House in Progress Diary

**pats J on the head**

There, there. It'll be over soon. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go repair my 1950's vinyl sofa with duct tape.

The above would be funny, except I'm not joking.

Nothing that can't be undone when you have more time. Sometimes things just need to look pretty even if it's not what you envision them to look like in the very end. Your back door looks very nice w/ the new glass.

Stucco's right~ you got some things done that will stay forever, like the glass in the door. Temporary can be good. The plaster walls in my bathroom had been layered over with tiles that had fallen off, leaving a crazy patchwork of several different "finishes": tile glue, actual grout, painted plaster, unpainted plaster, and plaster that had been pulled off revealing the brown concrete mud layer. I couldn't face it, so I decided to just start off by knocking off the loose stuff and slathering the whole mess with Kilz. Whattaya know, but that once it was all one color the texture was actually cool. Now people ask how they could replicate it ;^)

sometimes a little spruce can get you through. my laundry room cabinets have no doors at all and there are no baseboards either. I keep saying that the tile wainscoat and the doors are not that far off so I should just wait but I am begining to think that maybe just a 1x6 with a little base cap and may some fabric sheared across the cabinets might make it look a little more attractive. Every time I think it is almost time to start thinking of that something else comes up. This time, Hurricane Wilma and many torn shutters and shattered trees. so I think the kitchen looks great.

I’m going to HGTV hell for this kitchen. I know it.

You mean you aren't there already?

You are so cute! I totally understand and the room is much easier on the eyes- much more zen now and calming. We did a quickie makeover like that on our bedroom- patched plaster walls and painted- no stripping of woodwork or electrical wiring- but it just felt so much less depressing after that- don't underestimate a quickie clean-up's impact.

and I bet you did a better job than Extreme Home Makeover any day!

If you think your hormones are whacky now, just wait until you experience "nesting" when you are close to going into labor! Then, my friend, you may find yourself compelled to do some very odd tasks that MUST BE DONE IMMEDIATELY, even if it's 2 a.m.

Hey, sometimes you have to break a few rules all in the name of short term satisfaction. The kitchen will be livable for the next few years until you can devote the time/money/energy to a full on restoration. Until then, at least you won't cringe every time you go in there. Very good for your mental health!

I think we've all been there... we, with not a little contempt on my part, broke down and bought a cheapy vanity-faucet from HD for our (extremely outdated, long-term project) master bath because I couldn't brush my teeth in our stained, fake blue-marble sink without gagging :)

Around our house, our motto is "Progress, not perfection"

Oh, we've all been there. Ours is the bathroom, where I pulled down the wallpaper above the tile, found GREEN "wood" paneling, painted it white and splattered three colors over it to break the starkness (tile color, a little lighter and a little darker). Then when the cheap plastic tub surround broke, we replaced it with a cheap plastic tub surround. Someday...
Aud

Been there done that. Even put vinyl flooring which was the biggest rule we had...no fake floors --no way NEVER. Hey it saved my sanity.

Looks great btw. Hope you're feeling well Jeannie. Not too far off from 'nigh' n'est pas?

Hey,

First time I've stopped by in a long while, so first time for me hearing about the pregnancy. Yahhhhh!!!!! Congrats! Look forward to breaking many more home improvement rules!