Progress!

Alright...here we go...some progress!!!

ABOVE...the hardwood floors - sanding, the old color top, the new color on sample board...LOVE (no poly-urethane...all stain is absorbed into the wood and there is no "shine"....good for 4 legged family members - one of these days we will have another one!)

ABOVE...old FP surround and old floors

 ABOVE...new FP surround...honed black granite will be installed on monday to cover old painted black brick and the replace the tile floor hearth (that has already been demoed) see new paint color :) LOVE IT

ABOVE...old paint and old carpet

 ABOVE...new hardwood floors in family room (previously carpet) yellow is the old paint color...will be covered by "seagrass" wall paper...see the new paint color on the right? i LOVE it...feels like a spa...very relaxing

ABOVE...the fake "window" in the powder room and wallpaper

 ABOVE...the powder room bath with NO "window" and wallpaper gone! the prep work for all of the old/original plaster walls is HARD work....walls in powder will be primed tomorrow and then painted a super high gloss...i hope it looks as pretty when completed as in my head as right now - i wish i had picture of the new tile floors - so PRETTY! Like the light fix? that was the only light in a very large up-stair hall way...now that hall has 4 recessed lights and a center mount for new & spectacular chandelier - to be determined :)

ABOVE...samples of some of the colors that i could choose from for the new kitchen floor "checker board" pattern

 ABOVE...my newly stained hardwood floors with this amazing product from Belgium...they are exactly what i was wanting...a checker board pattern that looked aged...where you could see the wood thru...LOW contrast...Tadas (my hardwood floor magician) did it!!!

ABOVE...the old entry foyer

 ABOVE...entry way with wallpaper gone...will be painted "revere pewter" cut in HALF...the entire entry, hall, formal LR and several baths will be until i can select the perfect wallpaper to replace :)

ABOVE...old dining room paint & floors

 ABOVE...this is a more accurate portrait of what is really going on - the MESS everywhere! this is the formal DR...i took a risk and painted the inside window trim (both formal LR & DR) a dark grey color...some french doors & vestibule doors are also same color (see on the right?) yes, i am leaving the original brass door hardware. can you believe, brass is making/HAS MADE a comeback! and even crazier...it is growing on me???

ABOVE...old formal living room paint & floors

ABOVE...formal LR window and the "revere pewter" color on the walls CUT 50%. I am soooo thankful I lightened it up...it would have been way too dark if stuck to the original full strength color.

Well, I think that is plenty for now...cannot believe we are scheduled to move in 5 days??? will we make the deadline???

 ABOVE...My 2 little helpers and their buddies...James, Rowan, Brooks & Michael Talbot :)

Thanking/Praising/Worshiping God...AGAIN & AGIAN!

Ok...so I am officially the worst blogger in the world...I have all these grand plans but no follow thru :( The "new" old home (circa 1928) on Sterling Road is coming along FAST, however, I am so tired at the end of each day that I cannot bring myself to write....

BUT, I must share this...last night - after hubby tucked the boys into bed...I walked up to give them a final kiss...I see a soft glow of a tiny toy lantern, Michael Talbot was "reading" (looking at books) on the top bunk...HOWEVER - Brooks was standing up on his (lower) headboard and pulling himself up/hanging on to the top bunk...peeking his head over so that he could see the book that his "big bro" MT WAS ACTUALLY READING TO HIM! This was the sweetest thing I have ever seen! AND THE FIRST TIME I ACTUALLY HEARD MT READ! 

 ABOVE...sweet Michael Talbot with his kindergarten class mascot "Melman" while at piano lessons :)

 ABOVE...Brooks waiting to open his bday gifts after celebrating his 5th BDAY March 5th!

Reading has finally just "clicked" for Michael Talbot...It just warmed my heart to see these two precious miracles - who love each other - play with each other - just sweetly reading & listening to each other...for some, this might not seem like a big deal...but from where we have come from...with the whole infertility/ovarian cancer journey...I STILL PINCH MYSELF THAT I HAVE THESE TWO "BABIES". It is like a never ending worship song playing in my head that I NEVER get tired of singing to God...thanking Him...praising Him...for our boys.

Home Sweet Home - YES!

We are beyond excited...yes in-deed we will have a "new" old 1928 home! We are closing in less than 48 hrs! I have been too scared to report anything for fear that things could fall apart at the last minute...but our mortgage banker has said "you can celebrate now!"

We are having a parTAY on tuesday night...I have invited just about everyone I have ever met here on the North Shore to come and help us celebrate...we are so thankful...I am truly humbled by God's gracious blessing!

So...Tuesday we parTAY...Wednesday the painters arrive! We are not messing around;) I am currently walking around with this "deer in the headlights" look on my face b/c i am panic stricken with all of the "design" decisions to be made. Hubby is very confused by this...he thought I would be loving this part...and I am. Sort of.

Growing up in the south I have always had a love for traditional design (except for my short lived "contemporary" phase during college...while studying design of all things!) However, ever since being married...my "style" has gone thru some severe birthing pains....living in Park City UT where all things "rustic, big & wood" are favored...then off to traditional Houston Tx for less than a year...then back to Park City...then Southern CA where "tuscan, spanish, bling-bling" prevail...and now in the urban-city-sheik meets tradition suburb heart of the mid-west Chicago....Good Grief! No wonder I am a Hot Design Mess!

With my design business...I utilize existing "stuff" people have...I know what looks good and I know how to arrange furniture...but I was slinging cokes & peanuts for 10 years as a flight attendant...then changing diapers...my formal education was a loooooong time ago....in the past, I have always designed our own home with "resale" in mind...this home is different...for the first time ever, I really think we are going to be here for awhile and I can do what I want to do b/c I like it! and for whatever reason, that is freaking me out!

Alright - alright...enough of the talk...let's see some before pics and where we are headed pics! This first pic is of the paint color palette...I fell in love when my I looked up "revere pewter" by Benjamin Moore...Girlfriend Shay used that color in her bathroom...4th one to the right - SOLD. Will use in my formal living room.

 These are a few fabric swatches that got my attention. Honestly do not have any plans for them...maybe recover a chair and do some window treatments?

Yup...this is gonna be FUN...if the FUNds don't run out too soon! This is the powder room off of the foyer...lovely Waverly wallpaper from the 80's...hey, that was the creme-de-la-creme when this was last "renovated"...and the window is "faux"...it was once a functional window, but a family room was added on and now covers the "view"...this home has great space to work with!

OHMYGAA....look at the floors...drool. This is what I hope we can replace the original tile with...now don't get all upset...the "original" tile is NOthing of beauty...

I am hoping this sink will fit...but it might be too wide/deep...I have always loved these sinks and powder rooms are the only "practical" bathrooms to use them in. (Did you hear that Peaches? "Practical" -  I sound like my mama!)

Check out the wallpaper in the entry way...that will be coming down...oh the fun of looking for something else! I have never used wallpaper in a home and can't wait to find something new!

Look at this from Schumacher...gorgeous. The other day I fell in love with a seagrass paper with a hand stamped design...over $600 FOR ONE ROLL. Next please.

More wallpaper in the kitchen...those cabinets are soooo ugly...but we will be living with them for a while...a loooong while...hoping paint on the wall & a simple painted checker-board pattern on the floor will be distracting enough...NO - we will not be painting them....they don't rate.

Another shot of the wallpaper...and some cute kids in the family room. Michael Talbot giving Brooks piggy back:)

These floors are what I want for the kitchen...but softer contrast...I hear you. Trust me people...it will look amazing.

I am off to bed...I am sure you know what I will be dreaming of....