Oh wow, Elyse! You sound like you're happy with this big turn of events, so I'm happy for you too.

remodelfla,

I don't know you, but I always learn from your contributions to this forum. I always felt that your advice was given out of genuine desire to help.

Your story about your friend is a wonderful story - one that brings a bright spot to these troubled times. My wish for you and your family is for a guardian angel to watch over you and yours. May His light shine upon you and give you peace!

With Blessings to you and yours,
JB

erika... I have mixed feelings... I'm happy we can help this guy out. I will miss hanging out at that house on weekends. All we have is lawn furniture in there and a bed. BUT... I spent ALLLLLLLL day outside there; the backyard is spectacular... makes you feel like you're at a resort even though the neighborhood is marginal and the house small. And that is why we're going to remodel that home for our retirement home. We're fortunate that we have my very lovely home which is larger then we need... so here we will stay, for however long it works out to be. I really think he'll only rent the home for the year. Twice over the past 3 years I've had a friend move in with me who was on the outs. Each time for about 4 months. Ya' just gotta go with the flow.

jb... that is about the kindness note I have ever received. I sincerely thank you for you thoughtful wishes. I've had too much chaos the last 4 years or so. Kid trouble, illness, injury, life stuff... but I've been feeling lighter lately; as if the burden will always be lifted. Thank you for your blessings.

This sounds like a blessing for both you/DH and friend! Your friend gets a chance to get his feet back on the ground and you/DH get to take a breather for a year or so on this whole remodel thing!

Good luck...but please don't leave us...we value your input!

This is wonderful. Such a blessing you are to those people and doesn't it feel good to be able to help them do something that wouldn't otherwise be possible? What a much better way of life they'll have in the house instead of a townhouse! I'm sure this will turn out well in the end for all involved. The plans you've worked on won't disappear and maybe dh will feel like letting loose a bit with the break from the financial and time stress. And you'll get to relax and enjoy this last year with your ds home...No building project or moving to take your attention. It sure sounds like this was meant to be, and maybe that's why you haven't hit on THE plan yet. It's not time yet. God bless you and that hurting/healing family!

Wow, Elyse, it is really kind of you guys to rent out your house to this family. I'm sure you are the answer to their prayers. And just think how much time you'll have on your hands now that you're no longer worrying about layouts and remodels (at least...not your own...it's still fun to think about other people's, because you don't get the stress or the bills!).

Chris

Elyse, I am so glad you are happy. Your very generous gift to DH's friend will be a blessing to your family, too. Please do stick around. I enjoy your free spirit! Keep those three layouts. You will enjoy them next year as a starting point :D

Can I just post my two perfected layouts for fun?! I found a way to add texture and additional colors and I was so excited that I tried to make it perfect before I would post it. Then I decided that I'd been posting too many layouts and had to lay off till we got the wall down and it was time.

I'm so addicted to this forum it's crazy. I've learned soooo much and have been the recipient of much effort and time on the part of others... you guys know who you are! I love researching and trying to give back to others what has been afforded to me.

What will I do with all the time I won't be posting layouts!!:-)

My galley

What I was calling my "leave everything" layout:

I had one with the wall pushed out into the laundry/pantry... but it just didn't feel right.

Much more importantly... thanks again to all for your support and heart felt wishes

cotehele... you can tell across cyberspace that I'm a free spirit? WOW.. my writing must be as transparent as my unbridled tendency to wear my heart on my sleeve!

I was so worried when I saw your post that something had happened to you or your family. Glad to hear that's not the case. Now you get to really plan things out and your friend gets a home. (Hubby once shared his 1500 sqft house with two adults and 3 children - it can be done.)

PS: I think I finally like the galley layout here.

Wow, what a nice thing you two are doing for that family! You really know how to turn lemons into lemonade. (at least figuratively, I'm not even sure if you like lemonade, LOL)

I'm sorry you're not going to suffer...umm I mean, enjoy the joy of remodeling now :o) The bright side, is that this gives you longer to store up your liqour for when the hell begins :P

Honestly...you're a wonderful example of a good...no great...human being :) Both you and DH! Please don't push me too far out of your way when you stroll up to the pearly gates on your red carpet! I'll be the one on the left begging to bring in just one bottle of wine :oP Hey wait...maybe you could take me in on a backpack!

Where was this going? Oh, you're wonderful...and I had a year delay due to my son's illness...and I can easily say that this will be a good thing in the end. The kitchen I began with resembles very little from the kitchen I put together after a year playing here :o) And I wish your dear friend the best of luck as he and his family move forward!

AH-HA igloo... now I know why it's just not time to start this remodel yet... I've yet to take up drinking!!

You're all way too kind.

Hey don't be a stranger. Thank you for being so kind to this man and his family. Lots can change in a year and you have a year to come up with even more brillant ideas for your workspace. We enjoy you being here!

Please do check back occasionally (or daily!). We'll miss you otherwise :)

I got nice goosebumps reading your story. It is a true gift you and your DH have been given to be in a position to help, and a true gift his friend has been given to receive help from you. It is a beautiful thing all around and I hope it works perfectly.

Anita

PS - I like the galley drawing, too.

I have at least a year to slowly subliminally subconciously convince DH that he too NEEDS the galley layout! Now if I could only learn how to imbed hidden visual layouts into HD while he's watching a golf tournament! :-) I'm hanging around for sure. Who knows how many more backsplash materials or slabs stone I'll fall in love with!

Your friend is truly blessed to have great friends like you two. I'm so glad you're not going anywhere. In a year's time you'll have both your perfect layout and 3-d renderings of it with materials in hand. Still love the galley, btw.

Elyse,

Your family has big hearts, so I know things will work out for you in the end - lotsa good KARMA headed your way!

We also put our kitchen on hold to help a friend almost two years ago. In fact, we were halfway through ripping out the old one, when an old friend/co-worker of my husbands showed up in dire straits.

We decided to take the kitchen money and finish out the space over our detached garage into a studio apartment for him and my husband hired him back at work. He stayed for 7 months, long enough to get his feet back under him and be able to afford to go out and rent his own apartment. So, in that respect, I guess we did what we set out to do, but in his case his depression and lack of willingness to take his medications or to take actions to improve his own conditions had us asking him to leave.

We lived with that half torn out kitchen for just over a year...but,
in the end, WE ENDED UP WITH A MUCH BETTER KITCHEN! When we tore out most of the old kitchen, we moved the refrigerator to the new location and we found out we HATED IT! OF course, it wasn't the built in version we have now, but I knew I couldn't live with it there! I could hear every ice cube drop all night long as it echoed down the hallway to the bedroom. Also, by moving the refrigerator, we moved the main sink and added the prep sink. We really love the kitchen we have now! Also, had we done the kitchen earlier, we wouldn't have gotten the cabinet finish we have (wasn't offered yet) and the GORGEOUS marble slabs we found just days after they were delivered to the slab yard.

I think our good karma worked for us in many ways with the kitchen! And, I know it will work wonders for you! Best of luck to you!

We had a similar thing mindi... a friend who was an engineer and got laid off. He went into real estate before the "drop" During that time he moved in to save some money... no problem. Made $$, moved out. Then real estate tanked and he was depressed, destitute, and feeling alone... mid 50's and didn't know what to do. Again... "your room's ready Dean!" I said to him... you need to become a teacher. Your brilliant and the world needs science and math teachers. He already had 4 year degrees; just not teaching certification. Lived with us for ... I dunno... 5 or 6 months. And the rest is history... he's into his second year to teaching, getting a masters in Edcuation, and feels a renewed commitment and purpose in life.

Now he has a bunch of lives he can impact... the beauty of "pay it forward".

Good things come to those who wait. Good luck.

Anyway, planning's half the fun. I've done a lot of waiting and musing too, even as I moved forward in life. The kitchen you'll eventually continue on to develop will almost certainly be signficantly different from the one you would have built today. So--enjoy the process. :)

Sounds like blessings for all of you! By the time you're ready to start perhaps contractors & prices here in S. Fla will catchup to the reality check that the market seems to have hit us with.

Besides just think of all the new plans for the house you can dream up in the meantime-- can't hurt to plan, dream, shop online & of course share all you've learned w/your good friends here on the forum :). I'll be sure to give a shout to you if I find any great local resources. Will be thinking of you :)

All the best.

I know this is a late post but your story really touched me. You are truly a nice person to do that for your friend. You have always been so helpful to me. I wish you all the best.

bday and marybeth... ya' know... I'm one of those who believe that things happen for a reason. So, this will end up for the best I'm sure. Thanks so much for your good wishes. I'm going to vicariously live through everyone elses kitchen remodels for now and keep "stealing" all the great ideas!