Updating the living room in our rental suite

Before: this is a picture of the suite on our house possession date. Note the yellow walls, blue carpet and dated brick fireplace facade. I think this was a working fireplace at one time, but it is no longer functional and safe.  

We did the updates in stages, as suite access allowed (ie. tenant occupancy). First step was to paint the walls (grey), paint the fireplace brick, and add an electric fireplace unit.

Next step is to replace the carpet. Once we knew the timing for the carpet install, I wanted to replace the ugly fake parkay laminate hearth with slate tile.  

Once the tile went down and dried, I grouted.  Since this isn't a wood burning fireplace, the hearth is only decorative, it doesn't have to meet safety codes for dimensions.  The parkay flooring hearth had to be temporarily set back in place (minus a notch out for the new tiles), since the carpet install was still pending and the tenant was still living in the suite. 

 In order to fit the electric fireplace into the fire box opening, it needed to be raised up slightly.  We did this with 2"x4"s cut to size to create a platform for the unit.

Since the fireplace unit is quite a bit smaller than the firebox opening, I crafted a DIY trim kit with various sized metal roof flashing that was spray painted black and fit to size around the unit.

After: now that the new carpet is installed, the updates are complete. 

Blog post by Heather Fulcher

Professional Organizer for Hire

Vancouver, BC, Canada

heatherfulcher@gmail.com

604-618-4829

Concrete pad for backyard fire pit

This is the story of how I created a concrete pad for our backyard fire pit.  Once upon a time the fire pit was sitting on some old landscaping bricks that I laid into the ground in a pseudo-circle shape.  I decided to upgrade this to a poured concrete pad instead.  It started with removing the bricks and cutting the grass away to the desired size.  

Blog post by Heather Fulcher - Professional Organizer - heatherfulcher@gmail.com  604-618-4829

Upgrades to the master closet - net $0 project

My most recent home improvement project was an upgrade to our master closet. Oh and by the way, I did it ALL FOR NOTHING!

First, the old bi-fold closet doors needed to be replaced. The grand plan is to upgrade to a king size bed, and in order to do that, the dresser will be moved closer to the closet. The bi-fold closet doors won't open properly with the dresser so close, so the solution is: sliding closet doors. I SOLD these bi-fold closet doors on Craigslist for $25.

The old closet organizer was inherited from the previous owners of the house.  It is rickety and doesn't make the most effective use of the small closet space. This old organizer was carefully disassembled and  given for free on Craigslist (probably for scrap metal).

The new sliding closet doors were scored for FREE on Craigslist. Believe it or not, the person getting rid of the doors had the exact same closet dimensions as my closet opening. I painted the doors, replaced the handle pulls and purchased the track and hardware.  Cost for material was approximately $25 (ie. the exact amount I sold the old doors for...)  

I scored the new closet organizer from a friend for free, including the brackets, clips and braces.   Cost $0

On Rich's side of the closet, there is a second tier of hanging space, which increases the capacity of the closet significantly.

Blog post by:
Heather Fulcher
Professional Organizer for Hire
Vancouver, BC, Canada
heatherfulcher@gmail.com
604-618-4829