It has been busy around my house – lots of decorating projects going on from new kitchen hardware to cabinet painting as well as many other big projects that I am working on. None are complete – all in a state somewhere between – start and finish. I have piles everywhere of projects in progress, projects delayed, and supplies all ready to go for future projects.
To top off doing so many big projects at once or what I call “a decorating marathon”, our HVAC unit decided to quit.
We knew it was coming, but it is always hard as a homeowner to have to face the cost of replacing big ticket items like the heating and cooling system for the entire house. We have lived here for 20 years, so we have been lucky that it lasted as long as it did.
If you follow me on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter you may have seen that I was trying to be upbeat about the expense – I got myself one very nice big cardboard spray painting booth out of it. I have already flattened it and have it stored in the garage. It is all ready for my next spray painting project in my long, but exciting project queue. I think the HVAC installers thought I was loony when I got so excited when I asked them if I could have it. I tried to explain the concept of a spray booth, but I don’t think they understood.
If you didn’t read my last post, then the thought may be going through your mind, “She is painting her kitchen cabinets? I thought she was going to sand her kitchen floor this week?”
In trying to do so many projects for not only my blog, put for Glidden and now True Value, I looked at how long it was going to take me to sand the kitchen and mudroom floor, stain it, and then polyurethane it. It would take days if not a week. That would have put my other fun and exciting projects on the back burner. I decided and Ed agreed (gotta love him, XO) that it is a much better option to hire someone to do the floor.
Yippee Skippee!! It will only take the contractor 2 days! I can be working on other things while he is doing the floor.
The first week of September is when it will finally get done. We will have to eat out and stay off the floor for a few days, but that is easy compared to having to do the whole thing myself.
I kept putting the project off, it should have been done years ago, but when paying for 2 college educations and then Ed losing his job, it was something that we could live with.
The floor looks OK in some spots, but I want to match the stain that is on the rest of the 1st floor.
Here are the really worn spots – under the table, in front of the fridge, and the path between the mudroom door through to the kitchen.
The chance of us moving is pretty high, so getting projects like this taken care of now, will give me the time to do the rest of the tasks that selling a house requires.
The rug I painted 18 years ago will be sanded off and I will be painting something new in its place. That post is slated for late September.
Today the weather is glorious – no AC needed – of course now that we have it again – we don’t need it! I am going to take advantage of the delicious sunny, billowing curtain kind of day to finish painting the cabinets. The windows are wide open – a great day to paint. I even have long pants and a sweat shirt on. It is chilly, feels like fall and you know how much I love the fall. Getting these big projects completed now, will only make Fall feel even more special – everything spiffy, shiny, and new.
I also wanted to tell you that my studioffice is being featured today on I Heart Organizing.
If you have never been to Jen’s blog you are in for a visual treat. She is the master at making everything organized and look simply stunning at the same time.
Now – I am off to paint.
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Tracy Zhang says
Hi Diane,
I’m impressed by your house decoration! What kind of paint did you use for your colorful walls? I mean…the color is fine, clean…is the wall cleanable in case of any dirty staints?? tks!
Diane Henkler says
Hi Tracy – It is grasscloth style wallpaper that I bought at Lowes. It is vinyl, not real grasscloth. It only comes in the beige color. They still carry it.
Serena @ Thrift Diving says
Hey, Diane! Okay, so I’m super interested in seeing you sand your floors. Ours look pretty good, but this is something I love love to do to bring them back to life (and maybe change the color a bit–darker? Hmmm….). Add this to my list of 10K other projects. But hey, if Diane can do it, so can I! :)
I’ll be watching!
Serena
Thrift Diving
Sheryll & Critters. says
You are always so extremely busy.
I hope you eat well and take care of yourself….. all this remodeling, updating and/or painting is stressful, so take care of yourself.
I am waiting with baited breath to see all the ‘new’ stuff…… and you have me so curious about your chairs now.
Rosemary Ford says
Love your website….I had to laugh…..our a/c went out a few years ago right in the middle of a heat wave & I need my air. We lost everything during Hurricane Sandy & are now back in our house….new everything…air works better now.
Diane Henkler says
Hi Rosemary – So sorry to hear that you lost everything during Hurricane Sandy. I can only imagine how upsetting and difficult it must have been to get through. Happy to hear that you are back in your house. We were told that the new unit would cool and heat much better than the older unit. I guess we will have to wait and see. Today is just beautiful. The perfect summer day – no AC needed. :)
Joan says
Hi Diane, wow you are motivating me to get busy with my projects, your kitchen cabinets all spiffed up with paint and great looking hardware will be fantastic. I also noticed your table base painted white. Is that also one of your updated projects? ( I really study your pictures and love to find possible new projects on the way). Can’t wait to see it all finished up.
Diane Henkler says
Hi Joan – I did paint the table base, but have not finished it yet. It still needs another coat. Will be posting it soon. I am going to paint the chairs, too. So much to do, so little time :)
Carolyn says
I’m jealous! LOL I want to refinish JUST the kitchen, but my floors run the entire downstairs area without breaks…and it is OLD…over 100 years old random width, up to 20 foot lengths, so it goes across thresholds too. I’d have to EMPTY my entire first floor…”Empty???” I said. “Where am I supposed to ‘store’ said furniture, books, and much, much more for up to 3 days?” They answered, “in your garage!” They’ve obviously never been to my house, where my single car garage has much more than a little car in it. “Storage” has been a word I’ve used for the garage for a decade. PLUS, there are steep stairs leading down to my garage and it is precarious at best. “Rent a POD!” they exclaimed. They must be thinking of a normal person’s house, not one full of antiques and inherited furniture I could never have afforded on my own. Two PODS might work….but then I was also told that the refinishers don’t actually move anything..you need to have it cleared already for their arrival. I’m still debating how to handle this dilemma.
Now, I will say that I’m much more fortunate on my A/C/Heater. I have one for up and one for down. The upstairs one did crater five years ago and was replaced. My serviceman said my other one might still outlast anything new, as 33 (YES, thirty-three!) years ago when it they were installed, they were the top of the line and built so much better than anything you can get today! My “Dinosaur” for the downstairs is still doing a fabulous job and going looking forward to its 34th birthday in November!
Chris says
Hi Diane. Your blog is amazing. I immediately want to do just about every project you show. Your chalk paint ‘recipe’ is my favorite. Painting my kitchen cabinets has been on my to-do list since I moved into my condo but it seems SO intimidating. I currently have orange oak (builder grade) cabinets. Can you offer any hints/instructions/guidance? I have also considered staining (dark) but that process seems even worse. Help! :)
Diane Henkler says
Hi Chris – My cabinets were oak before I painted them, too. Builder cheap-o grade! I painted them over 10 years ago, way before I began blogging, but I did do a post on how I painted them that may help you. Here is the link: https://inmyownstyle.com/2010/01/diy-kitchen-makeover.html Every cabinet in my house was the same oak- they all have been painted. Most white, but one in navy. It takes time to do, but it is well worth the effort when you are done.
Lynne says
You amaze me girl . . . inspiring too. I must say, I think your Mr InMyOwnStyle is very wise and kind to have someone else come in to refinish the floors. That sounded like a daunting task . . .
Exciting news to hear a move may be happening soon. I hope your blog will continue with the move . . .
Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions says
Lots going on over at your place, Diana, but all in a good way! Your cabinets look fantastic. I just love the white and was so glad that when we moved there were creamy white cabinets in this kitchen. It has been gorgeous here, too, the past couple of days. There is definitely that tease of Fall in the air, but it feels great! I’m hoping we actually get some Fall this year.
amber says
OOOoooohhh! So excited I found you. I read IheartOrganizing all the time and saw that you were posted on her site. I love love love your style! Can’t wait to read more! Also, in your post above there is a picture looking through the kitchen across a hall and into another room (with a small frame and chalkboard paint with the letter H). What is on the hall walls? Is it textured wallpaper? Tell me about it? Is it easy to keep clean? It looks beautiful!
xo,
Amber
Diane Henkler says
Hi Amber – Thanks for coming over from I<3 Organizing. The walls are in the kitchen - they have fake grass cloth wallpaper. I bought it at Lowes many years ago, but I think they still carry it. It is inexpensive. I have it in my master bathroom, too. You can see a better photo of it in this post: https://inmyownstyle.com/2010/01/diy-kitchen-makeover.html If you go to my Home Tour there is a photo of my bathroom window treatment where you can see it, too. https://inmyownstyle.com/2013/06/house-tour-2013.html