Before and After...

We had this room in our house... it was covered in wood. Lots, and lots of wood. Knotty pine they call it (I think). Horizontal siding (indoors). Wood bookshelves, wood cabinetry, wood beams. All knotty pine. It did not match the style of our house at all. It was a love-hate thing. That being you either love it or hate it. I would say the "love it" was mainly some of the guys who have checked it out. They no doubt have visions of hanging dead animals or guns or something on the wall. Luckily I have a husband who is not fond of guns, and who found the room dark and depressing.

We spend a lot of time in this room. Most of our non-sleeping, non-cooking time. Television, trains, computers, office, laundry, etc. all concentrated back here. There are four doors in this room that lead to the backyard which means in the summer we run in and out from the backyard to the back room regularly. The thought of spending countless hours with a newborn in the dark, depressing, wood room gave me anxiety. So I proposed that we do something about it... let's paint the wood or something. I was thinking of the least expensive way to lighten it up a bit.

Bob had a better idea (he always has good ideas, but they typically double, or triple the budget). So... we got a dry-wall contractor, and then a painter and presto... the room has been transformed. We're not finished yet.

There is electrical work to be done, light fixtures to pick out, hardwood floors to be refinished, and oh, all new furniture to buy (of course)... but we're getting there. Progress! I love it! Bob loves it! Charlotte can't stop dancing and rolling around the floor! Success! I'll post more pictures after we do the floors (hopefully next week) and after we furnish (hopefully in a few weeks after we win big on Kentucky Derby Day!). A girl can dream!

p.s. That awful brick work and woodburning stove (in the first picture) are now gone. Not even sure why someone would have put them there but I guess it went with the "woodsy" look. Not the most practical way to heat a house in this California climate.

p.p.s. That monster huge television (in the second picture)... it is gone too. It disappeared on that fateful day some big losers burglarized our house. The image of two guys hauling off this huge TV is something I care not to imagine. Wish they would have walked off with the bricks and the stove though while they were here removing things from our house.