Who doesn’t LOVE a good ‘Before and After’ to show a dramatic transformation?! I know I certainly do! =)

My antique granny couch was looking kind of lonely in a very big, very red room. Well, that room…and every other room in our house…went through some major renovations in the spring of 2014. I have really been wanting to share that journey with y’all, and since the granny couch made its appearance last week, I thought now was as good a time as ever.

I hope you enjoy the photos. I documented almost everything we did over the course of four months. It’s weird how philosophical one can get when in the throws of construction. It was a lot of really hard work, but somehow each task gave me time to think and reflect as I sludged through the monotony of brush stroke after brush stroke of paint. (I’m not complaining, I painted a couple thousand square feet of walls, doors, trim and molding, while my husband did all the back breaking grunt work. Thanks babe!) The feeling that really eclipsed all the fatigue and daily grind, was an overwhelming sense of gratitude, and the knowledge that there was nothing that I could ever do to deserve the good things in our lives. I was keenly aware that each good and holy thing is bestowed. It all felt like an intimate, glorious gift. I was humbled by the love of a good hearted, faithful Father. My self, my husband, and our Abba partnered together to make something beautiful, side by side. More and more I am convinced that this is how the Kingdom works its best magic here on earth.

For those of you who have endured the relentless work and emotional drain of a renovation, you will appreciate the chaos and general disarray of living in a construction site. If you are up to your eyeballs in your own home make-over even as you read this, may the after pics give you renewed hope and vision for the light at the end of the tunnel. I would encourage you to consider adding Abba Father as a partner. He’s really great at rebuilding things, making them new and more glorious than ever. You might be surprised by your internal renovation as much as your external. Be encouraged and know that your hard work WILL pay off in the end! Keep it up and feel free to share your before and after pics with us!

God bless! ~Shanna

Here’s what we did:

-Removed old light fixture

-Scraped popcorn from ceilings

-Jack Hammered tiles…we posted the tile on Craigslist for free to anyone who would come get it and two people responded and we were able to get rid of it all. One woman picked some up for an art project, the other to fill in wash out spots on her property. So glad those tiles were re-used!

-2 coats of Kilz to cover the red on the walls

-Primed and painted ceiling

-Added new ceiling fan

-Installed laminate flooring

-Painted walls with Sherwin Williams Sea Salt

-Painted trim/crown/baseboards glossy white

-Installed furniture

The room has evolved over the last two years. I’ve rearranged furniture a couple of times and I finally added some curtains which I purchased from TJ Maxx. I also purchased the blue and white patterned lamps there as well. (I love that store!) I still haven’t committed to any artwork on the walls, but I love this room so much! When I eventually get brave enough to hang some stuff, I’ll try to share that with you too. In the meantime, enjoy and be inspired!