Hi guys. Remember me? A few updates with pics :)

13 years ago

((((Waving to everyone I remember from when I was more active here))))

What a year. Divorced, moved from Oklahoma to my "home" state of Colorado, bought a little fixer-upper bank-owned place and started a new job on my own. It's been a tough year, but amazing.

Working full time has *greatly* slowed my normally super-fast progress on the remodeling, but I have made some progress and thought I'd share a few progress pics.

This was my living room before. I wish I could've captured the smell, which was toe-curling. Bleh.

And after. Ripped out the carpet, scraped the popcorn ceilings, and retextured all the walls. Also added wood beams and an archway into the kitchen.

Here's another living room before shot. Loved the "Institutional Green" walls....

And after:

Here's the Master bed before. Again, the pic doesn't capture the intense odor. Bleh.

And after. Just scraped ceilings, retextured walls, added pine floors and a rug, etc.

And for those of you who know/remember me, kitchens are my favorite. I'm about 90% done.

Here is the before:

And the table I found at a thrift store to use as my island top:

and here is the 90% finished after:

From a little further back:

The whole kitchen was gutted down to the subfloor, and is under 5k. I found most of the appliances on Craigslist, bought most of the cabinets (including the wood hood) at the Habitat for Humanity re-store, and did all the labor except for re-wiring the lighting and running electrical to the island. I still have to paint the cabinets above the sink the same color as the island and do some additional trim work, but you get the idea.

And here is a little "personal" update, and my favorite "accessory" of all. :)

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Comments (74)

reno_fan
Original Author
13 years ago
Laurie! I just looked at the pics of your new home! It's beautiful! Congrats.

My kiddos handled everything really well. It helps that me and their dad remain very very close and very good friends, and that I moved to a place that is so flipping awesome. Adjustment issues have been very few, but have been there, but all in all, everyone is flourishing.

I seriously didn't know it was even POSSIBLE to be this happy and content with life. I hope you're feeling the same!
yayagal
13 years ago
Hey Reno_fan, sooo good to hear from you again and to know you're sooo happy. I'm happy for you. You're one of the few who can make an ugly room beautiful and do it all yourself on a budget and make it look like a million dollars. Welcome back.
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You can grow all the stone fruit (peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines and even almonds which are a stone fruit harvested for their seed) and, if you're not in an area heavily wooded with cedar, you can grow apples. You will not necessarily get fruit from the stone fruit trees every year because sometimes they bloom too early and either the blooms or the young fruit are knocked off the trees by late frosts, but in the years when they do produce, they produce really well. I don't grow apples because our property is surrounded on four sides, or at least 3.5 sides, by property heavily wooded with cedar, making the risk of cedar apple rust high on our property. (One day I may break down and plant apple trees just to see if I could do it.) Because it takes both cedar trees and apple trees for cedar apple rust to complete its life cycle, you'd likely have to spray your trees with Immunox or something similar if you try to grow apples within a mile or two of cedars. Cherries have a tendency to bloom early as peaches do, but you'll get a crop some years. You do have to net the trees to keep the birds out. Figs grow very well here. Sometimes they'll freeze back to the ground but they come back pretty quickly and generally produce every year. If you choose your tree varieties carefully and select a mix of early, mid-season and late-season fruit varieties, you can harvest fruit for a long period of time. There are peaches, for example, that produce ripe fruit as early as early- to mid-June in my part of Oklahoma (southcentral OK) and as late as late July or early August. Not many folks here grow the really late ones that produce in August or September and probably that's because of the problems with drought and high temperatures and more pests later in the season. It does seem like the better quality fruit comes from the varieties that ripen in June and July. Pests are a bigger issue on those that ripen later but I don't have a pest problem at all on those that ripen earlier. Don't forget the other kinds of fruits---the berries! Blackberries are easy to grow and produce well, and strawberries produce well if you give them fertile soil, and can keep the pests under control. I don't have issues with strawberry diseases here in southcentral OK because we're usually hot and dry, but folks in more humid areas might have more disease issues for which fungicides would need to be used. For years I didn't bother with strawberries because the sow bugs and pill bugs would destroy the fruit before it ripened. However, now that we have Slug-Go Plus and similar organic pesticides, I can keep the sow bugs and pill bugs from bothering the strawberries. You might have success with raspberries if you're in NE OK and have good soil. If you have or can create acidic soil, blueberries grow and produce well here. Don't forget some of the less well-know fruit like fruiting mulberries, bush cherries and bush plums, elderberries, etc. You can grow banana trees here but it is rare to get ripened bananas from in-ground trees here because our growing season isn't quite long enough. I had a friend who got ripe bananas in Fort Worth in a year when the last spring frost was really early and the first fall frost was really late, but I don't know if you could do that here. We have native persimmons on our property but we have to fight the coyotes for every single fruit (they eat them green) and the persimmons are too astringent until after they've been frosted a time or too. You also could grow some of the annual fruits. Check the website of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds for seeds of some annual fruits. If you have a greenhouse or a place inside to overwinter citrus trees in pots, you can grow lemon, lime and a few other citrus fruits in large containers that are carried inside in winter. Grapes are high-maintenance and proper pruning is essential in order to avoid disease and get a good crop, but they grow well here. I've linked a fact sheet from OSU on growing peaches for you. If you look at the list of peach varieties, you'll see how planting different varieties can lengthen the harvest season substantially, but sometimes it is hard to find some of those varieties. Even though I removed approximately 95% of the young fruit from my fruit trees last year at the proper fruit thinning time, they still over-produced and we harvested about 340 lbs. of fruit from 2 plum trees and 1 peach tree. (That broke down to about 260 lbs or so of plums and about 80 lbs. of peaches).) So, you do need to have a plan for what you'll do with all that fruit in a good year because you cannot eat it all fresh. In our case, we made jam, jelly, juice, flavored syrups, and fruit butters; we froze fruit;, we dried fruit; we gave fruit away; and we ate as much fresh fruit a day as we could. Without a plan to preserve the harvest, a lot of your fruit will be wasted, so have a good plan as the years go by and the trees grow and mature and reach their maximum productive capacity. Dawn Here is a link that might be useful: Apple and Peach Varieties for Oklahoma
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Jo, While there is something about the tree's leaves that seems familiar, I don't know what it is and don't think I've seen them here. That's not unusual though as your soil (including soil pH) and rainfall in NE OK is quite different from mine here in SC OK and y'all have a lot of trees that will grow there and which do not seem to grow here. The tree I'm familiar with that has similar leaves and fruit is the Carolina Linden and that's one possibility but I'm only guessing because I've never seen a Linden tree growing here in my part of Oklahoma. Have you noticed what sort of blooms form? Small ones? Showy ones? White? Pink? Purple? Fragrant? And, if you have noticed the blooms that eventually give rise to the fruit, do you know which month the flowers bloom? Also, do the little fruits stay green or do they mature to another color in late fall or winter? Finally, if you cut into a fruit does it have seeds. How many? What color are they? I bet someone here will know what your tree is. If you want to try something fun, click on the link below and answer the questions and see what this website decides your tree is. (It may not be correct, but then again, it might be.) Dawn Here is a link that might be useful: What Tree Is This?
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yborgal
13 years ago
Welcome back! It's so good to learn things are working out for you.

As usual, everything you do in a home is fantastic...you have great vision.

Please come back on a regular basis; we enjoy reading about the things you're doing.

Mona
vampiressrn
13 years ago
I'm fairly new here, but just wanted to give you a shout for the great work you have completed on your home. Been there done that on some of those life challenges, so congrats for making it out on the other side as a better person for it. Love that armoire in your living room and your floors are really beautiful!!!
blubird
13 years ago
Hi Renofan,

Glad to see you're back. Is that the famous secretary in your bedroom? Love all the changes you've made...best of luck and don't be a stranger here.

Helene
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Diane Smith at Walter E. Smithe Furniture
13 years ago
You should be bestowed with a golden hammer, a silver saw and a bronze screwdriver! What a beautiful home you have created for yourself. Especially love the two-tone floor in the kitchen.
perky_2
13 years ago
OMG Reno! You have done a great job with EVERYTHING! The reno and "accessory".

I have been gone for awhile too - didn't know what you were going through but not surprised that you landed on your feet.

Love your place.

So glad to see your post.
bananafana
13 years ago
Reno! Yay!!! I was just running some searches last week to see if you had some updates I missed.

You've done a ton of work and it's looking great! It's so fun to see what you are up to. You are an inspiration.
dianalo
13 years ago
Hey Reno fan,
I remember you and your lovely kitchen very well. I had been dormant for 2 years while waiting to finally start so had not heard of your challenges until now. I am so glad to see that you came through with flying colors, but you look like you not only got through, but really upgraded in the accessory dept! He is a lucky guy and I wish you all the best :)
Hope to see you here again!
jlc712
13 years ago
Welcome back!

The work you have done is amazing. What a great transformation! You should be so proud.

So glad to hear that your life is going so well. Congratulations!

Jen
jakabedy
13 years ago
Welcome back, Reno! Your changes are wonderful and your success long-deserved. May you enjoy your new setting and every new accessory!
reno_fan
Original Author
13 years ago
Alright gals, confession. The "accessory" is the main reason progress has slowed. What? You want to take me on a motorcyle ride through our gorgeous state on a Saturday? Um....ok.
work_in_progress_08
13 years ago
Great work reno, both personally and decoratively speaking. It's tough making a HOME while raising two children and working full time. You've nailed it.

I wouldn't give up a nice ride in the country with that accessory either!

So nice to see/hear you so content and happy!
allison0704
13 years ago
You look great (and what a wonderful accessory!). So good to hear from you. I have wondered now and then how you were doing. Glad everything is working out for you. You deserve it! The place looks great (and smells good too ;) ).
perky_2
13 years ago
well, accessorizing is SO important! Isn't that the finishing touch for any project?

Well done.
trancegemini_wa
13 years ago
wow the makeover is amazing and I can't believe you did it in a year, especially with such a gorgeous distraction in your life :) Thanks for posting your pics, you're an inspiration!
les917
13 years ago
Welome back, Reno! So nice to see you. What a remodel you have done, both on the home and on your life.

The home is lovely, of course; you have accomplished the feat of taking it from a pit to a palace! LOL

But even better is to sense how happy, how content, how secure in yourself and your choices, you are. CouldnÃ¢ÂÂt be more pleased to hear it!
loribee
13 years ago
Awww...good for you!
"Life is good" is the BEST thing ever.
Your lovely, newly-transformed home and "accessory" are wonderful, too!
mitchdesj
13 years ago
Hey Reno, what a nice surprise to see this on sunday morning !!
I'm glad things are excellent for you on all counts ! You make a cute couple !
I lived in Denver a few years, the scenery is awesome .

don't be a stranger, your hard work paid off, lovely home.
moonshadow
13 years ago
RENO!! So good to see you back!! Have been thinking about you and wondering how you're doing. You have always been the gal that inspires me. No matter how tired/overwhelmed/burned out (you name it), you just make me want to get up and do something! :-) Love what you've done, it's a amazing as always. Sure hope you can drop in more often again, lots of us have missed you!

And your last-but-not-least accessory is Hot, lol! ;D
You look great and here's wishing much happiness and wonderful new beginnings to you kiddo, you deserve it!
bronwynsmom
13 years ago
Let's see...you have moved, taken on a full-time job, cared for your kids on your own, renovated a well-chosen horror into a dreamy, personality-filled center for a new life, and started keeping company with...THAT???
A hunky ex-marine who cooks?
HOO-ra.

I want what she's having...

Really, you are a model for us all. And I would not say that your progress has slowed. I think you are just making a more balanced kind of progress. He's a lucky man.
nanny2a
13 years ago
Bronwynsmom said it best, Renofan! HOO-ra! Great to have you back and so glad to see your fantastic progress!
juddgirl2
13 years ago
Welcome back! I wondered how the renovations on your new house have been going. I can't believe you've done the work yourself - that's amazing!

My favorite part are your floors - especially the 2-tone wood floors in your kitchen? Are those pine and did you install and stain them yourself?

I can relate to finding true love the second time around and mine is also a hunky 6'1 former marine. He doesn't cook - I do - but he's the one who's amazing with tools and DIY everything in our house, so it works out.
reno_fan
Original Author
13 years ago
HOO ra is right. Drool. Melts my heart completely. He's a doll. And I tell him all the time how lucky he is to have me. ;)

It is SOOOOO good to "see" so many familiar names. I promise I'll be back, but probably not as often. My mantra that I'm living by (kinda by choice, kinda by force) is "finished is better than perfect" so I don't know that I'll be checking in for in-progress stuff as much as just posting what I have finished when I have it finished.

Hard to get motivated most days here though. 73 degrees and sunny almost daily, and I live in one of the most gorgeous areas. (Mitch I'd forgotten you were a Denverite for a while! I'm in Evergreen!) I'd MUCH rather be out enjoying the natural decorations than tweaking this-or-that inside. Till the snow comes that is..... :)
reno_fan
Original Author
13 years ago
Dashitall. Tried to post about the floors and it didn't show up.

The floors are just cheap-o pine from Lumber Liquidators. Something like $1.09/sq ft. I just stained the checkerboard in the kitchen and hallway and poly-ed the rest of them. They're awesome. Went down like a dream, are "weathering" nicely to give me the rustic cabin feel I wanted, and hide dirt and dog hair famously. And like I said, they were CHEAP, and you gotta love that. :)
ttodd
13 years ago
Oh how awesome and amazing! You have given me quite a few ideas in this thread and I can't wait.

BTW - you have quite an eye for accesorizing! Some accesories are priceless!

Thank you for posting - it's always so good to know how things have turned out for folks!
User
13 years ago
RENO!!!!! I can't tell you excited I got when I saw your update post! I was waiting and hoping someday you'd return and show us your wonderful transformation.

It looks so great! You're very talented.

I'm glad to hear things are going well for you!
deegw
13 years ago
Someone mentioned up thread that we were just talking about you! It is great that you popped in and gave us a fabulous update. I am very happy for you and so glad that your kids handled all the changes so well.

I have a close friend that lives in Evegreen and she loves it. It is a beautiful place.

Don't be a stranger!

Dee
polly929
13 years ago
OK reno, this NEVER happens, but I showed DH your kitchen and he loves your pendants. Where did you get them? B/C he has vetoed every light I've suggested now for 3 years, and I really want something more permanent.

BTW, I love how the island turned out, I remember when you found the thrift store table, glad you posted the update.
susanlynn2012
13 years ago
Reno_fan, I remember you and I am so happy for you being able to renovate your new home to your liking and doing a great job! The new accessory is what I am looking for. You both make a beautiful couple inside and outside. Thanks for sharing and making my night.
oceanna
13 years ago
Hi Reno, of course I remember you! I've been gone a while too and just got back recently. I'm delighted to see you posting and happy to see that big smile on your face. Your home transformation is fabulous! You've been working HARD. How do you do all that and a job and kid too? Oh, and please tell us about your kitchen floor. I really like it.
runninginplace
13 years ago
Reno,

Um, what they all said :). You are a woman with a gift, a touch, a talent--for living not just decorating!

Your house looks so wonderful and what a brilliant example of decorating with tremendous taste no matter the budget. Hope you pop off the motorcycle and back in here often!

Ann
folkvictorian
13 years ago
Wow! What an amazing and gorgeous transformation! (I'm just glad our computers don't have a scratch-and-sniff capability!) I remember ages ago you found your new house and showed some pics and the "before" pics were really challenging. Congratulations on your new home and new love!
miaochi
13 years ago
More words you spared, so what more things for you to know that you wanted about your designs? It's all dark and maybe some of us know that you want it. Moreover, colors shown are just pretty good, and that would be develop when you want it and everything goes progress.

Here is a link that might be useful: craftmatic
amysrq
13 years ago
Remember you?? Reno, you are a legend around here!

I am so glad to hear you have moved gracefully to the next chapter and that the kids are dong so well. Given all that you are up to, I can't believe how much you have accomplished in the house. But, you always seemed like the Decorating Energizer Bunny to me! :-) Always an inspiration!

Welcome back.
mrsmarv
13 years ago
Welcome back reno! I've wondered how you're doing and if your life is going well. I'm so glad you are happy and healthy and that you and the kids are adjusting. The house looks warm and inviting and "you". You've been missed.
Nora
nicoletouk
13 years ago
Reno! It is so great to "see" you again. I'm so happy to hear that things have worked out so wonderfully for you. Your house looks fab, as does your accessory, however, the best thing of all is how happy you are.

Keep us updated. All the best!

Nicole
bellaflora
13 years ago
Your transformation is AMAZING!! I can't believe you did almost all the work yourself -- you are just incredible.

The "personal" side is looking great too!! I see that you get your smile back :-D HOO-ray is the right world!!
jlj48
13 years ago
Reno,
So glad that you checked in and gave us all an update. Love your house, especially love your kitchen floor, and your finest accessory looks like a keeper! Good luck with everything. Glad you're doing so well.
Joanie
cherigw
13 years ago
Colorado?? Well, Rats Reno!! That's way too far for a" drive-by" consult!! Good to know you are still moving and shaking!!
powermuffin
13 years ago
Welcome home Reno. The house is coming along very nicely and I bet the satifaction that you are getting from the remodel is sky-high. I love the floors and what you have done in the kitchen.

As a fellow Coloradoan, I know you are loving our very warm fall, as am I. We moved from Denver to Longmont and love it here. More pictures as you continue fix up your house, please.
Diane
reno_fan
Original Author
13 years ago
((((Waving to my "neighbor" Powermuffin)))) I'm a CO native. SOOOOOOO glad to be back for good!

Deee, I got the pendants from Cabela's hey're on sale right now! (Link below)

And again, THANK YOU for the kind words. It's been quite the year, but I'm thrilled with where I am right now, even though the house is far from magazine worthy or perfect. It's mine, it's home, and it makes me smile, and the rest is just gravy. (And my super-hunky even better looking in person accessory is the best gravy of all. A totally unexpected surprise, that one.)

Here is a link that might be useful: Cabela's pendant lights
amykath
13 years ago
Reno!!! This is the third house I have seen of yours and of course your remodeling projects! They NEVER cease to amaze me!

You look wonderful and so does your man! I am really happy for you.

Similiarly after finishing my house I got a divorce and started all over. I am so happy that I did it all now.

Again, WONDERFUL job and I am so happy to hear how ecstatic you are now with your new and fabulous life!

Great to "see" and hear from you!

Amy
sedeno77
13 years ago
Reno,
So glad life has turned good for you. Welcome back!
User
13 years ago
Reno,
Welcome back! I remember you and I'm happy to hear things are going well for you. How did you meet your new guy? It always seems like with kids and a full time job it would be hard to meet someone and I always wonder how folks find each other.
dazzlemewithcolor
13 years ago
Wow you are amazing. You took something and made it a beautiful home. Congratulations on everything. Accessories and all! You look very happy. I love your renovation. You are inspiring!

Do you mind sharing the tedious job of scraping off the textured ceilings?
reno_fan
Original Author
13 years ago
Awww thanks guys. Having a rough weekend and the kind words are much-needed boon right now.

Aktillery I remember you going through something similar. Glad to hear you're happier on the other side as well! I loved my previous houses, but I love my new life even more. :)

Jenny, he and I had mutual friends through work/networking. Worked in related fields, etc. I briefly tried the whole Match.com thing, and it was a colossal failure. (for me, anyway). What I found out was that I was perfectly capable of being happy and content on my own, and so many guys were ready to get married after 3 dates. ugh. Not my thing, though I've had friends who had great success with online dating. He and I are very similar in that we're fiercely independent, don't need (or want) to see each other every minute of the day, etc.

Dazzleme, it's a royal pain. I've done in 2 houses now. I lay down large plastic sheets (in an empty room) and spray the ceiling in roughly 3ftx6ft sections, wait a few minutes, then use a drywall mud applicator to scrape it off. I just let it all fall to the floor, wrap up the plastic and throw it away, then re-texture and paint the ceiling. I "inherited" 7.5ft ceilings, so the shadows from the popcorn made it seem not only dated, but much shorter as well. urf.
geogirl1
13 years ago
Welcome back Reno! I am so glad to hear that life has worked out well for you and your kids. Great news and lovely, lovely, home. Have fun and enjoy the ride! Life is suppose to be an adventure. It's nice to hear that yours is going so well.
rmkitchen
13 years ago
I was so happy to see your sweet name here! I'll always remember your delicious butter yellow kitchen .... I have a dreamy smile on my face thinking of it. What a kind presence you always were (are) here -- didn't know about your personal life but so happy *you're* happy! Yea!!

From Boulder sending hugs & kisses to you, powermuffin & all the other Coloradans. xo
totallyblessed
13 years ago
RENO!!! I have only been on here 2 or 3 times in the past 2 years, but I definitely remember you and your wonderful homes. I about flipped over your brick floors, and then later over your blue/yellow kitchen. And let's not forget the guest bath with toile. Mercy, I love your "re-do's".

So happy to see life is good for you now. I just popped on here today to see what everyone is up to, and had to log in to wave hello to you! Congratulations on your beautiful new home. Those floors are awesome!!

Hi guys. Remember me? A few updates with pics :)

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