Almost a year later, we are getting towards the end of the renos in the house.
One of the bigger jobs was the staircase...
Ugly carpet. So much to change!
And Tristan didn't help...
...he decided to gnaw on the poorly-installed drywall!
First the carpet came off.
Then the floors were all stripped and refinished.
Walls were painted and we got a new shelving unit built.
Then the pièce de résistance. Our friend Tammy stripped and refinished the bannister...
She will killing me for posting her picture, but she looks great and so does the staircase. Sophie loves Auntie Tammy.
Then the walls and stairs were painted...
And the wainscoting put in and painted. So happy with all the results!
Now the kitchen is being done.
Goodbye, wallpaper! After this, the only wallpaper left will be in my office, and it's going too.
The wallpaper is being painted over, because it's a can of worms under there. Panelling on some walls, unfinished drywall on others, 105-year-old plaster on others!
And we had French doors and a wall put over the piano room entrance so we can get a pull-out couch and use it as an extra guest room.
It's been a long haul but we're getting there. Still want to get all the downstairs floors refinished. Old houses!
Have a great weekend.
Gosh but that staircase looks wonderful.
ReplyDeleteWe are beginning our renos....we need a Tammy.
ReplyDeleteJane x
I can hire her out to you! ;) She was so patient with that staircase. it would have driven me crazy.
DeleteThe staircase looks gorgeous. She's really good. It's not an easy job as we did this years ago. With animals, it looks like its' ready to be done again. :( You have a great kitchen..so big. And I love the wall unit that's built in. Fabulous!
ReplyDeleteTammy is very fastidious! I couldn't believe how careful she was. She did an amazing job. It wasn't easy.
DeleteThe wall unit was built by the farmers who rent out our land. They also have a cabinet-making business, and do fantastic work. I want them to do some stuff for my office so i can get rid of my Ikea furniture that is falling apart!
I always did hate carpet. Your staircase looks great!! Tammy did a admirable job of refinishing. I like the lighter color of the railings so much better than the dark. The wall unit is beautiful and I do like the color on the back. Can't wait to see the kitchen when it's finished. Sophie looks so sweet sitting with Tammy.
ReplyDeleteI am really not a fan of carpeting, especially with all the pets we have!! THe railings and spindles are birch. The floors in our house are all either maple or birch, which is the wood you find all around here, so I guess that's what they were using 100 years ago!
DeleteI am looking forward to the kitchen being done. I guess it's all fairly cosmetic (mostly painting) but I was so tired of that wallpaper!
The dogs just love Tammy.
It's all beautiful. I'm so glad you are young.
ReplyDeleteJoanne, we are paying people to do all the work! :) I can't take any credit.
DeleteMy daughter is about to begin renovating an older home they bought...on top of adopting another little girl. I'll be there in April, it should be interesting. Your labour of love is truly magnificent and I think the stairs turned out great! XOXO
ReplyDeleteI am really happy although my labour has mostly been sitting at my desks, writing out cheques to the various people doing all the work for us. :) We painted every other house we owned but after 10 moves in the first 17 years of our lives together, we are totally burned out on redecorating. :)
DeleteYour daughter will have fun with her reno!
Wow! You made an awesome job on this reno. It looks so rich! somebody has super taste on the colors.
ReplyDeleteI can take credit for the colour-picking, but I can't take credit for any of the labour!! Lots of good workers around here. OUr carpenter is also a farmer, and was a dairy farmer until he sold his herd. Our painter is also a former dairy farmer who sold his herd. The "stripper" is also a nurse. :)
DeleteAll those years of art and design training and work help me with the colour selection! :)
I still love what you did with your staircase.
ReplyDeleteLove the shelving at the top sooo much.
Your kitchen is going to be fabulous!
I am really really really happy with the staircase!!
DeleteWe don't need anything super-fancy in here, but I would just like to bring back a bit of the old farmhouse feel. Plus I love colour!
I love it. Thanks for showing the renovations step by step. It's so nice to see how well the old house is responding to care and good taste. It's like a re-awakening! It reminds me of a verse from the French poet, Alphonse de Lamartine."
ReplyDeleteObjets inanimés, avez-vous donc une âme qui s'attache à notre âme et la force d'aimer?
Inanimate objects, do you have a soul which clings to our soul and pushes it to love you?
(a very poor translation)
I think your translation is pretty darn good! Love the verse en français.
DeleteI love our farmhouse. The next step will be to replace all the windows, and we would like board-and-batten siding instead of the vinyl we currently have. Originally the house was sided in tin!
That Newel post is wonderful. If I find old ones at boot sales, I buy them and convert them into 'antique' marbled lamps.
ReplyDeleteI bet you could find a lot around here. People rip them out!!!
DeleteThe final results are so worth the pain. That old house must be just beaming at her new clothes!
ReplyDeleteI think she'll breathe easier. :) Just want to get the downstairs floors refinished now. Eventually we are going to redo the bathrooms but for now they are fine.
DeleteWhat a great job you're doing in remodeling and redecorating. Isn't it nice to get rid of all the old wallpaper?
ReplyDeleteIt is GREAT. But I must say, we are paying others to do all that hard work!!
DeleteIt looks simply gorgeous! I love a project like this where an old house is given a new start.
ReplyDeleteAnd it will be nice to have the house in our decor, not someone else's. Feels like home! :)
DeleteIt's really coming together Natalie, and looking fantastic. The stairs are a wonderful job - so many fiddly bits! A total transformation.
ReplyDeleteWill be showing your reno to my son who just bought a house with alot of wild wallpaper and miles of pink carpet. Your reno is just beautiful, will give him hope for his!
ReplyDeleteHe can do it, and it'll be worth it in the end! :)
DeleteThe staircase is looking fabulous, I'm looking forward to seeing the kitchen finished.
ReplyDeleteIt's all done now but i need to put up my art and take photos!
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