Reluctant Renovator: Are We There Yet?

It's been eighteen months since we embarked on 

our renovation journey 

(Reluctant Renovator: And so it Begins) 

and I've finally gotten around to asking myself if "we're there yet".

I have a sneaking suspicion that, for me at least, when it comes to our home renovation we're never actually going to arrive, simply because my "there" is a tad too Utopian.

Far from being frustrated, I'm actually very content with this idea of a never-ending renovation journey especially since I'm now enjoying some major accomplishments.  All this to say that it's a excellent time to take stock of what we've done, where we are, and where we want to go from here.

First things first though ...

Who Are We?

We're a family of six living out in the 'burbs of Ottawa.  As you can see, three members of the family happen to be of the canine variety which, believe you me, complicates any home design/decoration project we undertake.  Our dogs are well-trained & well-behaved (and the only members of the family willing to have their pictures posted on social media) but it still pays to be proactive in creating an inclusive environment.

I'll probably be mentioning design decisions based on the dogs much more often than those based on my husband or daughter.

With the exception of our daughter, this is our "forever" home.  We've been here a while and have no intention of moving; renovation for resale is not on our minds.  

We basically know what works and what doesn't; figuring out how to fix various problems is another story.

What Do We Want?

Every good systems analyst knows that they should identify the problems before jumping to solutions.  I know this, I believe in this, and for the most part I try to follow this though I have been know to find a solution (in the form of a beautiful wall panel for example) to a problem that may not have existed.

I also feel compelled to mention that I know the difference between wants & needs and yet strongly believe that a splash of whimsy is absolutely needed in my home.

So here are some of the things we are looking for.

More Light

Never underestimate the importance of light!  Our house was one of the first to be built on the block which meant no next-door neighbours and an abundance of natural light.  Unfortunately, the houses that were eventually constructed ended up being rather large, think of us as living in Stuart Little's house and you get the picture.  They stole a lot of our light and we need to compensate.

More Modern

Perhaps what I really mean to say is more classic.  As you can see, the kitchen though still fairly functional, looked dated.  Note the lovely 90's bulkhead above the cabinetry and imagine the buzzing fluorescent light panel above the island.  There was nothing classic to preserve here.

All the major appliances were dead (the fridge breathed its last the day we decided to go ahead with the reno) or dying.  The while cupboard doors had each managed to achieve their own individual shade of yellow.  The tile floor had "failed" and was spitting grout at an alarming rate.

Need I say more?

Less Clutter

The older I get, the more I understand how detrimental visual clutter can be.  After years of collecting it was long-past time for curating.  Getting rid of this wallpaper was easy, getting rid of a half-life's worth of nick nacks, pictures, photos etc. is still ongoing.  Watching the occasional episode of Hoarders helps.

Our battle cry is "we will no longer be oppressed by garbage".

Are We There Yet?

Have we arrived at the home of our dreams; a place that's light, bright & beautiful , easy to clean, safe for our pets, welcoming to friends & family and comfortable for us?  

I'm convinced that we're moving in the right direction and I'm looking forward to sharing our adventures, achievements and even our failures with you.

Stay tuned!

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Reluctant Renovator: Are We There Yet? by Tatiana Dokuchic on 2014-04-06
You have to know where you're going to know when you get there.

Images: Tatiana Dokuchic; The Money Pit: Unknown; Under the Tuscan Sun: Unknown; Stuart Little's House:Unknown

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