Jane:

What was your first home improvement project?

Suellen:

The first project I ever did was just after my husband and I were first married in 1998. I pulled up 3 layers of linoleum and laid ceramic tile blindly! I just decided I wanted it, so I went and did it.

Jane:

What got you started doing home improvement around your home?

Suellen:

Well I was married young and we both really wanted to be home owners. Our finances only allowed us to buy a town home from the 60s—it was a real fixer upper. We couldn't afford to hire someone.

In our house the best way to describe it is that I am the power tool user while my husband is the holder, measurer, and the bringer-in of my bags from Lowes and HD. It's great when you've got 40 lbs of sod!

Jane:

Tell us about the room you created. What did you do to your home?

Suellen:

I brought a dreary, poorly-lit, 1980s kitchen into the year 2006! It has been a long, hard, ULTRA FABULOUSLY REWARDING project for me! I have saved at least $15,000 by using my own sweat equity!

We bought our home in Aug 2005 and this is our 8th home in eight years but this is the one we plan to stay in! In all of the past houses my projects were based on what would make us more profit when we sold. In our first home I made the kitchen cabinets white, in the second I made them rich darks, and now in this house the kitchen is going to be done in a way that I will love.

After getting started, I soon found out the dishwasher had probably been leaking slowly for 3 years and had caused the linoleum to peel up. After I pulled the first layer of linoleum, I found there were four more layers! So I ripped up the floor all the way down to the awful wood sub-floor. Unfortunately, in an unrelated incident my husband broke his leg and I had to wait as I had lost my helper. So, in the interim, I put down throw rugs, bought the wood that we would lay on the floor, pulled up the moldings and sanded and painted them.

I painted the walls a warm Tuscan yellow and once my husband's leg was better, I started installing the wood floor. It was a raw wood floor, tongue in groove that needed to be hammered into place. I also tore out all of the appliances and replaced them. I even hardwired the range myself! It's stainless and so exciting. Although I kept the same cabinetry, I stripped and refinished them and added some really pretty old bronze handles. As for the backsplash, I installed antique brick pavers (a few are even stamped).

I am really proud of my Corian countertop mostly because it's recycled! I got it from a friend who was putting in granite and was just going to throw the old Corian away. So I borrowed a truck and a friend, put the old counter in my garage and found a fabricator who was willing to re-fabricate the material. It was so strange to me because the Dupont website claims that it can be re-fabricated but none of their fabricators were interested! I was lucky enough to find someone who was and they only charged $10 a linear foot. What a steal! It cost me less than a $1,000, it came out gorgeous, and allowed me to spend more on my range and faucet.

Jane:

What is one of your favorite projects?

Suellen:

I think it would be the antique brick back splash. I love working with a wet saw—I got it as a Christmas gift and the backsplash finally gave me a reason to use it! Another favorite project was scraping the popcorn off my ceilings.

Jane:

How has home improvement affected your life? What is the most amazing thing you get out of doing home improvement?

Suellen:

I think it's almost like bragging rights because people see this teeny, tiny, pretty, blonde and when I show them my home they say, 7quot;You did that!?" I love that response! I feel very proud to show off the skills I have gained! I do all this manly stuff but I am still a girly girl.

Jane:

How has doing home improvement affected others in your life?

Suellen:

I have created a monster in my son! He's only 3 and a half and from watching me he recently decided to remove the doors from the entertainment center. Of course, I told him to put them back on—which he did quite well, I might add.

Jane:

What is it about home improvement that inspires you?

Suellen:

I guess I'm the daughter of a long line of southern ladies who collected nice things. I live on a budget so I can bring those things within reach. I want to project a certain image with a certain level of formality and decor.

Jane:

What words of encouragement or advice would you give to a Jane just getting started in home improvement?

Suellen:

ALWAYS prime before you paint, and don't be afraid to just go for it. Keep a box of Band-Aids handy and don't worry if something is not quite what the magazines say it should be. If it's something you want, then do it!

Check out more of Suellen's projects on her blog: www.raleighdiydiva.blogspot.com