We’re always working on things to improve the house, but I haven’t been very good about updating about it here lately! Here are some brief recaps:
Basement Stairs
In March, Steven replaced the basement stair treads, and painted the existing risers white. The stairs looked nasty and needed this refresh. They look much better now!
Workout Area
We’ve expanded the workout area a bit. Steven installed a new speed bag mount he got for his birthday last winter, and a bench and dip station we recently ordered.
I love having room in our basement for exercise equipment! We’d like to add more flooring over time, too.
Family Room Lighting/Fan
In the beginning of April, the light/fan in our family room went kaput! Upon closer inspection this weekend, Steven found that the electrical wires in it had burned away to nothing. Um, that’s not good.
We never liked the lights in that room (or most of the house) so we used it as an opportunity to get a new main light/fan, plus sconces, and pendants for over the fireplace.
Steven installed the new sconces over the last two weekends, and the new light/fan yesterday. We’re waiting on some parts to install the pendants.
We’re planning to wrap the metal part on the light in wood
We needed that fan going yesterday – it was hot here!
Garage Air Compressor & Air Hose
Steven received an air compressor for Christmas, and he installed it and hooked it up to the retractable air hose (a 2017 Christmas gift!) in the ceiling this weekend.
New Garage?!
See how we have all the construction materials stacked up in the photo on the right above? We’d like to build another garage to put that and all of our other equipment in, and use our attached garage for both our cars. Someone is stopping by to start working on a construction quote for us today!
Driveway & Yardwork
Last fall, we had new gravel put down on our driveway, and had a lot of the invasive trees (buckthorns) cut out from along the driveway. We also cut down some of the buckthorns in the back yard two weekends ago and made piles of them that were all picked up last week.
We still need to have the some new gravel added and compressed on our driveway, but we don’t plan to have that done until our new garage is built (since potential heavy machinery will be driving up and down it anyway).
Cat Tree!
And finally, we got the cats a cat tree for their birthdays (Khali’s is April 26, the kittens’ is May 10)! Thanks to Rachel for the recommendation!
That’s a very nice cat tree, they look like they’re enjoying it! And I love that home gym you guys have set up, it looks really spacious and well equipped.
Thanks, they are! So far they mostly like to go to the highest spots and bat at the attached toys (they already chewed one off and Steven stapled an old one we had around the house on, ha).
Thanks! 🙂
How do you plan to wrap the sconces? Love the new fan! Will you stain the stair treads, or leave them natural? And love the cat tree, and that Khali still prefers the TOJ. <3
We are going to put wood around the metal strip. He is going to make some frame that goes behind it and have the wood come off of that. I don’t really understand. LOL.
We are going to leave the stairs au natural for now.
She does! She is like “The TOJ is purrf I don’t need this tree!”
What are you using for flooring in the workout area? I need to find something.
Here is what we use: https://www.menards.com/main/flooring-rugs/exercise-gym-flooring/flooring-rugs/exercise-gym-flooring/amorim-reg-42-x-120-x-1-4-sports-floor-35-sq-ft-roll/7038910/p-1444424101426-c-1536584011607.htm?tid=-1896074153557597659&ipos=3
It’s the minimum thickness you’d want in a gym floor (not much cushion), but it works for now! We’d like to get something thicker later!
That cat tree looks so impressive! I had one for Eloise but she never used it, so I sold it on FB Marketplace for the same price I bought it for, lol. Someone responded right away for it! I’m not sure if Lila would use one! I got Ellie a new scratching bed and a replacement Hexbug robot toy for her birthday. Need to figure out what to get Lila! 🙂
Also, your exercise room gives me heart eyes! I’d LOVE something like that but alas. It must make working out so much more convenient!
I am glad you kind sell it for what you paid! We never had one for Data, but the kittens have been climbing on ladders so much lately, we thought they’d like it (and they seem to)! When did you decide to have Ellie’s birthday? Tomorrow? (and re: the Hexbug, the batteries only last a little bit – I bought a huge pack of them on Amazon)
Thanks! We love having it! I wish your freaking gym would OPEN ALREADY GAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH
Wow, so many projects! I’m, as always, very impressed with Steven’s and your handiwork! What is the air compressor for? That’s Starbuck on the ladder, right?
Meanwhile, our front porch light has been out for over a month, and we haven’t been able to fix it yet.
Thanks! 🙂 The air compressor will be for air tools, when he has some! That’s Apollo on the ladder – he is the one wearing a dickie with white on his nose 🙂
Aww, wish I could send Steven to help!!!
We have the same tree just different brand it looks like! (Different fabric on it.) love it!
It’s great! I hope it lasts a while – they play kind of rough with it 😉
I love hearing about your house projects! Your workout area looks AMAZING *heart-eyed emoji* I’m impressed by how much equipment you have! The kitty tree also looks incredible. What a structure! I hope they appreciate their birthday present 🙂
Thank you! I am so grateful we have the space to leave all that set up!
They are enjoying it! They love laying in the high spots and scratching at it the whole thing. I wonder how long the carpet will last!