It has been an eventful past five days.
Beginning with a large tree falling in our yard and missing our house by inches, and a trip to the emergency room the very same night (in a completely unrelated incident) when Zoe gashed her head open from her eyebrow to halfway up her forehead and needed stitches… to our vehicle not starting when we got in to go to the ER, to several other smaller incidents. It was quite a day! But we are to thankful to all be okay, and Zoe is healing up well. I think I’m more traumatized than she was!
The next day, we had visitors! Long anticipated visitors! When Zoe had her accident she was so worried that her beloved auntie and uncle wouldn’t be able to come after all. But not to worry, all was well! :)
Chris and Claudia knew we were wanting to begin our attic renovations sometime this fall, and SO KINDLY offered to come and help us! The timing of this week worked well for them and us, and wow, are the boys ever tearing it up up there! Chris is a help so incredible we can’t even describe… taking time off of work to come and help work, but also to help with design ideas and planning. We would be so far behind if it weren’t so him! And Claudia, well, who doesn’t love having a sister around?! It is pure joy!
I’m not sure how detailed I’ll be about blogging and documenting this attic renovation, but for my own record I want to have at least a bit here and there.
So here are a few pictures of before, during, and now, as well as some inspiration pictures of what we have in mind for the finished product…
After only two days of work, the front of our house has changed so much! Two dormers are being added to the front of the house, both for looks and for light inside. I love how it already cozies up the house, and changes it into a Cape Cod style vs. a Bungalow.
The first day… Monday morning. It began with a saw through the metal roof, making a giant hole. Too late to retreat. Yikes.
The second chimney had to be taken down (see the picture above) because of it’s placement in the middle of a room in the attic. Thankfully, it was not the fireplace we use, so we will still have the looks of the fireplaces downstairs in the kitchen and dining room even though they will not be functional at all.
But back up a bit….
Presently our dear little cottage has only two bedrooms. My previous post talked about how all three kids are in one bedroom, which is great! :) However, we cannot do that forever, and in the long run the house will be valued at more if it has four bedrooms vs. two. So, the plan, begun four years ago in dreams only, was to turn the unused attic space into two more bedrooms. We added a stairway from the downstairs to the attic when we remodeled four years ago, because of eventually wanting to finish it out. But the stairs led to this:
So, yes, there is an almost overwhelming amount of work to still be done. The interior has not be touched much at all, other than the dormers. However, just that alone makes me so excited because it brings in so much LIGHT. And I absolutely LOVE natural light!
At this point, there is not much more I can do than clean up the dust at the end of the day. So I can peruse the internet and dream about the finished product. ;) We are on a time-crunch: this has to be completed and decorated by December 13, so we have just a little over two months. Which, if that’s all my husband would do, that would be fine. But this will be done evenings and weekends, which means our autumn looks just a leeeeetle crazy……..
But look at some of these pictures that I’m inspired by, and you’ll see why I’m really really excited. :) I’m drawn to white as I look through pictures, a lot of white. So I am wanting to go with a very simple, natural look. Maybe more European inspired?
We plan to use one of the rooms as a bedroom, and one of them as an office/work area. Here are few inspiration pictures for that…
image via
Sooo, that is what is happening around these parts right now, and over the next two months. It’s fun and exhausting and exhilarating and exciting all at once. :)
Please keep us posted with the progress! – “Posted” – you see what I did there? ;) It’s such a dreamy space, I can’t wait to see the beauty that I know is to come.
How exciting is this!!!!!! Thank you for sharing this next chapter of cottage renovations. A work room/area will be wonderful, as you can work a while and leave everything out for the next time. That will allow greater productivity for busy parents of young children. May the Lord bless all of you with safety during the mess, all the while creating more lovely memories with all involved. Can’t wait to see how you finish out this new living space.
these are beautiful images Love the white ,wish I had not let them take down the old chimney in my loft.Love your site!
So exciting!! I know how long you’ve waited for this . . . and yet, as you said, this is just the beginning of a BIG job. You two, though, always end up with SUPER good results . . . so I can’t WAIT to see it turn into something amazing! Blessings! P.S. So glad Chris and Claudia can be there for you!!
This looks like so much fun… I can say that since the only thing I’ll have to do is watch the progress from my computer. :) Can’t wait to hear more. ~Cheers for fun help! :)
Love the new coming up look to the house! And the ideas you have for your new rooms are just awesome (swoon!)! White is so pretty and simple and yes, kinda European :)
Hope you can be ok in the mess until it’s done. :/
Wow! Looks amazing so far. We’ve talked about doing the same thing w our house but didnt know if our attic was too low. Do you know what the height is to the peak of the ceiling in the attic to the floor? Can’t wait to see more progress!
How exciting, Clarita! There is such a good feeling brought by the scent of freshly-cut lumber. Possibilities ahead…future rooms…future spaces for memories to be made. Enjoy the process. :-)
Blessings~
Kim
Wow! Oh my word y’all had such a series of events there! I am so glad that everyone is ok and I hope that precious daughter of yours is healing quickly!! Love seeing these pictures and what you are doing! Already am loving the two new windows! I never would have known that could make such a difference on a house! It looks great! You have such a gift for decorating friend!
:) Rebecca
I’m so excited for you! It will be so great having your own work space!! Cannot wait to see what you do with the space!
Sorry to hear about all your mishaps. When it rains, it pours, right? :) I love the 2nd image for your attic inspiration! Can’t wait to see the finished product!
Those dormers add such a nice touch to your house! This seriously makes me so excited to do ours (if we stay in our house long enough…$$$$)!! We have room for 2 bedrooms, too, but we’ll see! I can’t wait to see what you do with this space. I know it will be beautiful!!
I’m thinking the bed under the eaves makes more sense you won’t hit your head, also the built in shelving is a great idea.Love the white, white and more white Wieally extend the space visually.as you know, white reflects light.the European look is a great look.can’t edit tsoWilledite what you do.
Oops, can’t type.can’t wait to see what you do. Also anything in the office based on those photos will be fabulous.Of course, everything you do is fabulous.
This is going to be such an amazing space. I LOVE your inspiration photos. All the natural light pouring in through the new windows is beautiful, too. I hope you live here long enough to get to enjoy it for awhile yourself. :)
can.not.wait. to see it all finished.
we’re about to start on our kitchen so I might be messaging for ‘how to live through a reno therapy.’ ;)))
Where did you make space for stairs? I’ve been wanting to do this in our 2 bedroom bungalow.
We actually tore a bathroom out of the hallway area and relocated it to another place in the house, and then put stairs in where the bathroom had been. :) A bit of a process! :)