Home Make Over

For a long time coming I have been procrastinating this project. It is a project of a project completed over a year ago, but beckons me to document and share with everyone around. Plus It has to do with Inspiration. My Inspiration. Probably the most important source of Inspiration :

My Home, My Abode, My Space, My Refuge, My Self.

A Home Makeover.

Rewind the clock. A big move. Interstate. Boxes. Temporary Downsize, from a single home to an apartment. Cold, and not too inviting in the long term for us.

So The search began. A new City, New Job, New Realtor. While shopping for a home you really get a 1 on 1 in Priorities. U probably learn a thing or two about your spouse too. But worth all the agony.

House # 48 made the cut. Offer in but Lots of negotiating. The most important decision of your life left to the mercy of a virtual stranger! They accept you are happy, they reject, back to shopping. Psychological games realtors play!

Home had great bones, Important priorities were met. The interiors was a mess. A total face lift was required, to bring it up to our standard of living and functionality. Thats where my inspiration would kick into full gear.

Offer accepted project ready to roll:

Time line: 1 month

Jobs to be done:

Total house repaint: select color schemes for each living quarter and determine an accent wall and color.

Main living level: Remove old flooring and replace with new hardwood Flooring

Kitchen makeover: resurface cabinets from light to dark stain, add new stainless steel hardware to cabinets,
Granite countertops, extend kitchen island and add granite, stainless steel double sink and faucet,
Add new tile backsplash,
Replace old appliances with all new stainless steel.

Powder room Makeover: remove, white pedestal sink and replace with wooden cabinet for storage and granite countertop with sink.
New Bronze faucets installed.
New light fixture installed.
Master bath remodel, double vanity to be replaced with granite countertops,
new sinks, and bronze faucets.
New his and her mirrors and lighting and new light fixtures installed over sink.
New bronze hardware to be attached to cabinets.

Kids bath remodel: granite countertops and new sink. New mirror and new light fixtures.

All Electric Fixtures in the home to be upgraded: kitchen ( pendants over island, recess light caps, under the cabinet lighting, hall light replaced) ;
family room( ( ceiling light and fan to be connected and installed) ; dinning room ( new chandelier to replace old fixture) ;
main entrance (overhead light fixture changed to new pendant) living room ( install and connect new chandelier with dimmers)
upstairs (hall lights replaced with new fixture, kids bedrooms new overhead light/fan fixture connected and installed. Master bedroom (overhead light/fan connected with dimmers and installed).
Basement bedroom ( new recess lighting to be fixed and additional sconce light fixtures connected near bed for reading and ambient lighting set up).

Contractors Employed:

Handyman: a catch all
Electrician
Granite countertop / island / kitchen faucets
Tile backsplash
Hardwood flooring
Painter
coordinate delivery of kitchen appliances and set up

Down Memory Lane

While interacting with my kids who are 5 and 6 through the course of their activities, be it school work such as simple language and number problems to story time to pretend play, many memories of my childhood flash back. It is an exciting time for me when that happens because through my children I get to relive my special moments shared together with my brother while growing up. No matter what time of life you are at, no matter where you are in the world, nothing can stop sweet memories from flowing back when they are triggered through fun events and what I find inspiring in this instance is that in todays stressful world we are caught up with materialism, but through the simplicity and purity of my child’s play and learning, and their comprehension of the world, breathes fresh air into my trampled spirit caught up in mundane worldly living.
Through still photography I captured some delightful moments of my son playing outdoors. I put together a video which is meant to evoke a sense of nostalgia in you and flood your mind with those special memories of you growing up with a friend, a sibling or a parent or even on your own.

Kite Runner

For those of you who have read the book or seen the movie Kite Runner. I finally managed to do both. They provided me with a very interesting perspective into an area I was forced to stereotype. A region invaded by political opinion that once had an identity of its own, is so easily dismissed. There are many parallel issues running through out the course of the story, which would beg for a broader debate, but for now, Khaled Hosseini through his metaphor of the Kite Runner inspired me to shed my myopic visions and broaden my horizons to a territory in Dire Straits. The Simplistic Innocence of kite flying resonates deep within me and every time I think of the joy on amir’s face when he cut his opponents kite echos to me that, if our Will is strong enough there is nothing that can stop us form achieving what we want in this world. That should include compassion to our fellow beings because if we all do our small parts, (even if it is an idea or inspiration shared through this blog) collectively we can build a better, stronger world in the midst of all the negativity. As Mahatma Gandhi the Visonary said “We must be the change we wish to see in this world”

Frustration

In the midst of setting up this blog and getting well versed on its logistics, I find myself a bit frustrated on my incompetence with technology. The consolation being that on average many are in my boat. Keeping this in mind, starting from scratch and jumping on to this bandwagon of virtual words leaves me vulnerable that I have put myself out there but gives me inspiration in the form of confidence to believe in my words.....

words

This is my very first post on my very first blog created today. Not sure what exactly needs to be said here but I am going to share my thoughts on something very dear to me. As a creative being, inspiration is the most important catalyst of my sphere. I feed off it and on this journey not only will I share what inspires me but would love to learn what inspires all of you. By sharing ideas and stories helps sharpen the most important tool that is gifted to me in this creative process, that of Perception.