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barb5_gw

What were your best projects in 2009?

barb5
14 years ago

I remember last year at this time there was a similar thread that I found very inspirational. People posted pics of wonderful projects that they had completed. I'd love to see what everyone did this year.

What were your favorite projects that you did in 2009? It doesn't matter if they were big projects or small, please jump in!

Comments (71)

  • bonniee818
    14 years ago

    I have two favorite projects that I think are my favorite One is a never ending continuing project for the craftoom, still needs lamps & track lighting and a few more odds & ends but getting nearer to being finished. I was pretty well pleased with the gift wrapping station I made to get it all organized. It is basically three sections, one the computer work area , the gift wrapping station & the sewing area. The other is the LR which we took a chance & painted raspberry truffle which we love & are in the process of repainting one wall due to a water heater leak right before Christmas. Keep your fingers crossed the painting goes well. Here are the pics.....Bonnie



  • denali2007
    14 years ago

    My biggest project this year was picking paint colors!!! Finally did and had my entire first floor and entry way up to the hall on the second floor. Still in the process of getting new WT and rearranging furniture. The dining room is done, painted walls trim and ceiling, new chandy and new Window treatments.
    DR Before

    After

  • sweeby
    14 years ago

    What fabulous kids' rooms PMartin! Your stage is incredible, and the airplane flying in through the window?! Wow! Yes, I did the shower curtain and cornice -- but it's nuthin' compared to your fantastic work -- Wow!

  • pmartin
    14 years ago

    So Sweet Sweeby! My favorite parts in each room are of course the reversible duvet covers. Each side has their own sheet set that cordinates so it is awesome to be able to turn over every monday when I change their sheets for washing. My son loves the red bookcase in his room, as do I. I used the PB bookcase as inspiration and made it with pine.

    What I *hate* is those curtains in my daughter's room. I love the concept, just not the color of the material or how they sit. She came with me to pick out her material and insisted on using that specific material for the curtains because it is shiny. I need to finish the tiebacks too.

    So fun to be a kid these days ...

  • dekeoboe
    14 years ago

    Bonniee - I like the window treatment in your craft room. Did you make it yourself? If so, could you please let me know what pattern you used? I think one similar to that would look good in my sewing room.

  • kgibbins
    14 years ago

    I'm happy with the result of our painted house. After a lot of advise from my friends here at Garden Web, I painted it grey with black shutters and red door.

    Before:

    After:

    After with red door:

  • ladyamity
    14 years ago

    Oh wow!
    I am always sooo amazed at the vision, the creative eye you all have to create such beautiful areas whether inside or out....I'm in awe!

    I'm loving all these pics, thank you all so much for sharing! But all your projects make me look like a slug! LOL

    My favorite of 2009 and probably my favorite of all time......

    What I'm proudest of is the little patio we created for my Mom and Dad from May 2009 - July 2009.
    Hubby worked on it just on his Sundays off work and I filled in with what I could do during the week when I had time.
    All of it was done DIY. From framing and mixing and pouring cement and except for the cement to enlarge the foundation/roll-up shade/and larger matching area rug for under the bistro set....all of our supplies and accessories came from Curb Shopping, Goodwill or CraigsList.

    What was a totally neglected area out our kitchen door in the back yard... what was a small veggie garden that I let go when my parents moved in...........
    is now a place where Mom and Dad can walk right out from the kitchen and sit and enjoy some sun, some colorful flowers, watch the hummingbirds at their feeders and just get some fresh air.

    Heck, we even found the engineered wood beam on Craigs List! LOL
    We had priced Engineered wood beams and decided we couldn't even start the project at the price for the length of beams we needed.
    Craigs List was a real Blessing for us.
    What should have been a little over $240 for the beams..... cost us $45 on CL.

    Not completely done with the patio yet.
    Still need to paint the security screen metal door, the trim around windows and door and paint a few more bright pots for plants.
    I also want to find a remnant of sunbrella from my stash and make a cushion for the iron bench.

    I know it's not professional but my parents beam from ear to ear when they show of 'their place' to their friends. Seeing them beam, seeing how content they are when they are sitting out there talking about the old days, I get so happy my heart just wants to burst out of my chest. So yea, I have to say the little DIY patio is our best project of 2009.

    I don't think the pics are in order but there are more pics of the building progress and Before and After in my PhotoBucket album link below.

    BEFORE:

    AFTER:

    Here is a link that might be useful: Before and After little Patio Project

  • juddgirl2
    14 years ago

    great projects!

    palimpest - thank you for posting pics. Your closets are wonderful.

    bonniee - I would love to have the space you have for sewing and wrapping. Maybe someday!

    pmartin - your children's rooms are amazing. I can't believe you painted everything yourself! My little girl would love to have a castle on her wall and a stage all of her own.

  • 2ajsmama
    14 years ago

    I am almost ashamed to post this after seeing these wonderful transformations, but the best "project" in 2009 was just getting trim up around (most of) our windows and doors! The house is getting there...

    The most noticeable "project" (really 2 but in same general area) was our front entry - stained the front door and sidelights (exterior only, still have to do inside) in Sept and put in a walkway in Oct.

    Before (a year ago just after planting shrubs and building stone wall under porch)

    {{gwi:52073}}

    After

    {{gwi:52065}}

    When the weather warms up we're going to trim out under the porch and close in the stair stringers with white vinyl to hide the pressure-treated. I'm also going to continue the stone walls that are under the porch around the front of the beds and down the lawn side of the walkway to make a "retaining wall" to replace the black plastic. Maybe add some shrubs along that side too where the solar lights are in this pic.

    (PS'ed)

    Of course I'm also thrilled to have a railing on my stairs - the newel posts will be trimmed out once I refinish the treads. The finish (oil-based poly over shellac) turned out nice, if I do say so myself!

    Oh, and if 3 isn't too many, I *really* like having my kitchen island finished - before, you could see the sides of the end cabinets since the middle is recessed, also there was a gap under the plugmold (that was just installed Tgiving 2008 -before that there was just a 2x4 showing under the breakfast bar!).

    Before (Jan 2009)

    After

    We also made the false fronts on the left and the right (bathroom vanity in middle of my island) into real drawers. In 2010, I hope to stain the crown molding to put on top of the cabinets and finish the kitchen and foyer door trim and baseboards (after we get the loose tile situation straightened out - we'd be farther along finishing our 2007 build if we didn't have to keep fixing things that weren't done right the first time)!

  • deeinohio
    14 years ago

    Everyone's transformations are great but Amity, WOW! What a fabulous place to hang out. Looks like a tropical paradise. What a good daughter you are. :)
    Dee

  • barb5
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    WOW!! This is impressive! I am particularly loving the garden projects as it is so cold where I live that I actually think I am getting a rash from it. To see the patios and the gardens is truly eye candy to me.

    Roseabbey, I had to look up "inukshuk." What a great feature!

    I check this thread several times a day because it is so fun, and inspiring, to see what everyone has done.

  • saltnpeppa
    14 years ago

    Wonderful projects!!
    Mine is not DIY.....but after whining about my kitchen cabs & backsplash for 3 years, I finally did something about them.
    {{!gwi}}
    {{!gwi}}

    Now, I need to change the lighting.....

    Smiles:)

  • bonniee818
    14 years ago

    Everyone projects are beautiful & transforming! Love seeing them all!!!!!
    Thank you dekeoboe & juddgirl2 for your sweet compliments on the craftroom! Dekeoboe, the WT is one I made. It is from a pattern that is McCall's and the number is 3632. It is view "D" and called bell swag valance. I made it about 3 and a half years ago & haven't tired of it yet. Good luck with yours....it says "90 minutes" but it took me longer than that - ha! Bonnie

  • kgwlisa
    14 years ago

    My son started walking in 2009, which led to him going up the stairs, which led to an unsafe situation with little traction so we kicked off an upstairs hallway reno that included skimcoating the ceiling to cover the popcorn, repainting the walls and trim, new carpet and matching carpet runner on the stairs.

    Here's a before and after (we didn't take many before shots but this one was taken before we even bought the house):

    and just a few afters:

    We used a remnant and got a great price on the whole project. The paint is EK Cognac and the trim is a cabinet coat that we colormatched to the tile in our bathroom reno and are using throughout the entire upstairs. The doors were not painted - we are planning to strip them back to natural this summer.

  • haley_comet
    14 years ago

    Pmartin : Thanks! When I read your post I swear you took the words right out of my mouth. I have to admit my parenting has suffered since we moved into this house but I see the end now so all should be great and we do hope to pass this house down to our kids when the time comes. Your childrens bedrooms are breathtaking - if I was a little girl with a room like that...wow life would be great!~ You are doing really beautiful projects.

    Haley

  • nhb22
    14 years ago

    scoobyruby - When did you do that! Looks wonderful. Did you replace all the cabinets, or paint them? I noticed you also added on to the end.

  • saltnpeppa
    14 years ago

    Thanks, Newhomebuilder!! It was this fall, I believe. Same cabs, just added a few shelves. A painter came in and sprayed them - I wanted them just Antique white but DH insisted on the glazing.

    Kgwlisa, your runner looks fantastic! The remnant I was wanting was sold ~ so I'm gonna have to go back & look some more. Your woodwork is beautiful. When my son was little and it was cold - I always kept him in those footed PJ's incase he found his way to the wood stairs.

    Smiles:)

  • zipdee
    14 years ago

    Great idea for a post! Love all the amazing projects and renos! The depth of decorating talent here always makes my mouth pop open at the reveals!

    I'm trying to think what was done this year, what was last .. or the year before. After a while it all runs together. This is the most recent, to the least recent I guess. We did the family room, which is still a work in progress as far as being decorated.

    Before :

    After :

    Before :

    After :

    Before :

    After :

    Redid some curb side chairs I found :

    Before :

    After :

    Remade part of the cottage outback into a hen house and potting shed :

    Before :

    After :

    Which lead to .. before :


    And after :


  • 2ajsmama
    14 years ago

    Hmm, zipdee, that last pic - was that before or after LOL?

  • Happyladi
    14 years ago

    Zipdee, I love that blue on your walls? What color is it?

    Sweetby, your bathroom is beautiful and your bird trashcan(?) caught my eye? Can you share where you got it?

    Everyone else, everything looks beautiful, thanks for sharing.

  • RoseAbbey
    14 years ago

    barb5, thanks, it was fun finding the stones and putting together the inukshuk, we call her "Sara" after my daughter who lives in British Columbia, who just got engaged this Christmas!

  • zipdee
    14 years ago

    Ajsmama .. Ah, yes! The age old question .. Which came first the chicken or the egg. :D In our case, the chicks were first, we raised them to hens and then they started laying this fall. The last picture is their first three eggs. :)

    Happyladi .. thanks :) The wall color is Valspar's Lighthouse Shadows.

  • dekeoboe
    14 years ago

    Thanks Bonnie, I will have to check to see if McCalls still puts out that pattern or a similar one, but I will need to make one for a double window.

  • bonniee818
    14 years ago

    You are very welcome, Dekeoboe! Keep us posted on your WT.
    Bonnie

  • cooperbailey
    14 years ago

    Great projects everyone! Congrats! Talk about talent!

  • loribee
    14 years ago

    Fabulous projects...so fun to see! :)

  • awm03
    14 years ago

    We completed Phase I of our remodeling project. Still have to get new garage doors, fix the back deck & landscaping.

    Before:

    >

    After:

    Replaced skimpy 60s era molding & pale summery colors...:

    ...with more substantial molding and brighter, autumnal colors. Also in DR replaced busy dark oriental rug with a seagrass rug and added a $20 chandy:

  • jjam
    14 years ago

    awm, I'm still lusting after the pumpkin milk paint in your LR. Do you have any more photos of it? The other improvements are wonderful. Love it all.

  • lakeaffect
    14 years ago

    Speaking of Milk Paint, I just received Van Dyke's sale catalog, and they have Original Milk Paint (in gallons) on sale, not sure of all the colors, but Pumpkin was definitely on there, @ $31.99 USD/gallon.

    sandyponder

    Here is a link that might be useful: Van Dyke's Restorers

  • Oakley
    14 years ago

    Fun thread! I know people are probably sick of these pictures but this is what we did in 2009. Photo heavy because one pic can't tell the whole story.

    Old front of house:

    New room with house facing different direction.

    Inside new room, and let's play, "Come as you are". lol. I haven't even picked up today.

    Front:

    {{!gwi}}

    Back:

    Entryway, booknook, which has two sides.

    Old living room AFTER. We put a wall in the middle to divide it. This is the "sitting room" or walk-through which the entrance to the new room used to be where our front door was:

    This is the other side of the old living room which is a REAL utility room! heh

    Before, old Kitchen. We were packing up for the remodel, it was a mess.

    New kitchen and some of dining room:

    Hutch on opposite wall:

    Dining room.

    And this is the reason we added on the room, because we were without power from an ice storm for three weeks!

    Now, if someone wants to come over and help me accessorize this house, I'd be more than happy! :)

  • awm03
    14 years ago

    Oh thank you, jjam, that's so nice of you. I don't have any updated pics, unfortunately, as I've been in a decorating stall. Concentrating on doing some personal remodeling after gaining too much weight last year. Squirrelheaven made some great mockups of my DR, so I have an idea in what direction I want to go, and painting the foyer F&B Olive helped to steer things too. Am weighing between these Crate & Barrel lamps:

    to replace these, which the forum members pointed out are too small:

  • awm03
    14 years ago

    Oakley, what a great remodel! I especially like the new entrance.

  • dgranara
    14 years ago

    Like haley, we had MANY best projects of 2009. We've pretty much worked non-stop since purchasing our fixer-upper in '06. BUT the one project that REALLY stands out in my mind, that makes me think how the heck did I live without THIS for three years!?!, was our bathroom re-do...

    This was 99% DIY and I'm so proud of the work my husband did!

  • eagertopaint
    14 years ago

    My best project for the year would have to be a pergola that my husband and I built all by ourselves during the summer.

  • juddgirl2
    14 years ago

    Great projects!

    Scooby - I've been dying to paint my oak cabinets antique white with glazing (is it a brown or black glaze?), and now I want to even more than before. I can't believe what a difference it made in your kitchen! The only thing holding me back right now (besides needing to finish all these higher priority projects before dedicating time to a perfectly fine kitchen) is that all of my appliances are black and I can't afford to replace them. I definitely want stainless steel appliances if we end up with white cabinets.

  • gmp3
    14 years ago

    We did a budget redo on the kitchen. We moved the island to make a penninsula, added beadboard and trim, a few glass doors, had the cabinets painted, got new counters and refinished the floors. I am very happy with the results.

    OLD

    NEW


    Thanks for all the beautiful inspiration for outdoor projects - that's what's happening this summer!

  • Sheeisback_GW
    14 years ago

    This is only a couple months late. :)

    I was feeling slightly bummed today about a few things so I decided to think about all that I've accomplished with the house in this past year (a few things toppled into the beginning of 2010 but I'm adding them anyhow). They're not all big things or the best but here's my list.

    LR:
    Painted
    Added crown moulding
    Had thermostat relocated
    New curtains
    Added pillows more furniture, accessories, etc.

    Kitchen/DR:
    Painted
    Added crown moulding
    Made valance
    Had stool cushions made
    Primed, painted, distressed, sanded, painted again, distressed some more and stained... :) etc. the island stools.
    Added roman shades to patio doors
    Reupholstered DR chairs
    Changed island light
    Took out corner cabinet wood panel and replaced with steel piece
    Bought a rug
    Added beadboard and iron corbels to the island (still need to paint the base and get it on)
    Art, accessories, etc.

    Hall/Foyer:
    Painted
    Replaced smallish chandelier with vintage eBay chandelier
    Replaced chair in corner with pillar
    Painted stair spindles
    Bought a rug
    Art, accessories, etc.

    Laundry Room:
    Painted
    Took down shelf and added wall cabinets
    Added drying rack to the wall (plant bracket and wooden curtain rod - idea from Rhoda at Southern Hospitality)
    Art and accessories

    Bathroom:
    Painted
    Made new valance and Nanny2a made my shower curtain

    Housey goals for the upcoming year:
    Paint master bedroom
    Buy a queen bed and mattress!!!!
    Finish the master bedroom in general
    Do something with the master bathroom
    Make and add 3 wall shelves to the hall with photos propped against wall. (Lindybarts style! :) )
    Get a new mirror for the bathroom and adjust the lights
    Add fillers beside the laundry room cabinets
    Still knocking around the idea of painting the rest of my stairs dark
    Get the basement room walls all up and at least finish the gym and DH's room
    Paint front door
    Rugs for the bath and laundry room
    Get electric hooked up to the three pole lamp outside! (Grrr..)
    Landscape
    Garden
    Become super organized
    Maybe even get to work on a nursery ;)

    I'm probably not alone when I say at times money is the only thing that holds me back. Even though a few of these things creeped into the beginning of 2010 I feel accomplished looking back at this list.

    Many, many thanks to you guys for helping me along the way!

  • hamsundm
    14 years ago

    wow, some great projects here! Somehow I missed this thread earlier.

    Our biggest project was taking down this wall and putting HW throughout. We also added some new cabs in the process.

    From this:

    To this:

    (Please excuse my kid-messes. If I wait until it's 'perfect', I'll never get a pic! Also, our light still needs readjustment. Always something!)

  • johnmari
    14 years ago

    Our main project for 2009 was rebuilding our front porch. It looks almost exactly like it did before, but now it's not falling apart (it LOOKED fine, but there were several areas of the floor that were so squishy from rot and carpenter-ant damage that they were dangerous to walk on). It "mushroomed" from a planned month of weekends to do a patch-and-paint job to long days almost every weekend from early May to late October and two weeks' vacation because of wretched weather - temps in the 40s in June and endless rain! - delays on materials and unexpected catastrophic structural issues. There's still stuff to finish, too, but it just got too cold and we were too tired. DH's hands/wrists have not recovered from it yet - looks like a repetitive stress injury of some flavor. I need to pack him off to the orthopedist since exercises and splinting aren't doing the trick. He's also just plain burned-out so there's not very much on our plates for 2010.

    We also blew a chunk of the house fund on a sectional and a new coffee table and moved the old couch from the living room to the kitchen's dining area, but everything is going to stay in a completely unpresentable state for at least another few years since we need to save up money. If DH's hands/wrists can hack it we might start stripping some trim of the 37 layers of leprous-looking paint.

  • kathielo
    14 years ago

    Our biggest accomplishment for 09 was finishing the basement and bathroom. It is only a partial finished basement as the other side is storage and a work area for DH. I almost wished we had gone bigger but we just used the natural layout and divided it in half. Oh Well. Here are some pics.


    looking from the bathroom

    artwork over toilet

  • pamelas_kitchen
    14 years ago

    Bathroom before:

    From Bathroom

    Bathroom after:

    From Bathroom

  • polly929
    14 years ago

    This is a really great thread. I have really enjoyed looking at all the before and after photos!

    My BEST project of 2009 is right here:

    And a more recent pic....

    Sorry so OT...I couldn't resist!

  • postum
    14 years ago

    Thank you all so much for taking the time to post your pictures! It is really a great inspiration. Beautiful homes, everyone (and congrats Polly - he is the darlingest!)

  • patty_cakes
    14 years ago

    I LOVED looking at all your wonderful projects(new babies included!)as well as your beautiful homes! I moved into my new home in '09, and am almost finished w/decorating except for some wallpapering I want to do and 'incorporating' a dressing room in the MB closet.

    In between everything else, I took a space in a local antique mall, and am continually working on painting furniture, searching out new 'finds', as well as changing out the space every couple of weeks. Not making a lot of money, but I get my decorating/creating fix. ;o)

  • 2ajsmama
    14 years ago

    polly - what adorable kids (at least the 2 I can see faces - but I'm sure your other DD is just as cute!). Thanks for sharing!

  • kimmieb
    14 years ago

    1.

    Taking this:
    {{!gwi}}

    to this:

    {{!gwi}}

    2. Kitchen

    This:

    {{!gwi}}

    To this (even though it's not finished yet)
    {{!gwi}}

    Pool house from this:
    {{!gwi}}

    To this:
    {{!gwi}}

  • busybee3
    14 years ago

    wow... these pics are beautiful and inspirational!!! absolutely gorgeous remodels...
    don't know if you'll see this sweeby, but where did you get those crystal knobs on the bathroom cabinet? i am going to incorporate crystal touches into our master bath and will be looking for crystal pulls.... thanks!

  • newdawn1895
    14 years ago

    Kimmieb your living room is one of my favorites on this site, simply lovely.

    And Willow I was just looking at your butlers pantry earlier this morning, gorgeous.

    I had some painting done in my upstairs bathroom and in my bedroom. I think it was in 2009' or very close to it.

    ....Jane

    My bedroom..

    {{!gwi}}

    {{gwi:1507263}}

    {{!gwi}}

  • saltnpeppa
    14 years ago

    Gorgeous projects, everyone. Love seeing all the photos.

    Smiles:)

  • lynninnewmexico
    14 years ago

    By far, my best project in 2009 was my front portal (porch)redo. We're out there every day from late-Spring through September and on many Fall and Winter weekend evenings by the fireplace, as well. This reno made our portal so much more comfy!
    Lynn