Love It or List It

No, we're not moving. But isn't this a great blog title? Recently I got a new laptop, and while combing through files and folders to transfer, I stumbled across a folder called "remodel". After nine years of remodel projects, big and small, it's easy to forget what this place looked like originally. 

While the entire house needed updating, my living space had some of the weirdest features, and lacked a kitchen and usable bathroom.  We didn't love this house when we bought it, but we loved the idea of it. Like all homes on the North Coast that aren't new construction, it's a hodgepodge of "unique" design.  It didn't have the rampant wood paneling that was so popular here at one point, but it had plenty of other "are you kidding me?" details. We fell in love with the street, this end of the beach, and then lucked out with amazing neighbors.

The first remodeling in my space took place that first year, and the last of it during covid. So its been a beat! Covid didn't seem like the right time to share, and then, let's be honest, I realized there was too much clutter to take good pictures. In theory it would take me just a few minutes to clean off my nightstand, but I've just worked around that. ;) Here come the before and after pics! 

Library: The first thing we did was enclose one of the garages to create an extra room. I actually don't even remember it being a garage. We never parked in it. Its first purpose was to hold as many of our moving boxes as possible, and then after we enclosed it, its intended purpose was a craft room/library/office space. It made a fine covid classroom, and most recently the aircraft carrier of a table we have has been the perfect place to pile E V E R Y T H I N G I own.  Working on fixing that! Well, I'm blogging and watching tv, but it's on the list! 

Before: Umm... I forgot our house used to be white! Now it's cedar shake with turquoise siding.

Oh! My little bug!

The garage on the right is the one in question.

That brown paint used to be ALL over!

After: There have been many iterations of this space. Currently we are in the process of taking the big table out, and going with something smaller and more functional. But the books will stay!

Bookshelves!

The first (second?) version of this room had an exposed ceiling that I really loved. 

And while the exposed beams were beautiful, look at this lighting!

I had the best zoom background with all my books!

And the aircraft carrier table was perfect to hold ALL my classroom stuff during covid. I don't know where Winnie is...She was a CONSTANT zoom companion.

Bedroom: I think this was the next project. Or maybe this came before the garage? It was early on because while I could have slept in this bedroom, the bathroom (next) was truly ghastly. I lived in a variety of places while this was happening - the now kitchen, a trailer, and ultimately Seaside. 

Before: These photos are from the realtor site. As you know, I LOVE the color pink. This color is not that. It still gives me the heebie-jeebies.

Everyone wants a tile/carpet combo in their bedroom, right?

After: The kitchen is gone, and so are the shutters. I have pink curtains in their place (and blackout blinds, obviously!). There is also a closet on the opposite wall, a gorgeous turquoise mirror on the bathroom wall, and pink trunks at the end of my bed. But photographing that would take some declutter that I'm not up for right now. In that spirit, DO NOT look at my nightstand. ;)

I love the light fixture!

I bought three Sarah Goodnough prints YEARS ago (15?), and finally got them framed.
 (Hangin' Custom Framing in Hillsboro if you need a spot. She did an amazing job with all of them.)

Bathroom: EGADS! The fact that I wanted to live here,  even after seeing the bathroom, speaks volumes about this beach. 

Before: This realtor pic does not fully describe the horrors. For one, the wall texture was inches thick in places. I got my hair tangled in it one day trying to put hair gel in. Gross. The shower I still don't fully understand. The shower head came out of the wall below my shoulders. It was like Cirque du Soleil trying to wash my hair. The padded toilet seat just added to the overall charm. There is only one picture, and I'm surprised I even kept that!

A particularly traumatizing part of this remodel was when the plumbing for the bathtub went in backwards. "Do you want us to fix is?" Um, ya. Our second contractor, Shelton Builders, was awesome. If you're local and need someone -- call them! The first contractor is referred to in our household as "he who shall not be named"...

After: Winnie's favorite place to be is the bathroom (???), and while that is weird, I will say that it is a particularly lovely room. I still am in love with all the design elements I picked out. It's gorgeous, if I do say so myself. Just like you ignored the nightstand, ignore the burned out lightbulbs! I'm having trouble, apparently, buying six that all match in color and brightness. 

Bathtub shopping!

I can't live without a bathtub!

I still love the tile so much!

Yes, she has her own bath math. It at least confines her to one spot. Mostly.

I got this lovely mermaid at Warehouse 10 in Rockaway Beach and the yellow case at IKEA. The case is now full, and while mostly organized, it's not picture perfect with toilet paper and Tylenol and more lipstick than I want you to know I have. ;)

Kitchen: Okay, maybe the bathroom isn't completely my favorite... The kitchen is pretty great too. The kitchen speaks to who I am, which is why I love it. I always want to want the chic and simple things that people might describe as timeless. I find that aesthetic beautiful, and yet...even as a little kid, I couldn't quite go with the flow, or blend in with the crowd. I do love personal expression, and since this is my kitchen, I chose exactly what I wanted! It's exhilarating - try it!

Before: Oof. There's a lot of before! When we moved in, it was a utility room. At one point it was my bedroom (those were dark times - no photos of that!), it has always been our laundry room, and we made a pretty close to full-functioning kitchen out of it as well.  But it was a very uninspiring room, and more of a bandaid than an actual kitchen. 

Oh, my heart: Miss Molly. And apparently most of my moving boxes.

Kitchenette #1: repurposed shelving system, that almost worked. 

I was certain that painting the cupboards would help. I don't think you can see the knobs, but they were glass owls. Cute! 

At first I thought the best way to hide the utility panels was to lean into the gray. I was wrong! That was like living on an aircraft carrier.

We got cabinets at Home Depot, and that gave me the best version of this kitchen.  Don't the washer and dryer, and the hot water heater really added to the ambiance?

And then I was sure it was green. Or maybe cranberry paint. Or possibly both?

Oh the covid delays! But this was the most hopeful "before"!

After: One of the covid silver linings was that I really got into cooking. Remember early on when we wondered if it was safe to even go to the grocery store? (The answer is yes it was, and we were all sure it was no!). Anyway, I got into Marley Spoon meal boxes. I have a long history of assembling food, not really cooking it. My mom is a good cook, but it comes really naturally to her. I was terrified of basically all meats, and had tastes in food that far exceeded the Costco deli offerings. Anyway, my kitchen was finished several months into covid, and I signed up for MS, and somehow became a cook! I LOVE to cook. I know that it would never have happened like that if I hadn't loved to be in my kitchen. This is one space I am so thankful for. And it's not modern chic, or of the coastal style; this is 100% Erica. :) 

One construction pic because it's one of my favorites. Winnie Foster is SO cute. But she has A LOT of opinions on A LOT of things. Look at the side eye she's giving me here!

I had to have the black and white floor. I know it screams 50s diner to some people, but it's also the flooring in Westminster Abbey. I mean, mine is vinyl, but it's the look, right?

And yes, I painted this kitchen pink! It's actually two different shades - I'm all about the subtlety. Ha! I wish there was a better picture of the countertop. It's a beautiful white, with gray, think lines of black  and a hint of sparkle. 

Since this picture was taken I've added a Barbara Lavallee print that hangs just under the ventilator. The knobs and pulls are rose gold except for the three to the left of the oven. Those three are white mermaids. 

The pantry (large doors on the right) are just the bees knees! They have pull out shallow drawers instead of shelves, which means you can actually see the stuff way in the back! It's the little things. :)

Hallway: I mean, usually one doesn't mention things like hallways, or laundry rooms. We have one by the way, laundry rooms. It's a nice green, and the best part is it's separate from my kitchen! ;) But I happen to LOVE the wallpaper on the doors of my hall, so it's worth including. 

Before: Ugh! That brown was so pervasive! (Dad's photobombing in the back!)

After: Peel and stick wallpaper worked really well on these flat, non-painted doors. Isn't it whimsical and fun? (And yes, this is taken from the opposite side of the hall. But who has pictures of hallways?)

Living Room: Which leaves us with the pièce de résistance which is the living room! I leave this for the last because while we made a kitchen out of an empty room, and a library out of a garage, we had to make a living room out of...a truly horrible living room. It's the biggest transformation to me. Remodeling is 

H A R D, and there were so many setbacks and difficult times. But it WAS all worth it, this space especially.  

Before: Egads. Putting lipstick on a pig is the most appropriate phrase I can think of to explain the bandaids that were put on this room. 

I saw this, and was like, "Yes - let's move here!" 🤣 I don't think you can really see the nastiness of the shag carpet. Used to be white...🤮

My boxy furniture was a hard squeeze in this long rectangle of a room.

This piece of furniture, and the built in step it's on, were SO challenging to remove. It was glued to the wall in several places, and was mounted on a stair. Yes, a random stair that served no actual purpose. Arg!

The drop ceiling served as a cover for all the piping in the house, But it was SO low. Not to mention the enormous HVAC pipe running along the side. 

And the fluorescent lights! The shag carpet was replaced with vinyl plank. Which I hated... Oops. I didn't like the way it felt on my feet, and hated the sound the cat's claws made as they scurried around.

This was the best before version. Drop ceiling gone, lights strung as a distraction, and my beautiful carpet in!

After: So many improvements were made: carpet, fireplace, wallpaper, couch, paint, blinds... It's gorgeous, cozy, and I love spending time in here!

The bricks were white, but I painted them a soft gold. It adds a bit of lux and warmth to the room. There were many wallpaper samples, and I'm so happy I went with this one! It's a bold print, but it's only in small spots on the end two walls so it works and still allows for some decorative freedom in accessories. 

The soffit solution to the piping in the ceiling turned out beautifully. I think it looks like a design element and not a functional solution. I've since swapped the couch out, but it's basically the same idea, just more comfortable. I like looking at this photo and the realtor photo side by side. It's a real wow factor!

So that's it! My house is finally a home. Remodeling is not for the faint of heart. I can't think of another place I have lived where I would go through this process instead of just moving. But this street, this stretch of the beach is truly magical. The air is a little fuller than in the north end of town, and in the summer there's a magical pastel haze. I'm so thankful that my parents helped make this a priority so I have this amazing place to live in.  Their space needs updating too, and hopefully that's the next (and last!!) remodel blog we'll have. 

❤