...and then there was light!

As mentioned last post, we've had beautiful weather.
So after our hike, it was depressing to come into our dark kitchen (north facing, big trees in the backyard, a wall blocks the front window and also prevents seeing into the living room... you know, typical split entry 1970 home).

And so we decided to take the wall out.  Load bearing and all.  And yes, we did it properly, with temporary walls, support etc. 

Gotta love spur-of-the-moment renos.  

We is quite royal.  As in "me" decided and "he" did the work.  I was in charge of the kids:)

4:00pm Sat:
The view from our kitchen to the living room

6pm Sat:
Oh wow, its already feeling better in here

4pm Sun:
Tada!  WONDERFUL.

*THOUGHTS ON RENOS, aka defending the fact I "Never finish" things**
Si and I are either a great or a horrible pair.  He likes to think things through, have all the details worked out, have a plan.  But he doesn't initiate much as he overthinks things and they become huge.  Me?  Love to start projects!  Not intimidated by big work.  Can do in steps.  BUT steps can be f  a       r  apart.  As in the project I did while on mat leave with Riles is still missing a vent cover.

I don't really apologize, since the vent cover is one thing.  But we got a garage and office out of it that we appreciate daily.  Screw the vent.  (simon, can you please install that darn vent cover?)

We'd been talking of the kitchen for a long time.  Our realtor says not to do it since our house is a tear down.  I take that as "make it functional but don't go crazy granite counters etc" and take tear down to mean sometime in 10 years we will sell and they will built a mcmansion.  We can do all kinds of exciting plans. But chose to do a simple, cheap (<$300) and seriously, life-altering change!  Win-win as far as I'm concerned.  And the drywall will be done someday.  When we do the rest of the kitchen and the other 5 drywall patches.  All at once (we no longer tape/mud drywall and collect these projects for outsourcing since the biggest expense is them showing up).

My only regret?  Not doing this bloody kitchen earlier. Its awesome to see the living room.

BTW, this video had a great tip on how to keep existing drywall so now we just have three strips and the most simple taping jobs ever.  See how they cut through the studs while maintaining the drywall (1:35)?  Super trick.
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/video/0,,20506202,00.html

Finally, GogoPops would kill me if I posted without a pic of the kids:
 


 

Miss you guys!  Hope you are enjoying your travels through Namibia!