Hello friends! We truly appreciate your patience as we’ve been deeply immersed in a whirlwind of home renovations. For those who follow our journey on Instagram, you’ve likely seen many behind-the-scenes glimpses. However, for everyone else, I wanted to share a comprehensive update on all the exciting (and challenging!) projects we’ve been tackling. What was originally slated to be our moving day has been postponed slightly; we’ve decided to tie up a few more loose ends around the house to ensure everything is perfect before we officially settle in. With any luck, we anticipate moving into our newly transformed space by mid-week!
Transforming Our Home: The Flooring Foundation
Our renovation adventure kicked off with a major undertaking: the complete removal of all existing carpet from the bedrooms. As Jon began the arduous task, he couldn’t help but jokingly (or perhaps seriously?) make me feel a little guilty, remarking on the high quality and practically brand-new condition of the carpet. While his comments certainly tugged at my conscience for a moment, the vision of a fresh, unified aesthetic throughout our home ultimately prevailed. We are incredibly grateful and blessed to be in a position to upgrade our entire flooring system, creating a space that perfectly aligns with our style and comfort.
Choosing the Perfect Hardwood: Handscraped Honey Strand Bamboo
The decision on new flooring wasn’t made lightly; it involved a month of careful deliberation, comparing samples, and endless discussions. Ultimately, we fell in love with a stunning, rustic dark brown Handscraped Honey Strand Bamboo flooring from Lumber Liquidators. It offers a beautiful blend of durability and timeless appeal. Interestingly, the website showcased the product as much lighter, and a sales associate confirmed that its appearance had indeed shifted over time to a darker hue. The reason for this change remains a mystery, but we embraced the darker tones, which added depth and warmth to our vision.
Beyond aesthetics, the practicalities of the purchase were unbeatable. We snagged this exquisite flooring during a fantastic sale, bringing the price down to an incredible $2.99 per square foot. Adding to our luck, a 10% off coupon further reduced the cost to an astonishing $1.61 per square foot! Such a deal made our dream floors incredibly accessible. For ease of installation, we opted for a click-and-lock system. Having tackled glue-down flooring in previous projects, we knew the process could be incredibly time-consuming – and “forever” simply wasn’t in our renovation timeline. The click-and-lock method promised quicker installation, a crucial factor in our fast-paced renovation.
The Weight of Renovation: Flooring Delivery and Acclimation
The very next day, the floors arrived, marking another significant milestone. Jon, a dedicated worker he’d brought along, and I faced the daunting task of unloading a staggering 5,300 pounds of hardwood flooring. Yes, you read that correctly – five thousand three hundred pounds! Despite the sheer weight and volume, we managed to unload it all in under an hour, a testament to our collective determination. Our little Ryder, ever the trooper, played happily in his pack-and-play nearby, oblivious to the strenuous labor unfolding around him. One crucial aspect of bamboo flooring, which we meticulously followed, is the need for it to acclimate for two weeks. This period allows the wood to adjust to the humidity and temperature of its new environment, preventing warping or gapping after installation. While our beautiful new floors rested, we channeled our energy into preparing the rest of the house, setting the stage for their grand debut.
Demolition and Drywall: Creating a Modern Entertainment Space
One of the first major structural changes we undertook was the demolition of the bulky, built-in drywall entertainment center. This outdated feature consumed significant space and limited our design possibilities. To allow Jon and me to focus entirely on this task, Ryder enjoyed a two-day stay with his grandparents, giving us uninterrupted time to work. This decision proved invaluable, as we soon discovered the entertainment center was built with an astonishing level of structural integrity.
The demolition process was far more challenging than anticipated. This structure felt like it was designed to withstand the strongest hurricanes! I even tried my hand with a sledgehammer, only for it to practically bounce off the drywall – it certainly makes those DIY shows look deceptively easy. Jon, with his incredible perseverance, finally completed the demolition that Tuesday night. Taking the wall down to its studs offered a unique advantage: it allowed him to re-wire everything for a much cleaner look, ensuring no unsightly cables would be visible. He also proactively installed a robust TV support bracket, ready for the massive flat-screen television we envision for this newly opened space. Later that week, our drywall specialists arrived to patch and smooth the area, transforming the room’s focal point.
Back in early August, I shared a video on Instagram showcasing the strenuous steps and process of this particular demolition. It truly highlights the robust construction we were up against. Removing the entertainment center was a monumental effort, but the resulting open space and streamlined aesthetic were absolutely worth every swing of the hammer.
The image above captures the room’s appearance just before the drywall team applied the wall texture. It’s truly incredible how much this single change transformed the entire feel and spaciousness of the room, laying a clean canvas for our next steps.
More Demolition: Tile and Old Hardwood Removal
While I was away on a Stonyfield Organics trip, Jon took on another hefty demolition project: ripping out all the old tile and existing hardwood in the front room. This task became an unexpected solo mission. We had initially hired a drywall company that quoted us for tile removal, but they unexpectedly backed out of that portion of the work. This was certainly frustrating, and honestly, it makes us hesitate to recommend them to others – clear communication is key, and we would have preferred transparency over being left in the lurch. Nevertheless, Jon tackled the challenge with his characteristic determination, creating a clean slate for our new bamboo floors.
Kitchen Transformation: Painting Cabinets and Flooring Prep
Once all the tile was removed and the pervasive dust finally settled, our attention shifted to the heart of the home: the kitchen cabinets and, of course, the new floors. The image above shows our kitchen after its first refreshing coat of paint. We opted for a crisp, clean white, which instantly brightened the space and made it feel more expansive. A key design change we plan for the future is knocking down the existing breakfast bar to a more contemporary, counter-height design, further enhancing the open-concept feel of the kitchen.
Painting kitchen cabinets is a meticulous process, demanding patience and multiple coats for a flawless finish. Here you can see all of my cabinet doors meticulously drying after receiving their first and second coats of paint. This transformation alone promised to breathe new life into our kitchen, creating a bright and inviting space for family meals and gatherings.
Ryder’s Renovation Role: Our Little Helper
Throughout this entire renovation, our little boy Ryder has been an absolute blessing. He has spent countless hours patiently playing (and sometimes napping!) in his pack-and-play, right in the midst of the chaos. His cheerful presence and adaptability have been truly remarkable, making the demanding work a little lighter. I even recall him taking several crucial naps in his pack-and-play while I diligently painted cabinets, providing me with much-needed focused work time.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work: Hardwood Installation
Last weekend, with Ryder enjoying a fun-filled stay at my in-laws, Jon and I seized the opportunity to tackle a massive portion of the flooring installation. I proudly assisted Jon with the hallway, which, due to its numerous angles and doorways, required an abundance of meticulous, small cuts. We also worked together to install the beautiful new bamboo floors in the family room, dining room, playroom, and the master bedroom. It was a marathon effort, but seeing the continuous expanse of rich, dark wood emerge was incredibly motivating.
I took on the role of the primary cutter for the majority of the flooring, becoming quite adept with the miter saw. However, once we encountered the more complex, intricate cuts required for tricky corners and unusual angles, Jon expertly took over, demonstrating his precision and experience. Our collaborative effort ensured that every piece fit perfectly, contributing to a professional and polished finish.
Here’s a progress shot of our family room, almost entirely covered with the new hardwood floors. It’s amazing to see the transformation unfolding, room by room, as our vision for the house comes to life.
We managed to complete the main living areas just in time before we had to leave to pick up Ryder from my in-laws. It was a race against the clock, but the satisfaction of seeing these significant spaces finished was immense.
A truly special moment amidst the ongoing work was enjoying our very first family dinner in the house! It felt like a small celebration, a preview of the many cherished memories we’ll create in our new home. This simple act reinforced why all the hard work and effort were so profoundly worth it.
One recurring instruction from Jon throughout the flooring installation was to maintain a precise 1/4-inch gap between the flooring and the wall. He would constantly call out if I was leaving too much or too little space, emphasizing the importance of this expansion gap. To simplify the process and ensure accuracy, he shared a clever molding trick: he would place a scrap piece of molding flush against the wall. If the flooring wasn’t visible beneath the molding, we knew the gap was just right. This ingenious method made maintaining consistency much easier and ensured that the baseboards would perfectly cover the expansion space.
Adapting for Our Little One: A Makeshift Playroom
As soon as the hardwood floors were successfully installed in one of the bedrooms, we quickly transformed it into Ryder’s “makeshift” playroom. We brought in a soft carpet, a few pillows, and a selection of his favorite toys, creating a safe and comfortable space for him amidst the construction. This temporary setup was invaluable, allowing him a dedicated area to play. We even had our wonderful sitter come over on several afternoons, giving Ryder a familiar face and engaging activities in his new space while Jon and I continued our renovation work.
Painting the New Drywall: A Crucial Step
I also began the important task of painting our newly installed drywall. Here’s a crucial tip for anyone tackling a similar project: always prime new drywall. Skipping this step will inevitably lead to needing multiple coats of paint, costing you extra time and paint. Priming creates a uniform surface, ensuring the paint adheres properly and achieves a smooth, professional finish with fewer coats.
On one particular evening, Ryder grew tired of his pack-and-play. Ever resourceful, Jon quickly constructed a fantastic box fort for him, which managed to keep our little one happily occupied for a solid half-hour – a true parenting win during renovations!
Just last night, Jon completed the installation of the hardwood floors in the kitchen, and I couldn’t be happier with the result. They look absolutely stunning and tie the entire open-concept living space together beautifully. While we’ve made incredible progress, there’s still a significant list of tasks to accomplish this coming weekend before our big move-in day on Tuesday. The anticipation is building!
Renovation Recap: Progress and Next Steps
To provide a clear overview, here’s a summary of the major accomplishments we’ve achieved so far in our renovation journey:
- Removed all old carpeting and existing floor tiles throughout the house.
- Successfully removed all outdated baseboards, preparing for new trim.
- Demolished the bulky drywall entertainment center, opening up the living room.
- Installed beautiful new hardwood bamboo floors in most of the house.
- Painted the kitchen cabinets a fresh, modern white.
And here’s what’s still on our plate for the final push before moving in:
- Painstakingly paint all the new baseboards.
- Patch a small, yet annoying, hole in the wall near the baseboards left by the previous sellers.
- Install all the freshly painted baseboards throughout the house.
- Re-hang and properly set all closet doors in the bedrooms.
- Re-organize and re-set the kitchen pantry shelves.
- Add the crucial transition pieces between different flooring areas for a seamless look.
- Finish applying the final coats of paint to the kitchen cabinet doors.
- Apply a protective polyurethane coat to both the main kitchen cabinets and their doors for durability.
- Conduct a thorough, deep cleaning of the entire house (thankfully, we’ve hired a professional cleaning company for this essential step!).
The finish line is in sight, and we are buzzing with excitement! Next week, I’ll be thrilled to share a glimpse of the house with furniture in place, offering a sneak peek into our newly revitalized home. Stay tuned for more updates on this incredible transformation!