progress report.

It's time for a quick update on our laundry room remodel! there was a time when I jokingly said that I hoped we'd have this project completed by the end of the year, thinking how in the world could we not? these days, I think it will be a Christmas miracle if this thing wraps up while we're still in the year 2018. if you're just tuning in, catch yourself up on our laundry room remodel by reading part one here.

To be sure, we have made progress. after all, this wouldn't be much of a progress report if there was no progress. the new countertops are nearly complete. all that's left to do is a final coat and sealant once they have cured, which takes thirty days. if you're just joining us, we covered our laminate countertops with concrete. sounds a little crazy, right? it probably is, but my thinking behind that is that nothing can be worse than the dusty blue counters we began with. I mean, even with a risky DIY such as this, it's hard to mess up something like that and have a worse outcome. we were willing to take that chance, anyway. I will share more about this process in the final reveal post. for now, I am really pleased with how things are looking.

After removing the upper cabinets, which were glued to the wall, there were quite a few spots that needed to be patched. a little drywall tape and joint compound fixed that right up. a fresh coat of paint and several true crime podcasts later, the wall looks brand new.

a couple weeks ago marked our five year wedding anniversary. we spent the evening celebrating the most romantic way I know how—DIYing. with a little research and absolutely zero experience under our tool belts, we installed a tile backsplash ourselves! I would bet a million dollars that five years ago, my husband never would have imagined that's how we'd spend any anniversary. in my mind, though, we're right on track! I'm teasing… sort of.

would you believe we actually both enjoyed this project? I know this because Drew actually started on it without me. typically when it comes to home improvement, I am begging/having to consult and formally schedule with my husband to begin a project. not so this time around... while I was chasing our youngest through the house, I passed by the laundry room to find Drew spreading thinset on the wall with a trowel and putting the first subway tile in place. "what do you think you're doing?" I demanded. he turned with a smile, "I just couldn't wait anymore." though I appreciated his enthusiasm, I had been dreaming of this moment for months and wanted to be a part of every second of the tiling process. needless to say, we tucked our boy into bed shortly after and headed straight to work together.

a couple days after the thinset dried, it was time for grout! to be totally honest, this part was not as fun as I had hoped and neither of us much enjoyed it. but it is a necessary step and we got it done and that’s what that counts. it was our very first time to tackle a tile project; and though it was a small area that didn’t require too many cuts, I’m happy to add this skill to our resumé. I’m sure a professional could take a look at our work and spot imperfections immediately, but I think it looks pretty darn good if I do say so myself. I’m proud of us for trying something new and tickled that the results were decent. I'll share more details in the reveal post about products used, tips, etc.

The wood brackets for the open shelving have been painted, as you can see. the lumber for the shelves has been cut. I need to prime and paint the boards. and the plan is to install it all this week. I am extra excited about this part!

I hung a few woven trays on the wall near the desk, so we've got that going for us as well. I am so happy to see this room slowly coming together! I think it's shaping up to be a really lovely space. I need to pick up some spray paint and lock my other handyman [aka my father] down. he’s always been skilled in spray-painting, so I’ve recruited him to help me give the old metal lockers a fresh coat of paint. here’s hoping we knock that out in the next week or two! if we do, it looks like there may just be a chance we could wrap things up before the clock strikes twelve on 2018. I’ll keep you posted…