorable! Congratulations and have fun decorating!

LOL that just goes to show you. You should come around more often :)

Hugh is over at the house today. Since Friday he's been over with a coworker - stripping wall paper, puttying and painting. I get to stay home and paint too ... lol but just current orders. On Tuesday, I pack up the paints until we get into the new house.

[lize566]

I know, I know!! School is keeping me busier than I ever thought it would! I'm only on here now b/c I'm procrastinating doing my mid-term, which is what I should be doing!

I hope everything goes smoothly with the move!

[SerendipityCrafts]

'm only on here now b/c I'm procrastinating

LOL so am I. If I finish the painting sooner, I have to get back to packing *ugh*

Good luck with the midterm :)

[lize566]

lol thanks....good luck with the packing!!

[SerendipityCrafts]

lol thanks....good luck with the packing!!

if I get to it :rofl:

[SarahPearl]

:envy: :grinhappy:

What a truly beautiful home! I'm sure you'll have fun making it even more prettiful...

Wish we had homes like that in Cali..that don't cost an arm and a leg:bbcry:

[SerendipityCrafts]

:envy: :grinhappy:

What a truly beautiful home! I'm sure you'll have fun making it even more prettiful...

Wish we had homes like that in Cali..that don't cost an arm and a leg:bbcry:

Thanks Sarah. We are having fun making it our own a little bit at a time.

It took us quite a few years of sweat, hard work and worry (and just a wee bit of luck - ie being in the right place at the right time) to get this place. I am sure you will get your own haven in time too :)

[SerendipityCrafts]

We were out the back, taking some pics and our neighbour came over to welcome us! We chatted for a bit .... and he asked us if we would like to come in to meet his wife. They told us about their kids, they told us that if we needed anything, to just come over and even offered us a glass of wine! They are so sweet!

The neighbour is too cool :) We were outside doing yard work this past weekend and I look up to see him come sauntering over with three beers!

He's also his own 1 man neighbourhood watch committee. I hired a guy to come and install the vent for my jennair oven. The guy had just started making a hole in our brick wall when the neighbour came over to see what was going on and to make sure he wasn't up to "no good". :rofl:

[val24]

any new pictures of the place since you moved it
i know you were painting it :)

wow what nice neighbors you have

[SerendipityCrafts]

We have met the neighbours on both sides of us and from across the street. They all seem so nice!

Do we have pics? LOL All 160 (and counting) of them have been posted to our flickr album. The newer pics are down the bottom.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/serendipitycrafts/sets/72157607616606376/

We have managed to get a few more things put together. This is our makeshift office / painting studio. When we have a bit of time away from the raking and the other projects, we plan to build a counter/desk on the left so that we can look outside while we are on the computer and while I paint.

We also plan to make a higher counter on the right (beyond the pine wardrobe) to be used as a packing /shipping station. The ratty table to the left, our current desk and the plastic patio table (aka my temp painting table) at the far back, will be moved to another part of the house.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3039/2977491981_9bbecdea6f.jpg?v=0

This is the view from my temp painting table now. It's like heaven to be able to paint here. So far I have been able to enjoy some cardinals, bluejays, chickadees, woodpeckers, nut hatches & squirrels.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3031/2977491991_4015f3b3c5.jpg?v=0

Our living room is slowly coming together but for my daytime remote work computer. We now have a cable outlet in the office so it's going to the back there tonight.

The TV stand was too big to go downstairs so we are going to have to cut off the feet so that we can bring it down & clear the ceiling.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3060/2977492009_dffc5d5d15.jpg?v=0

This is the view from our office / studio looking towards the dining room. We still have to hang the chandelier and put up some sort of curtains / blinds????

We also have to extend the wall on the left, just a bit. The darker cabinet to the left (with the box on top) is actually a corner cabinet but the corner is too short LOL

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3005/2977491985_ed7879c8cd.jpg?v=0

[Whitewater]

Ok, you have a POOL.

That totally rocks.

Like the nice friendly yellow on the walls too!


Whitewater

[SerendipityCrafts]

Ok, you have a POOL.

That totally rocks.

Like the nice friendly yellow on the walls too!


Whitewater

Thanks!

As for the pool ... it wasn't on our list at all. So far, it doesn't rock at all ... LOL

We moved in too late to have a swim :(, we had to close/winterize it (more work than I imagined) and we also have to do some repairs to the deck before the first snow fall. Apparently, the deck shouldn't be touching the pool because it will expand when the water freezes and the sides could break??? We are learning much :)

[Ohio888Bride]

Your new home is beautiful and I love the backyard and pool. :)

[val24]

it looks beautiful!!
i love your view looking outside at your backyard. You got a nice backyard too. the pool looks awesome and i am sure next summer you will be out there instead of painting or working from home. i can see the boss going "elizabeth are you working" and you will be on your raft soaking in the sun with a drink :)

thanks for sharing the new pictures. I love them!

[SerendipityCrafts]

Thanks ladies :)

you will be on your raft soaking in the sun with a drink :)

thanks for sharing the new pictures. I love them!

That reminds me .... we have to buy two rafts LOL

We are really enjoying the house so far! I am such a homebody that I wouldn't go out if I didn't have to!

[SerendipityCrafts]

Upstairs guest room - check
Downstairs guest room - check
Work shop - sorta check
Stock room - sorta check

Office - sorta check

We have half the office done. Hugh built us a desk yesterday (thanks to the friends and family that bought us Home Depot gift cards).

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3094/3159844564_04c6f1005b.jpg?v=0

I was responsible for painting it white, sanding it, painting it and then sanding the edges so it looked a little "worn"

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3099/3159014623_05aae07aae.jpg?v=0

Lily just had to help

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3089/3159860126_723ffbd06a.jpg?v=0

She didn't seem to understand that I wasn't on the floor to play with her LOL

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3267/3159864352_296e9bddeb.jpg?v=0

[Danielle9608]

Wow! What an awesome desk Elizabeth! I am so so jealous! When I work from home, I have to work on my dinning room table right now. Maybe DH will finish the basement for me and give me a "real" office. Lily is so cute with her monkey!

[SerendipityCrafts]

We got the computers into place yesterday evening. It's not quite finished yet. We are keeping the armoire on the right but eventually, it will be white washed. We will also be building a white packing counter/shipping station, with hidden storage (for packing materials and boxes) beside the armoire and the pieces beside the armoire, will go.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3124/3159036507_650960caab.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3261/3159460111_1b77bcbe54.jpg?v=0

We have a corner china hutch but unfortunately, all the dining room walls are too small to house it and ... we found out over Christmas, that our dining area is just a bit too tight, with the buffet being on the left.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3260/3137492365_9e8c3931a3.jpg?v=0

We had thought we might extend a wall so that the china cabinet would fit but this morning .... over coffee .... I had a shazam idea! I moved the buffet to where the china cabinet was ... and I moved the china cabinet over to the short corner at the end of the dining room. Sure, the china cabinet covers the window a bit but we figure that when we get some curtains up there, it won't look so bad.

It saves Hugh from having to extend the wall, it gives us much more room around the table and the buffet fits nicely against the other wall. Plus, it really opens up the room - I can't believe how much space there is now. I can have a **** load of people over for dinner now LOL

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3089/3160290888_fac351dd28.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3093/3159455715_8e3a5c4bee.jpg?v=0

Coolio .... I can unpack my buffet and china hutch boxes! Now all we have to do is hang our chandelier!

[SerendipityCrafts]

When I work from home, I have to work on my dinning room table right now. Maybe DH will finish the basement for me and give me a "real" office. Lily is so cute with her monkey!

We thought about putting the office in the basement but then I would feel "out of the loop" and I wouldn't be able to watch my birdies.

Lily was a total PIA yesterday .... it didn't matter what I was doing - she was in there like a bad weed! I had to wash paint off her nose at least twice :)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3120/3159021003_536a67d769.jpg?v=0

She was doing it again this morning as I was putting socket face plates back on so we had a "little talk" :) I told her that if she was going to be a PIA again today, that she would be locked in the bathroom until I was finished :rofl:

On the list of things to do today ..... cut down (make the lower portion skinnier) our former dual desk (on the left of this pic) so that it will fit along the long wall in our kitchen.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3024/2928581293_684d5bc334.jpg?v=0

I don't know exactly what we will use it for quite yet, but Hugh has some ideas. He says he wants to "display" some baskets, cookbooks and my canister collection (it sounds like a big dust collector to me LOL). I will be painting it out white whenever I get a moment.

[gwenshack]

Wow! Everything is really coming together. I'm SO jealous of your desk. :)

[val24]

wow everything looks really nice!
i love where the new desk is, i would never get any work done LOL

[SerendipityCrafts]

wow everything looks really nice!
i love where the new desk is, i would never get any work done LOL

Thanks!

I must admit that I do get a wee bit distracted by what is happening outside but then again, I get distracted also by hearing the familiar bell of incoming mail :) LOL

[bichonlvr]

WOW!! How cool is that desk...I swear my idea of building one is buying it in a box and putting it together! :)

LOVE LILY!!!

[SerendipityCrafts]

WOW!! How cool is that desk...I swear my idea of building one is buying it in a box and putting it together! :)

We would have done that - that is if we could find a desk that fit our office - ie very long and narrow. We couldn't find anything that even came close ...

It wasn't all that complicated (one sheet of quality plywood, cut in half by the big box store + some heavy duty brackets + some edging for the front of the desk + staircase spindles (for legs - which are more for show than for stability).

[LovingLife]

Everything is coming together great!

I just found this thread today and read the whole thing to catch up. haha.

And isnt Lily so cute!

[SerendipityCrafts]

Everything is coming together great!

I just found this thread today and read the whole thing to catch up. haha.

Thanks!

Not to worry about missing out .... we still have a LOT to do and as I understand it, just as soon as you think you are done decorating, it's time to start over again :rofl:

I found out yesterday that while I can see my computer screen without glare now, the sun shining in my eyes makes it difficult to open my eyes. LOL So, we are off to the mall today to look at blinds for the office.

[caligal85]

I love everything you've done with the house. It's so warm and cheery. Can't wait to see the finished products.

[saltyveruca]

Your house looks so...homey! Very comfortable and cute, I love it!

[SerendipityCrafts]

Thank you .... that's what we are striving for .... homey, comfy and livable ... ie guest should feel so at home that they will also feel welcome to get up and make me a drink :rofl:

We couldn't find any plain blinds at the mall so, I guess we will have to go to Wally World :snide:

Plus, I had no idea that "window treatments" were so expensive! Oh sure, we can buy sheers or blinds but I was hoping to get some nice curtains for the living room and dining room. The only curtains I cared for, were $65 a panel .... and I have 3 windows in the dining room! Egad ... I am going to have to break out the sewing machine <<<<<< did I mention that I HATE to sew???

[SerendipityCrafts]

K - never mind the curtains for now ... I need help with my kitchen ladies. I don't know what to do about colour or the kitchen cabinet doors. The countertop and the tile floor are a flecked black.

The melamine cupboards just scream 1980's. There are three corner glass shelf cabinets too.

We can't afford to replace the cupboards or even just the doors so I thought maybe we could resurface them (by adding a frame molding to the edges but the top and bottom edge of the door are curved so, I don't know if it's possible.

Our "style" is country-ish and this kitchen is just too modern-ish for us. Any ideas ladies?

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3095/3167549468_68e524207c.jpg?v=0

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1068/3167551550_d1685f57af.jpg?v=0

This is what was our previous office desk (which is more our style); changed from cream to beige. We plan to keep it in the kitchen for knick knacks and dust collectors. LOL

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3102/3167542828_fa836de5b5.jpg?v=0

[saltyveruca]

K - never mind the curtains for now ... I need help with my kitchen ladies. I don't know what to do about colour or the kitchen cabinet doors. The countertop and the tile floor are a flecked black.

The melamine cupboards just scream 1980's. There are three corner glass shelf cabinets too.

We can't afford to replace the cupboards or even just the doors so I thought maybe we could resurface them (by adding a frame molding to the edges but the top and bottom edge of the door are curved so, I don't know if it's possible.

Our "style" is country-ish and this kitchen is just too modern-ish for us. Any ideas ladies?

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3095/3167549468_68e524207c.jpg?v=0

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1068/3167551550_d1685f57af.jpg?v=0

This is what was our previous office desk (which is more our style); changed from cream to beige. We plan to keep it in the kitchen for knick knacks and dust collectors. LOL

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3102/3167542828_fa836de5b5.jpg?v=0

Lady, you are a painter! Get to work on painting a country theme on those cabinets, stat! Resurfacing sounds good, and changing the hardware helps sometimes, too.

[kgvettegirl]

hammered texture on the hardware. You could put moulding on the doors and make like a picture frame. I also agree with Salty, Decorative painting techniques.

[SerendipityCrafts]

hammered texture on the hardware. You could put moulding on the doors and make like a picture frame. I also agree with Salty, Decorative painting techniques.

That's just it ... I don't know that I can picture frame it because the top and bottom edge of each door is curved. Do we actually make a frame and cut off the outer edges of the cabinet or tack molding to the front and to heck with the curved edges? Are there any carpenters here that can answer that? LOL

As far as painting ... LOL I would have to come up with a theme or idea first - country theme??? Like what? .... no roosters or duckies please. Something that will stand the test of time - at least 10 years? I also would have to figure out what paint might stick and stay on melamine.

Hardware is a given .... I am thinking something that is or looks pewter-ish???

[kgvettegirl]

How about if you pull the frame in about 1 inch from the outside edge?

[SerendipityCrafts]

How about if you pull the frame in about 1 inch from the outside edge?

Or I could pull my xfil's trick and invite someone in, for a quote. The idea is to ask them lots of questions, get opinions and then do it yourself. LOL

[kgvettegirl]

Or you could go to one of those fancy kitchen stores and ask lots of questions take lots of pictures and drive the sales people crazy adding up their commission. LOL

[70707Bride]

Aw, your house is really nice! Congrats!

[SerendipityCrafts]

Thanks Jessica :)

Liz ... I was talking to the neighbour's son (also a professional cabinet maker) the other day and he suggested waiting until we could afford to change out the cabinet doors.

He wasn't vying for the business because he's just visiting but, he said that because our doors are melamine and because they are curved on the top and on the bottom, he felt that we probably wouldn't like any "cover up" we might try. His analogy was that it would be like trying to cover a major wound with a pinky bandaid. :rofl: I am thinking he's right.

He said that I could guestimate having to pay $50 - $70 a door. Uhhhhh I have 18 melamine doors, 2 glass doors and 7 drawer fronts in there. I guess the kitchen stays as is for a while LOL