Change

When we bought our house 3 1/2 yrs ago, we bought it for several reasons. We liked the location, we liked that we got land with the house, and most importantly, we loved the house. It wasn't a cookie-cutter like so many other people had, but a unique house that was interesting and different. What we didn't love, was the decor. It was still very much the year it was built...1979. There was fabric-like wall-paper in the family room, 2 different flowered wall-papers in the master bedroom, thatched wall-paper in the living room and hallway, and the best of all...burnt orange shag carpet in the living room. I'm telling you, it was like walking back in time.


The first thing we did when we bought the house was strip wall-paper and paint. Every room needed something new. We went from dingy wall-paper or pastel colors to bright, dark and colorful. The bathroom went from peach to sage green, the other bathroom from duck and plant wall-paper to a turquoise-ish blue with colorful stripes. The living room got a bright maroon wall that continued into the entry. The bedrooms went from green, blue and flowered awll-paper to white and pink, purple and shades of blue.


The biggest improvements have probably been in the kitchen. We have stripped wall-paper, repainted, replaced the floors, and now have replaced all the appliances. The fridge was easy. There wasn't one. That was the first thing we bought for the kitchen. Then this past May, Andy finally let me buy a new oven. I was so excited, but that was supposed to be it for awhile. Then a few weeks ago the dishwasher started leaving puddles on the floor. Big puddles. Like leave-a-dish-towel-soaking-and-then-some puddles. So I got a new dishwasher, too! It's heavenly and washes the first time and we don't have to turn up the radio or tv when it's running.

We've now replaced every appliance in the kitchen and it's all like new. We want to replace the exhaust hood, too, but that's not a priority. I also still have some wall-paper to strip between the cupboards and counters, and I want to paint a stripe above the counters to tie in the accent wall by the table. And someday, I want new countertops. These yellow things are so ugly and stain VERY easily. Notice my mistreatment?

So what do you think? We are thrilled and it really makes being in the kitchen that much more enjoyable. And did you notice that you can't even hear the dishwasher? That's right, when I took this pic it was running. Can't hear it, can you?