I also promised to show some after pictures when everything was done. Since the living room and stairway was the only actual "finished" areas, that's all I'm showing right now! LOL The first pics are the stairway before and after. There was carpet on the stairs and landings so we pulled that up. We started at the top landing and it came up so easily I was amazed! Nothing has been easy here in this old house! Well, it didn't let me down because when we got to the stairs the carpet had been glued down!! Here's how it looked when we finally got it all up:
We tried everything we could think of to remove that yellowed glue, even a heat gun and scraper. It was coming off but very slowly and Dave was uttering a few choice words! :) I wasn't much help because of my bad back. It was such a mess we knew we couldn't just paint over all those lumps and bumps! Then he happened to think that he had some adhesive remover in his shop and tried that. Believe it or not..that glue rolled right off. It still wasn't an easy task but much faster. There were also a gazillion carpet tacks to be pulled up! Then came the paint which we matched as close as we could to the original, and the stair treads which we had bought about a month earlier! The results:
After a couple of weeks we started moving things upstairs to reclaim some much needed space in the living room.
Our next project is to do the downstairs bedroom and take out the ugly ceiling tiles which some previous owner had put in to lower the original high ceiling. We want the high ceiling back!! Maybe in the spring!!
So, that's just the highlights of what has been going on with me. Maybe you can all forgive me for not being around for so long! :)
21 comments:
Those steps really look nice!! You guys did a great job on them. I know that work is really hard. Wish our steps looked that nice!! Wanna come do ours? smile!!
You have a beautiful home. I love the coziness of it.
Your home is beautiful. I would love to be there to help. Think I could come up a few weeks and work for my stay? =) old sisters reunited hehe
Absolutely I forgive you for not posting in so long, and I am very glad that you are back.
I am so sorry about Dave's Mom and his brother. That must have been terrible to have to close deaths in such a short time.
You and Dave do such beautiful work. I love the way the steps turned out. They are so pretty.
No, I haven't been posting on a regular basis for a long time now. Like you, it seems life has just gotten in the way so much of the time. I hope to get back posting on a more regular basis after the first of the year.
Hope, I want to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a much better New Year thatn this one has been.
Hope, how did you get the snow falling on your blog? That is so neat. I noticed Flip Flop Floozy has snow fall on her blog, too.
We are leaving for Illinois..that is our home state and our daughter and family and my mother and dad are still there...Now you know
Sorry about your MIL and BIL. Your home is looking beautiful as usual. You do such a great job decorating. Have a blessed week!
Hope,
Welcome back, my friend. My sincere condolences in the passing of your Mother-in-Law and Brother-in-Law. I'm sure it was a very difficult time. Since I last visited with you, I also lost Aunt May to bone cancer. So I understand that you've been grieving.
I love the photos of your home and your tree. Very pretty. I love what you did with the stairs.
Take care and please keep in touch. You certainly were missed.
Blessings,
Mary
Glad that you are back to blogland!My Condolences on the lost of Dave's Mom and Brother.Big Hugs.
Im so sorry about Dave's family passing away. I just love what ya'll have did with your lovely home. I love it all! I love that quilt or throw you have hanging up. I love your little black stove.I love high ceilings to.I know you can't wait to get them back.I love it all. We went back to DC during Thanksgiving and I thought of you.How far are you from Richmond? E-mail me sometime at homeschmama@aol.com Give my love to Brandy. Merry Christmas
Hugs. Lisa
Sometimes life takes over and blogging has to be put on the back burner for a while...with so much happening in your life the last few months, it's no wonder you didn't have time for it!!
Love what you guys did with the stairs, they look terrific now! Also loved seeing your home, everything looks so beautiful!! xoxo
I am so sorry about all the saddness. I think your home to be verry lovely...m..
Hope,
Sorry that you've had so much sadness but God is gracious and supplies our every need...
Your home looks so comfortable and welcoming.
Thank you for visiting with me and please do come back anytime....
Merry Christmas to you and yours...Betty
Howdy Hope!
Sooooo nice to hear from you, and so sorry about Dave's mother and brother.... :(
I have been hopelessly busy and not a very good blogger lately..I will try to post some Christmas pix within the next day or so. I hope you have a blessed Christmas, dear HOPE!!!
xxxooo Ruth
Yea!!! Hope is back :)
I have missed seeing you around, but certainly understand taking the time away. I was very slow in posting over the Summer and Fall, with the cooler weather and it getting dark so much sooner, it is easier to take time and blog.
I love the steps and the carpet, so pretty! Great job even if it did take a lot of extra elbow grease to get the glue up!
First of all, I am so terribly sorry for the losses that you and Dave suffered. Please give him my heartfelt condolences Hope. We have been in a similar situation - losing two pillars of our family in close proximity to each other - and it was so painful. And praise God that your home was available to be opened to all of those people. That was a blessing.
The stairs look SO good. Your home is just beautiful.
It is so nice to be sitting here commenting on your blog!
{{{HUGS}}}
Jen
Hi, Hope! It is so good to hear from you. Thank you for stopping by and offering a prayer for Tracy.
I am so sorry to read about your family's loss. It is difficult to loose a loved one, but two so close together is just awful.
Your stairs and living room look lovely:-)
Glad you are back.
Rhonda
I could have sworn I commented on this post but if I did, it's gone now, LOL!
Y'all have put so much work and effort into remodeling your home. It's already beautiful and will be even more so when y'all get done with it. :o)
Love and hugs,
Diane
Ohhh I know exactly what you are talking about when it comes to digging into an old house and trying to give it back the warmth and grace of its earlier life.
In a lifetime past I tackled uch a house on my own. It wasn't something that the ex liked to do because it didn't involve a booze bottle and barflies..... lol
A simple task of scraping off ol paint on the woodwork became a challenge of removing 10 layers of paint.
The stairs are beautiful. You didn't glue those new treads down did you....lol
Have a blessed day.
No wonder you have been MIA~ I can only imagine.
It is good to have you back.
Merry Christmas y'all!
Dear Hope,
Thanks for stopping by. I'm sorry to hear of your losses. I hope you and Dave are finding some peace after all you've been through. The house looks wonderful - great work on the stairs!
Hello Hope! Wishing you a fabulous New Year!
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