Barring an unfortunate bureaucracy-induced tree removal and a broken window, the house renovation has been going pretty smoothly. And, honestly, thanks to my boyfriend, Andrew, even that hasn’t been too much of a hassle. There’s a lot to be said for the love of your life being an absolute powerhouse of support and positivity with an unmatched will to get shit done. Basically, he’s the best and I’m grateful he’s mine.

We recently built out the peninsula next to the old chimney to create a seating/work area in the kitchen. We built the base mostly out of 2x4s and some scrap materials. For the top, we ultimately decided to use butcher block. It was the most affordable way to cover such a wide expanse and an easy material to work with to customize the fit. To cover the base I debated about picking a fun tile, but it was faster (and probably less expensive) to use shiplap. I love how it turned out! My boyfriend and I both want to work and eat at it, so hopefully it’s a hit with whoever buys the house.

We also decided to leave a little surprise for whoever renovates next…poor Mr. Bones.

We’ve also been cranking away in the upstairs bathroom. Drywall is pretty much finished, we built out the tub area, and installed tile. What do you think of our bold ceiling choice?

As far as next steps go, we just picked up counters for the kitchen, I’ve been prepping cabinets for paint and the bathroom vanity is expected to arrive in the next two weeks. We’re getting pretty close to being ready for paint and floors. I am particularly excited to see the kitchen painted. I think it will totally transform the downstairs.

We still have plenty left to do, but rooms are starting to take shape. I can’t wait to see the evolution over the next couple months.