I spent a good deal of time over on this forum two years to a year and a half ago or so while we were renovating our small house, but by the time the renovation was over I was just so emotionally fatigued that the last thing I wanted to do was talk about it. The good news is, we made it out alive and we love the renovations. So much so that we're going to do a little sprucing up of the kitchen soon. I swung by the kitchens forum (and then I remembered why I only frequented this forum).

Anyway, I see a lot of names I recognize here. I hope you're all doing well and enjoying your small houses!

Glad you are back. Now get started with your ideas and pictures. :^)))

Chris

Do you have pictures to share of your renovations? At least a reminder of what you were doing to your home when you were participating with us before? I have a poor memory. Two to two and a half years ago I was going all crazy about my "new to me" kitchen designed with recycled cabinets from Green Demolitions. Believe it or not, we are not quite done. One cabinet door was missing. Our carpenter found it in his shop, but by that time it was too cold to work in the garage to stain it. For various reasons, I have not done it yet. Meanwhile, the garbage pull-out door fell off. I just ordered new hardware and will be fixing that cupboard soon. My backsplash has been in for almost a year. If I can get the two cabinet doors redone, I can actually post finished pictures!

Welcome back and join us in watching and commenting with Marti's finishing of her updated kitchen and all-new dining room, Lavender Lass's house remodel planning, waiting for pics of Eatrealfood's kitchen, the completion of young-gardener's kitchen (she took time off to give birth to a baby boy at home!), Msjay2u's kitchen renovation is also in progress, and Mama Goose is still doing everything she can by herself on her kitchen and I think she has mostly just flooring left to do. So be sure to check out all of those projects. Forgive me if I have forgotten any others. -- Oh! MoccasinLanding is about to start her kitchen remodel, or maybe has delayed it. Oh, and Jay- Flgargoyle - is building his retirement home in the woods. Desertsteph has moved into her new-to-her doublewide and is getting it all ship-shape. Check out all the doings and jump right back in with us.

And remember we like DETAILS and PHOTOS!

Hi Shades! Nice to "see" you again.

Nancy, I'm a sailor (mostly on Lake Michigan but also the other Great Lakes and occasionally beyond) and I work in the sailing industry so that explains the name. Although the girl is a bit of a misnomer these days, as I aged out of that bracket some time ago. I'm still one in my head though!

Basically we ripped off the top of our 1938 Cape Cod-ish cottage and put it back on higher. We billed it as the "better, not bigger" renovation because we didn't gain any square footage, just made much better use of it. We were able to turn the upstairs from two small bedrooms to two larger bedrooms, one with a walk-in closet, and added a bathroom with a huge shower. We also added a deck and dealt with some structural issues in the rest of the house.

I'll post some pictures sometime, but in the meantime, this is the picture that best sums up what we did (and why I couldn't sleep the night I took it):

We had a similar issue of terrifying de-construction last year, but the only thing we gained was that we did not have the front of the house fall off, and are now warranted that it never will.

My second cousin's husband is somehow part of the Milwaukee boating community, served in some capacity in the past, at least. Know any Gabriel in Milwaukee?

Don't know any Gabriels off the top of my head, but you never know ... we're a small bunch!

That is the best thing I have heard all day. I am not sure I believe it right now though. It is a nice dream.