Patrick and Melanie: face lift

Please excuse my cluttered, toy filled home. We (well really Hudson) like it that way.

And no, this first picture is NOT my house. I mean, it is, but this is before we moved in.

Frightening, I know. I get the same anxiety when I look at it.

When we moved into our home, the troops came in and dewallpapered, painted, scrubbed, painted some more, dewallpapered, painted...you get the idea.

It was so helpful.

Then we had the leak, renovated the kitchen, put new floors, and painters repainted over all of our hardwork (well really 'their' hardwork ...I was overly pregnant at the time)

Here we go.

Previous owners

we called this our 'awkward room' - just didn't really know what to do with it??

fireplace in the corner (can't see it here), the fancy cut out in the wall?? what to do??

(please, take a look through the cut out at the fruit salad wallpaper)

dewallpapered and still awkward??

floors were ripped out at this point because of 'the leak of 2012'

demolition!!

a piece of my favorite wallpaper was hiding behind something all of this time!!

see it?

the awkward room is now part of a beautiful kitchen

I didn't think I could love my carrara island countertop any more - but this backsplash may have stolen some of that love!

previous owners

now!

I'm cringing - the door...

When we walked in this house the first thing I said was "this door HAS to go"

and it DID!! along with some of the walls

puke colored walls, anyone??

..or is this better??

I had forgotten about these curtains. They came off the walls within hours of us getting the keys. It was a must.

There was the face lift - a quick tour!

Now - we had a project we started last year. Two babies and one renovation later, the project is complete!!

Built ins for the den!

These are a few of my favorite things - and I love having them in the room we spend the most time in.

Drawings from my talented sister. I'd be jealous too... ;)

Cotton, oyster shell and a honey bee.

I do love birds.

Two bird drawings from my sister, a painting from my Grandmother Moses' house, and (sarah margaret!) a clay penguin given to me by my room mate from freshman year!

Also - some old books that are from my Grandparent's house - part of the loot we acquired when they put it on the market. I do love old treasures!

The dog guarding the books is from my Grandmother Moses as well - it was hers when she was a little girl. Their house caught on fire and she had 3 little dogs that survived. It's a special piece!