Spring Set Back

April brought the discovery of an ant infestation in the ceiling (solved). Now the really bad part...foundation issues are causing a major slope that is noticeable inside and out. Not good. At all. To be continued...

Super Low-Budget Renovation To Continue March 2014...

The final phase of renovation plans will start March 2014! In the meantime, here is the living room and RV kitchen as of January 2014.

Interior renovations were slow and few in 2012-2013. Having so little light in the the living area, I stole light from the next room by cutting a symmetrical door entry. The double openness looks kinda wacky, but I'm hoping that sliding doors on barn tracks will add character (and privacy as needed). What else? I had the RV kitchen gutted of its original paneling and insulation. The plan is to re-insulate, install drywall, and wallpaper with grasscloth. Lesson learned: A gutted RV will attract moisture problems (and critters) unless a vapor barrier/insulation is installed ASAP. I also had the living room's ceiling and subfloor painted in glossy latex. Oh, and I found a fantastic wicker sofa on Craigslist. And that's about it.

This is my ambitious plan for spring 2014:

--Insulation of cracks; correction of drywall holes.
--Xtreme cleaning and proofing against stinkbugs, mice, and spiders with lemon, eucalyptus, and mint essential oils.
--Installation of drywall and wallpaper in RV kitchen.
--Painting of all rooms in bright white and adding window/door trim.
--Removal of faux stone fireplace backing and replacement with stucco or something textural.
--Installation of vinyl wood plank flooring and shoe molding in all rooms.
--Installation of kitchen sink base for the butcher block countertop and sink/spigot that I already have.
--Installation of sink base in tiny bathroom and repair of shower stall.
--Installation of sliding interior doors and new exterior lite-panel door leading to patio.
--Moving all furniture and decor!

Progress and pics to be posted...

If Someone Had Told Me This Would Take So Long...

Wow, it's autumn 2012, and the cottage is still undone. I would've never believed that I'd still be unfinished in every single room, 1.5 years later. No way. But such is life when you're working on a summer shack 90 miles away from where you live. I will never underestimate the general rule that house renovations always take 2-3 times the time you would've expected. Despite all the projects ahead, it's still fun; I don't have buyer's remorse (yet). :)

Living Room Issues

Well, the living room isn't exactly screwed, but there are craploads of problems: For one, the subfloor (which has been stripped to its essence) is sloping and dipping due to lack of joist support. "Buzz" had someone go in the crawlspace and rig it with concrete block last year, but that's just a little too 'hood for my taste, so I'm calling in the big shots from DryZone for a permanent titanium support system. We'll see. I need more than a 1/4-inch subfloor unless I want to find myself and couch crashing into the spidery crawlspace. I happen to dig some of the nifty economic ideas for cheap flooring solutions like plywood planks cut, painted, and applied to look like hardwoods. If they last and look good, no brainer there. However, by the time I'd get the energy to d.i.y., I'd probably have spent twice as much money/time as just getting someone to install some ready-made click-in place floors. But who wants to pay $3K + for 800 sq. feet of flooring for a weekend shack? Uneven walls--Imperfection works well in a shabby cottage like this, but joint compound was applied with uneven abandon. It's so bad on one wall I don't know how I'll be able to add baseboards without sanding off a 3-inch slope. Unfinished ceiling, gaps, and holes--The critters are having a field day with all the holes and gaps. Help!!!

Spotlight on the Main Bedroom

With the exception of me stripping off most all the chair rail moldings, the main (and tiny) bedroom has been untouched since purchase--same coral-colored walls and left-behind bed. Despite the lack of character, it's a doable room with south-facing light. I'm thinking white or cream will expand the space and nudge it back to simplicity. What else--nixing the brown carpet; changing brass door fixtures to silver; dumping the window unit (there's central a/c); and adding sisal rugs, nautical art, and white roman blinds. Thoughts for wall color? Stick with white/cream? Ice blue? Pale aqua?

Back to Work

May/mid-June progress trickles, but it's a start nonetheless: The jungle was finally cut back after months of no cut, and last week I finally got a weak & diseased tree cut down and the "outback" civilized. Thanks to Vijay for help! Yay. Step two: Nothing exciting or worthy of a post. I'll be doing mundane stuff like (1) patching interior/exterior holes that are allowing drafts, wolf spiders, and stink bugs inside; (2) prepping for interior painting; and (3) electrical stuff. Due to weather, I'll probably be less than active through the summer. However, that doesn't stop me from hiring someone. More to come...

So Close Yet So Far Away

In my dreams, my finished and decorated cottage awaits. In reality, however, cottage renovations have come to a halt. My general contractor is missing and cold weather limits progress. Oh well. Until spring...

Sea-inspired Items for Your Home

Just when I thought I was a year over decorative coral items, I found a pattern to make this adorable knitted coral doohickey on Etsy by jpolka. Too cute!

Coat One in the Making of Cottage Indigo Blue

Imagine my delight when I discovered I could paint my faded powerblue vinyl siding a deep indigo (it's actually darker than pictured). If you haven't heard already, Sherwin Williams offers "VinylSafe(R) technology" that allows you to paint vinyl in shades that normally would cause buckling with regular paint. This color is "Indigo Batik"--it's supposed to be a one-coat application, but the color is so deep that I'll probably have to do two and a half. After 3 days spent on a rickety ladder, I was able to paint one coat on the upper front and one side wall. Yes, the white skirting will be changed and new shutters to come! Progressing and to be continued!

September Check-In

Things are still moving, but nowhere near completion. At least I can use the earthquake and hurricane as excuses. :/ Discovered a series of water leaks in bathroom and kitchen, not to mention the old RV windows in the kitchen. So now what was supposed to be an easy kitchen "cover-up" has morphed into a complete re-do (all new windows, ripping out all cabinets, and redoing all the walls/floors. Fortunately, I have a good feeling everything will be done, interior-wise, by November.

Hot Weather Delays

Ughh...just when I thought the ball was moving, it's come to a complete stop. It could be September before completion.

Vote for Me to Win a Makeover!!!

Hey folks! If you're on Facebook, please vote for me in the Su Casa Beach Home Makeover Contest! To vote, go to http://www.facebook.com/SuCasaFurniture and "Like" the page.

Then go to, https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150201746181396&set=a.10150186516326396.303095.42947831395&type=1&theater&pid=7429194&id=42947831395 and "Like" the photo of my living room!


Thanks a bunch!!!

Progressing...bit by bit

Sorry for all the debris, but things are moving in the right direction! Aim to be done with living room by July!

DIY Instructions for Board and Batten Shutters

Check out these DIY instructions for board and batten shutters from the folks at Little House in the Suburbs. I'm on it!

Build Your Own Batten Board Shutters

Exterior Updates--Cheah!

20% Progress.





PROGRESS, as of June 3, 2011

Thanks to a new door from Lowe's and the beginning stage of painting, the exterior is on its way. Today I hand washed the front siding, but it still needs a power wash. I've yet to install the new outdoor sconce or house number sign, and I've got to get shutters that fit the windows. I was literally trembling with anticipation in getting that Mothraesque butterfly (see before) off the facade--and yeah, the campy seahorse birdbath is getting the boot too. I want easy-going curb appeal--ornamental beach grasses, lavender, hydrangea, and pebble gravel--and at this point, it'll probably be fall before I can start.

Latest Update

Latest update...drywall up and primed...ceiling is 98% done and primed...question is, why does the white primer seem to make the room look smaller?

Ceiling Improvement to the Living Room

Ahhhh, no more hideous dropped-panel ceiling!!! As for the current raw wood rafters, they will be painted white to match the beadboard.

Progress Stalling

Progress is coming, but I underestimated the time and energy it'd take to get my place in tip top shape. I really thought I'd be painting by now. Anyhoodles, I haven't visited my camper cottage in 3 weeks so I'm definitely in the dark about what my renovation guy has done/undone. Developments to come!

More Progress!

Drywall and ceiling improvements!

Modern Cottage Inspiration

This is one of my favorite casual cottage living rooms--it combines clean-modern and cozy perfectly. Sigh.




Taken from:
Modern, Cottage Living Room - MyHomeIdeas.com

Colorful Inspiration

The colorful living room pictures, as featured in homedesignparadise.com, have a remarkably similar floor plan and layout to my weekend house--including the exposed ceiling (yet to come). Although this look is far more vibrant than the relaxed beach look I'm going for, the seafoam wall color is definitely a winner. What do you think? (Images taken from: http://homedesignparadise.com/interior-design/pretty-small-living-room-and-walls-by-madeline-caesar)

Week 2 of Demo

I'm lucky enough to have found the contractor who built the original addition, and he's as good and efficient as it gets. He, "Buzz", is a ball of energy and has come up with a lot of creative ideas, not to mention saving me some major bucks in the process. Already he has: fixed my gutter, removed all the vinyl suspended ceilings; removed all the beadboard that was overpowering the living room; cut a larger opening into the kitchen/dining area that has opened the front room significantly; removed vinyl wall panels elsewhere, hauled all that crap out, and figured out some of the quirky aspects of my cottage. Next: spackle/recover damaged sheetrock, set ceiling w/beadboard, remove all carpet, add base/ceiling moldings, install a new door, ceiling fans, and then I'll be able to paint. Yay!

Transforming a Fugly Cottage Living Room (Before)

As of March 4, 2011, the living room is best described as "budget country 1980s". The style abominations are never-ending--old brass ceiling fan, dingy carpet, cracked-out ceiling panels, unpainted pine beadboard, and the absence of light. With the exception of the wood burning stove, everything will have to be overhauled.

What I envision: airy, all-white walls, plank ceiling, and light wood floors that gleam and shine. A neighbor-contractor is starting work next week, and after that I'll be tasked with painting, removing the old carpet and having a new floor installed.

And then...decorating. Yay.


UPDATE 3.11.11: My contractor just sent me the following pics showing all the debris that came from removing the old ceiling panels and beadboard T&G panels from the living room. I was hoping to salvage the beadboard to be reused elsewhere in the house, but it was glued to the sheetrock walls behind it. What a mess!

Transforming an RV-Cottage near the Chesapeake Bay--The Beginning

Just 4 weeks after a ridiculously spontaneous decision, I became the owner of a little vinyl-sided weekend cottage. It sits on a campground bordering a tributary of upper Chesapeake Bay (Maryland).



At first glance it looks like a mobile home, but it's actually an RV-fused-cottage. The original 1975 Bonanza RV section (in the back) contains the current kitchen and bathroom; everything else is an addition built in the early 1990s.





Admittedly, the house is lacking "good bones" and character, but the location is superb--and the price was awesome.

And within a 10-minute walk, look what's nearby.



The goal: high style transformation on a tight budget. To be continued...