I'm having bit of deja vu as I'm writing this post. Because I'm basically here to tell you what a game changer recessed lights and new floors are. But if you followed our rowhome basement renovation, you know that this is not the first time I've sung the praises of recessed lights and pretty floors. As a reminder - the "before" space in our new house had a mix of carpet and tile flooring. For lighting - we were fortunate enough that the room did have hardwired lighting - two simple can lights and some rather retro uplighting. With the demolition behind us - the first step towards a … [Read more...] about Living Room Remodel – Let There be Light!
An Effie Row Reunion
Twenty-one. It's been nearly 21 months since I last hit the "publish" button on a blog post. And while I haven't exactly been keeping track, it's been about 20.5 months of thinking to myself *I really need to be better about updating Effie Row!* The more time that has gone by, the more daunting updating has become. Why? Because life and building what we love hasn't slowed down much at all. Getting back into blogging is kind of like reuniting with a long lost friend - where do you even begin to catch up? So why now? Well for starters, I told myself I would. Actually I've been telling myself (and Eric) that I … [Read more...] about An Effie Row Reunion
Living Room Remodel: Demo Drunk
There was plenty to love about our home when we first started house hunting after our move. I looked at about 13 houses in 3 days, but when I walked into our house, I knew. I also knew the floor to ceiling paneling in the main living room had to go. My love for the house was basically built around the living room's potential. Eric on the other hand was not convinced - of my plans for the paneling that is. He loved the coziness of the room and had no desire to remove the paneling. But I persisted, and begged, and persuaded, and he finally agreed. One of the first things we did was say goodbye to the built-in … [Read more...] about Living Room Remodel: Demo Drunk
Staining our Modern Patio Table
Shortly after building our modern patio table, we finished it with an outdoor stain to give it some color and protect it from the elements. When it came to finishing our modern patio table, there was never much debate in terms of paint vs. stain. It was more so a question of what we would stain it with. Durability and protection were really important to me. I've read some shall we say "horror" stories of applying polyurethane to outdoor furniture. The seal and beauty are short-lived as it inevitably cracks and flakes from exposure to moisture and temperature fluctuations. Since we would be … [Read more...] about Staining our Modern Patio Table
Modern DIY Patio Table
With a few tools and less than $100 on lumber and screws, this DIY modern patio table was a quick and budget-friendly build. After I conquered my first substantial woodworking project, I felt confident enough to tackle a patio table for our covered outdoor space. I honestly feel that designing and planning is the most difficult part of woodworking - at least for the skill level I'm at. After finding inspiration in the few modern (and expensive!) tables available online, I sketched out some plans and headed to the lumber yard to get my building materials. My supplies list included: 7 - 1x4s @ … [Read more...] about Modern DIY Patio Table