Here is what it looked like before- just a small deck that we rarely used due to a few things…. firstly, being that our yard floods from the creek and every time we try to grow grass, flood waters pour in- it's so deep I swear I've seen people Kayaking in my backyard:) Secondly, I have very bad year round allergies and just building a screened in porch didn't make a whole of sense. So needless to say, this small project turned into a complete addition adding about 370 sq ft of living space to the home. Not to mention it completely changed the feel of the downstairs all together.
With that being said, here is the outside before pictures:
Initially we had planned to keep the windows/door and make the room separate, but about half way through construction I decided to blow out the windows, door and slider and open it all up to rest of house and I am so glad we did.
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and here how it is now- I went a little crazy with the camera so bear with me:)…
The opening on the left used to be our slider leading outside, the large opening was where the 2 windows and useless door used to be:)
If you ever saw pictures of my kitchen before (soon to be featured in the Spring issue of Kitchen & Bath Makeover Magazine) you'll notice I've painted the island- used to be same color as cabinets. The addition was a snowball effect- everything else needed to change too:) I used to have DIY striped pendant lights, but opted for clear glass as to not block my view of the gorgeous fireplace.
I love that I was able to bring my dining room table into this space. The antique Windsor chairs I found at the Restore for $40/each, the 3 side chairs I had around my small round table and the bench was also in my dining room.
This dining chandelier was a score at the Restore for $36!- perfect for this space.
If I couldn't have a screened porch I wanted this space to have as many windows as possible and I wanted them to be as big as possible- according to code of course.
Another change we made was to close in that awful hole where the TV once sat over the fireplace. No need to have 2 TV's in this space and I finally got my mantle to decorate!
You're probably wondering where we got all this amazing rustic wood…Well, back when Scott was a Policeman he was patrolling behind an office building and spotted about 30 20' long beams that had been sitting there for quite some time. He contacted the company that they were behind and the GM said he could help himself to them (yes, for free)- SCORE:)
Scott assisted my contractor Mel with hanging all the beams, framing the openings and finishing the windows. And our awesome neighbor Bob helped him lay the hardwood floors- this is the 2nd time he's assisted us with floors- what a great guy!
The fireplace is the Rockstar of the room. I knew the look I wanted, but didn't realize I would have to spend almost 2 hours hand selecting each and everyone of these stones at the stone yard- The guys that helped looked at me like I was crazy, as did my husband when he saw the pile of mismatched stone get delivered, but I kept saying "trust me" It's going to look great. I chose flat and ledge and then my stone guys were absolutely amazing in how they fit it all together like a puzzle. I was in awe when it was completed.
The sofa and chairs are all part of my furniture line Simplicity - cozy and comfortable and slipcovers are washable:) Scott has already done a great job with breaking his chair in! This gorgeous unique coffee table, my talented hubby made from pallets then he did a light whitewash over it and finished with a lime wax- fits perfectly in this room. The rug is from Dash & Albert, another great line we carry at Simplicity Interiors shop!
Not much to say about this, it's just a cool fan:)
The mantle is a piece of old cedar we picked up at an antique store months before this project even got off the ground.
My favorite houndstooth throw. I made these pillows.
Another great Restore find- this antique cane chair is so unique and a great addition to the room.
I love the way this rooms flows with the rest of the house!
Wow, that has to be the longest blog I've ever written! I hope everyone has a great rest of the week. Keep an eye out for Lake Norman Magazine that is going to feature this room!
oh yeah, almost forgot After outside picture. Still need to stain stairs and add concrete pad underneath so we can use as storage.
A special thank you to Piedmont Builders for building this addition and a thank you to Cabinets Plus for assisting us in completing the interior and bringing this room to life!
