Life on Road Q

Mudroom view from the back door.

View toward the back door.  Yes, I did save that awesome floor to ceiling cabinet to be used in another place (yet to be determined).

Then we moved in and other projects became more important.  When muddy boots and teenagers came through that back door, there was nowhere to put anything, nowhere to sit, not enough hooks for coats...you get the picture.  It just wasn't working like a mudroom should!

It has been a vision in progress.  First I thought I wanted a huge farm sink (it's awesome for sure) but I soon found it was more important to have a spot for boots and to sit down and to hang up big bulky farm coats!
Priorities that went beyond "cute"!

First I decided I needed cubbies for storage.   They tucked nicely in this little spot behind the bathroom door!  Soon after we put in the bench I thought all the boots would go under it.  But...muddy people come in and they need a spot to strip off muddy clothes.  I decided I hated having them on the rug......so.....now we have a laundry basket.  When I find a cuter one it will be replaced. :)

In all the pictures of mudrooms I looked at, they almost all had white walls.  I decided that I didn't want ANY dirt, fingerprints, mud, etc. to show on these walls!  So, blue, yellow, dark wax, and distressed it is!  Don't you just love those cheery curtains?  The bench is made out of an old board I bought at a garage sale in Colorado.  It's old, beat up, and perfect!  I love the shelf we designed.  It's perfect to hold all the stuff I collect!  You know I love my stuff!

What's a mudroom without a bathroom?  It's little, but perfect and so close to the door that they can go in and out and not get mud throughout the house!  It would be better with a shower, but I worked with the space I had...

Love that medicine cabinet!  It came out of an old hotel in Denver.  Awesome!

Looking toward the back door.  A great place to hang keys as we come in and leave!  Notice the runner on the floor...holds tons of water and mud and is the color of DIRT!  Very important!  The only thing left to put in is the utility sink and counter-top that will go over the drawers and all the way to the wall.  It will be reclaimed wood and amazing!  It is already amazing in my head....just have to get the farming year done and maybe it will be done by Christmas! Now I have a cute mudroom that functions like a good mudroom should!   And like most of my projects it's 85% complete.  It's my signature style to rarely finish a project before I go to the next.  It works for me.    Next project......kid's bathroom lights and mirror!

This is my kitchen "before".  I love it.  The only thing that bothered me was the hole in the ceiling where a range hood and fan were supposed to go.  I have had no idea what I really want in a range hood.  So I look at pictures on pinterest and think.  "I like beadboard".  "I like hoods with a shelf".  "I like....there were lots of different styles I liked!  Then I started to narrow it down.  I saw a copper hood that was really cool and decided maybe I'd go toward metal or copper.  Steve liked the idea so I started looking at copper hoods.  Then......my Uncle Jim came up from southern California for harvest.  During Sunday dinner at my house Jim asked me what we were doing next to the house.  I mentioned I was trying to decide on range hoods and I had decided to go with copper.  He looked at me funny and said "You want copper?"  "yes"  I said.  Then he said "I have a copper range hood that goes over an island in my garage".  He and my Aunt Marcia  remodeled their kitchen a couple years ago and he said he'd talk to Marcia and get a picture for me!  THEN after I had seen a picture and loved it I found out my cousin David just happened to be driving up to see harvest (and his dad) the same week!  Marcia agreed to "trade" it for homemade canned peaches!  Good thing I did all that canning this year!  They were so generous and I'm so excited!  I jumped around for days!  David drove it up.  I was sure it was going to be too big but after lots of discussion and a cardboard mock-up we decided....it's PERFECT!

This is the kitchen (not clean, but you get the idea) before we put up the range hood.  The hole in the ceiling is where the pipe used to hang down.  Steve the genius carpenter did all the measuring and pre=drilling and I just told him where I wanted it.  He's amazing.

Steve had to crawl up in the ceiling and  add  2x4's to support the hood.  I handed him tools and wood pieces through the hole!

This is how he climbed into the ceiling.  Not to much space.  Good thing he's thin!

Rolf wasn't sure about the strange thing coming out of the ceiling.

My handsome, genius husband who does projects for me.

The hood while it sat in the living room  while we decided if it would work and called welders and craftsmen to cut it down.....

After installation.....Good thing we didn't!  It's totally perfect!

It fits perfectly with my decor and style!

If only I could keep the kitchen this clean all the time! I LOVE IT!  Thanks Jim and Marcia for adding to the "story" that is our house.  I love that many of the things in the house have a great story to them! Next project......Curtains!

The new room!

A corkboard to hold reminders, pictures, and other important papers!  Her makeup table that she painted herself that was purchased at a garage sale in Colorado.

This is the darling cabinet I traded JoAnne for.  I gave her my time to decorate her house and I get the cabinet!  A win win!  And it is perfect for all Claire's treasures! (Not to mention the perfect color!)

The fireplace before.  I know the turquoise is in, but it really was garish!

 And now.......

 I love how open it all is and it's great for entertaining!

 We've had some fires in the fireplace and it's very cozy and warm!  Perfect for a winter day!


Stay tuned for more decor!  The current project is putting up an AWESOME copper range hood in the kitchen the we got from my Uncle Jim and Aunt Marcia!  We thought we would have to alter the size, but after making a cardboard mock up, we decided it was PERFECT!  Steve is in the process of installing it now and I'll post again when it's up!

This is the end of January when it was covered in hoarfrost.  I love it when trees look like this!  It makes me want hot cocoa, a fire in the fireplace, and the blanket my sister Jennifer made me.

This picture was taken the beginning of May when it was covered in beautiful pink blossoms.  Right next to this tree is an enormous lilac tree/bush.  Amazing. I'm so excited to live with big trees.  We are planning where to plant more trees that we will get to see grow.  I think it will be one of my favorite things about retirement.

Andrew snapped a picture of the sunset the other night.  It was breathtaking.

Asparagus patch in our yard.  It's really yummy!

I love our big trees!

The side of the house.  Many projects to come including painting the new siding,  replanting the grass we ruined when we put in the window well, and somehow covering up the ugly (but really great) air conditioning unit.  But it's pretty cute as is for now.

Tom Dent spraying our wheat right next to the house.

Pretty cool he was so close!  I was standing in our yard and this is not zoomed! I'll take pictures of the inside after I restore some order.

Just one more piece on this section....

But you can see how much farther they have to go!  Just imagine this full to the top with potatoes!  Incredible!

The guys on the lift are brave.  Too high for me!

My happy husband. I think he picked the right profession.  Tomorrow he's learning how to  work the forklift.  He's so excited!