House renovations

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We have been renovating/redecorating since March 2011 when both Sarai and Michal left home and we got two extra empty (small) rooms. In summer 2011 we broke down part of a wall between two rooms, to make more space for all of us, when we dine or sit in the living room together. The house is 96 square meters (ca 1000 sq. feet) with very low ceilings (between 2.15 and 2.50 meters) and we are a family of nine on Friday evenings, so every bit of space is used!
The living room and dining room combined have only one window, the one you see at the end. In Israel houses have few windows to keep them cool. But I love natural light, so by breaking down the wall between the rooms, the new dining room would be much lighter.

Before(below)
The room at the end, behind the door, was the master bedroom. Next to it our living-room with the library in the corner. We decided to make the new living-room in our old bedroom and make the door-opening wider, as to connect the two rooms. The living-room would become the new dining-room (until then our dining-table stood in the small kitchen). To completely break out the wall, was not an option as it has a support column and belt  (we have another family living above us).

The old living room becomes the new dining room

Breaking the wall

The door has become a wide opening 

Cement on the new opening, letting it dry for 2 days.

Paint (mixed the color myself)

and molding (very hard to find in Israel)

Result in 2011, still not everything done.

The new dining room with beadboard wallpaper, 

which I bought on Ebay USA (unavailable in Israel).

and 2012 (living room) 

with the vintage sofa and chairs I found 

on Yad2 (kinda Craiglist), 

for which I made new slipcovers so they are more catfriendly

dining room 2012

Even room for a piano in the corner :)

Still need to replace the lighting, but

I think it's a huge improvement already!