What Ana Does

When we returned from our RV trip we found a citation for an "unkempt" yard from our town hall. No fine but it was still very annoying. YES, we were aware of the state of our yard but we went on vacation. We also got one from our neighborhood association, thanks to a nosy neighbor who took a picture of our yard (with the RV in the driveway) to report us. Really cool.  The truth was, we had already called a landscaping service to pull it all out, and, in fact, had been waiting for their estimate when we got the city's notice. We quickly learned landscapers have been abnormally busy this year, so it took a few weeks to get the estimate and on the schedule.  Finally, I have some before and after photos for you ...  We also did the other side of the house, but I don't have photos of that side. It's much the same: weeds to grass seed.  The plan is to sod and get grass growing in all the cleared out areas. And, eventually, add something like hydrangea along the front po...

This may be one of my favorite house projects ... mostly because it's in the heart of our home and gets used every day. And I had been imagining it for a long time. But also because we did it so quickly. We talked about it Saturday morning and by Sunday afternoon I was painting.   Here's our AFTER photo ...  And here's the BEFORE photo that I found from 2016, after our Halloween party.  The big questions ... is there dog hair all over the stairs?? Yup, there sure is. But we can wipe down the stairs when we're cleaning up. Can you JUST imagine all the hair and dirt in the 20 year-old carpet?! Gah!  I added this peel and stick wallpaper to this half wall to add a little visual interest and it's a fun element to see each day. The girls didn't like it at first, but it's growing on them.  So now I've just got to finish up the spindles on the second floor -- and there's A LOT of them. Hoping to wrap up this week.  Such a fun style update to this dated hous...

Yes, there certainly was a lot of UP AND DOWN on the ladder to get this angled ceiling in the master bedroom painted, but it didn't take too long (a few interesting podcasts) and I'm very happy with the results. Much happier than the willow color I had picked out before. The transition into the ceiling is a little cleaner and airier. And it picked up the cream color of the curtains, but different enough than the white trim. Here's another Before pictures of that curly willow color. You can s ee more master bedroom BEFOREs and a full run-down of this minor project here . PS. The new color is "Pearly Cotton" from Magnolia Home. It's also worth noting that the whole idea of this Master Bedroom "touch up" was to calm the whole room down, and make it more tranquil. I pulled down art and family pictures to let that awesome blue wall just breath a little. The TV wall used to be jammed with three pieces of dark-wood furniture. It was a lot...

This is the view walking into the master bathroom from our bedroom. Notice the Door Opens the WRONG Way AND the Light Switch OUTSIDE the Room Related posts: Need a reminder of what this space looked like? See the BEFORE pictures More Bathroom posts

Today is  DAY 1 on the master bathroom remodel and I am READY for it! Well, I'm mentally ready. I still have to clear out our closet, choose a wall color, pickup the wall sconces, etc. I have a list. So, in honor of the beginning, I'm sharing the yucky BEFORE pictures I took when the sun was finally out (it's been that kind of Spring around here). View From the Tub -- What Is In That Corner??  Shower and Water Closet Corner Tub That We Never Use Little Linen Closet Of course you notice the obvious -- it's super ugly, crappy finishes, and beige. Right there we have reason to rip it all out. The plastic tile flooring and vanity lights are high on my "Most Annoying Thing Ever" list. The carpet tile was my way to get some style and color into the room. Then there's the vanities that are just big cabinet, no good organization possible. Two teeny drawers and a large cave-like opening where things go to get lost. The tub, which makes...

It took two days and about $80 in supplies, and now our kitchen pantry is REBORN! Here's a quick review of the project in pictures, starting with the BEFORE pictures: My main issue with the wire shelves were bottles or anything "thin" would tip over. And with my commitment to bulk, I wanted to store glass containers in here but knew they wouldn't be "safe." I foresaw broken glass at some point. Plus, it's a great space, so I knew I could add more storage space if I was strategic. Last, wire shelves are ugly. So then I demo'd the pantry and painted the walls (which was just primer) with leftover paint from the rest of the house. It's called Polar Bear. I paid an electrician to install an outlet at "counter height" in the pantry, so I could move the dumb microwave off the counter. (The electrician did a slew of other small jobs around the house, not just this outlet, including a motion-activated light in this pantry. Tres Fancy...

I'm just to the point of puttering in the laundry room, so we're considering the improvement project "done." Yes, I have a little checklist I'm still ticking through, but the big stuff is complete. So, here's the dramatic Before and After pictures of our  Laundry Room . To recap the issues: The floor was hideous and cracking in some places, The utility sink was a mess and the faucet was puny and wobbly, There was no closed storage, so all the things we stored in here were totally visible, The wire shelving made it look like a closet, not an actual room, We needed wayyyy more storage (cabinets, preferably) for this room to reach its potential, The walls had never been painted, they were still primer. This was the plan that I sketched out in Paris ...  Washer/Dryer Wall Plan Closet Wall Plan And, finally, here's the finished result ... We love, love, love it! It's such a prettier room and bright. More updat...

While in Paris, I spent an insane amount of time thinking about updating my laundry room. I spent hours looking at Pinterest and imaging the different ways to use]the space. As our move grew closer, I started settling on ideas and drawing out plans and a budget. In my Post Paris Plan, that laundry room was a priority for a renovation. Wonder why? Here's a quick look ... Laundry Room Before: Glorious, NO!? This room (and it's a room and not a glorified closet, as it looks like now) is near the garage door and I know it could be 100000% more useful and productive with a little time, money and energy. Just adding a few built-in cabinets will improve the room. Or take a look at this space near the garage door. I consider it a "mud room" since it's where shoes get kicked off and where I leave my grocery bags, etc.  The Laundry Room "Mud Room" Area. It's Empty Because I Took This Picture Over the Summer. Now can you just imagine it with som...

This green hallway is at the top of the stairs and is between the girls' bedrooms. It's a hallway we walk through everyday and everyday I roll my eyes at the lack of order and function. I love to store books here and the kids' masterpieces on this little DIY art hanger ( here's how to make it ). But, otherwise, this space is a disaster. My own little pit of despair and it's slowly driving me crazy. Even from Paris. The plan for our first full week at home is getting cleaned up for all our upcoming visitors and this is one spot I really want to focus on. First, I want to repaint. White, probably. Second, I want to find a plan for this space that includes built-ins, so it looks really clean and on-purpose. Not a storage area for random things. I have two options I've been thinking about a lot. Option 1: Do a built-in desk along this wall. Coincidently, the original plans for this house includes a desk in this space but the original builders opted o...

Wrapping up this project and feeling pretty good about it. To recap, here's the BEFORE ... with that hideous square tile and brass fireplace insert. BLAH. And here is the AFTER photo ... all updated and pretty ... Overall, I give this project a Moderate on the difficulty scale. It was my first time grouting and demoing tile  -- a messy and sweaty endeavor. But, otherwise, most of the tasks used skills and tools I had from other improvements. And my conversation with  an "expert" before I got underway was crucial, I think, in keeping the overall scope manageable. As far as budget, I spent about $360, with a majority going to tile materials and the stone. Not a hefty price tag for a thing we look at every single day. And I love the end result. The room has more texture and an updated feel. And our huge brownish sofa looks better somehow, too. The next questions ... should I paint the white trim of the fireplace? And does it need a larger mantel? ...

After I decided to go with version 2 of the Fireplace Project and not remove all the millwork around the fireplace, which I still think was a great idea ( see the post where I detail the change here ). I still had this piece of $10 wood I got at the reclaimed place laying around. I was thinking ... what if I just lay it on top of the current mantel?? Yes, it needs to be cleaned up and trimmed but what's the verdict? Yes? No? What Do You Think About That Wood Along The Top of The Mantel?  UPDATE: The wood piece on top of the mantel was VETOED by every member of the family. So there. It's gone. Related Posts: Fireplace before photos All the Fireplace Project posts

I can't stop looking at my fireplace. And not in a good way. When we first moved in, I painted the trim white and it stood out because the walls were that awful beige. But last year, we painted the room white. So now, it's basically camouflaged into the wall. And it's all very builder-grade, including that horrible peach tile (that is also on my kitchen floor). There are too many days I want to take a hammer to it. Here it is in all its current glory: The Before Picture It's time for it all to GO! I really think we need to introduce some natural texture into this room. And some warm wood. I've been doing some fireplace Pinning and here's the goal ... I'm Not Planning to Hit the Ceiling, But I May Change My Mind I started scouting for materials that I can DIY and I found this product called AirStone at Lowe's. It's faux stone that is applied with glue directly to the wall. I checked it out this weekend and it's pretty cool. And I...

Just recording some BEFORE pictures of the basement, as it's going to get quite a transformation! These two images are from the wall looking back at the staircase in both directions. This view is going to be finished as one long room. The ping-pong table will move to the middle and the farthest wall will be the media area. Still trying to decide about flooring ... carpet? Laminate? This angle (below) shows the future location of the unfinished storage room (around that aqua-blue shelf), and the bedroom (far right area). So when the project is finished, this view will be walls and two doors. As you can tell, a lot of clean-up is still in progress. We're filling up a big dumpster bag in the garage and have recycled a LOT of cardboard boxes. And there's more to be trashed. Though, I can leave some stuff in the unfinished area, but I'm being careful to vet it before I decide to hang on to it. Related Posts:  The basement floor plans .

Trying to decide if I need a haircut. It's pretty darn long.  Though, all my favorite HGTV stars * have long hair, and if they can rehab a 100 year building with long hair, why can't I do my office job with the same?  So I'm debating.  Hello Ends - Did You Make Like a Banana and Split? * The hairstyle of my favorite HGTV stars should have no baring on my own hair. But, alas, it does.

As you stare at this BEFORE picture, let's remember it's early spring and it's been raining for the last six days. Also, please notice the crumbling brick stairs and sinking pavers.