Lipstick on a Pig!

So much for me being a "blogger"...Where does the time go? Finally, at long last - here are some before & after pics of our Home SWEET Home! I still pinch myself when I walk thru...it has great bones and plenty of room for our growing boys :) Of course, I am not "finished"...but we have completed lots of hard work and it we are loving it!

Before...bye bye runner with pink flowers & terrible chair rail.

Hello refinished hardwood floors and Great grandmothers Chandelier 

(circa 1920) Grandmother Lucile Talbot's mirror that once lived over her fireplace for years & years...love that mirror! I just ordered a new runner for the stairs :)

Does he come with the house? Moved original light fixture into the small vestibule area.

Now the interior shutter doors are painted the same as the interior trim of windows in formal living & dining room...The interior front door is now painted the same color as the outside of of the front door & exterior shutters.Thanks to my friend Shay for convincing me to do that....LOVE IT

                  Before...the Chinoiserie wallpaper and little light fixture

After...the lantern moved from the foyer area...one day I would like to add a fresh new wallpaper in the vestibule again.

Before...green dining room with top of the line custom swags from the 80s! Chair railing too low...had to go!

After...dining room painted Ben Moore "wickham gray"...ceiling painted gold metallic...light fixture from the Randolph Street Market in Chicago $160 dolla make you scream & HOLLA! ...window treatments are ready made panels with silk large check added to top...thank you Peaches :) I took a risk and painted the interior trim of windows a dark blue/gray...I think it paid off! 

Before...the ever so popular red from the late 80's...notice fireplace surround is shallow & dainty...mantle was hardly 4" deep. 

After... room is painted "revere pewter" (cut in HALF) ...new FP surround & hearth with honed black granite and sconces added above FP. 

close up of sconce...I had to add a mirror in the open area of the metal scroll work to conceal the junction box...BARGAIN :) they cost only $85/sconce!

                          Before...custom valance in formal Living Room

After....ready made silk panels from Tuesday Morning with additional fabric from Calico Corners added to the bottom...and the dark window trim :)

                      Before...Looking back into the foyer & formal living

 After...notice the hardwood floors have no sheen on them...it is a "hard wax oil finish"...I wanted a warm & old feel to them...low maintenance and NO polyurethane!  

Before...anther look at the fireplace

After...Fireplace

                 Before...looking from family room into the formal living room

After...looking back into the formal living room...notice the 2 mirrors...picked those up at an estate sale...the dressers below were my dad & aunt Lyn's when growing up...

                    Before...Kitchen with cherry wallpaper & terrible faucet

After...gotta love putting "lipstick on a pig!"

                               Before...isn't that paper so cute??? ;)

After...my wine cellar window was the first thing I hung up! It was a gift I had made for Steve that says "Armstrong Vintners" on the bottle

 Before...as you can see the space is great! One day we will gut the kitchen...but for now it is ok...this breakfast area & family room were added in the 80's...above this on the second floor are 2 large bedrooms, bathroom and 3 huge closets.

 After...ceiling fan had to go...at last you can see refinished floors! LOVE THEM!

After...close up of floors...no bargain here...$130 for one can of the stain (obviously used 2 different color$...but well worth the upgrade!)

Before...door going into the mudroom

After...another good look at the floors...and my Restoration Hardware knockoff chandelier! A great aunt of mine painted the tea pot. The little pie safe was purchased while on an antique trip with my aunt Lyn when I lived in NYC in 95 (she was living in Stamford CT...what a blessing to be close to her at that time!)

        Before...mudroom...HUGE bonus living with surviving Chicago winters!

After...removed hooks and painted it "kentucky haze"...love this color!

                              Before....mudroom closet & small pantry

 After...Homegoods scatter rug

                               Before...carpet & black can lighting sleeve

After...new hardwood floors & updated white sleeve for recessed lights -

that is the side of an armoire...

 After...looking back into the kitchen...I don't have a "before" from this angle.

Before...old carpet again...paint in back of book cases

After...lots of room for our sectional..."seagrass" wallpaper in book case (it is vinyl people.. 1/3 of the cost of the real stuff!)

 Close up of the "seagrass" wall paper...$30/roll vs $100/roll ...lipstick on a Pig!

 Before of the powder room...when the addition was done in the 80's...they left a window in (on the other side is now the family room)...charming - NOT

After...the window & wallpaper are gone...replacing the wallpaper is this amazing high gloss "Fine Paints of Europe" product...new toilet, sink & floor...still need to get a light fixture & mirror...I am looking for a mini-chandelier and a venetian glass mirror. 

                                Before...last - but not least- the library

After...the only room that remained untouched (removed the curtains)

 Before...trust me...I would have loved to touch this...paneling & book cases are terrible...and behind these book cases are windows! One day we will open them up...for now - this is my office.

After...thankful to have an office! I have never had one before :0 

Well that is all for now! More to come with the upstairs before & afters!