Hi y’all. While I was writing blog posts about the bungalow renovation, I was also posting almost every day on Instagram under #homesweethomereno. The blog got the big updates. Instagram got everything in between: the mastic, the drywall dust, the late nights, and every little thing we found hiding in this house.
I went back through my feed and pulled every one of those photos together here, in order, with the captions exactly as I wrote them at the time. Typos and all. It is the closest thing I have to a diary of those ten months.
A quick note on room names: the room I called my office back then is the front bedroom today, and the master bathroom is the bathroom that used to be the kitchen. You can see how all of it turned out in the 2018 Before + After and in The Downtown Bungalow Turns 100.
Summer 2014: closing day and the first surprises
The house was mine at the beginning of June. Before any real work started, the yard and the shed got some attention, the office drop ceiling came down, and the house got a new roof.
May 30, 2014Just received the official word, I’m closing on my new house next week! Looks like it’s time to start another renovation…more details to come. #timetofireuptheoldblog#diylifeMay 31, 2014Everyone piled in the car for a weekend trip to Lowe’s to buy fencing for the new yard. #firstnewhouseprojectJune 4, 2014It’s official! I am once again a homeowner. I cannot wait to begin unlocking the potential in this little gem. I believe it is time to dust off the ol’ blog, working on details now…Stay Tuned #diylife#reno2June 6, 2014The front of the new house. My first blog post in 5 months is up on The Mustard Ceiling http://themustardceilingblog.com. More to come…June 7, 2014Look we uncovered an adorable garden shed during yard work at the new house this afternoon! Can’t wait to fix it up too. #diylife#homesweethomerenoJune 22, 2014Uncovered high ceilings and picture molding during the office demo today! It was covered up by an ugly drop ceiling. #demoday#unexpectedsuprises#renohomesweethomeJuly 4, 2014We had a New roof installed this week on the house. We changed the roofline a little, adding more pitch. It looks so much better! #makingprogress#homesweethomereno
August 2014: demo, attic floors and a barn door
This was the month things really got moving. We found the pine flooring in the attic, started fighting the mastic, moved doors, and hung the very first pieces of drywall.
August 7, 2014Home Sweet Home. Two months ago I closed on my new house and have been working behind the scenes to start the renovation and prepare the blog to share the journey with you. Today, I posted the Before photos on the blog.August 8, 2014Look what we found in the attic!Pine tongue and groove flooring. This weekend’s project is to install it in my office. What are you working on this weekend? #renohomesweethome#repurposereuse#diylifeAugust 9, 2014Progress on the office flooring installation. I am going to love it when it’s finished! #repurposereuse#renohomesweethome#diylifeAugust 10, 2014Demo day! Working on getting the old tile up in the dining room. It’s coming up fine. The underneath mastic adhesive is the next challenge. Any recommendations on how to get up mastic? #masticremoval#diymastic#homesweethomereno#diylifeAugust 10, 2014It’s door moving day at the house. Hopefully this is the last door to be moved. #homesweethomereno#demoday#diylifeAugust 11, 2014I have big plans for this old kitchen sink…eventually it will become part of the master bathroom vanity. Can you picture it? #repurposereuse#diylife#homesweethomerenoAugust 12, 2014I spy the start of walls in the master bathroom. There is always a moment in the renovation when your design begins to click and you can see the vision plain as day. Yesterday, that happened in the master bathroom. So excited! Thanks dad for helping me visualize the space…and for framing it. #masterbathdesign#homesweethomereno#diylifeAugust 14, 2014The office floors are finished and the post on how we tackled them is up. Working with “vintage” flooring was not an easy task, we wrestled through the process, but I love how they turned out in the end. Thanks @life_appalachia and dad for helping! #homesweethomereno#woodflooring#diylifeAugust 16, 2014Just found my barn door for the master bed/bath. A beautiful solid Douglas Fir 38″ door for $35. So excited, can’t wait for this project. #homesweethomereno#batndoordiy#diylifeAugust 17, 2014Before…this weekend’s project, cleaning up the overgrowth. I have a crazy vine that is Completely Out of Control. It is taking over the house and side yard and has got to go!August 17, 2014After…it looks so bare, but will be better in the long run. Can’t wait to get the yard in order once the inside is a little farther along.August 19, 2014So far I have had so much help and guidance through this renovation project, I feel blessed. Thanks to Mom and dad for helping last weekend and to a few of my local friends who have recently tackled renovation projects and continue to provide guidance and insights. @lafayetteflats @life_appalachia and @marathonbikes. Thank you all!August 24, 2014This weekend, we hung the first pieces of dry wall. We officially have ceilings in the entry way and office! #homesweethomereno#makingprogress
Fall 2014: insulation, a tub and new walls
The fall was all the unglamorous stuff: insulation, ductwork, plumbing, and a lot of sheetrock.
September 4, 2014The entry has insulation and the HVAC ducts are being run. We’ll be moving in in no time. #homesweethomereno#diylifeOctober 1, 2014No master bathroom renovation is complete without a tub. We finally got ours moved in last night. Can’t wait for the first soak. #diylife#homesweethomerenoOctober 6, 2014Today we’re sheet rocking the master bedroom! We tackled the bathroom yesterday. After a slight learning curve, I think we’re on the right track! #diylife#homesweethomerenoOctober 25, 2014Signs of Progress. Plumbing started this week at the house. We have lines run to the shower and laundry room! #homesweethomereno#diylifeOctober 26, 2014Looky, looky the first walls of new Sheetrock are up. 2 down, 14 to go…November 21, 2014We’ve been making a lot of progress on the house over the past few weeks. A sneak peek of my newly sheet rocked entry. I will be posting an update on house progress Monday…November 21, 2014The back of the house just got enclosed with new siding for the winter. Can you believe dad made the siding out of leftover wood flooring? #homesweethomereno#diylife
Winter 2014 into 2015: mastic, mud and a lot of helpers
Most of my holidays that year were spent on my knees peeling mastic off the floors. My friends showed up, and my dad kept building.
December 14, 2014After months of work on the house, things are coming together. I officially have a shower stall that is almost ready for tiling! Thanks @life_appalachia and @marathonbikes for your help! #diylife#homesweethomeDecember 14, 2014Shower stall progress…before hardi backer was installed. Thanks @life_appalachia!December 28, 2014After a lot of trial and error this weekend. I have found the best solution for getting mastic off hardwood floors is…a wallpaper steamer and putty knife. Works like a charm!December 29, 2014The sheetrock in my office is finished and we’re Jenny Linding the walls…we have sheet rock finished in 7 rooms now. #homesweethomereno#diylifeJanuary 1, 2015What a nice surprise. I got heat vents installed for the New Year! #homesweethomerenoJanuary 1, 2015Happy New Year! How did you spend the 1st day of 2015? I spent most of the day removing mastic from the hardwood floors in my bathroom. 3/4 of the way finished and loving them! #diylife#homesweethomerenoJanuary 2, 2015Look what I under covered under layers of vinyl tile and mastic…Pine Hardwood floors and they’re in incredible shape!January 5, 2015I had a lot of helpers working on the house today! Thank you @marathonbikes @justinej2013 @life_appalachia Scotty MCDJanuary 5, 2015Justine learned how to use the nail gun today as the doorway from the bedroom to bathroom was being framed. #diylife#homesweethomerenoJanuary 5, 2015Adam preparing the doorway opening for framing. He had to pull out the axe to start progress.January 5, 2015Haynes and Justine got to hanging sheet rock in the bathroom. #makingprogress#homesweethomerenoJanuary 9, 2015The windows are getting new molding today. Lookin’ good! Thank you master carpenter dad. #homesweethomereno#diylifeJanuary 11, 2015Project Hardwood Reveal: Dining room. Hope we are as successful getting the mastic up in the dining room as we were in the bathroom last week. #projectmasticrwmoval#homesweethomerenoJanuary 11, 2015I think we have our work cut out for us. #projectmasticremoval#diylifeJanuary 25, 2015Progress in the Master Bath. A couple of months ago we were framing and now we’re finishing the first coat of mud. We’ll be finished in no time. Can’t wait to see how it turns out. #homesweethomereno
February 2015: cabinets and red oak
Cabinets arrived, I found a deal on red oak for the entry, and the living room floors got sanded.
February 4, 2015Kitchen Cabinets are in…time to unload! #diylife#homesweethomerenoFebruary 13, 2015I scored almost 400 sq. feet of planed red oak yesterday for $100. I’m not sure how yet, but am going to get creative and use it for flooring in my entry. #diylife#homesweethomereno#schemingdesignideasFebruary 20, 2015Playing with floor patterns for the entry with the red oak I found last week. Herringbone anyone? #diylife#homesweethomerenoFebruary 22, 2015The past week was spent removing tar paper and adhesive from the old pine floors in the living room. Yesterday I finally got to sand them. Love how they are turning out! There is nothing better than old wood floors in my opinion. Thankful for how these turned out, it was touch and go for awhile…#homesweethomereno#diylifeFebruary 22, 2015First room is almost cleaned up and ready to paint! What a milestone. We have 3 weeks until final inspection, wish us luck 🙂 #homesweethomereno#diylifeFebruary 26, 2015Flooring is almost completely down in the entryway! I love how it is turning out. We are using solid 3/4″ red oak boards I found as scraps for $100. We ended up using a simple staggered pattern and it looks amazing. Can’t wait to sand and poly it. #diylife#homesweethomereno
March 2015: paint, walnut and final inspection
The last push. Paint went on, the lights came on, the shower got tiled, dad built the walnut countertops, and we passed final inspection.
March 4, 2015Out with the old, in with the new…bye bye blue. Painting the kitchen today. #4roomspainted5togo#homesweethomerenoMarch 5, 2015Nothing changes a room better than a fresh coat of paint. I am using Valspar Bistro White throughout the house. The fresh paint has really brought the kitchen together, especially loving the ceiling…here is a sneak peak.March 5, 2015Bye bye red brick…time for a fireplace makeover…#homesweethomerenoMarch 6, 2015We have lights! The first lights are officially working. We have had one outlet to work from for 8 months…this is exciting! #homesweethomereno#theendisinsightMarch 11, 2015I painted the office yesterday…here is a sneak peak. Love how it turned out! #7roomspainted3togo#homesweethomerenoMarch 11, 2015The office a couple of months ago…making progress. Our final inspection is in 9 days, we’ve come along way, but have a lot to do in the next week…wish us luck! #homesweethomerenoMarch 12, 2015Love the light shining in the freshly painted office this AM after a long cold, wet, dreary spell. It’s about time to wrap this renovation up, 8 days until final inspection. #homesweethomerenoMarch 13, 2015Gracie says “good morning” as I look through the stacks of old walnut in the garage. I’m selecting wood for my countertops this AM. #homesweethomereno#1weektogoMarch 13, 2015My countertops for the kitchen. Dad has 2″ thick slabs for old walnut that he salvaged from an old barn across the street. I am so excited to tie them into the house. I think they will be just right for the kitchen. Think I’m crazy? #homesweethomereno#diylifeMarch 13, 2015Tiling has begun in the shower. Can’t wait to see how it turns out! Hopefully, it will be ready by the end of the weekend. Thank you @life_appalachia for tackling this project. #lessthan7daystillinspectionMarch 15, 2015Tile progress in the shower. Just about 2/3 of the way finished. I AM LOVING IT!March 15, 2015Priming the kitchen cabinets today. Back of the doors are finished, moving onto the drawers. It is so nerve racking to paint brand new cabinets! Wish me luck. #homesweethomereno#diylifeMarch 15, 2015Bye bye wood, hello attitude gray…wish me luck on the kitchen cabinet facelift.March 16, 2015We’re into building the new bathroom vanity this evening. We’re using an old porcelain sink I found for $10 at Habitat Restore and an old plank door that was originally in the kitchen. Can’t wait to see how it turns out, loving it so far! #homesweethomerenoMarch 18, 2015Kitchen cabinets are set and we’re onto building the countertops. #5daysuntilfinalinspection! #homesweethomerenoMarch 19, 2015Came upon two of these vintage fixtures buried in the basement workshop. Psyched to pull them upstairs. First one has been installed in the dining room and the second one is going to hang in the kitchen. This house has so many buried treasures. I love incorporating them into the renovation. #diylife#homesweethomereno#buriedtreasuresMarch 22, 2015Ready to rock on the final floor sanding! Time to wrap this project up. #homesweethomereno#diylifeMarch 26, 2015We have come along way on our renovation. I had the final inspection yesterday. We still have some detail work to do, but the major renovation is complete. Can’t wait to move in! I will share updated progress on the blog soon. #homesweethomereno#majorconstructionisfinished!March 26, 2015Another sneak peak of the finished renovation. Looking into my 2 guest rooms. #homesweethomereno#majorconstructionisfinished
April 2015: the finishing touches
The major work was done, and I could start on the fun details.
April 18, 2015I am for the most part finished with my house renovation! All in all, it took about 9 months. Now we’re moving on the the restaurant build out @vandalskitchen. We have a lot to do before we open June 1st. Follow along as we DIY our way through the build. #vandalskitchen#honestfood#diylife#holycrapweownarestaurant#renoApril 20, 2015Sneak Peak of the kitchen. The first coat of oil is on the countertops. Love the look so far! #homesweethomereno#DIY#homerenovation#woodcountertopsApril 25, 2015Attempting my first solo woodworking project for the house. Today, I’m building brackets for the open shelving in my kitchen. #homesweethomereno#diylife#wishmeluck#openshelving#diybrackets
November 2016: the first shower
One last one, because it took a while: my first shower in the primary bathroom, more than two years after we started.
November 26, 2016A blast from the past. My master bathroom at the start of my renovation June 2014…November 26, 2016This evening, after over 2 years of renovations and I just took my first shower in the master bathroom….it was GLORIOUS!
If you are reading this from the bungalow, thank you for being part of its story. And if you want to see where all this mess ended up, the Before + After is next.
These are the pieces in the Downtown Bungalow today. Some links are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
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