Search Results for: house renovation

House Renovation Update #1

by whoorl

I’ll be posting updates on the house renovation every Friday, so if you love this kind of stuff, yay! If you hate it, Fridays won’t be our day. It’s okay, I understand. I still like you a lot.

I will definitely put together more succinct before/after shots at a later date, but these updates are more of the nitty gritty. (I want to document EVERYTHING so D and I can look back and sigh.) Also, if you have any questions about the process, just leave them in the comments!)

So! This week was all about destruction. Nothing pretty to report over here at demolition party central.

Let’s start with the kitchen and surrounding living areas. The previous owners’ floor plan teetered on a great room concept, so we just wanted to take it to the next level. We decided to redo the kitchen entirely, as well as open up some wall space.

Here are some before shots of the kitchen area from the vantage point of the family room, shooting from left to right.

The wood-paneled room in the back left of the first photo was originally used as a den, but we will be using it as the dining room. Here’s a look back at the kitchen from that soon-to-be dining area.

Yep, LOTS of wood paneling. Wowza.

Well, it was nice knowing you.

Here’s the kitchen area after the first full day of demo.

(Wito is totally confused as to where the house went.) And the view from the dining area.

So far we have stripped the wood paneling off the walls, knocked out the entire kitchen, added structural beams, opened up the wall in the formal living room, a removed part of the floor. (The living room floor is original oak, but the kitchen and dining room floors are laminate. We are removing the laminate and replacing with oak.)

Here’s where we stand today.

Loving the open space. Feels so much better already.

Until next Friday!

Odds and Ends (+ House Update)

by whoorl

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1. Let’s talk about the house, guys. I realize I kind of left you all hanging with all the updates and then….nothing. Well, we’ve been working hard to finish the space, and we are getting really close. (Although, come on, you are never really “finished,” but that’s the fun and/or frustration of it all.) D and I made a quick trip to Palm Springs for Modernist Week earlier in the month to find some treasures, and we found some really fun additions, namely that brass globe above that will soon be hanging in our living room. I am so in love. (Also, we found our dream house in the desert that is in the above collage as well. One day…)

Also, you may have heard on the Facebook page, but after 2 1/2 months of hanging ginormous pieces of brown craft paper with blue tape over every window in our bedrooms, our window coverings arrived and were installed on Tuesday. People, you haven’t lived until a 5×5 foot of heavy craft paper crashes to the floor at 3 in the morning…heart attack city. No more brown craft paper EVEEERRRRR! (That was in my best Mommy Dearest voice.)

So! In regards to the house, we are waiting on the rest of our lighting fixtures to be installed, as well as a few more pieces of furniture to arrive, but fingers crossed, we will be finished with all the big stuff by the end of this month. I can’t wait to show you the before and after photos in April, and thank you for being so patient!

2. Oh! Fun challenge alert. Have you seen the #lippyaday lipstick challenge on Instagram by Norlin M? I’m totally going to try it – won’t you join me? That’s a lot of lipstick, folks.

3. Newsflash: I have a mom uniform. It involves a striped top, rolled up skinny/boyfriend jeans, ballet flats, a denim or cargo jacket, and a top knot. D and I were laughing at his Instagram feed because every photo of me looks the same. Like this one. And this one. Oh, and I really broke the mold with my hair down one day. (And those of you wondering how I wear my Isabel Marant boots, there you go.) Soooooo….do you have a mom uniform? What is it?

4. Considering going blonde? (Like I did in my twenties? BAD IDEA. Not that I’m saying it’s a bad idea for you, but horrible for me.) Anyway, here are some thoughts to keep in mind. Also, lots of perfectly straight side parts were on the Fall 2013 runways – here’s how to create a good one.

5. Okay, Kristen and I are bummed that our Dishing on Downton videos are on hiatus, but at least we still have our Mama Said ones to keep us warm at night. Some of our most recent ones are TV obsessions (yes, we have more!), lies we tell our children (we don’t get that channel, they don’t make gum in California), and how our introversion affects us when making (or not making) new mom friends.

Happy weekend, everyone! It’s really warming up around here, and we are going to take advantage of the gorgeous weather. A trip to the beach, perhaps?

New House? What New House?

by whoorl

Hello! I disappeared there for second, didn’t I?  It’s just that I’ve been, you know, doing stuff. All in a tremendous effort to stop thinking about the new house (yay!) and escrow (stressful!) and renovations (new kitchen!) and new schools (hope it works out!) and letting the nanny go (oh my goodness, I don’t want to have this conversation noooooo).

It’s working! Kind of.

Sunday: Baby Shower

Adorable shower, yet my focus is being diverted to the incredible vegetable and herb garden at the host’s home. Can’t stop thinking about the garden. Mentally plot out the new garden location at the new house. Wait, I’m thinking about the house again. Damn.

Monday: Cars Land

Arrive when the park opens at 9am sharp, walk directly to the Radiator Springs Racers attraction, and STILL wait 95 minutes in line. That, my friends, is crazy. (Will you please look at the photo on the bottom right? The kids grasped hands as Lightning McQueen pulled up. HOLD ME CLOSER, TINY DANCER. IT’S MCQUEEN.)

Totally enjoying our day until D gets a text from our broker needing document #3,569. Oh, that’s right! The house.

Tuesday: Slyder’s Water Playground at the Huntington Beach Hyatt

Checking out the Hyatt Huntington Beach’s new children’s menu, For Kids By Kids. Top Your Own Breakfast Taco Bar, Mini-Waffles, Shaken Chopped Salad…Wito is a fan of most of the offerings (still despises lettuce, though). The menu is designed to provide more nutritious and healthy offerings for even the youngest of guests, and was developed to support Hyatt’s food and beverage philosophy, “Food. Thoughtfully Sourced. Carefully Served.”

After lunch, our lovely hosts invite us to stay for the afternoon and let the kids check out the water slide park, to which Kristen and I reply, “Don’t mind if we do!” Fast forward about 5 hours of water-sliding, pina colada-ing and blog gossiping later, and we unwillingly hit the road back home. Thanks, HB Hyatt. I only thought about the house for 30 minutes tops.

Wednesday: Prep for TV Segment. Run. Errands.

Butterflies. In the stomach. Prepping for a beauty segment tomorrow. Hmm, I wonder how the house appraisal went?

Thursday: Filming Marie Osmond Show

Here I am all coiffed by the hair and makeup department, but if you look closely, you can see the fear in my eyes. I’ve noticed a trend with my on-camera work – when the lights go up and the cameras start to roll, I feel completely comfortable with what I’m doing. However, leading up to that exact point? MAMA IS SKEERED. (That second photo is the handwritten note Marie left for me. I thought that was such a lovely gesture to all of her guests.) Anyway, Marie’s show debuts in October and I’ll let you know when my segment is scheduled to air.

p.s. – Didn’t think about the house once. Thanks, nerves.

Friday: Free Day!

A beach visit? A little shopping with the kids? Not sure, but I promise not to drive by the house. Maybe.

Whoorl Turns 10!

by whoorl

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Could it be? Why, yes. This here blog is turning 10 years old. (Feel free to read my first post. Simply riveting.)

Now, in my opinion, blog years are something like dog years, except 1 year of blog life equals 4 years of human life. So, according to my deft calculations, I HAVE BEEN BLOGGING MY ENTIRE LIFE. And quite frankly, it seems like that. I mean, apparently my main goal in life in 2005 was to drink wine and discuss music…that was until I found out I was pregnant with this little guy.

(Wito! We love you, absent-minded professor! Do you remember this little ditty? Well, that precious little thing now wears the same shoe size AS HIS MOTHER. Hold me closer, Tony Danza.)

((And don’t get me started on Wita. The performance art genes are strong with this one.))

10 years. Many of you have seen me through it all – the pregnancies, new motherhood, travels, many moves, house renovations, a little phenomenon by the name of Hair Thursday, in sickness and in health…wait, are we getting married?

I just want to say thank you for being a friend. Traveled down the road and back again. Your heart is true…you’re a pal and a confidante. AND IF YOU THREW A PARTAY…AND INVITED EVERYONE YOU KNEWWWWWWW, YOU WOULD SEE THE BIGGEST GIFT WOULD BE FROM ME AND THE CARD ATTACHED WOULD SAY THANK YOU BEING FOR A FRIEEENNNNND.

Peace be with you.

Oh! In honor of this milestone, Whoorl got a little facelift from my friends at Cooperhouse. I’m swooning a little bit, isn’t it pretty? Oh, and 10 years of content isn’t the easiest to manage, but if you rollover the categories at the top, you can witness my OCD in full effect. (You know I secretly enjoyed organizing all 1,564 posts, right?)

Being the information addict I am, and according to the official statistics, here are the top 6 Whoorl posts over the past 10 years.

(more…)

Odds and Ends nO 16

by whoorl

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1. Now, THAT’S a beard. photo credit: Jimmy Niggles Pipe Series

2. I just barreled through Season 1 and 2 of Homeland over the past two weeks. Oh, wow. So so good, and I’m genuinely sad over the ending of the second season. Why did that happen? WHHHYYYYYYYY, I ASK OF YOU? Seriously, I’ve found myself sitting in the school pickup line this week thinking about that ending. (Obviously, emotional investment in television programs/movies/novels is my forte.) Season 3 doesn’t start until September. That is a very, very long time, people.

3. For those of you who have asked, yes, I am planning to post pics of the house renovation. We still have so much to do in regards to decorating the house, but I promise I’ll post each and every room in the upcoming months. (Once we finish the lighting, the kitchen will be the first post, methinks. So happy with the way things turned out!)

4. A few articles I wrote elsewhere, if you are interested. 5 Quick Hair Fixes to Keep in Your Clutch. | Stylish Designer Stationery. | The Best Shopping Apps. (Are you all using Stylebook? It rocks the casbah.)

5. Oh! The titillating conclusion to The Great Ankle Boot Search is coming next week. I know I know, you’re on the edge of your seats over there. Right. In the meantime, here are even more super cute boots at a full range of price points.

6. Anyone watching The Bachelor this season? I have the episodes recorded, but haven’t jumped in yet. (See #2.)

7. We are taking the kids to Legoland for the first time this weekend. Any tips? Rides/treats we shouldn’t miss?

Happy weekend to you and you and you.

The Great Ankle Boot Search of 2012

by whoorl

To say I’ve been on quite a search for a new pair of ankle boots (aka “booties”) this season would be an understatement. (Although the word “booties” makes me snicker. I AM SO IMMATURE.)

Even though we are in the midst of house renovation crazy right now, I’ve taken on a good deal of new work lately, so I decided I would treat myself to a new pair with some birthday cash from relatives. Now, we all know that boots aren’t the most inexpensive shoes in the world, and this is no time for me to be frivolous, so I’ve been picky about finding the right ones. (Extra super duper neurotically picky, as you will soon see, but I’m determined to find a pair I truly love.)

Would you like to go on this extra super duper neurotically picky journey with me? Oh, you know you want to.

2012 Boot Criteria:

Flat or low heel
Taupe or grey suede
Ankle height

First, I started with the DV Juju boot.

These were okay, but the heel was a little higher than I originally wanted. However, the real deal breaker was the “weathering” effect on the toe and heel. It wasn’t my favorite.

Next pair? Sam Edelman Petty.

I tried both on, posted this shot asking for opinions on my Facebook page, and 94 comments later, I still wasn’t sold.

(You can really see the weathering effect on the Juju boots in the full-length mirror shot on the right. Looks like I dipped my toes in a pond.)

((p.s. – I don’t usually wear ankle boots with my workout clothes. So hot.))

I can’t put my finger on why I didn’t keep the Sam Edelman boots. I really liked them. Great color and great construction.

Boot Status:

Next pair on the hunt? Isabel Marant Jenny Boots.

You guys, these boots were perfection. So unique, so comfortable, so in looooove. However, the price point? SO NOT IN LOVE.

Ohhhh, they were really good, and I’d love to say that I returned them because I simply refused to pay such a large amount for a pair of boots that could have been procured from a dumpster dive, but that would be a lie. I returned them because they were a bit too small, and the size I need is impossible to find anywhere. (Size 38, friends! Any leads? I mean, not that I would buy them or anything…)

BOOT STATUS:

Next up? The J. Crew Aggie Suede Boot.

Refined style, good color, but once again, the heel height was borderline too high for my criteria. Also, I found that the sole seemed a bit hard. (I had thin socks on at the time, so there’s that.)

BOOT STATUS:

You guys, I was about to give up until I saw the Madewell Barnwood boots.

Love the color, love the heel. Could these be the one? I’m not sure if they go a little too Western, though. Will I feel an inclination to dosey doe? I purchased them with a 25% off promotion code, so the price is right. They are currently on the way, so we’ll see…

BOOT STATUS:

What boots are you loving this season? As always, I’m open to suggestions. (Many, many more boots for your enjoyment on my Pinterest board too. What did we do without Pinterest, people? Oh right, we actually accomplished things.)