I’ve shared a variety of real-time renovation updates on Instagram Tales, however right here’s a fast catch-up weblog submit for anybody thirsty for the longer format (we all know we’ll love having these posts to look again on). We’re about 7 weeks into our largest renovation in over 5 years, and the home just about seems to be as chaotic as anticipated. Who remembers our mantra from 2012: “the center is mindless“? Over the previous month and a half, partitions have been busted open, ceilings have been torn out, and completely new rooms have been framed. So… a number of progress, however a number of mud… and much more to do. Did I point out it’s dusty?
The simplest strategy to catch up is to look at the video under, the place you possibly can hear me yapping about each house, what has been accomplished, and what’s subsequent on the agenda. Should you can’t watch with sound correct now, come again later for the data (it covers much more than I can in phrases, however the remainder of this submit provides you with a fast standing replace within the meantime, plus ideas for the mud & smaller home optimization concepts).
Observe: You may as well watch this video on YouTube
As a reminder, two sticking factors emerged and slowly started to nag at us during the last half a decade of dwelling right here. They each felt necessary sufficient that we didn’t wish to choose simply fixing one in every of them and fortunately, nothing felt pressing sufficient that we couldn’t look ahead to the best concept to return to us. It actually wasn’t the primary concept that we had. It took just a few years, however we lastly hit on a plan that may accomplish each targets whereas feeling much more thrilling and simpler than most of the different choices we thought of (no transferring the kitchen, all the time having a working rest room all through the reno, no makes an attempt to run plumbing upstairs, which might be extraordinarily difficult in our home, and so forth). Plus the estimate got here again underneath what we anticipated to pay, which by no means occurs! So with out additional ado, our two essential targets:
- Enlarge our son’s small room (what’s nice for a 6-year-old isn’t all the time nice after they’re twice as massive and really into each crafting undertaking underneath the solar)
- Get higher entry to & views of our yard pool space (a protracted hidden hallway that felt indifferent from the principle dwelling space wasn’t ideally suited)
And one bonus factor we threw in “because it’s going to be extraordinarily dusty anyway” was so as to add an ensuite rest room to our bed room. Surviving covid occasions with only one rest room for the final almost-6 years really confirmed us that we don’t NEED a second rest room, nevertheless it made sense so as to add one whereas we had been present process this renovation. Particularly as a result of our contractor identified how simple (and cheap) it could be to run all of the plumbing underneath our raised deck.
Ending The Porch
After a few years of percolating and debating roughly 101 different choices, someday we realized that if we simply completed our coated entrance porch (seen within the previous photograph under) into a totally conditioned room, all of our targets could be achieved in a single fell swoop. Turning that into our daughter’s new bed room (it’ll be barely bigger than her final one, however fairly related) would permit us to open up her previous bed room to the kitchen and sitting space, which existed proper behind it, creating a big L-shaped shared house that may result in the pool with some big glass doorways. Plus we might take in the previous pool hallway into our son’s room to enlarge it (making it not solely considerably wider, but additionally deeper). Positively watch the video above – even with out sound if you happen to can’t take heed to it – to see the gorgeous change that one transfer has made for us!
Right here’s what the surface seems to be like now. They’ve absolutely constructed the brand new bed room, however you possibly can see within the video above that there’s nonetheless lots to do to complete the inside of it. And naturally it nonetheless must be absolutely painted.
That one patch of white paint was placed on as a result of we had been initially instructed that our home’s electrical packing containers needed to be mounted there, however we found out a strategy to relocate them on the fence that you simply see on the left of this photograph as a substitute, which hides them much more (each from the curb and the entrance porch). Now once you stroll up the trail to the door and stand on the porch, you received’t even see them (versus seeing three massive steel packing containers in that painted white sq.).
A Higher View (And Entry) To Our Pool
Transferring again inside, this was the previous “view” of our yard pool from our downstairs dwelling space. Discover how one can’t see it in any respect? Yup, that was the issue. It was absolutely blocked by the laundry room (behind these doorways) and our daughter’s bed room (behind the laundry).
And that is the way it seems to be as we speak! Hiya new room full of sunshine the place all of us can take pleasure in with one of the best view in the home! Hiya simple pool entry from the principle dwelling house, and getting to take a seat on a settee overlooking all of it after we entertain. Hiya additional hangout spot with a TV that the children negotiated (we’ve had only one TV in the home since we moved in) so that they’re past excited too.
It’s unimaginable how a lot gentle this one renovation transfer has unleashed into our home (which was already the brightest dwelling we’ve ever had!). It’s additionally wild how a lot greater every little thing feels, which is like successful the lottery in a small dwelling. Actually my purpose is: much less to wash, take care of, and pay to warmth/cool/furnish… however let’s make it really feel as open and ethereal as doable!
And for the reason that sitting space operate that was once in our kitchen might be transferring into this newly adjoined house, our kitchen can stretch out somewhat extra to incorporate some additional cabinetry and a peninsula with some stools, and our eating desk can float within the space that was once the sitting space. That approach it could actually seat 8 individuals as a substitute of solely 6 (it’s at the moment sandwiched in a narrower space between a fridge and a wall). We regularly have 10 individuals on this kitchen with buddies over, so seating for 8 on the desk and three on the peninsula could be wonderful.
This new “lounge” space might be vaulted (like our daughter’s room was initially) which will even make the room really feel greater and airier. The photograph under was taken from our rest room and it exhibits how open this view has turn into. You’ll be able to have a look at the framing on the ground to get a way of the place these light-blocking partitions was once:
This view additionally exhibits the place the brand new laundry closet will go. There might be a door on that wall (underneath that header with the HVAC ducts) that can home our stacked washer and dryer. The closet itself recesses into our daughter’s room together with her bed room closets subsequent to it, so it received’t take a bizarre chew out of her flooring plan (her new room might be a really related dimension and form to her previous room). I do know it’s exhausting to image how a laundry closet can recess into one other room and match along with a closet in that room, so watch the video for a greater concept of how every little thing matches collectively if you happen to can.
A Larger Bed room For Our Son
Since we’ll now entry the pool by way of the lounge space, the previous hallway that led to the yard can turn into part of our son’s room… widening it from a cosy 7′ to a whopping 11′ ft! You’ll be able to see from the mark on the ground (and the place the ceiling planks finish) how a lot narrower his room was once – and it’s such a terrific change. We had been additionally in a position to transfer the entry door to his room additional again (once more, stealing house from that hallway) to make his room deeper. Including a window that’s twice as massive as his previous one was the icing on the cake. The distinction is wild.
We had been additionally in a position to vault his ceiling increased (since his room elevated in depth, which suggests extra of the best peak of the home is included in his room). We’ve all been shocked by how these modifications have come collectively to make a large distinction. This child can’t wait to fill his new, greater house with craft provides and yarn galore.
Oh and that is additionally the room the place we found a secret secure buried within the concrete basis of the home! Don’t neglect to take a look at “The Secure” archived circle on our Instagram if you missed that entire story. I’ve by no means felt extra like Indiana Jones.
Our Ensuite Toilet
Residing with one rest room actually hasn’t been an enormous headache (we thought we’d transfer in and instantly wish to add one, and now it has been nearly 6 years), however after we had been planning this reno with our contractor, all of us agreed it made sense to go for it whereas we’d have plumbers, electricians, and drywallers in the home. Working the plumbing over to this house couldn’t be simpler as a result of there’s a raised deck between this room and the brand new bed room we made for our daughter (previously the coated porch, underneath which all the home’s plumbing was housed!). So tapping into it took lower than a day! Such a win.
The brand new ensuite rest room is taking on a nook in our bed room the place our floating cabinets used to dwell (see under). The room was once kind of an L formed house, and now the bed room might be a standard rectangle with an hooked up rest room off of it.
Though it’s removed from completed, it already feels prefer it was meant to be this manner!
Turning this nook into a rest room required extra maneuvering than simply taking out these cabinets. We needed to relocate our bed room door to our closet wall, which meant one in every of our wardrobes will now be positioned to the left aspect of the door – the place you see that lighter wooden rectangle on the ground. We’re simply ready for drywall to go up on the wall behind it and we are able to place the wardrobe. Don’t fear, there’s a imaginative and prescient. We’ll even have a cupboard over the bed room door, and really, that complete aspect of the bed room will seem like seamless built-ins. It’s simply exhausting to elucidate in phrases proper now for you, so that you’ll should belief us 😉
Shifting the bed room door into the big rectangular a part of the room meant we might make your entire nook that made the room an L form into our rest room. Now we have now the wall you see under (that was once the doorway to our bed room) to make a stunning floating rest room self-importance nook. Image an enormous gleaning mirror over it. I do know, it’s important to squint very exhausting to image it.
The lavatory received’t be enormous by any stretch of the creativeness, nevertheless it’ll present loads of operate with a sink, a bathroom, and a wall-to-wall zero-entry bathe filled with gleaming tile to the ceiling (that’ll be alongside the wall that’s reverse this nook – the one on the left within the photograph under). You’ll be able to see how the ground seems to dip down in that space, however as soon as it’s all tiled, it’ll all be stage and clean. Zero entry excites us as a result of I wish to dwell on this home till I die, after which hang-out it indefinitely.
Different Renovation To-Dos
Past these essential modifications which have been happening, there are a number of different little issues we’ve had to determine or shift alongside the way in which. For instance, we’ll be rebuilding an out of doors bathe on the again of the home (kind of the place you possibly can see the remnants of the previous one). It’ll be accessed from the aspect dealing with the brand new french doorways, so we’ll want to increase the patio barely too. You’ll be able to see from the colour change within the roof (the brand new stuff will patina to appear like the older stuff) how a lot inside house we gained, simply by ending off the entrance porch! It’s wonderful.
Additionally, that random window you noticed on the ground of our new rest room just a few photograph up is definitely going into our present rest room. That window was once our son’s room, however reasonably than eliminate it, we’re swapping it with our present rest room window, which is smaller and what I’d name “aggressively frosted.” We DIY frosted the previous window that was on this rest room, however after we changed our home windows and doorways for hurricane-grade ones, we selected “manufacturing facility frosted” for the brand new rest room window. What arrived was a textured grey tone. It’s exhausting to see in photographs, nevertheless it blocks SO MUCH LIGHT in comparison with the previous one we had frosted ourselves (utilizing our tried-and-true DIY methodology), which nonetheless offered full privateness.
So we figured that reusing our son’s previous window might appropriate a remorse from the previous, and never solely let in additional gentle as a result of the frosting received’t be as darkish, it’s really about 6″ wider and taller, so it’ll be actually nice to make that room really feel airier and lighter too. Gotta love utilizing what you could have.
How Are You Dealing with The Mess?
Sure, I discussed mud a number of occasions. Renovations are messy. Individuals are out and in all day, stuff will get tracked in, demo unleashes flying particles, issues get reduce and drilled, sawdust flies 20′ within the air. Heck, we haven’t even gotten to drywall but, which is the dustiest half! So right here’s what we’re doing to remain on high of the chaos whereas we’re dwelling in our dwelling through the renovation:
- Drop Cloths – We use these to cowl issues like our couch, our mattress, and even to tape off complete doorways generally. You’d be amazed how they are often working round a nook or throughout the room, however mud can get actually in every single place.
- Small Store Vac – That is nice for little piles of sawdust or particles that you simply encounter (random staples, and so forth). Our contractor is essentially the most neat particular person we’ve ever labored with (he store vacs and sweeps earlier than leaving on daily basis and even blows off our walkway for us) however stuff will get in bizarre spots that you simply miss, so we do one other go with our store vac if we discover somewhat pile of sawdust on a chair rail or in a nook.
- Tineco Moist Vac – This has been the MVP, and we can’t imagine we simply purchased it this January, as a result of it’s making such a distinction! It’s a vacuum mop, so it not solely sucks up a ton of mud, it actually mops the flooring for us in a single go of the vacuum, which suggests all of the dried mud and chalky haze that may be left if we solely vacuumed comes proper up! Our ft and socks are clear after we stroll by the home throughout this reno… which accurately has by no means occurred earlier than with simply sweeping and vacuuming.
The tip right here? Do whatcha gotta do to remain sane throughout a reno. It will get previous. And also you’ll miss the times of a home that feels considerably much less torn aside. This one isn’t even that dangerous as a result of we haven’t ever misplaced our kitchen or rest room (apart from just a few transient hours when the water needed to be turned off). However regardless that renovations by no means really feel like a stroll within the park, they are often so thrilling and filled with chance. We’ve been renovating homes for 20 years, and we’ve by no means regretted a single renovation after it’s accomplished! (Throughout… perhaps. Ha!).
Our Ideas For Residing Massive In A Smaller Residence
Since this can be a widespread query we get, listed below are some issues we’ve realized in our downsizing journey:
- make sure that the bedrooms don’t really feel cramped however aren’t ridiculously big (our bed room all the time felt too massive and our son’s room felt too small – now each might be solved)
- maximize sight traces and lightweight that flows by shared dwelling areas (this feels extra expansive) and vault the ceilings every time doable (once more, it simply feels lots much less cramped)
- furnish rooms, particularly shared areas, so that you’ll really use them, and never only for particular events (if you happen to don’t use your formal eating space a lot, perhaps make it an artwork/homework room that will get tons of use)
- be aware of sticking factors (this reno is fixing two massive ones, however we additionally get to handle smaller issues, like seating extra individuals in our kitchen, including a rest room to our weirdly massive bed room to optimize how a lot that nook will get used, and so forth).
- contemplate greater furnishings (usually in a smaller home you suppose you want smaller furnishings, however that may make it really feel piddly. Assume: two bigger sofas as a substitute of a number of small chairs and loveseats, perhaps even a much bigger mattress in your room so you are feeling such as you’re dwelling massive, and so forth).
- do not forget that storage is king, and actually brainstorm learn how to add it (from switching out a large water heater for a tankless one to realize more room in a closet to constructing in some cabinetry alongside a whole bed room wall, there are such a lot of methods to make a smaller dwelling extra purposeful & environment friendly)
As a reminder, this home was 1400 sq. ft earlier than this reno, and can find yourself being round 1520 sq. ft after changing the coated porch into inside house. So it’s undoubtedly not a tiny home, nevertheless it was an enormous downsize for our household.
By comparability, our final home was 3150 sq. ft (plus a two-car storage, massive indifferent shed, and a large walk-up attic!).
Once we began home searching down right here we thought 1900 sq. ft (like the pink home) could be ideally suited, however we went even smaller to be on this actual location. Our home is walkable to the seashore and outlets/eating places in a tree-filled neighborhood that we fell in love with – so we selected location over sq. footage and we’re so glad we did.
The loopy factor is that every little thing in our neighborhood went loopy price-wise throughout and after covid, so it’s for certain a lot a lot less expensive (like over 10X cheaper) to do that reno than try to purchase a barely bigger home in our location. Plus we simply love this actual lot, the pool we added, and so forth. So I suppose one other small house tip that I’ve is that it may be far less expensive to renovate than having to promote and purchase and pay all of the closing charges and have an entire new home it’s important to adorn and redo anyway.
It already seems like a humiliation of riches (even on this very tough state) to have such lovely views of the pool space from the entrance door and the downstairs dwelling space now.
And having a bonus shared dwelling house upstairs the place the children can get messy crafting, host sleepovers, or watch a loud film with a bunch of their buddies whereas we entertain the adults downstairs is such a terrific feeling. I speak extra about that within the video, however I feel two widespread areas that aren’t on high of one another = one other approach a small dwelling can really feel a lot bigger and extra versatile. That is an previous image of our upstairs room as a result of it’s at the moment filled with a number of issues from downstairs – however we’ll should snap some up to date photographs of this house after this reno, as a result of we modified how the sofas are positioned and it’s much more purposeful for us!
We’ll submit one other reno replace after we’ve made extra progress (subsequent up: just a few ultimate electrical tweaks, insulation, drywall, tile, fixtures, and flooring). In different phrases, keep tuned to Instagram for extra real-time updates, and we’ll be again right here with one other replace, perhaps someday in March?
P.S. Did you miss our first submit about this reno? It has tons of information and another photographs to shed much more gentle on this undertaking proper right here.
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