Cottage #1: Lifecycling works! Here's the proof...

[jeannemckay]

wow!! what an amazing job. looks like it took a lot of elbow grease and some really exquisite taste to create such a masterpiece. definitely an inspiration. you do us proud!

[unapam]

Thanks to all for your kind comments. I have added a before and after of the outside of it too. It's only when I see these pictures side by side I realise how much work we put in to it.
Of course we could not have done any of it without the generosity of you JTers. If we had had to buy everything new we would still be struggling to get one room finished! Thanks a million, very much appreciated... from Pam and Paul

[smokeyeyes]

Wow! Unapam. Your DIY just gets better and better. The outside of your beautiful cottage looks absolutely fabulous. Just goes to show what can be achieved if your willing to put the effort in. Well done again. You should really be a candidate for one of those Before and After Home Renovation Shows, you would put them all to shame - and all on a shoestring!

[animal-luver!!!]

Originally Posted by unapam

Having recently bought our life long dream of a holiday cottage we were skint!
It needed so much doing to it that it was going to take years to get it right. So we had to develop Plan B ....(plan A being: having lots of money to do it up with all brand new stuff)

Enter Jumbletown and other freecycle sites..... It took us months of hard work (also known as sweat equity) to do, but was well worth it. Here are the "Before & After" photos of the bathroom. The only thing bought new was the panelling and paint. So the room was done for about €70.

*The old toilet and handbasin were cracked so had to be replaced. Thanks to Peter in Portmarnock who supplied these when renovating his bathroom.
*The flooring was left over from my sisters dining room. (just two inches all round to spare!)
*The lovely cast iron bath was dumped years ago in a nearby ditch and was duly rescued by us.
*All the rest, shelves, curtains, rails, mirrors, knick knacks etc were donated by friends, relatives or J/Towners too numerous to mention. A big THANK YOU to you all.

READY FOR MORE?
This is the living room before and after. This is an example of recycling, and repurposing in action, (repurposing is when you have something that is worn out- no use to anyone...so you just find a new purporse for it and resuse it for its new purpose...Are ye' with me?

In the "after" picture of the living room...

*the gingham curtains used to be a duvet cover.
* the blue sofa cover used to be a duvet cover too.
*The blue and white cushion covers used to be my favourite tablecloth (it got a scorch mark so could not be a tablecloth anymore) Are ye' still with me? Good.

*The corner table used to be a Singer sewing machine and a fence post (both found rusty and rotting in a barn)
*The coffee table used to be a blanket box and now stores the bedding for the pull out bed (which is cunningly disguised as a couch covered with a blue duvet cover) Are ye' still with me?...Admit it - yer' lost!

*Everything else came from Jumbletowners, Dublinwasters and charity shops. Cost for this fab makeover? €20 for the paint on the walls and about 30 yoyo's for the bits and pieces from the charity shops.. grand total: €50 and almost no cost to the environment.

Ready for even more?
"Before & After" This time the bedroom... (I've only two rooms left to do. The hallway and the kitchen...watch this space!


YES, YOU CAN RE-PURPOSE IT!!!!!!!!! (or at least pass it on to someone who will)I know that CARPENTER, MOUSECATCHER and others are doing similar projects so please give them a digout. They have advertisments in the wanted section. Here's proof that you really can get maximum results with minimum carbon footprint!

its brilliant

[Tahlula]

UnaPam...your work is wonderful. don't know which is my favourite room, the bathroom or the bedroom and I LOVE LOVE LOVE the sewing machine table. congratulations on all your work and effort and may you have many many many happy years in your new home

Tahlula
xxx

[Eily]

Pam, the house looks absolutely fantastic and a credit to you both.
I know myself what hard work it is, but also how rewarding!
Great job.
Enjoy ;)
Eily

[wicked chicken]

what a wonderful job! I have completed many such renovations and can appreciate all the hard work.

[colmsmum]

Another fabulous transformation unapam! It's absolutely gorgeous, all your hard work sure paid off, it's unrecognisable from the before pics, you must be so proud.

[jack21]

Wow thats a brilliant job... Makes all the difference when you can re-use or recycle something!!!

Well done

[Athy55]

Fantastic Job!!! Well done. Hard work never killed anyone and I'll bet it was all worth the effort, it certainly looks as if it was.

[jessi1]

Really lovely well done.

[valentine]

Looking great. Great recession buster!!!

[pink sparkles]

Hey Unapam, so im a newbie and i have just been looking through all of your repuposing ideas and im just amazed, totally! I love everything i have seen that you done, you are so very talented. I moved into my new house in the start of this year, i spent so much doing it up (of what little i had to do it with lol) if only i had discovered JT before then! Not only that but there was so much waste, it was just crazy, but i did send all of it, well what could be sent, to the recycling centre. However im still adding a few bits and bubbles2 kindly gave me a bath screen which i plan on stenciling a design on and putting it up in the bathroom, and of course put the before and after photos up!
Anyway well done on all your work, the cottage looks amazing. Will be on the look out for more of your great ideas!

Rose:)

[Teefa]

Well done, you have done a great job!

[Leahsmam]

love your house