Rescued Entry Table....The Foyer Makeover

Before

After

I don't know about you, but I personally need to STOP!!!  Okay, so maybe just slow down. A. LOT.  It all started when I ripped the carpet off the stairs...then, this all happened....Started looking around and thinking...yep, bad, I know.  Then, looked around in Bloggieland for some inspiration...and went at it...

Under the Stairs BIG Reveal!!!!! The Playhouse fit for Royalty!

CAN I GET A DRUM ROLL PLEASE?!  First, let's start with a good before picture.

Under The Stairs...LAST UPDATE before the big reveal....

Just pics. folks....cause I'm too tired to write...I'm sooooooo over this project.  Unfortunately, one of the accessories will not be here until the 15th of next month... :( I'll show ya when it's put up...but for now....one coat of (yes I know...exciting) one color of paint is all that's left!  And thanks to the gals here at the 9-5....the little clubhouse door got a lil' sumpthin' extra today....Can't wait till Friday!  Here are a few sneak peeks...

Measure Twice, Cut Once...Nuff' Said!

Welp, yep.  Being a perfectionist really bit me in the be-hind this time....rather than finishing up the project for the big reveal today...I decided I was going to re-frame(in) the door.  Why?  Why not?!?!  There was an issue when I was trimming out the inside.  I thought a few minor adjustments could solve the issue....WRONG!...so what did I decide to do?  Rip it out...do it again!  After measuring everything out...AGAIN....cutting boards to do this door frame...AGAIN...I realized it wasn't me.  Two days wasted because the studs I was framing the door between weren't square...awesomeness.  HOWEVER, I'd already ripped apart the door.  So some of the wasted two days was spent constructing a new door.  Here's where we are now. (and yes...I just now noticed the paint drippings...awesomeness...add an extra 30 minutes.....)

Under the Stairs...Clubhouse, Stairs Renovation, and Board and Batten updates 9 and 10

I'm alive...I'm not dead.  That which does not kill me will only make me stronger.  Whew.  Glad I got that off my chest, ironically enough, I don't feel any better...lol~!

Here's what happened folks...here's why design boards are a good idea.  Martha Stewart paint...clearance at Home Depot...picked me up some for the clubhouse....painted it....HATED IT!!!  Almost cried....ALMOST.  Then I got my big girl panties on and went back to the drawing board...new color scheme....here's the blue...Epic.  EPic.  EPIc.  EPIC FAIL!

 (That's wood filler under the blue...but it's not doing it for me.  I was thinking blues/tans/etc....because I had two of these fabulous knobs that were screaming, "use me!!!"

Under Stairs Update # 3?

I've been doing this for so long, I don't even remember what number I'm on...Here's where we are...I can see the light at the end of the tunnel...  As you can see....the giant pipe that I thought was going to be a problem has been strategically removed...(the previous owner from over 10 years ago replaced the water heater and since he wasn't as brave as I am...and didn't cut a hole in the wall to access this room...he left the pipe in there...so Dad discovered it wasn't connected to anything....we ripped it out...(yes, we did have access to the room it was leading to so it wasn't a Jack Bauer mission or anything like that, it was pretty simple, and opened the place up a lot!)...

The inspector had to check it out for herself...just to see where we stand as far as finishing this thing....

"Yep, I'm sure this right here needs caulked or something..."

I did finish the board and batten wall.  I can't wait to tell you all about it and what I'm doing differently next time.....(only half of it's painted because I ran out of paint!)

Here's the only unfinished part....I'll do it tomorrow am....(hopefully)...

If I was a kid....I'd TOTALLY want to live here....ok...so I'm nowhere close to being a kid...but I still would live here....

THOSE trim pieces were a ......BLLLLEEEEEPPPPPPPP...

Do you see the light yet?

Here's what I have left:
-Finish rail by stairs (trim and top)
-(re)design gallery wall....
-Paint trim (Loft, baseboards, and B&B wall....sand...fill...repeat)
-Paint entire wall to the left....and above clubhouse door....
-Trim clubhouse door

-Finish inside of clubhouse...which includes but is not limited to...
    -Hang Bead board wallpaper
    -Put up chair rail....
    -Finish built in book rack holder thingies....
    -Make curtins (out of none other than...burlap)
    -Make "faux skirt....(again out of burlap)
    -Put up crown molding...yes, on the inside...why not trick it out?!?!?
    -Paint inside of clubhouse (a few parts of it with accent colors)...I'll show you the     swatches tomorrow...
    -Lay carpet pad and carpet....

AWESOMENESS....THINK I'LL HAVE IT READY FOR THE REVEAL ON MONDAY??!?!?!?  HOW MUCH YOU WANNA BET?!?!?!?  Okay, maybe all except the wall....I'm still trying out different layouts...

Under The Stairs Storage/ Clubhouse...Update #7

Well my friends, we are getting there!  I'm hoping to do the big reveal (including the new gallery wall, board and batten walls, clubhouse, and storage area, all in one!!!!!!!)
We (I) made lots of progress this weekend.  Dad came over yesterday to assist with the electrical.  He would have done more, but he has been sick with whatever the Little Monsters and Mr. A2B had....so I let him off the hook this time!

The door in the pictures is the 2nd door I made...yes...MADE.  The first one was too heavy so I had to rip it apart, and make a new one....AWESOMENESS!!!

Behind these doors......MY storage space

I put books in there so you get the idea...

For now, there are lots of tools back there....

Here's the ceiling light....

I did a lot of painting this morning, but didn't have a chance to shoot any pics...you can see more tomorrow!  AND...the little rugs are in there just until I'm finished painting/sanding/whatnot...then I'll install the carpet.  I'm too tired to explain the BIG DEAL that happened Friday night...it's the gift from heaven I referred to a few weeks ago.  I'll explain later this week.

Happy Monday my friends!

Stair Renovation Update #6 and Clubhouse Update #1

Well Pals, today Mr. A2B is home sick....(with the shitlins....who are both, amazingly enough...feeling much better!!)  I sanded down the Board and Batten wall, and painted it this morning.  The pictures don't show much of an update, so instead, I'll show you the "hole in the wall under the stairs/storage/playhouse/whatever project" update.  I'm happy to announce, the new sub-flooring is in....and hopefully Dad can spare a couple of hours this weekend to come over and assist me with a "shelf to cover the copper pipes so the monkeys don't hang on them" problem.  Here's the progress on that.  (Hopefully I can finish the painting tonight....and the big reveal can come asap!!!!)

Here's where we were....the first hole I cut in the wall!

I moved this thing...and rearranged the living room....It's taken me a little to get used to but it's amazing how much it opens up the room!

Then, after I cut the hole bigger, this is what I had to deal with!  Thank God for shop vacs!...And Hazard Masks!!!

Got er' all cleaned up...

Cut the hole bigger....put in a new "shelf" with left over trim/whatnot I found laying around in my garage workshop...

 Here's the outlet I'm turning into two lights on a switch!  (One inside and one outside)

She REALLY DIGS IT!!

Here's the shelf...

I'll be putting doors there in the frame (that's the "storage" area)...because....I don't want the kids getting stuck in there...I need to finish the floor back there...and those are the lights hiding out!

Here's where I need Dad's help...he's a contractor....like an expert on building things that can survive the wrath of the Little Monsters!!! Oh, and there's that little thing called "code"...whatever....So he'll know what has to be "accessible".  I figured when we do move....it'll be appealing to the new owners...they can make it a wine cellar, or use it for storage....or whatever!

See ya tomorrow!!!!!  I hope I get lots done tonight!  I am dying to paint this thing!  And I got a "scrap" of super expensive carpet and a pad for $14.00 at Lowe's...whodathunkit?!?!?

Stair Renovation Update #5

Hello Everyone!  I miss all of you yesterday!  I didn't have a chance to post because (LOOOOOOONG Story short.....) Two little munchkins are sick and needed Mommy to stay home with them.  Typically Mr. A2B stays home with the kiddies but yesterday he couldn't rearrange his work schedule as it was a "mom's walking out the door to go to the 9-5 and we discover a puddle of vomit on the Little Man's bed" kinda thing.  Don't worry....I did finish the runner (kinda)....and did manage to paint the wall above the board and batten wall...(because I got up at the typical 5 am to get work done.....THEN we discovered the shitlins were needing a visit to the dr.)  So, the runner is finished...the wall above the board and batten is finished....HOWEVER....I still need to sand the board and batten section down and give it one last coat of paint, and paint the piece of trim in the loft area...AND I found something that's going to work (for where the rise meets the tread) to pull the runner a little tighter....so this is an "almost" finished project.... With the addition of square dowel rods at the bottom....I'm a happy camper!

BUT....I have had a chance to half-way knock out the "hole in the wall under the stairs/storage/playhouse/whatever project".  I can't wait to post that tomorrow!  It's totally AWESOMENESS!!!  Better than expected thus far (which usually means I have about four or five bumps in the road ahead...)  O well!!!

See ya tomorrow!!!

A revised sample coordinates the mod wallet.

Stairs Renovation Update #4

Well, unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, the stairs are not done.  We had my parents over for dinner last night and had a brainstorming session about the "Under the stairs Storage/Nook/Clubhouse.  As far as the stairs...  I have one more piece of trim for the board and batten wall left, and as of this am....one stair left to cover.  Yes, I was one stair short.  I'll be finishing that up tonight.  I also decided to paint the gigantic wall above (one thing leads to another) the stairs (and it needs one more coat)...and I need to fill the board and batten joints/sand/paint...again.  AWESOMENESS!  Here we are...the runner works...is it my fave?  NO!  I did not want a runner-I compromised so Mr. A2B is happy/keeps allowing me to tear apart out temporary home.... :)

HOWEVER....I finally have a hole in my wall!  So, I am a happy girl.  AND...Mr. A2B is 100% on board with the clubhouse/storage/whatever I want plan.  (I don't really plan things when it comes to home wrecking renovations, I just kinda fly by the seat of my britches.  I'll also note, that I would have had this project completed, BUT this cute little thang needed some mommy time this weekend...She discovered pockets....way too cute!!!

One last thing....the "Hole in the wall under the stairs (AKA Storage Space/ClubhouseArea) includes this....

Are you as excited as I am?!?!?