Home Improvements During the Pandemic: Home Modification for Hudsyn

It’s not a surprise that home improvement projects surged during 2020, mainly due to all of us being home 24/7. Because we were home more, we needed dedicated space for kids (play & school) and space for working remotely full-time. And, if you’re like me, I couldn’t STAND the color of the walls we had for one more second!

I thought it was interesting that others felt like we did. A recent NPR article stated “…just over 3 out of 4 homeowners whom Porch.com surveyed have completed a major project since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and roughly the same percentage have one on the drawing board. Homeowners younger than 40 are the most likely to have completed projects this year, though more than half of baby boomers have done home improvement work, too.“

I’m thankful the home we purchased in 2017 was spacious enough to accommodate our new needs. 2020 also gave us the extra nudge to get Hudsyn’s home modifications done. Here’s a quick rundown of exactly what we did, including before & after photos!

Hudsyn’s Bedroom/Bathroom Remodel

We moved Hudsyn from her upstairs bedroom (main floor of our ranch home) into the finished basement. We learned after some construction bids her upstairs bathroom wasn’t big enough to accommodate a roll-in shower and door widening that would be needed as she grew. The basement bedroom/bathroom setup was much more spacious and conducive to her needs long-term. So, our first project was installing a platform stair lift that we could easily get her up and down the stairs without breaking our backs, and while keeping her safe. Dan did an awesome job showing the process in one of our YouTube episodes.

Next, her bathroom needed the shower floor replaced so it could accomodate a roll-in bath chair. We already had the chair, but we were missing the base with the wheels. This would allow us to more easily transfer Hudsyn for bathing. She’s not getting any smaller, and although we try to stay in decent shape, the lifting was taking its toll on our backs, and her nurses.

I searched online for bath chair bases and they ranged in price from expensive to more expensive. Insurance would not cover this expense as they had already paid for the original bath chair. They considered this an “accessory.” We have never been shy, nor prideful, in asking for help when we need it. Hudsyn has taught us this is always an opportunity to open our hearts to our community of friends and family to create ways for others to know, and help Hudsyn more deeply. And, as always, our community responded. A dear friend of ours in Warrensburg, MO, messaged me and excitedly said her son, Michael, no longer needed his bath chair which included a wheel base! My parents drove down, picked it up and it fit perfectly. Thank you, God.

Her stair lift was paid for through her Medicaid waiver and took nearly a year to get approved. The construction and cost of the lift were well over $20,000. The bathroom remodel was paid for through another generous donor and dear friend, who donated unexpectedly to Hudsyn’s ABLE account after her late husband’s death. Hudsyn inspired their family on many occassions, and they felt this was a very special way to honor his life. We weren’t sure if contractors would be coming in and out of homes much longer, so we were more than grateful this gift showed up when it did. After the shower floor was completed, we widened both doors into her new bedroom and then repainted and redcorated her new room. We kept the paint neutral, knowing we could change the purple princess decor to be more age appropriate as she became a pre-teen and teen.

Kacy’s Home Office

Once Hudsyn was settled, I then had to figure out how to work virtually, be comfortable on long zoom calls, and have privacy. Thankfully, we have another bedroom in the basement that works well for this (photos below), and I had already been working out of that room when I broke my ankle in 2019. However, I had my desk in the walk-in closet simply because my sister and I used the main area of the bedroom as our fitness area for BeachBody workouts. The paint I chose was the same paint I was using in all other rooms of our house…Elemental Grey by PPG which we purchased at Lowe’s.

I wanted to Feng Shui my office, so I spent extra time selecting furniture (most of which I already had), frames, decor and artwork that reflected those guidelines.

Outdoor Projects

The next thing we wanted (and needed) was an area outside we could enjoy safely, and together. We knew if quarantine happened for a long period of time, we’d likely be at home indefinitely due to protecting Hudsyn’s well being. Going “stir crazy” was inevitable and we weren’t sure what the future would hold in regards to our neighborhood or community opening back up.

We focused most of our efforts on our backyard. We have a large, fenced-in area with a deck that faces the yard. In addition, we have an amazing screened-in porch that also needed a little love. Before COVID, the deck would get really hot during the summer, so we didn’t use it much. In addition, there was no shade or covering, so even in the spring, we had concerns about taking Hudsyn outside due to extreme wind or rain.

The work began to sand and re-stain the deck first. Dan was fortunate to find the last floor model at Costco of this pavillion. Thankfully, we purchased it for about half the cost of one new! We then had to make sure the pergola would fit, and the deck could withstand the extra weight. We were pleased to find the original owners who built the deck did a great job so we didn’t need to reinforce the support beams underneath. The help from family and some neighbors was also great (this was early-on in quarantine, so masking wasn’t required yet).

The new outdoor area has become a popular spot to work, relax and have a neighborhood happy hour when things were safe again. I can’t tell you how important it was for me to have a place to have a change of scenery after being inside for hours on end. This could also be a lovely spot for morning yoga as it gets warmer.

Upstairs Remodeling

After you’ve done one project successfully, you learn home improvement can become very addictive. As we finished the above projects, we started looking for other things to improve. Between Dan and I, we used our free time to paint the rest of the house the Elemental grey we love, finally ridding our home of the dreaded “Johnson County beige” it was covered in.

Our master bedroom/bathroom received a fresh coat of paint. We chose to use an accent color of light mint green. We purchased matching bedroom furniture and a new, Purple mattress. I’ll do a separate post on my review of the Purple mattress, but it has been a LIFE SAVER for better sleep. We found ourselves looking at our master bedroom as a retreat rather than a place we flopped our bodies at the end of a long day. It now had some focus, which meant we felt at ease and more connected when spending time there. I find myself walking into the room and taking a deep, cleansing breath. The energy in the space just feels so much more open and relaxing.

We, as parents, spend more time making sure our kids’ rooms are decorated and age appropriate. Why don’t we spend as much time on OUR space, making sure we can rest and recover when needed? Both Dan and I realized that these changes allowed for deeper, better sleep which made us better caregivers and parents.

The master bathroom wasn’t far behind because, again (pointing at myself), home remodel addict here. I wanted to do something a little more whimsical. I wanted to wake up and find ways to easily smile and feel a little “fun” before starting my day. Mornings are hard when you’re running a business and caregiving for a kiddo with complex medical needs which can lead to many a late night. I was cleaning a bookshelf and found our copy of “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll. It was a gift to Hudsyn before she was born. It became my inspiration for the master bathroom almost instantly. I searched on Pinterest and other well known sites for other ideas. I chose to keep the overall design adult in nature, rather than “Disney-cartoon.”

The master bath leads into a walk-in closet, which we constantly felt frustration using. The shelves weren’t made for tall people, and there was no easy way to store my skirts/dresses. In addition, it offered very little storage for shoes or bags. And, it was beige and boring. I was done with beige.

I contacted California Closets for help in creating a space that was more efficient and definitely more design friendly. The cabinets they installed are amazing, but the detailed finishes like garment hooks, scarf & belt loop pull-outs and a place for ALL of my jewelry saved us space in other parts of our bedroom that I hadn’t expected.

We’re in love with the results and I just keep smiling after walking into the new space. And, you can’t help but love the Alice in Wonderland rug I found online.

We’re still finishing some other projects like a new tiled fireplace, hardwoods throughout the upstairs and Damek’s bathroom getting new tile to replace the two layers of vinyl flooring. For now, we’re pretty darn happy with how each of these projects turned out. We hope it was helpful and possibly gave you some new ideas to try.

What home projects did you complete during the pandemic? Have you noticed you’re happier overall with having improved your immediate environment? We’d also love to hear about your home modifications if you’ve done them for your child!