Tiling Project

Our plan for the summer was to continue to focus on the basement (electric/plumbing/ insulation/drywall) and also to get the gross stone/plywood stairs outside the front door knocked down and a lovely new deck built! By now you would have thought we would have learnt that what we think something should cost, will actually cost three times that and then some!!! So that being said, and the fact Chris was down all summer recovering from back surgery (:-<) we did none of these things!!

What we did do though is pay a tiling expert (Specialized Tiling) to finish some of those nagging jobs we had outstanding in the upstairs of the house! The first being the kitchen backsplash! Both Chris and I agreed that we didn't think the kitchen looked bad prior to the backsplash - but looking at the before and after pictures it is very clear that we have been living in this house too long and are oblivious to how unfinished it really did look!! The lovely glossy grey subway tiles (from Lift Flooring Studio - Eagle Vail) really finish the kitchen off and go well with the grey cabinets, stainless steel appliances and dark granite countertop!

Kitchen sans backsplash

Lovely grey subway tiles with a contrasting white grout!

You can tell a pro did this - symmetrical tiles either side of the window frame!

The kitchen is now finished!

We also decided to get some of the other tiling jobs completed while we had pros here. You may remember I tiled the floor under the pellet stove, which was probably one of the first projects I did in the house! Almost two years later, Chris tiled the wall but was unsure of how to join the tiled wall, with the dry wall. Another year later, and the tiling is now finished!!

Before.

After.

Finally, the step in the bathroom, with the lovely carpet edge from the bedroom hanging through!  While  I managed to tile the floor, shower and vanity in the bathroom - this step was too much! So happy with how it turned out! With only the vanity lighting left to do in the bathroom - we almost have 3 rooms upstairs completely finished! 

Before.

After.

The Basement

After a year long hiatus from anything involving a saw, nails or paint, it was time to get back on it and start the Basement Remodel!!!

We are pretty excited about this! Chris probably more so than me because his beloved Man Cave is becoming a reality not just a far fetched fantasy!! I'm happy because I get to declutter, sort and organise (throw out) a growing mountain of junk that is being stored in the basement! Plus I also get to design the second bathroom and guest bedroom!

Here's a preview of the before, very cluttered basement, and then some of the work in progress! First job is framing, then electric, insulation and drywall. Hopefully this will all be completed by late Spring!

BEFORE: Laundry Space

BEFORE: The man cave, with the ever increasing pile of junk!

BEFORE: The guest bathroom to the left and another pile of junk where the guest bedroom will eventually be!

AFTER: Framed Laundry Room

AFTER: Pile of junk and framed MAN CAVE

View from MAN CAVE of the eventual MUD ROOM, which will also be framed. Eduardo, the guy who basically built our house is back again helping out with the Basement remodel! He brought a couple of new guys to help with this project!

AFTER: Framed Bathroom. Low ceiling because of pipes above  - not ideal but will be 80 inches high which just passes code requirements!!

Framed partition/closet in the guest bedroom - looks a little weird but saw it on Pinterest and think it will look really cool when finished!! (Chris is not so sure - we will see!!)

View from the closet in the guest bedroom! To the left is the mechanical room. To the right is the doorway with the bathroom behind it.