I was raised by a single mom for many years, my dad was locked up much of my young life. For several years we lived in a tiny little trailer. At one point things got real tough and I remember my mom talking frequently about the repo man. If you ever lived in a trailer house, there are two things that really freak you out. Storms and the Repo man. It especially freaked me out about the Repo man on account of our home was of the mobile persuasion. I mean, what if that meant I woke up and look out the window and we are flying down the interstate, or worse yet, we woke up in Gilmer? ;) So at that young age I realized I wanted a house without wheels and also one that no one could ever take away from me.
As soon as I graduated from college and got my first teaching job, I wrote a contract on my first house. Paid all of 35 grand for it, but it was perfect and it was mine. But I still was paying payments to the bank. So I worked real hard to fix that little gem up, and sold it 2 years later for a profit.
We bought a little bigger house, in a little better neighborhood, and made sure to get one that needed renovating.
Over the course of 10 years we moved every couple years and my 5th house I paid cash for at the age of 31. Finally. All mine. No one could take it from me.
We decided when we had Tripp and then adopted Linc that I would try to stay home until they started school. A teacher really doesn't make enough to pay for 2 in day care and have anything to speak of left over. So occasionally we renovate houses to make a little money to supplement me staying at home.
My husband says breathing new life into something forgotten is my calling. He says I can bring the best out in anything, whether it is an old piece of furniture... an outdated home... And every once in awhile, God trusts me with a little person and I get to be a part of their transformation too....
Well, that's my story in a nut shell and so here are the before and after photos of our last renovation, the Rodeo House!
I fell in love with this diamond in the rough as soon as I saw it! It was a 3 bedroom 1 and a half bath with 2 living areas. As most houses from this period, the floor plan was pretty closed off. I knew immediately I wanted to open up the floor plan and turn one of the living areas into a master with an on suite.
This was the main living area. That carpet was hiding the original hardwoods. Lucky us.
This was the kitchen and dining. I wanted to open the living room up to the dining and kitchen to accommodate entertaining and family life. How about those yellow cabinets? That will wake ya up...
This was the secondary living room that we will turn into a master bedroom.
This was the laundry and half bath attached to the secondary living. The utility room will be relocated to make room for a spacious master bath and a large walk in closet.
This was the only full bath that will get an entire new facelift.
And now for the after photos along with the breakdown of what we did...
Here is the living area, it got new light fixtures, recessed lighting, new paint and hardware and the carpet was removed and the hardwoods were restored.
Here is the living room from a different perspective. You can really see how the living area is opened up. We also had this center built in custom made to be a functional piece for décor or to serve as a buffet when entertaining.
Here I am standing in the dining area and you can see it is open to the living, kitchen and even a study area. You can also see where we relocated the laundry room where you see the double black doors.
I found these groovy black retro doors at a salvage place and I frosted the glass and the hubby built a track system using galvanized plumbing fittings and pipe as well as casters on the bottom to make functional barn doors. I decided to go with barn doors leading into the laundry as to not take up square footage with a door swinging into living spaces.
Here is a another view of the living spaces, the dining and kitchen both got tile, the cabinets got an overhaul and new butcher block countertops were installed. A custom built island, new cabinet hardware, stainless steel appliances, as well as a new sink, new faucet and light fixtures.
Here is another view of the gorgeous kitchen!
Here are the 2 bedrooms at one end of the house. Both have refinished hardwoods, new paint, lighting and hardware and are of identical size.
Here is the adorable hall bath with new bead board, new vanity, faucet and countertop, new tile, hardware, lighting and paint!
Here is that secondary living area recreated into a master bedroom with refinished hardwoods, new light fixtures, paint and hardware.
And here is the master bath with an oversized tub/shower combo with a rainfall shower head, new vanity, countertop, faucet, cabinets, paint, hardware and lighting.
And here is the pretty perfect outside on a corner lot. We just put in some large boxwoods that were given to us by some sweet friends but I don't have an updated picture yet. We also will be putting in a few azaleas when it dries out!
Isn't this lot gorgeous? You can see the oversized carport that is tall enough to accommodate the largest of lifted trucks or even an RV! And just a couple of blocks from the lake.
We have put countless hours and lots of hard work into making this place a beauty that any family would be proud of! I know someone will quickly fall in love with the original charm, just as I did and appreciate all the gorgeous updates that we did as well!
Hope you enjoyed reading about our Rodeo Renovation adventure as much as we enjoyed doing it!
Later, y'all!
