HOW ARE YOUR SUMMER PROJECTS GOING, readers? What are you getting done? What do you fear will never get done? Me, hopeless. Wrote a check for some new landscaping work, but other than that, too busy with work, the blog, visitors, the usual. And all you lurkers, make my day and leave a comment, for gosh sakes.
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57 comments
sablemable says
My kitchen. The pantry isn’t ready yet, nor is all the painting done. Not only do we have to paint the walls, but the insides of the cabinets,too, so all the doors have been removed, I cleaned the doors well to remove the built up grease and dirt so they’re all set. I got new brass finished hinges from Amerock to use on the cabinets (to match the brass finished saucer style knobs). Curtains need to be hung as well as my retro kitchen wall clock. I have all the supplies for finishing the kitchen, but between my health and the hot weather, I’m dragging my tuchis getting things done. One project accomplished was the installation of the pull-down light. Looks beautiful. The bathroom is already functional, but it still needs a paint job, new curtains and I have to finish removing the old varnish. Since those two rooms are the most important, they’re being done first. The bedrooms just need to be painted and the wood floors polished.
Tikimama says
Wow! I just sped past all the other replies to get to the comment box, and man, you hit a nerve!! People are writing essays! I’ll go back to read them next.
Here, summer is so hot, it’s easy to use it as an excuse for just about everything. I’ve been trying to work bit by bit on our front yard in the cooler evenings, planting and stuff that doesn’t require much money. It seems that all the dream projects take too much of that darn stuff, so I try to satisfy my urges with smaller projects. What I really hope we can get done before the school year starts up again (which is going to mean a new job for my husband) is an exhaust fan in our tiny master bathroom. It’s a health hazard in there now, and trying to keep up with the mold is exhausting and depressing. It’s my pink bathroom, and I want it to shine!!
Retro Junkie says
My husband and I had one of THOSE mortgages that was crazy and we finally got out from underneath it, so we bought a repo that really needed help.It is a small 1963 ranch without too much pizazz so we are doing our best to help it out. We sanded the hardwood floor and we are ready to put an “early american” stain on it. There 3 rooms that connect and they all had a different remanents of vinyl so we put down one that looks like slate. I wanted something more retro but I have 3 dogs and we live in the Pacific NW, we have lots of wet weather and I need something that I don’t have to look at paw marks.
I have always wanted to use some wallpaper that I have saved for the right time and this is it. It’s white background that looks like pennsylvania dutch quilt squares, mostly in primary colors. I painted my cabinets to match and they are cherry red on the bottom and white on top. I put 4 coats of red paint to cover and I used primer! It looks very cheery! White tile on the countertops.
The body of the house is painted a light aqua with white crown moulding. The living room is on the back side of the house and there was no door to the back yard, except through the garage. That won’t work with our menagerie of pets, so we took out the big window and put in a slider. To give it some personality we installed glass blocks on either side of the door. I grew up in a bungalow that had them, they make me feel good.
We have lots of things we have saved up for the right time and we are using them now! I am never doing this again, I do not have the energy anymore! (plus my husband is tired of my “great ideas”) He says when I get that look in my eyes he knows he’s in for a new way to spend his retirement.
veg-o-matic says
Nothing too big on my agenda. Next week we’ll be installing an Anga (Ikea) wall system in the den to house my collection of vintage toys and serve as a surround for my 1964 Zenith round-screen color TV. After that, hope to replace the shower curtain with tub doors. Unfortunately, I’ve not been able to find any tub doors with either mermaids or sea horses. Or swans, for that matter.
Eartha says
It’s so good to read what everyone is doing! I feel both inspired and comforted that we’re not alone in our work load.
What we’re getting done: tons and tons of never ending trim painting, window washing and ivy pulling. We also spend some time convincing each other that people who take vacations are “suckers” and that it’s the smart people who buy run down ranches and talk about them constantly and lovingly like they are their children. : )
What we’re afraid will never get done: The floor revamping. We have a concrete foundation with the old flooring glued down in every room. We’ve been trying for weeks to find engineered flooring that actually looks convincing AND matches our original doors (which we refuse to take out).
What our flooring salesman is doing: wanting to strangle us. : )
Hang in there everyone! It will SO be worth it!
pam kueber says
So much fun to read everyone’s comments. You guys are busy bees. Good time for a reminder to be cognizant of environmental and safety issues. Know what you are working with. Consult with pro’s as appropriate. The EPA websites for lead and asbestos are on most of my product pages (in Fast & Easy box, and in New?Start Here tab).
Annie B. says
Ouch! Proofreader in the house?? Multi-tasking is a myth!!
Sorry!
Annie B. says
Summer projects at the “Rancho del Ray” have included the installation of a water softener. Our heavily mineralized beach water had glazed every surface in our kitchen and baths with horrible white lime scale which was impossible to remove. We’d put up with this for years; kind of scary what you can get used to living with. After solving the water problem, we installed the most fabulous, retro-looking, white porcelain Kohler Smart Sink and a Peerless faucet which looks great with it. What a difference! Inspirational!
Also, re-screened the front porch with near invisible nylon screen. After years of abuse from cat claws and hurricanes, it was overdue. It now looks wonderful out there with vintage cast aluminum dining set and big round “ear” chairs found at a local thrift. My split-leaf philodendron is as happy with it as I am.
These are but baby steps, but we are moving forward – and in unison, too.
After nearly thirty years of marriage, my husband and I are finally in agreement on a style of decor: MCM.
What will never get done is the flooring. The house is over 40 and has settled into the sand beneath it. Needs to be leveled before any flooring other than carpeting can be installed; a major undertaking. I’m afraid that the Rancho will crack in half and roll into the ocean if we try to level; oh, well. The kitchen’s renovation at least has a chance of getting done now that we have the new sink. The kitchen looks like a postage stamp sized cave with its dark walnut panelling walls. I want to paint them white and go with pink and aqua accents. The flooring in there is good: a terrazzo effect, white and beige Congoleum. But then, there are the dark cabinets which need to be painted and those early ’80’s almond countertops to deal with. Hmm…every time I even think about retirement, visions of Kentiles appear in my head and off to work I go. Don’t care; love it!
Thanks for the opportunity to share; good luck, all. Happy renovating.
Admittedly, this is a baby step in the
Lauren says
Well, we just bought a house that was built in 1956 and have been busy taking out the horrible 70’s and 80’s kitchen remuddling that someone did before us. Lots of painting to be done. Still have the kitchen floor to do (going to use Armstrong VCT “willow green”), I have to keep looking for a nice retractable lamp for the kitchen too. Tons to do! Trying to get it all done in three weeks before we move in. LOL! I’m goin crazy, OCD is in high-drive. All of this is terribly tough to do with a 22 month old son on hand! Oh, I should also mention that much of my inspiration comes from your website!! Thank you!!!!!! 🙂
Tut says
mcmeg, its too bad you don’t like the countertops. I think it’s perfect for the wood and hardware.
I have no projects this Summer, which is a first. We are thinking of ripping out the stupid, boring deck whose ugly railing blocks our view of all our hard landscaping work, and replace it with a slate or bluestone patio. Different sized/shaped rectangles for that ’60s modern look. Something appropriate for a Sterling-Cooper weekend party.
patty says
wow, that is a lot of ambition in the comments. i am trying to get to my last 2 weeks of ironing today, although a more major project would be to dig through the storage tubs of old family photos, 3 generations worth, which i seem to have inherited. Ugh, the thought! I may just have to go to the thrift store instead…