• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header left navigation
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
  • Shop
  • Get The Email
  • Work With Me
  • About
  • Search

  • DIY
    • DIY Home Decor
    • With Power Tools
    • Renovation
    • For Kids
    • For Parties
    • Wearable
    • Organization
    • Cricut Crafts
  • Home Decor
    • Room Reveals
    • Kid Friendly
    • DIY Home Decor
    • Renovation
  • Lettering
    • Hand Lettered Printables
    • Free Practice Sheets
    • Handlettered DIY
    • Free Brush Lettering Quickstart Guide
Lemon Thistle

Lemon Thistle

Rad DIY, Lettering and Design for Real People

  • Printables
    • For Cricut
    • Party Printables
    • Home Decor Printables
    • Bachelor Bingo
    • Handlettering Practice Sheets
    • All Free Printables
  • Entertain
    • Party Printables
    • Party DIY
    • Tablescapes
    • Kids Parties
  • Blog

Chap House – The Before Photos!

Aug 06

Our new house! The before photos

So it’s no secret that we bought a new house and today I’m excited to share all of the before photos with you guys! We sold our first family home (we’d had an apartment before that) and bought this 80s rancher pretty much the minute we finished renovations on our first home- which was a total fixer upper. This new one definitely wouldn’t be called a fixer upper but there’s a ton of room for making it our own style and updating it. I mean, the ensuite has some wicked forest green faux marble tile that’s begging for a makeover.

We have SO many plans for this home that I couldn’t cover all in one post, but I did want to get all the before photos out there before we got too far ahead. You’ll see in these dining room before photos- we already removed the trim to measure for new windows and there’s some plastic tarping up because I didn’t snap photos of the entry before we started kitchen demolition. And if you follow along on Instagram and saw my mini house tour the day we got possession, you might notice that the orange carpet from the laundry room is also gone. We made quick work of that one ;)

Exterior Before Photos

Exterior Before Photos

PSSST! I also made this into a video if you prefer that! It’s a very… low quality video compared to what I like to put out BUT I wanted to get it out there anyways! CHECK IT OUT HERE!

Alright! Let’s get to it. Meet our new home! This is it from the outside according to the realty listing. We also made quick work of that giant tree in the front yard because the amount of sap that thing dripped on the cars in the driveway was gross. Every time our kids went out and rode their bikes in the driveway, they came back with sap on their clothes. Needless to say. It’s already gone. Which makes the entire front yard a big rock pit and NOTHING ELSE. It’s pretty bad, you guys. We’re planning to take on the exterior next year and not only side the place but hoping to make that carport into a garage. And give this baby some mad curb appeal. It’s sandwiched between two monster houses and looks pretty sad right now. I think when we’re done doing a bit of landscaping and giving the house a facelift it will stand out even between those two giant houses.

Oh! And to answer the one question I get asked from every single person who has visited our new place… No, we won’t be keeping that purple door forever.

The Kitchen Before Photos

The Kitchen Before Photos

The Kitchen Before Photos

Let’s move inside. Shall we start with the space we’re taking on first? The kitchen! Whop Whop!

I’ve been sharing all sorts of progress updates and peeks over on Instagram Stories of this. None of this space looks the same. We’re moving the kitchen to the dining room and the dining room to the kitchen and in the process… we’re regaining that wasted breakfast nook area. I’m SO excited for this one and am going to be sharing the design plans for the space in the next week or two. The kitchen cabinets and backsplash were original 80’s but it looks like the sink, faucet, and countertops had been replaced. The things that really bugged me about this space? The wasted space at the front of the house (I’m assuming it was meant to be a breakfast nook) and that there are NO sight lines to the living room or the backyard where my babes will be most of the time. Also… there’s remarkably little counter space considering all the square footage of this kitchen! We’re fixing aaaaall of this in our remodel!

Dining Room Before Photos

Dining Room Before Photos

Dining Room Before Photos

The dining room is changing too with the kitchen renovation (we’ve already pulled off the window trim for measuring before I snapped these shots). It’s a good size dining room that fits our giant table- we’re planning to keep it the same size, just move it! And notice how big the opening is to the living room here? That’s going to be for the kitchen now and that makes me SO happy!

Dining Room Before Photos

PS. Look at the view out the dining room (soon to be the kitchen) windows!… I’m loving it!

Living Room Before Photos

Living Room Before Photos

The other main space is the living room. It’s a really great size- our living room furniture fits way better in here than in our last living room BUT it is a hub. So the fireplace is actually a walkway to the dining room (new kitchen) and to the deck. So you can’t use that area. And the hallway is the other wall. And the window… well, you don’t want to block the view! So the furniture arrangement is pretty limited I’m finding. I’m excited to play around with this space a bit once we’re finished the kitchen (that’s taking all of my creative energy right now!).

Entry Before Photos

Entry Before Photos

The entry way here is super cramped. Originally, I’d wanted to blow out that closet and open it up BUT I didn’t realize that the entry is set back into the house and that would make you enter directly into the middle of your dining room. So we’re keeping the closet (Shane is happy about this- we didn’t have a coat closet in our last place!). We are making some changes to the space though, so I’m thinking it will make a big difference even without taking out the closet. We will have to wait and see!

Bathroom Before Photos

Bathroom Before Photos

The thing we are most excited for with this move? OUR OWN BATHROOM! We are a family of 6 now and having only one bathroom shared between all of us was getting to be a frustration. The move gave us our own bedroom ensuite and then the kids share the main washroom. That’s what this baby is. It’s pretty spacious, but the bath tile leaks a bit. We are going to seal it up for now and plan to renovate that another year. There are other little things about this space I’m excited to get changed… like the built in hexagon sink and the toilet seat that won’t stay on and the tap that is broken ceramic… but all in all, it’s totally good for our family for now.

Ensuite Before Photos

Ensuite Before Photos

This is our bathroom ensuite and that wicked green tile I was telling you about. It’s something else, right? I can’t wait to take on this tiny space for a renovation. It feels so cramped right now, I’m dreaming of ways to make it feel more spacious without moving walls.  Like that toilet is set back IN to the wall because there’s so little space. It definitely needs some work.

Walk in Closet Before Photos

Master Bedroom Before Photos

We also gained a walk in closet in this home and while we’re SO excited about it, it’s totally not functional. You see wire shelves and you think it’s good, right? But it wasn’t installed correctly and the shelves actually fall off the walls when you hang stuff on them. Which is why there’s a ton of stuff on the floor. I gave up. And couldn’t even shut the door because there isn’t one. This is a project we’re in the planning stages of- it just can’t wait, it drives us so crazy!

Master Bedroom Before Photos

Master Bedroom Before Photos

And then the master bedroom… so beachy, right? We are definitely painting this room out a bold colour (dark, just like our last room!). We also need to rewire those lights. They are an awesome idea and we’re going to keep the same idea of lighting BUT they are not meant for a king bed. We’ve had to push the bed to one side to reach one of the light switches, but that makes them really off centre. We’re going to have to widen them up to make them work for a king bed.

Kids Bedroom Before Photos

Kids Bedroom Before Photos

Kids Bedroom Before Photos

Kids Bedroom Before Photos

Kids rooms! They are a good size which is what sold us on the house. We were amazed at how many three bedroom (main floor) houses didn’t have room in the bedrooms for ONE bunk bed (it fit in our last house– which was built in 1965!). There was a window or door on every wall that made it impossible to put a bunk bed in. We will eventually be moving Calder into the boys room once he’s out of a crib, but for now Aubrey’s the baby whisperer so she gets him in hers (instead of a nursery like we had at our last place). Since bedrooms are a smaller project compared to bathrooms or kitchens, I’m thinking of taking on one of these rooms for the fall One Room Challenge. Do you think I’m crazy to do that on the heels of a kitchen renovation?

Backyard Before Photos

Backyard Before Photos

(these two photos are from the realty listing… the yard has NO shed and we had a 10×10 before. So all that stuff is stuffed into the yard in a heap… thank me for not sharing those photos). Right off the living room, we have this tiny little deck. It’s got a beautiful view, but it’s too small for either our outdoor sectional or our outdoor table. When we take on the exterior next year, we want to try to expand this a little bit more to make room for one of those.

The rest of the yard is much smaller than our last place– other then our amazing neighbours that we had to leave behind in the move, that giant yard was the other hard part to leave. I do like the brick pavers that are out here so I’m excited to take on a few small projects next year to make this space somewhere we love to hang out. And to make it somewhere we’re not worried about the retaining wall coming down on. #homeownership

The new view!

But the view is so great from that little deck. I shot this photo sitting on the deck at golden hour the first week we moved in. Recognize it from this month’s tech wallpapers?

Basement Playroom Before Photos

Basement Playroom Before Photos

Basement Playroom Before Photos

Back inside, we have a full basement that’s got tons of space for us to make our own. Yes, it’s all green too! This is the main section- it’s a playroom/ TV room and where we will keep the only TV in the house. It’s so much bigger than our last playroom/rec room but I need to get creative with storage since we lost our mega built in shelving unit. It also has a sketchy fireplace with a gas line capped in there. Emmitt has asked that we work on the ‘scary mantle’ before we work on other projects. Also… that’s not a brown wall beside it, that’s just hardboard tacked up over the opening to the storage room/workshop that will become my office. And lucky you, even though I didn’t show you photos of our crap piled in the back yard, you got a sneak peek through those windows. ;)

Laundry Room Before Photos

Laundry Room Before Photos

Also down here is the laundry room which is really a blank slate… unless you like that vinyl stone look ;) I’m excited to take on this space and make it both beautiful and functional. That was one of my favourite spaces to take on in the last house because we’d never had a laundry room before. On this one, I’m crossing my fingers that we can make a laundry sink fit in here. And I’m still loving the wood countertops we did in our last one, but Shane is pulling for laminate. What would you do?

Guest Bedroom Before Photos

Guest Bedroom Before Photos

Guest Bath Before Photos

And our first ever guest bedroom… which has a roughed in ensuite! A THIRD bathroom once we finish it, you guys! That’s what’s hiding behind that curtained off hole. Which has more green tile. This room needs a lot of work- it has holes in the walls, no baseboard and different levels for the washroom. But it’s going to allow us to have overnight guests more often so we’re excited about that! We’ve never had a guest bedroom so it’s a total upgrade. Also… it’s a different colour than the entire rest of the house. But it’s STILL GREEN. Someone must have loved the colour green. Would you believe it if I told you I’m planning on doing a green wall in here?

Studio Office Before Photos

Studio Office Before Photos

Last but not least is this space here (even the wallpaper remnants are green!). It looks like a storage room but it’s going to be my office. My giant studio/office and it’s going to be beautiful. One day ;) For now, I’m using the guest bedroom until we can free up some time to get started down here, but it’s going to be so nice to have the space to keep on-the-go projects out without taking up our kitchen table.

I can’t wait to share some of the design plans with you all and the reveals of course as they happen! Like I’ve mentioned, we’ve already started in on some work (we don’t waste time, apparently!) and will have some progress updates for you shortly!

If you didn’t catch the ‘Before’ photos of our old place… you can hop over and check them out here. For some reason, that is one of my most popular posts EVERY SINGLE MONTH. Why? I don’t know! But I’m going to be doing a full before/ after post for the house when I have time to sit down and pull it together, so if that’s your thang- keep your eyes out!

Category: Home DecorTag: home, Home Tour, Our Home
Facebook0Tweet0Pin0LinkedIn0
Previous Post: « In The Midst of Every Difficulty Lies Opportunity – August Tech Wallpapers
Next Post: Fiesta! New Fresh Cut SVG Bundle Fiesta til Siesta DIY tee »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kristi

    Aug 07 at 8:36 am

    I am so, so excited for you guys! I just love all the space and those views are absolutely incredible! I can’t wait to follow along as you make this new home your own!

    Reply
  2. Lesa

    Aug 08 at 5:15 am

    It’s awesome! And I’m thinking all that space in the basement is eventually going to work for your boys. Three growing boys all in one room… yeah, that’s eventually not going to work.

    Reply
  3. Claudine

    Aug 08 at 5:22 am

    This house has so much terrific potential, I can’t wait to see what you do with it! Especially the big kitchen-dining room switch around…I am so impressed when someone does a major reno like that…I can’t even imagine it! :)

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sidebar

WOOHOO!

Check your email to confirm!

(+ get your freebies + discounts)


Thanks for dropping by!
I’m Colleen: wife; mom to 4 wild ones; and DIY blogger behind Lemon Thistle. You can expect to see rad DIY, modern home decor, renovations, hand lettering and the occasional party on Lemon Thistle. Read More…

email facebook youtube instagram pinterest

Unless otherwise noted, all content and images are mine. Full posts may not be shared without express written consent. But I love when you share! Feel free to share, without altering, one image with proper credit and a link to the original post. All free printables are for personal use only.

Everyone loves proper credit- if you ever notice something improperly credited, please please shoot me an email and I’ll fix it lightning fast.

Find all my policies right here.
This includes my privacy policy, info on the GDRP compliance and information on affiliate links (Including Amazon Affiliates).

Visit Colleen Pastoor’s profile on Pinterest.

colleenpastoor

My house is never this clean
-
DIY + Home Decor Blogger
Mama of 4 👶🏼🧒🏼👦🏼👧🏼
Renovating our 🏠 the DIY way
🖤 Lettering & ☕️
-
✉️[email protected]

colleen pastoor/lemon thistle
I’ve been doing some polls in my stories (thank I’ve been doing some polls in my stories (thank you for your responses!) and one that totally surprised me? 
Almost half of you don’t know I blog! That’s my job, guys 😂 IG is just a fun little part of that! So tell me... is this new information to you or are you team ‘knew that!’? 

Also... Should I do a blogging Q&A? 🤷🏼‍♀️
Happy Valentine’s Day, friends 🥰 Happy Valentine’s Day, friends 🥰
Anyone else feeling the balance between work and f Anyone else feeling the balance between work and family and rest and keeping your house liveable has all just toppled this year? I keep seeing articles about pandemic fatigue and long term stress and burnout and while it’s totally relatable, I really just want tips on how to actually deal with that. I thought I’d share some things that are helping me if you’re in the same boat... and I’d love if you shared your tips in the comments! We could all use them 🥰
-I’ve been going for a walk every day by myself. Even when it’s freaking cold like today, I just bundle. It’s the only time I get truly to myself with no kiddo asking for something and that I don’t have to try squeeze in an email or something else.
-I’ve been putting the instant pot to work and leaning on cheater meals (local soup mixes are amazing), Costco dinners... whatever
- I’m prioritizing friendships with phone calls, zoom games nights and group chats about the bachelor (with matching snacks!)
- I’ve given myself a schedule that has downtime to play with the kids and to read... even when there’s things I feel like I ‘should be’ doing
- I’ve realized exactly how much time I’ve been spending on my phone and that it’s become my response to stress. Have you ever looked up your screen time analytics? 🥴 look at how many times you pick it up in your day. I’m setting app limits for myself and trying to break this habit, but I’d really love tips!
Can you believe that address sign is a DIY?! I'm s Can you believe that address sign is a DIY?! I'm sharing the whole tutorial in partnership with @OfficialCricut today over on my blog! I'd originally made it as a place holder for a metal one but after having it up for 4 months... we totally love it long term! What do you think? Would you try it? #cricut #cricutmade #ad
What are your Sunday plans? Mine are to sit right What are your Sunday plans? Mine are to sit right here for the first half of the day drinking coffee, then the second half of the day it’s to clean this house so it looks like my Instagram feed again 😂
Who has DIY projects on their mind this year?! 

👏🏻CLOSED 👏🏻 congrats @kelseycford ✨
@ryobi_canada and I want to help you start knocking those projects off your list by giving away a new nailer and battery set! #ad 
This tool is what we used for this accent wall and all the trim in our home. It’s the one I used to trim out my built in shelving and add the decorative moulding to my geometric barn door. What I’m saying is this thing is a workhorse and I want you to have one too 😉
To enter:
✨Follow me @colleenpastoor and @ryobi_canada 
✨like and save this photo 
✨ tag some friends who’d love to win in the comments! One tag per comment, each is an entry. 
✨ share to your stories for a bonus 5 entries!

Open to Canadians only this time (sorry US friends!) and not associated with Instagram. Closes Friday Jan 22 at noon PST!
Let’s talk about coffee! This is my coffee ‘st Let’s talk about coffee! This is my coffee ‘station’ and the second photo is my dads! I’m talking aaaall about them over on YT today!
Also... see how nice that fresh silicone looks?! 😉 IYKYK
The hallway is finally finished and I’m so stink The hallway is finally finished and I’m so stinking happy! 

It’s felt like such a long time coming for such a small space. Since we moved in 2.5 years ago, this space has seen new doors and hardware, new trim, new floors... twice😅, we changed the boob light to a pot light and I hated it and now it’s got the most beautiful flush mount fixture I’m in love with (thanks @mymitzi!). It finally got some fresh paint and now frames on walls and last but not least... After this weekend, the new floors look like they were here all along (no door jamb gaps!) which was the last thing really bugging me since our flood last year. 

All this to say that home takes time and sometimes getting it right might take a couple tries. Also- the spaces we don’t really think about (hallways) can totally help a house feel like home with some love (and family photos 🥰)
ps. I partnered with #mymitzi to create a tiktok for This makeover... are you following me over there yet?! I’d love if you popped over and said hi!
It’s done! It works! And I’m calling it a grea It’s done! It works! And I’m calling it a great use of my afternoon the other day. Did you catch the stories? These projects both cost me under $10 by using pieces I already had in my home (yay for scraps!) and one package of drawer slides).
You can find the full video about these two kitchen organization projects over on YouTube in collaboration with my friend @love_create_celebrate and her #scrapsmademodern challenge! But for now... I’m rejoicing this coffee maker is off my counter for good 🎉
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2021 · Lemon Thistle · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Mai Theme