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I could just kick myself that I didn’t take a series of before pictures, when we first started working on our house. It has come so, so far. We fell in love with this house when we first saw it because it was the first truly unique home we saw after looking at over 100 houses in Yucca Valley. We knew it would be work, but the perks – the unique architectural features (like an open second story landing and cathedral ceilings), the location (one of the best neighborhoods in town), the mature landscaping in the yard (a rarity in the desert) and the incredible view of the valley (including from a second story 30 foot balcony) – were hard to give up once we’d seen it. There were a lot of new or almost new houses around from the boom that were in our price range, but this one was the first one that we imagined actually living in, that felt like it could be home. So we bit the bullet and went for it.
Here are the best I could do at finding some before pictures. The first two were taken from outside through the kitchen window back in February. The second 2 are photo of Adela checking out the gutted kitchen and living room area that is now her brother’s room.
Slowly, slowly, slowly we have worked on this home over the past 5+ years. We have replaced all the dated light fixtures, yellowed light switch covers, and have scrapped cottage cheese off of about 2/3 of the ceilings so far. We built custom railings. We’ve painted the entire house, replaced all the baseboards, doors and door/cabinet hardware, repainted the bathroom cabinets, and most recently (with some help) knocked down walls, added a room and completely remodeled the kitchen. Where there used to be a wall there is now an opening between the kitchen and the”great room”, the big dining room/sitting room with cathedral ceilings. The ceiling in the kitchen used to be an ugly dropdown ceiling with florescent lights. Now it’s raised and has pretty canned lights. All the cabinets are new (I’ll post detail photos some other time). They’re white hazlenut-glazed with bronze hardware. The countertops are quartz and might be my favorite upgrade. They are gorgeous! Especially after dealing with white tiles and white grout for the past 5 years. I love them!! There is also a brand new room, our son’s room that I’ve pictured in another post.
And the final touch (for now)? Newly installed bamboo flooring on most of the first floor. Buying an older (’77) house is a lot of work, but it’s awesome to take a unique home and turn it into something uniquely ours. We always appreciate the things that take time, the things we have to work for and wait for the most. And I love my home, even though it’s still not done. 🙂
So grateful for my hard-working husband who provides for us so well, who is handy in all things, who is excellent at saving money, and who works alongside me to accomplish all the plans we make together. I can’t wait to bring our new baby into a house with no more old, yucky flooring and no more old yucky kitchen, and to watch both our children grow up in this gorgeous home we’re creating! Yay!
Now the bathrooms… they still need work… and the windows…and… But there is no ounce of discontent in my heart right now. I am in love with my home!