Kitchen Renovation

This was out kitchen when we first moved in. Its got Granite tile countertops, which are very pretty but I am not thrilled with the dark gray grout, it looks like mold.

Two years ago we removed the double ovens and took the microwave off the wall.

I painted the walls red and still love it

The cooktop was in the middle of the island so there really wasn't a big flat surface anywhere. Can't roll out dough or spread things out with the tile.

So we removed the cooktop also.

I purchased a $100 propane stove

Then paid $1500 for the propane to be extended from the middle of the house to the kitchen, put in a new 500 gallon propane tank & fill it

We have replaced the old laminate flooring with hardwood. I've put old fence boards around the island. There is a (2 years) temporary countertop on the island made from particle board that was stained & had poly put on, looks good enough for now.

This stove is also good enough for now but I want one with 5 burners 

and the oven needs to be just a titch larger

I got this maple from a friend, there's enough here to make the island top plus 2 countertops beside the stove. I am considering purchasing the rest of what he has to do more of the countertops so I don't have to pay so much for granite

That dishwasher never worked so I've replaced it with a nice quiet Bosch.

If we do a reno, we're thinking about removing the cupboards on the right, tops and lowers and taking out 2 feet of the wall. That would open it up to the rest of the house more and maybe help distribute heat from the wood stove that's in the kitchen.

We'd also be able to get rid of the phone plug.

We could move this to the left side of the stove that's behind you over your right shoulder

This 'pantry' has been moved to the wall that would be over your left shoulder.

I would like to move the fridge to the left of the pantry 

but if we do it blocks a window that looks out to the barn.

This is the crap that's always on the counter that we want to remove. 

Theres a lot of stuff behind that box

Uppers hold cups and plates

Upper

Lower

This is the wall

If we remove it I'll have to find another place for this tower

I know these photos are all over the place but I'm just getting them out there.

The sink & bay window today

Old ~ New

We are nearing the finish

This is what the old fence looked like a month ago

along the front road

Now it looks like this

And this

And this

I'm not completely finished painting but I will be back out there tomorrow.

Spring Flowers

Spring in the northwest might be rainy but it is also when the most beautiful flowers bloom.

I don't know their names

But the Azaleas are all gorgeous

So are the Lilacs. This is the first year they have bloomed for us,

we didn't know this bush was here.

There is a plethora of Blue Bells and yesterday the first Iris popped open.

For Mothers Day I had store bought flowers on the table but they are pretty too

And also on Mothers Day, I bought a dozen Pheasant eggs, I put 6 under a hen and 6 in the incubator with 8 chicken eggs. When they are big enough I'll release them into the wild.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow we start installing the comfort stall mats. Laying the bottom layer shouldn't be a problem besides hard, heavy work. The big roll of topping is going to be very difficult. I haven't purchased a roll of carpet padding yet, I guess I'll be getting that first thing I the morning.

Exterior

The exterior walls are mostly complete, we still need doors (dutch) and trim. There isn't anything forming walls around the aisle doors, there will eventually be something. The far end, out towards the back pasture, will have a full size door.

This is the inside with 3/4 inch plywood up on the walls. This is what was used on the old barn and it works, horses can't kick through it. The 1x2's leaning there are used to hold the stall dividers in place.

Just like this

And here we have the stall mats installed in this stall. I purchased 13 total for these 2 stalls, 1 will be used to cut up so we can fill the holds where the mats are about 6 inches too short.

 Outside each stall there is 2 feet of concrete for the horses to stand on when they want to be outside but not get rained on. Wifi LOVED this at the old barn.

We will be putting fences out here so they can be contained but still able to walk around. Joey will get stocked up if he's not able to move at night.

I cleaned up the barn last night, swept the aisle and stalls, picked up all the trash, put all the wood pieces and scraps in proper piles. I put my small cart in the finished stall just so its out there but not in the way.

For Christmas the house 'gave' the barn a bunch of utility hooks

like this one, I'm going to find the best location where they are easily accessible but not unsightly to hang all my barn tools. Broom, manure forks, shovel, rake. I had a spot for a dozen tools at the old barn and I brought those boards to the new farm but they are still lost.

LOVE THIS

 

I LOVE this gate and skull combo,

can't wait to figure out where to hang it.

The Fireplace

This is the first picture I ever took of our fireplace, on October 21, 2014. It was a chilly wet day, I had only heard of the farm the day before from a FB post of a friend, a lady who used to board her horses at our old farm.

 

 

 

I had put this picture up on the mantle but it was too dark, it didn't brighten up the house like it needed and these bricks are very dark.

 

So I had Lan drill screw holes into the bricks and we hung up this rod.

 

And we hung up this Bison Skull that's been waiting for its place of honor.

 

And We attached this Pendleton blanket to the rod.

 

This was my Uncle Mels blanket, my sister got it when he passed away. But it was nicer then, she had it dry cleaned and they ruined it (in her eyes, its still beautiful to me).

 

After everything is put where it goes, this is now my living room.

 

I LOVE it.