Yup. That's me right now. I'm in hibernation.This cold weather compels me to curl up and withdraw. Caring for the house has come to a stand-still. I don't like it, but it is reality. Working a full time job only to drive home at the end of the work day in the dark and cold does little to motivate me towards action. The list of places to paint and fix in this house will have to wait a little longer.
But our new home is cozy and comfortable in spite of the unfinished areas. And since the sun decided to shine brightly today, we were inspired to set some goals because winter is now half gone...which means spring is around the corner. (I'm trying to be optimistic here) So this month you will find me on a painting schedule. And as soon as the outside temperatures begin to rise, you'll find us up on a ladder staining the exterior of the house or working in the flowerbeds ripping out weeds and parasitic vines.
So while we wait for motivation and energy to once again flow, I'll provide you with some before and after photos of some spaces we've already worked on. Enjoy...
KITCHEN- BEFORE...
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| Out dated tile backsplash and broken appliances had to go. |
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| At one time it had been a lovely custom kitchen. |
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| Use of space was poorly designed. |
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| It took a couple days to remove the ceramic floor tiles. |
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| It resembled a war zone...(we won the battle) |
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| New cabinets arrived and were put into place after the new hardwood floor was installed. |
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| It was fun creating a custom look. I united the upper and lower cabinets with matching bead board. Then our carpenter tied them together with some maple braces stained to math. Choosing a different crown molding and toe kick and varying the height added to the look. |
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| I love the butcher block island and subway tile backsplash. |
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| ...and a small breakfast table makes this space very efficient. |
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| A large Brady Bunch like stairway greeted you inside the front door. Note the large ugly closet built in the middle of nowhere. |
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| The slate floor was the only thing worth redeeming. |
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| The built-in closet was removed which opened up the space nicely. We kept the slate floor at the entryway and installed new carpet in the livingroom area. |
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| I couldn't wait to remove the jail cell like bars and enclose the steps that go to the basement. |
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| Isn't it amazing how different it makes the whole house feel? |
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| The open space and vaulted ceiling were the only things to love about this space. |
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| We moved in and had to live with the colors for awhile. |
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| Our goal was to have the painting done before Christmas Day. The high places were tricky. |
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| Warm tones cozy up the space. Larger furniture will hopefully come in the future to fill the space. |
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| The large windows give us lots of light and beautiful views. And over the holidays it was a joy to be able to host family and friends in the large space. |
As always, there is a spiritual application to consider. It's as if we must curl up and get cozy, closer to the Father, when our soul is experiencing winter. While I've been battling this lack of energy and grayness, he has shown me he is there. As I've felt a need to pray more specifically during these weeks...he has answered quite clearly. Even in the cold and gray of winter, He is warm and tender and gracious. In that I find comfort.
May you find comfort as you move closer to Him during this cold winter season.
