we have a new room

The room that we used as a nursery has had many functions since the house was built in the 1920s.  It was a mud room of sorts in the beginning with a door to the back porch and a door to the what we used as a master bedroom.  When we moved in, it was a closet.  The entire room had shelving and the windows were covered up.  We had it redone and turned it into a nursery.  We then had it as a regular bedroom and then as an office of sorts.   I have no idea why I have no pictures of every stage of this room.  I'm sure they are somewhere. 

After the foundation work, this room looked pretty bad.  The sheet rock seams were all showing.  Although this was just cosmetic, it looked like there was a lot of damage.  Mark and I discussed what to do with the room - again - and decided that we would make it ours. 

 This is what the room looked like empty and on its way to demo. 

We were pretty shocked to see that there was no insulation in the walls.  Okay, it was just me that was shocked.  Mark said that he knew all along.  This room is the coldest in the winter and hottest in the summer.  It is exposed on three sides with windows that are original and probably should have been replaced 50 years ago.  The glass breathes.  Strange.  Remarkably, the wood is in perfect condition - floor and walls.

In one wall we found original knob and tubing wires as well as an old colony of mud dobbers.  It was disgusting!  No wood damage, though.

We also discovered that there was once a closet for the adjoining room.  The hard wood floors don't go all the way through.  There is a gap where the walls are.  We know this was a closet because the hard wood goes through to the other room and the door frame is smaller.  And because there is a paint on the floor where we didn't refinish.  I think our neighbor confirmed that this was a small closet, too. 

Sticker from distributor of the wood.  I think it said something about Louisiana - not sure.

The room is small so it's hard to get a full appreciation for what Mark did.  Yes, Mark is about 100% responsible for this remodel.  He doesn't paint so I had the pleasure of painting everything but he did the rest.  Somehow I didn't take pictures of the "putting it all back together".  I'm sure i did and i'll find them someday.  We put insulation in the walls and put bead board from floor to ceiling.  We used reproduction base boards, chair rails and crown molding.  It's all painted white to help with the size issue and since our bedroom furniture is a dark wood. 

I LOVE it!!!  It is so peaceful and clean!  We still have to get the roman shades up and hang the mirror and we are going to change out the lights but it is finished.  The kids are not allowed in the room.  Although they beg to read bedtime stories in there.

The room adjoining, which was our bedroom, is being transformed into a TV/family room.  The kids love it!  We rearranged the furniture and are making it work.  We don't have much space but we are slowly learning how to make it work for us as the kids grow. 

Up next.... finishing the damn kitchen.  We started that project a long time ago and will have to hire contractors to get the floors done and the rest.  BUT.... with any luck, we'll have the house like we want by the end of the summer.  Then i'll want to move :) 

Just kidding.