I just love looking at pictures of Before and After shots, mostly for home design and decor, but also weight loss, or hair styles. Why are we so drawn to seeing the Before and After or drastic changes? I believe it’s because we always hope to do better and seeing improvement means making progress. It’s an act of moving forward and now, more than ever, I long for the movement. Today we will focus on home renovation or redesign but please tell me about your favorite before and after photos.

Favorites from the Internet

Now look at the amazing curb appeal!

What a difference a little paint and landscaping will do.

I find this transformation with faux shutters and an eyebrow entry to be so elegant.

Just by adding an overhang, new paint, landscaping and window boxes this house goes from drab to fabulous.

Of course, the masters of renovation are Chip and Joanna Gaines. I know I have watched my share of Fixer Upper. This particular project resonates with me as I love rescuing old homes.

Here is another charmer. The trees along the front plane of the house really help reduce the awkward spacing of the windows.

Our Home~Exterior

Which leads us to our rescue projects, the great transformations of our home, a 1912 Mission Revival house. We bought it in 1999 and it was uninhabitable. No central air conditioning, the old Frankenstein switch to turn off the electricity, cloth wire and knob and tube connections with an old coal chute to the basement.

Even with all the dated infrastructure, historic homes are typically built with consideration of the sun patterns, the best placement on the lot with smaller rooms to heat and cool. Large overhangs and a bumpy exterior are all designed to keep the home cool during our hot summers.

The restoration/renovation took 3 full years vs. the 1 year our contractor promised (long story here), as everything needed to be replaced and updated. We are officially listed as the Olney/Ellingwood House by the United States Department of the Interior’s National Register of Historical Places.

To see more before and after photos and a detailed post on the front of the house restoration, click here.

The Guest Cottage

The year we purchased our home, in 1999, we had an open house for friends and neighbors. As part of the fun we asked our guests’ thoughts about our purchase, and one clever person wrote that our guest cottage looked like a sharecropper’s cottage. The bathroom ceiling had collapsed due to a leak and it was clearly uninhabitable.

We renovated this structure first so we could have a place to gather with the architect and contractor.

It is time to paint this cute little house again and wondering if I should keep the green or consider something else. Surrounded by so much foliage, I like that it blends in with the environment.

The Well Tower

One of the original structures on the property is a well or water tower. Dilapidated and non-functioning the scary looking condition existed years before we bought it. With a collapsed roof, the well tower became a big pigeon sanctuary and was ankle deep in pigeon poop. So gross.

Here is the well tower today. The first level is my potting area and you can reach the upper two levels by 2 circular staircases. For fun and in case of fire, the fireman’s pole is added to the rear.

To read the full post on the well tower restoration project, click here.

My Last Restoration Project

I have renovated many homes for resale. The restoration of a 1922 Jeffersonian home is really a highlight and accomplishment for me. This home stood empty for 20 years and the backyard was a rabbit warren of small, creepy apartments. Certainly a passion project for me and now it is owned by a young family who call it their forever home.

Though it is hard to see the neglect and decay of this home on the photo below, here is the front before ~aluminum siding, rotted columns, porch roof collapsing and security bars on the doors.

Here is the after with a new roof, original siding restored, shutters repaired or replaced, new landscaping and a beautiful front entrance.

The back of the house had a horrible addition (one large room, no windows). That was removed and a new 2 story addition with a family room and an upstairs master suite are added. Stone patio and landscaping make a big difference.

After demolishing one of the creepy apartments in the back yard, we find the original garage with barn doors that are not salvageable.

What do you think? Isn’t this the sweetest guest cottage? Now the bougainvillea is growing over the arbor.

There is a much more detailed post showing this renovation of both the inside and out here. This is one of my longest posts, but I promise you will not be disappointed to see the outcome of this gorgeous old home.

In Summary

I could go on and on about restorations, renovations, before and after photos. I have done 9 homes and all were in very poor condition. There is such joy gained from rescuing these older homes that are filled with memories and history. I am longing to tackle another.

If you would like to see more about the restoration of our home, I have written 5 chapters called the Restoration Chronicles. Just use those search words on my blog page, and they will pop up.

Thanks for joining me today! Happy Wednesday, friends.

P.S. Remember Prime Day ends today so if you are looking for great bargains online, check out yesterday’s post on everything you need to know about Prime Day here.

House Projects

Back in March, during the lockdown, we created a list of home projects to tackle. As I was washing all the windows in the house, my husband started working on the back terrace. Like most projects, the work on the back terrace morphed into something bigger…..yet better. To see that post of lockdown projects, click here.

The back terrace or porch is a rather large space and has a cooking area (the BBQ), a dining section and a place to gather around a stone fireplace.

The Barbecue Area

At the north end of the terrace is the barbecue area. In addition to our gas grill and vent, there are 2 gas burners, a sink and storage areas below. The countertops are covered in slate, which match the stone intersections on the concrete floor.

The barbecue needed cleaning, especially the stucco wall behind the gas grill. Years of cooking = years of grease build-up. Due to the bumpy texture, which is an architectural feature of our historic home, it is impossible to clean.

Instead, we decide to add tile as the backsplash, which is much easier to maintain. After the tile installation, we seal the tile and grout with a protective coating. This prompts us to also seal the slate countertop. To learn more about the new backsplash installation, click here.

The Floors

Now that the countertops look so good, the floors paled in comparison. So if we sealed the backsplash and countertops, why not the floor too?

But before sealing the floor, they need a good cleaning. Pressure washing the concrete/slate floors significantly helps to remove the dirt and stains. My husband did this one half of the terrace at a time. We own the Subaru Pressure Washer which is a handy thing to have, but you can rent one too.

After the floors are clean and dry, sealer is applied to both the slate and the concrete. We tried a satin finish first and didn’t like it. So we decided on this Home Depot Behr Premium Wet-Look Sealer for $36.98 a gallon. If you don’t have a Home Depot nearby, you can find a similar product here on Amazon.

Using a long handled roller, the sealer spreads easily on the floor.

Here is one completed section and you can see how the appearance is vastly improved. As an added benefit, over time this sealer helps prevent stains and truly protects the concrete floor.

After half of the terrace dries, we moved the furniture and began the process on the other half.

The Rugs

The outdoor rugs have never been washed so this is a great opportunity to vacuum them and pressure wash to remove several years of dirt. Depending on your needs and budget, here is a link to wet dry vacuums. Ours is a heavy duty Shop Vac since we use it frequently. It is amazing how just a good, deep cleaning can improve your outdoor space.

Two 8′ x 10′ outdoor rugs were purchased from Rug Studio several years ago and are SO affordable. I just checked and they are still available online. Click here for the link. Prices are a bit higher, but not by much. I am so pleased with how these rugs are holding up outside all year long and especially in our hot summer heat and brutal sun.

Now the floors are cleaned and sealed, the barbecue area is complete, and well, the upholstered furniture looks like the ugly sibling. Truly, we have used this furniture outside for years. The cushions however, other than spot cleaning, have not been deeply cleaned….ever.

The Furniture

This Bissell Little Green is one of our best purchases. This little spot and stain cleaner is great for both upholstery and carpeting. If you have pets or families who spill, this is the toy for you! Being small and light weight, it is so easy to haul around. It’s approximately $125.00 and can be ordered online through Amazon. Click here for link.

All furniture cushions and decorative pillows are Sunbrella fabric and clean easily with the Bissell.

Even though the terrace is under roof, the furniture still gets dusty. But here in Phoenix, our outdoor spaces get used the least during the very hot summer months. But the rest of the year, the back terrace is the main destination where we gather with friends and family.

What a huge difference a little cleaning will do! The cushion look fresh and clean and all stains are gone.

The wood furniture was purchased from Crate and Barrel many years ago. It is not considered official outdoor furniture, but the wood is mahogany and has survived rather well on the covered terrace.

The Finished Product

Here is the finished terrace. It sparkles and even smells clean. The black weathered cabinet on the right side of the photo is a new addition. This piece used to be in the family room but will now store placemats, candlesticks, vases and other outdoor entertaining items.

I will at some point need to refinish the mahogany dining and coffee table, but not until the weather cools down a bit. The chandelier over the table needs replacing too. Also, I am still debating whether the outdoor rugs clash with the new tile backsplash. Unfortunately when I selected the tile, I didn’t even consider the rug design. Let me know what you think.

We are so pleased with how the sealed floor looks.

Custom covers are made for all the outdoor pieces and we will cover all the furniture before our dreaded summer dust storms arrive.

It feels SO good to get these projects checked off the list. Extra kudos to my husband for doing all the work on this space. We host so many gatherings here on the back terrace, from large sit down dinners to cozy evenings in front of the fire.

Thanks for stopping by today!

To see the actual restoration/construction project of the back terrace, click here.

Sometimes in my posts, I provide links to the products. Sometimes I get a stipend at no cost to you. Other times I don’t get anything but want to share my resource.

What a beautiful week here. The freezing temperatures seem to be gone and signs of Spring are popping up everywhere. If I could wish for one climate here, now would be the one. Cool mornings requiring a sweater and afternoons that are pleasant and sunny. Welcome to yet another Saturday Meanderings where we chat about all good things this week.

A week ago, there was one blossom on the peach tree. Now it is completely covered in pink buds and flowers! Mother Nature is something!

Pool House Remodel

Recently my friend Chas @chascrazycreations and her mom came to visit Phoenix and stayed in our pool house. I don’t know what it is about having house guests but for some reason my eyes finally focus and I “see” my home in a different light.

When the children were younger, the pool house is a place they gathered with their friends. All the “toys” (Xbox, Wii) and two television screens were the big attraction in their teens to their 20s. But much of that equipment is outdated and it’s time to do a pool house refresh. The place looks tired.

Yesterday I met with a contractor and we hope to replace the flooring, lighting, and paint everything. I cannot wait to start and I will take you along on the journey. If you would like to see the original pool house build, you can find it here in Restoration Chronicles~Chapter 4. Though it feels we were under construction just yesterday, it is now 22 years later. Time for a face-lift!

The only part of the pool house that I will not be changing is the hand painted, stenciled floor in the bathroom. It still looks terrific nearly 2 years later. If you missed that post, you can see it here.

Hiking in Sedona

On Wednesday, I did my first hike of 2022, with my daughter and her dog.

There is no place like Sedona, Arizona. From the gorgeous red rocks buttes to the steep canyons and pine trees, it is one BEAUTIFUL place. Approximately 1.5 hour drive north of Phoenix, Sedona is a fabulous place to hike. With an early morning drive, we arrive at the Bell Trail No. 13 where it is 30 degrees. With only one other car in the parking lot, we set off and enjoyed the solitude of the great outdoors. A few hours and 7.4 miles later, we got back in the car (tired and happy) and drove home.

Thankfully, Congress set aside wild places where the land is allowed to retain its natural state, serving as a haven for humans to escape modern civilization and for nature to be itself. With so much land being developed, I am so grateful that someone had the foresight to turn this into a federally protected area.

Since my rib injuries in December, I have been taking it slow with cardio-vascular exercise, so I did have to ice my knee later that day. But what a great opportunity to spend time with my sweet daughter and her dog, Hemingway in such a gorgeous place. If you ever get a chance to visit Sedona, I can promise you will not regret it.

Have you Been to Target lately?

I confess that I do not enjoy shopping. However, a recent visit to Target nearly changed my mind. I did not realize that Target and Studio McGee are collaborating with an exclusive line called Threshold. I follow Studio McGee on Instagram @studiomcgee, however, until yesterday, was unaware of this partnership.

What a delight to finally see it! From the products to the merchandising to the affordable pricing, I am very impressed. And unlike Magnolia Farm, there is a lot of colorful items. The monochromatic look is fine, but it seems to bore me rather quickly. And Threshold is already featuring bright and cheerful items for the Spring and Easter.

Of course, I went to Target to buy plastic tubs and came back with all of this, and more. Wooden bunnies big and small, a wooden bunny cutting board, large candle with 5 wicks, cherry blossoms, Easter pillow and I really love the soft storage tubs in white and black.

My friend, Andrea from Design Morsels recommends this throw and I finally got one. This very soft, cable knit throw in blush will be perfect on the front porch bench.

If I didn’t have to be home for an appointment, I would have spent more time strolling through and seeing the over 4000 items in the Threshold line. If you do not have a Target store near you, check it out online here. I am not a Target affiliate~just impressed with the Threshold line and sharing my discovery!

Also, Studio McGee has a 2 season show on Netflix~ Dream Home Makeover. Has anyone seen it yet?

National Pizza Day

I’m not quite sure who creates these daily celebrations, but National Pizza day was this week. I cannot say enough about these pizzas we get direct from Italy from Talia di Napoli. They are a staple in the freezer (as you get 8 each order). But one pizza seems to serve 2-3 people at our home so making one can last for 2 meals. And they are less expensive than our local pizza joint.

In order to justify my pizza consumption, I try to always put a salad on top. In the garden now, there is an abundance of spicy, fresh arugula. Simple dressed with a lemon vinaigrette, pine nuts and shavings of Parmesan cheese, this healthy salad is just what I need to lower the guilt of pizza eating. Nothing fancy but the right amount of greens and ruffage.

There is so much more to share with you but it will have to wait until next Saturday. Have a fabulous weekend!

Welcome to my series, Room by Room where I take you to some part of my home and share the details of a specific room. Since we live in a historical home, each room does tell a story. The wine cellar is somewhat of a recent addition (well in the last 22 years vs. our 110 year old home). Located below the kitchen addition, the wine cellar is a brain child of my husband, who had the foresight to have our contractors dig a big hole back in the day.

History and Renovation

If you haven’t read The Restoration Chronicles of our home, well, Chapter 2 is all about the renovation of the back of the house, including the kitchen addition and the future basement/wine cellar. In the photo above, the area marked “future basement” is where today’s wine cellar resides. You can read that post here.

Getting There

In the breakfast room (just off the kitchen) is the doorway down to the entrance of the wine cellar. Once you descend the stairs, you are greeted by a very large Vermouth Melchior canvas reproduction of the vintage poster.

Our basement has 3 separate areas~the wine cellar, center storage and then our Christmas room (which holds all the holiday decorations and more). Just to the right of this large canvas, is what appears to be bookshelves. However, this is really the secret door to the wine cellar.

In order to reduce the weight of the books on the shelves of the “door”, my husband cut the books to fit into narrow shelves, making the books only a few inches long. Please note that these books were purchased from Goodwill on a day where you are able to buy 25 books for $1.00.

Dungeon Decor

With a hidden handle you can push the door open to reveal the entrance to the wine cellar. At this point, everything changes. The flooring goes from carpet to an etched concrete floor, that curves and descends down to a lower level. Stone walls, wrought iron lighting and a family crest give the room a dungeon feel.

Since the path is S shaped, at first you really do not know what to expect, so it is extra fun for guests to see it for the first time.

When the contractor was installing the rock walls, I told him I wanted them to look like original stone foundation walls. The grout is haphazardly applied to make the walls look as old as the house.

Seating

Here is the view back once you reach the bottom of the curved walkway. The wine cellar is a good size room at 15 feet by 18 feet.

There are 3 sitting areas: 2 overstuffed linen chairs (from Pottery Barn), 2 leather reclining chairs and bar stools around a floating table embedded into the stone wall. There is no natural light as the entire room is below ground.

The floating tasting table is a great place to try different wines. Embedded into the stone wall, the moon crescent shape fits perfectly against the rounded wall. Seating is with 3 leather barstools.

The Ceiling and Trim

My friend, Kim and her husband have a business where they demolish old barns, but save all the wood. The ceilings and beams are made from this barn wood from Illinois. I love how it makes the space feel warm and inviting. Since lighting is a challenge, the small halogen bulbs in the ceiling is on a dimmer switch.

Here is a picture of the actual barn that supplied the wood. A wonderful gift from my friend, Kim.

Even the bar sink cabinet is made from old wood. A copper sink and mirrored back splash makes for great storage of glasses and other bar items.

Other Storage

A Viking wine refrigerator is where bottles of champagne or extra special wine is stored. Above the refrigerator is a wine cellar tracker where you can enter each bottle of wine with its vintage, type and additional notes and label it accordingly.

The wine racking system is a simple one~wooden shelves with dividers and sections for bottles and wine boxes.

Systems for storing wine are much more sophisticated since we first installed our cellar. But this works well for us. At one point the cellar was filled with many bottles but our children and their friends have done their fair share of tastings. It is probably time to take another inventory and start sharing the older wine with friends.

What I Love about this Room

Once you enter the wine cellar, you feel transported to a different time. The decor is unlike any other part of the house and it is based on my husband’s vision for this space. It does feel like the basement with the stone walls. And it is a glorious place to go during the blistering hot summers. And who doesn’t love a hidden, secret room?

When you leave the wine cellar, this is the quote you will see on the wall from J.R.R. Tolkion, the author of the Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.” If more of us valued food and cheer and song above gold, it would be a merrier world.” So true, right?

Well, I hope you enjoy seeing our wine cellar and another edition of Room by Room. Have a fabulous Tuesday and a very joyful February!

Can it be mid-August already? Am I seeing school buses again? This must be the fastest year ever as it feels like I am in fast forward mode ALL the time. As you read this, I am at our mountain cabin, inspiring to relax. My visions of dinner outside and cooler temps will hopefully come true. Welcome again to another Saturday Meanderings, where we chat about all good and wonderful things.

Curious Results

My friends, Rick and Janie sent me a picture of their homemade tomato sauce. Hmmm. Rick, with 40 lbs. of tomatoes made 16 jars (pint) of sauce =32 cups of sauce. I, with 60 lbs. of tomatoes made 20 jars (pint) of sauce =40 cups of sauce. Wondering why my yield is less…Guessing that I probably reduced my sauce down more (but that much more?) could be the reason.

We’ve agreed to get together and do a taste test because if I can get the same flavor and consistency and more yield, I will note that for next year’s sauce making project. If you missed the post on the 4 Ingredient Tomato Sauce, you can see it here.

Look at these cute vintage holiday tea towels! Hester & Cook has a great selection this year. I am not sure how I will use them, but perhaps as a gift wrap for some fresh baked goodies? I just love the nostalgic vibe-it reminds me of my childhood. Natural 100% cotton and priced at $16.00 each. They measure 19″ wide by 33 1/2″ long. You can find them here.

Easy Summer Dessert

Trader Joe’s frozen pie crust is a staple in my freezer. With the abundance of fresh fruit like cherries and peaches, you can make this easy dessert with just a few ingredients.

Occasionally, when I unroll the TJ pie crust, it breaks apart. But since they package it between two large sheets of plastic wrap, I just take a rolling pin and do a few swipes over the plastic. The crust comes together nicely and then it is ready to use.

Pile the fruit in the middle with the suggested ingredients, curl up the edges of the pie crust, brush with a bit of egg wash and you are ready to bake.

Your friends and family will be impressed with your galette and they never need to know how easy peasy it is. I have made this recipe with cherries, peaches, apricots and apples. For the peach galette, here is the recipe from Serious Eats. And this yummy Rustic Cherry galette recipe is from She Wears Many Hats.

DIY-Vintage Bottle Labels

With fall and Halloween right around the corner, my friend, Rachel from The Ponds Farmhouse has a great tutorial about making these labels for your fall decor. Aren’t they amazing? See it here.

Kitchen Love

I love looking at pictures of kitchens. Often I dream about designing a new kitchen (not that I don’t enjoy mine) and what elements to include. The Scout Guide just posted a fabulous article about creating a timeless kitchen. There is some really great information. See it here. Also, as an FYI, The Scout Guide has publications in individual cities and you can own a franchise too. Check it out here.

Home Renovation

In 2004, I developed a home renovation/restoration business called Picket Fences, Inc. While pregnant with my third child and running errands, I had an ah-ha moment, pulled over to the side of the road, and quickly wrote down the beginnings of what would be a business plan for my company, Picket Fences. I love breathing new life into older properties and after many years in corporate America, this new adventure was right up my alley. Long before Fixer Upper or other HGTV shows became popular, I had a few home remodels under my belt.

The goal at that time was to buy one house per year in our mature neighborhood, improve it, sell it and make enough money to pay for the children’s tuition and one great family trip. It actually fulfilled my creative nature and allowed a flexible schedule while raising 3 children.

However, everyone started getting on the bandwagon and it became more and more difficult to find homes, at a reasonable price, and make a profit while maintaining my reputation and high standards. At first there was little to no competition. And then investment companies would pay more for properties, do really inferior work and “flipping” became the norm.

Here is an article from Apartment Therapy about 3 former house flippers who reveal why they quit flipping houses. If you think this is the occupation for you, please read this because it is filled with the realities of home flipping. It is not as glamorous as it seems. You can read it here.

To see the Before and After pictures of the restoration of a 1922 Jeffersonian home I did, click here.

Well, that wraps up another Saturday Meanderings. Thanks for joining me!

Have a wonderful weekend!