Farewell Wallpaper...

One of the first things we knew had to go at Shorebrook was the plethora of wallpaper covering the dining room and both bathrooms. Faux paneling and big bold flowers, weren't exactly what we had in mind for our new space.

Thanks to help from my parents and my 86 year old grandmother, getting paper off the dining room and master bathroom was a breeze. I'm not big on chemicals, so we simply used a mixture of water and vinegar in a spray bottle + a couple of plastic scraping tools. We bought a scoring tool and used it briefly but found that it scared some of the plaster board walls, so we continued without it.

Total removal time for the dining room (12 x 15 ft) was probably 3 - 4 hours due to cleaning up the sticky pieces off the floor.  

**TIP: Pick up as much of the wet paper backing as possible as it comes off the wall before it starts to dry on the floor.**

Master bathroom paper pulled off without any work at all but the guest room bathroom took some extra elbow grease. Once all the paper was off, there were still some residual pieces of adhesive left on the walls. We're thinking about lightly sanding these down with a power sander but was wondering if anyone else had any better tips?  I've also heard a brillo pad could work. Leave a comment below if you have a great suggestion!

NEXT UP | Removal of the wall between the dining room and living room!

Welcome Home to Shorebrook Ave.

In April, Paul and I officially signed our lives away on a new little bungalow, thanks to Leslie Walker and the Wolfe Company. Owned by a single family since the 1950s, Shorebrook is filled with an array of treasures and memories that we hope to add to over time.

Nestled amidst an array of towering southern pines, lush camellia bushes and a sea of pink azaleas, this little bungalow is a bit more on the rustic side with unexpected clean lines and a hint of contemporary flare.

Much like Kirkland, Shorebrook Ave. needs a lot of love and a creative eye. However, this journey is kicking off with a couple of months of renovation to help ease the transition back into homeownership.

So put your design goggles on and see if you can picture where this rustic retreat is headed...

Upcoming Phase One Projects Include:

• Recessed Lighting
• Removal of the wall between the dining room and living room
• Opening of the entry wall between the dining room and foyer
• Paint, paint and more paint
• Refinishing of the hardwoods and removal of the carpet
• Tiling of den floor all the way through the kitchen
• New french doors off the den
• New 3/4 glass entry door

Living Room | Look for this wall to the dining room to be removed soon.

Dining Room | Watch for removal of the wall paper and new lighting.

Den | Watch for new tile on the floor, new doors and lighting.

Hall Bathroom | Pink Sink, Pink Toilet, Pink Tub...Phase 2

Hallway | Removal of carpet + paint + lighting.

Master Bed Room | Watch for paint and polish + new lighting. Lace curtains available...

Master Bath Room | Phase 2 ...Total gut job.

Guest Room | Paint and polish...

Guest Room 2 | Removal of the carpet + paint and polish.

Back Garden | Taming of the overgrown vegetable and flower garden...Phase 3

Back of the house | Watch for new patio doors and landscaping.