We have officially been using our new master bedroom addition since February. (Check out my last bedroom addition updates here.) I like to make sure this blog is updated in a timely manner, obviously. I took these photos in February but never got around to sharing them here.

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I was going to retake the photos because a dog who shall remain nameless likes to rub his face on our new bed footboard and I didn’t notice the dog grime until after I took all the photos.

Forgive me. It’s real life. And it’s been 6 months and I haven’t taken new photos. And there are definitely other spots he’s rubbing his face against now anyway. Like the white walls. So done is better than perfect, am I right?

Even with dog goobers, this is my new favorite room in our entire house. My kids keep trying to bring toys inside and I’m like, bye.

Note: the door locks.

The room and design are relatively simple – but I’m not itching to put anything on the walls or add any other items right now. The contrasting trim is plenty decorative and it still feels finished to me. (Trim color is Sherwin William Evergreen Fog. I really love the SW Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel for trim. It covers well, self-levels, and has such a beautiful, even finish. I’ve used it on all our trim and cabinets in the house.)

Often, a home with three children begins to feel like everything is bursting at the seams. No where is safe from toys and paperwork and snacks. So, having a space with a little breathing room is so nice for Ryan and I.

We purchased the bed frame and end tables from … would you believe it? … WalMart.

The My Texas House Anna Upholstered Bed was less than $400 for a king-size bed and is quite lovely and sturdy in person. And the two coordinating night stands were a great, sturdy choice for under $150 each. I especially love the textured linen fabric on the bed frame.

I added bedding from Target employing gift cards and two red shopping carts.  In the end, the combo was just the look I wanted. (Quilt by Threshold/Studio McGee, Linen comforter by Casaluna, Bolster pillow by Threshold/Studio McGee)

Moving to the opposite direction, we have our wall o’ closets. Its basically the equivalent of two 6 foot reach-in closets.

We skipped the bifold closet doors because I hate them with the heat of 1000 suns. Every single bifold closet door I’ve ever met has left me with disappointment. Including the three in my home.

I’m just happy I won’t have to throw a few sets of bifold doors out the window in a few years in a fit of rage.

We used Menards rebates that we had accumulated to pay for the closet system inside.

You’ll have to trust me on that because taking a photo of the inside of my closet gives me nervous hives. But we have drawers and shelves and hanging space and it’s more than enough space, even without a dresser.

The view out the window is better than my camera skills would have you believe. So much natural light.

I love looking out these windows. We did add a few roller shades which are simple and don’t obstruct from the windows or the views.

We also brought down our nursery rocker to the bedroom and Ryan and I both spend a lot of time here now – reading and scrolling and napping.

Owen was only slightly annoyed that we moved it here but it was a must when he moved into a big-boy bed anyway. 

If I were to add anything to walls in this room, it would maybe be here. Maybe? But also maybe not? Like maybe a console table of some sort, if I could do it without it becoming a dumping ground for all the things. But, I’m also quite happy with this as it is.

It’s really stripped down to what we actually use and need.

We brought our rocker down to the bedroom and Ryan and I both spend a lot of time here hiding from our children relaxing.

And that’s the grand tour! Hope you enjoy our new space like we do. We feel so fortunate to have expanded our home and create this little oasis just for us.

Our kids are also enjoying having their own separate new rooms and maybe I’ll share those in the next 10 years.

Until then …

The bathroom will continue to be the main floor bath for daily use, but it will also be the bathroom off our new bedroom. (We have all be sharing the upstairs bathroom and it really hasn’t been bad, but I’m sure this will be great as the kids get older.)

Last year (well, actually, 2021, so two years ago), we decided to make some small updates to the bathroom to make it more our style before the bedroom project was underway.

It was mainly cosmetic upgrades, but we also added some additional storage. It feels so much more finished and “us.”

It’s also a lot brighter, which is very nice since it doesn’t have a window for any natural light. (This is something I would push to change if I were doing the house over again – I miss a bathroom with natural light.)

As a reminder, the bathroom has looked like this for almost 7 years, since we finished building. It was totally fine and did it’s job well.

But I like the new view.

The white vanity was a budget buy and it wasn’t holding up well and needed replaced. I also wanted a simple medicine cabinet for more hidden storage.

We have always had a medicine cabinet, and it’s become a must-have for me in a bathroom. It gives so much additional space and it’s right at eye level. This mirrored cabinet was much larger than the one we have upstairs, and I like the arched top.

But I think my favorite part of the bathroom update was the wainscoting.

Because of the style of our baseboard trim, Ryan had to remove all the trim to add the wainscoting. (Or “faux wainscoting,” more technically. He added trim pieces vertically on the walls.)

Then he added a nice ledge at the top, which is great for decor or storage. It’s also cute. Perk.

I think the woodwork makes it feel like a totally different space. 

I picked out the Home Decorators Collection vanity at Home Depot. It’s a dark blue with a marble top and has nice drawers and additional storage. I think it will be an upgrade as we utilize the space more for daily use. 

For now, I’m using the shower curtain we used in the barn apartment. I may eventually change it, but I like it. I originally wanted to add wallpaper above the woodwork. but I actually like it as is.  
It’s a pretty small bathroom, but I think it’s full of nice details and enough storage for daily use. 

What do you think of the bathroom updates?

It’s amazing what can happen in a month.

Phew. Now we are solidly into 2023. Which is weird since it was just 2019 last week.

And while I’ve been sharing some details on Instagram stories about a big project we have been working on at home for a few months, I haven’t posted about it here. But with the start of a new year, I wanted to share the entire project here as well to have it in one place. Buckle up, this will be a long one.

In short, we are in the process of adding a bedroom on the first floor of our home.

Just a little thing.

Ryan and I will move into the first floor bedroom and the kids will move around upstairs to each have their own room.

We started talking about this when we were pregnant with Owen, but decided to wait and see. When we built the house, we only had Henry. Who would have thought that within 7 years, we’d be packed into bedrooms like sardines? (Not really. It’s fine.) Life just changes so we are ready to change with it.

So far, the kids have been totally fine with sharing. (They have shared in various ways, but currently Owen has his own room and the older two share a room.)

But as they grow up, it’s just become more of a priority for them to have their own space. No one has complained about the shared spaces, but the closets are bursting and the rooms are packed full with furniture. None of the bedrooms are very large and it’s just become tight. We did actually debate having a first floor bedroom or flex space when we built the house, but it just didn’t make the cut. We wanted our bedroom near our young child (soon to become children). But as they get older, they are on their own. (KIDDING. Sort of.)

And with Henry on the cusp of pre-teendom (the HUMANITY!), we thought it was a good time to move them around and give them each their own bedroom. We had the plans drawn by our draftsman a year or two ago to prepare. (Actually prior to starting the flip house.)

We had to make some adjustments and save the money, but we are well into the process and it’s actually a room.

Ryan is, as always, a rock star and the only reason anything gets done in our home. We had been talking about it for what felt like ages, but summer and fall are just plain busy in our family. Our kids are in tons of activities and our weeknights and weekends are full of baseball and soccer for our oldest.

We spend a lot of time (like, all the time) shuttling kids. Ryan works an actual full time job that pays and would need to find time to build on nights and weekends. And also, we live in the Midwest. Where it snows and freezes and makes outdoor projects a challenge anytime after November.

But this is our life. It doesn’t change anything. And come April, our crazy season starts again. So our window of time was winter.

Sometimes, being a family with projects is just a game of Tetris. In late October, Ryan just walked outside back with a mallet and started measuring the addition and driving stakes in the ground. That’s how I knew he was actually starting the addition.

He brought in the dream team (our dads, for the uninitiated), and they quickly got the post and decking built, and then the framing of the room up. They lucked out with several weeks of wonderful weather in November and Ryan even took off a few weeks of vacation to get so much done.

They almost managed to get the room built, shingled and sided in time for the cold to hit. Almost. But it was weather tight and they were able to get the windows and doors in before the first of December. Which was great because before the windows were in, we also managed to trap a poor (giant) owl onto the porch and we didn’t want that to happen again. (This is also a story for another day.)

In December, we had the room spray foam insulated to keep it as weather tight as possible and Ryan and our long-suffering friend Ian blew insulation into the attic space.

As you can tell, the room is post and pier construction, meaning it doesn’t have a poured concrete foundation. The beams are set in concrete to hold the full weight of the room. This side of the house is on a substantial slope.

So this makes the insulation more important. Nobody wants a room that is the same temp as outside. (We will have a mini split to heat and cool this room, but right now the insulation helps keep it pretty comfortable.)

Most recently, right after Christmas, Ryan cut the hole into the mudroom to allow access from the house. (We didn’t do this sooner to help keep our house from becoming a total construction zone in the interim, and he was able to access the room through the screened porch in the meantime.) It has been wild to actually have a room connected to the house! It feels so close.

The door is in the same location of an original exterior window, so it was fairly straightforward (I’m told) to make it a door. The only picture I can find of this angle is from an Instagram story. This is part of the reason I haven’t blogged this process. I have been really bad about truly capturing the steps. But you’ll forgive me, right? I’m a professional, obviously.

We used the two existing windows from the mudroom and the garage to make a large double window in the bedroom and Ryan drywalled over were they were before. The perk of using what we already had was we didn’t have to order and wait for windows – and we saved a significant cost. And the windows and view are so great.

I think those are the major plot points of adding the bedroom addition. Ryan finished priming and painting the room, he’s working on electrical and heating/cooling, and then come the finishing touches. (Trim, doors, carpet, etc.)

This will be the bed wall.

This is the closet wall and the door to the mudroom and bathroom.

And this is the peek at the door to the screened porch.

The porch originally had a small “grilling porch” off the screened area. That was removed when we added the addition (because we never used it) and the screened area and door became the connection to the addition.

A few other details:

How big is the room and where is it located?

The room is 16×16 feet, and it’s connected to our mudroom and downstairs bathroom. It juts off the back of the house and is also connected to the screen porch.

Where’s the master bathroom?

To save money and project complexity (and an additional bathroom to keep clean), we skipped the ensuite bathroom when we added the addition. The main floor bathroom has a shower that’s been used only a handful of times and it’s about 6 feet from the bedroom door. We have never had an ensuite bathroom and it just didn’t feel necessary for the budget and complexity. I don’t think we will miss it.

We did make some updates to the bathroom last year that I still need to share.

Which kid will get your room?

Our oldest will move into our bedroom, which he’s very excited about. There is a small desk and ample closet space in our bedroom, and I think he’ll put that to good use.

The other two will stay put, but we will be making their rooms their own.

The kids are also already plotting how to decorate their “new” rooms, so I think we’ll be busy for the foreseeable future.

When do you think you’ll be done? 

Hopefully in the next month or so. I’ll let you know when I know.

Happy 2023! Thanks for reading!

Let me know what you think and leave any questions in the comments.

If you missed any of the before and after photos, check them out:

• Before and after: Sunroom
• Before and after: Living room/Dining room/Kitchen
• Before and after: Bathrooms and bedrooms

It’s closing week, soI wanted to share a few final before and after photos today that didn’t fit into the other posts. I’ll also share some then answer some final thoughts before someone else makes this house their home.

We are grateful we were able to take this project on – but we are ready to move on to other things. I feel like selling a house is always a bit of a pain, even when everything goes relatively smoothly. Just all the inspections and back and forth and finalizing all projects and cleaning.

This post includes affiliate links, meaning, if you click through and make a purchase I may get a commission (at no additional cost to you).

So … first up …

The split foyer

This is a fairly typical split level home, which means the front door opens into a split foyer.

There was nothing particularly “bad” about the before, but it was definitely dated and drab – like much of the rest of the home. There was also more mismatched flooring and some ugly wall colors.

New wall and trim paint, new flooring, and a painted black railing. Chef’s kiss.

I really cannot begin to describe how much more welcoming the front entry is now with these small changes.

And the railing turned out so well. My dad and Ryan sprayed it with black paint and it’s such a nice, easy update. I wondered if we’d need a new railing but I love how it turned out and it feels natural for this home and style.

It’s a nice welcome into the home.

The lower level bonus room

Speaking of welcome into the home, this downstairs room connects to the attached garage and will likely become a defacto mudroom and drop zone. It’s really nice to have this extra space and I think it would be a wonderful toy room or game room near two downstairs bedrooms.

We decided that the carpet had to go – especially since this room will get a great deal of foot traffic. With light and bright paint and new flooring, it feels so much bigger and brighter.

I love that all of the lower level rooms also have large windows and plenty of natural light. It feels nothing like a “basement.”

Adding a few more can lights also helped it feel even brighter.

So those are the last major interior rooms to share!

Outdoors

When it came to outside projects, the yard needed a little TLC but we didn’t have the budget or time to tackle a full-scale outdoor renovation.

The home already had low-maintenance vinyl siding and decking above the garage, but needed some painted around windows, foundation and doors. The old decking near the front door was removed and planted with perennial plants relocated from other gardens around the home. Grass seed was also planted, but it’s still filling in. We also had the front concrete stairs fixed with a mudjacking company.

The landscaping around the house was well-established but really overgrown. So everything got a trim and hefty weeding. They also added fresh rock and dirt where it was needed.

The yard is almost 3 acres, but half was rented out to a farmer in the past. My dad and Ryan tilled and planted grass in the back acreage, which made the yard look as big as it actually was.

And everything else got a lot of clean up – including removing 5 or 6 dead trees in the yard. (You can see the spots in this photo from above but all have been filled in with grass in the past few months.)

On the back of the home, the small deck needed repaired and painted. We also removed the ramp and the 4 satellite dishes.

It looks so much better!

The outside looks neat and clean now, which was the goal. It’s a nice, country paradise.

Was it worth it?

We spent about 6 months renovating this home and I think it will be worth the time and effort for the final profit. We knew what homes were going for when we purchased this home and it was a really solid investment. The home increased in value substantially, thanks to the current real estate market and the projects we took on.

But, don’t get me wrong – it was a giant undertaking. It always ends up being a bigger project than you think it will be. And the financial aspect of having another home is also an adjustment – taxes, insurance, mortgage and project expenses add up quickly.

We simply couldn’t have tackled this project without partnering with my dad. I’m so grateful that Ryan and my dad get along so well and work so well together. They are also both very self motivated and did a great job of taking on the projects they could handle alone while working together on big projects together. They often looked over the master to-do list and adjusted things as needed.

We have three busy, active kids and Ryan works a full time job. That makes it very very difficult to spend full days or weekends working on project like we may have done 10 years ago. My dad spent almost every single weekday at the house working on the projects he could do alone while Ryan was at work. My dad mowed the lawn and painted every surface of the house and did countless other projects when we were elsewhere.

And then Ryan spent so much of his own down time between work and activities to get more projects done. He was burning the candle at both ends and still managed to be a great dad while tackling projects left and right to move us to the finish line.

Basically – I just think they were the dream team. They both sacrificed a lot over the past months to get this project finished and the success made it worth it.

My dad and I also had a fun time picking out finishes and fixtures. We nearly always disagreed on what to choose and then had to compromise. He talked me out of a few hair brained ideas and I talked him into a couple. I may have also just randomly ordered a few light fixtures to swap out and he never complained.

It was such an amazing opportunity to do this right in our neighborhood. The convenience of being right across the street was amazing and made it much more doable for this season of life.

My kids are going to be disappointed that “the work house” isn’t “theirs” anymore. They loved having their grandparents there almost every day. They loved running around the yard and checking on the progress and playing hide and seek in the big, empty house.

I think Ryan and I and my parents are glad to be moving on and happy to see the project come to an end. And we are happy we were able to find success taking it on.

Onward and upward.

Do you have any questions about our project? I’ll try to answer in the comments.

Room sources:

• Flooring: ProCore Plus English Grove Oak 7 inches wide
• Paint: Behr Dolphin Fin (walls), Behr Ultra Pure White (trim)

Next up …

The bathrooms

The bathrooms both needed a complete overhaul and we are thrilled with how they turned out. We went with white and black for a simple backdrop that could work for many buyers.

There was little we could salvage in either bathroom. These are some of the only projects in the house that we basically started from scratch. Most other spaces were just updated with flooring and paint.

This post includes affiliate links, meaning, if you click through and make a purchase I may get a commission (at no additional cost to you).

The main level bathroom was a full bath with lots of issues when we bought the house – peeling woodwork, dated finishes, a large vanity that was falling apart, and a walk-in tub.

The new vanity and finishes made a huge impact. We decided to stick with a single sink to keep plenty of counter space. The size was a bit smaller than a normal double vanity so we had to do some searching to find a cabinet and top that would fit in the area.

The mirror was also an awkward size, so we ended up keeping the original mirror and trimming it out to match the updated white finishes.

The bathroom also got lots of paint and the same flooring we used throughout the entire house. The end result feels brighter and bigger.

We actually removed and sold the walk-in tub for something a little more universal. Right now, walk-in tubs are actually very difficult to find, so it was great to be able to reuse it instead of taking it to the dump.

We added a new shower-tub surround, faucet and shower head, and shower door, which makes the entire room look more contemporary.

The room also has a nice linen closet behind the door, which got a fresh coat of paint and deep clean. (I wish we would have put a linen closet inside our bathroom at our house. It’s so convenient.)

Downstairs, the two bedrooms share a half-bath. It is very tiny but we wanted to make the most of every inch to be practical and useful. And it needed an update along with the rest of the house – which meant losing the dated shower, black sink, and mismatched finishes.

The vanity and toilet were also not sized appropriately for the space. Choosing fixtures intended for a small space was a great first step to make the bathroom work. Then, we added some modern finishes and plenty of lighting (since there are no windows in this bathroom).

The new vanity and sink still has plenty of storage but is much narrower, so it doesn’t stick out so far into the small bathroom. My dad found a simple recessed medicine cabinet, which is a nice addition in a bathroom with little storage. And we found a vanity light fixture that fit in a small area between the medicine cabinet and the ceiling.

The downstairs bathroom also got a new shower door and showerhead. The sliding shower door is a great space saver, and ties it into the upstairs bathroom.

In addition to the bathrooms, the four bedrooms all got face lifts … they are truly a testament to the power of paint. My dad when through so many gallons of paint.

The bedrooms

All four bedrooms got new wall paint, ceiling paint, trim paint and carpet. We replaced all the switches and outlets to bright white and swapped out fans and lights when needed. (A few had newer Hunter Douglas fans that just got cleaned up.)

The largest bedroom needed to be lightened up – the dark walls were doing it no favors.

In addition to lighter walls and floors, it has two large closets, which is a great perk.

Both the bedrooms on the upper and lower levels have full size windows and plenty of natural light.

But just a few small changes made the look totally new.

Not everyone loves painting trim, but the trim was dated and mismatched, so a coat of white paint on all the doors and trim was necessary to tie everything together.

Adding black knobs and hinges was a nice contrast that ties into all the other finishes in the home.

I think this bedroom would be great for a child – I love the ledge by the window for kid treasures.

This other downstairs bedroom had a header that couldn’t be removed.

But with a lot of paint, new carpet and a little overhead lighting, it would be a great space for a bedroom or office.

So that’s a little tour of the bathrooms and bedrooms. I think it’s going to make such a nice home for another family and I hope the updates are something that can be enjoyed for many years to come!

Room sources:

• Flooring: ProCore Plus English Grove Oak 7 inches wide
• Paint: Behr Dolphin Fin (walls), Behr Ultra Pure White (trim)
• Light fixtures: Black pendant light (full bath), Two-bulb light (3/4 bath)

What is your favorite part?

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The wild thing is we didn’t do anything over-the-top here – no walls torn down, no major renovations, no brand new kitchen. But the things we did tackle helped clean, modernize and brighten the space. It’s now a beautiful space for a family.

I think it’s an amazing transformation on a budget.

This post includes affiliate links, meaning, if you click through and make a purchase I may get a commission (at no additional cost to you).

First up …

The living room

Here’s a shot of the living room with the fireplace (looking into the sunroom) before. It felt dingy and dated.

And now it’s bright and modern! I especially love how the entire house feels cohesive now –  using the same flooring, wall color and trim color throughout. We also updated all the outlets and vents to make it feel fresh and clean.

The living room also got new recessed lighting. (There was no overhead lighting before, which is relatively common in our area in older homes.) The lighting modernized the space and made the new wall color (Behr Dolphin Fin), trim and floors look better than ever.

Dining room

Moving onto the dining room. This was also just plain dingy. All of the “before” photos are also not retouched, so they feel even darker than real life. But the wall colors and choppy floors didn’t do these rooms any favors.

The after really spotlights the front windows  – which are one of my favorite parts of the house. They have such a great country view. (To the right is the sunroom, with views for days.)

And here’s the view coming in from the sunroom. The flooring coordinates well with the existing cabinetry, but also makes the space feel more modern and cohesive.

Kitchen

We did not complete a total kitchen overhaul because the kitchen was in good condition overall – with newer countertops and cabinet refacing. By focusing on paint, backsplash tile, lighting and appliances, the space got a nice update without costing a fortune.

Before, there was a painted brick backsplash, yellow walls, mismatched appliances, and 90s-style scalloped trim. I know that the 90s are coming back, but that trim and brick had to go.

We tossed around the idea of new countertops, but the paint and white subway tile backsplash did a good job of cleaning up and modernizing the space.

There is an abundance of cabinet and counter space. And the window over the sink is wonderful! (I personally think a window over the kitchen sink is a must-have.)

If it were going to be my home, I would have probably liked to remove the soffits and the overhead cabinets adjoining with the dining room. (Let’s get real. I may have even tackled a full kitchen remodel.)

But, this would have made the project much more extensive – and so much more expensive. The cabinets were all in really good shape so we made the decision to leave all the cabinets intact. In the end, it was the right call – for the house and the project budget.

Room sources:

• Flooring: ProCore Plus English Grove Oak 7 inches wide
• Paint: Behr Dolphin Fin (walls), Behr Ultra Pure White (trim)
• Dining room light fixture: Lanhall 4-light fixture
• Light bulbs: 12-pack Edison bulbs
• Kitchen appliances: LG Stainless Steel PrintProof set
• Recessed lighting: 12-pack with junction box

What’s your favorite element? Mine is definitely the flooring!

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Thanks to everyone who has reached out asking for an update! Life has been full of sports and activities and summer fun and vacations – but I’m finally back for a update.

Our big news is that not only is the house FINISHED, it’s also UNDER CONTRACT. 

Insert: jazz hands.

We had lots of interest and almost 2 dozen showings. And now we are thrilled that another family can enjoy the home after closing.

My kids will be sad that they can’t go hang out there all the time – they love the “work house,” as they call it. I think the would have been happy to move in themselves. And because Ryan and my dad worked on this project together, they enjoyed seeing their grandparents every day.

So now that the quick update is out of the way, I’m hoping to share the before and after photos and share some of the details over the next few weeks.

The first before and after I want to share is the sunroom. I want to share it first because it’s my very favorite room in the house.

It is a huge room (the entire depth of the house) and has the most wonderful views with windows surrounding it and a deck off the front and back.

This post includes affiliate links, meaning, if you click through and make a purchase I may get a commission (at no additional cost to you).

When we started, the room was actually fine. The windows and space were loaded with potential.

But it was a little dated and darker than it should have been with all those beautiful windows.

We think the room may have originally been a screened porch that was converted into a 3-seasons room. But the tiny A/C unit didn’t keep up with the heat in the summer. And it would have been difficult to use in the winter without heat run into the space.  Which seems like such a waste of such a great space.

There were also a variety of paint colors on the walls and a stained drop ceiling.

We didn’t actually have any idea of what was under the stained ceiling tiles, but we were so excited when the guys began pulling down tiles to replace them and there was a 12-foot vaulted ceiling above!

I mean, SWOON!

To finish the vaulted ceiling, they replaced the wood ceiling panels and added insulation everywhere. There were also two previous holes from skylights that needed fixed.

Then came a new ceiling fan, paint everywhere (I cannot even describe the weeks and hours of painting my dad did in this house), new white outlets, and luxury vinyl floor. Both decks also got a refresh – the front just needed a deep cleaning (it’s low-maintenance decking) and the back deck was repaired and painted with solid stain.

And while the vaulted ceiling makes the room incredible, the real pièce de résistance is the new Mr. Cool mini split that Ryan and my dad installed in this room to keep it nice and cool in the summer and warm in the winter. (It’s on the wall over the small window behind the French doors.) They also added a small window under the unit to fill the space the old air conditioner used to fill.

The heating and cooling unit is installed on the wall in the sunroom – there are two refrigerant lines that run to an outside unit and the power runs from there into the indoor unit. There are different sizes you can choose for these mini splits but this particular one could probably comfortably heat and cool a 500-square-foot space. There is an independent thermostat to control the temperature and even an app. It’s pretty slick.

Now this room is truly functional and usable all year. I think I’d actually make this my main family room if I lived here. The sunrise out these windows and the view of the moon in the evenings are *chef’s kiss*.

Room sources:

• Flooring: ProCore Plus English Grove Oak 7 inches wide
• Paint: Behr Dolphin Fin (walls), Behr Ultra Pure White (trim)
• Mini split: Mr. Cool 12,000 BTU ductless mini split
• Fan: Patriot industrial ceiling fan with light
• Wall light fixture: Licperron Wall Sconce

Do you love it as much as we do?

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After selling two of our three rental properties in 2019, we were grateful to focus on other things.

But now it’s finally time for a new project.

A few months ago,  we purchased the house across the street from our current home. It’s a split-level home on about 3 acres of land in the country. The owners (our neighbors) both passed away in the past few years and it has been mostly empty since early 2020. There was an auction held by the estate last fall but it didn’t sell.

The more we have watched the market in our area (homes are selling like hotcakes), the more we thought this home could be a good investment and opportunity to take on a new project.

So we have a new home to work on. And it’s totally different than anything we’ve done before.  A split level!

Ryan and my dad are working together and we are all really excited to see this home come back to life. We are not planning to rent the property – instead, we hope to update and fix it up for sale. Our first flip.

The home was cared for well by the prior owners but needed to be cleaned and updated, especially after sitting empty for such a long time. Luckily, the “bones” are fine – it has a newer roof, windows and utilities. It just needed cleaned up and modernized.

It would be a really lovely home for a family – lots of outdoor space, 4 bedrooms, and really swell neighbors (wink, wink).

I thought it would be fun to share what it looked like when we closed – and I’ll try to come back and update when it’s finished. Since I took these pictures a couple months ago, the guys have already completed a lot of demo, painting and bathroom work, and it’s already coming back together. My dad has painted every single surface in the home – trim, windows, ceilings and walls.

We’ve even found some fun surprises – like these original floors. Not keeping them – but super fun.

And more exciting, a beautiful vaulted ceiling in the sun room, hiding behind those stained ceiling tiles.

The home has lots of beautiful windows and light, and Ryan contends that the views are even better than ours. (Fighting words.)

We aren’t doing everything we would do if we lived there – it’s a balance of making it look nice and move-in ready, but also sticking to a budget and not going overboard. Also, the goal is to get it fixed up and for sale in a few months. It’s a fun challenge, and I think we’ll learn a lot. I can’t wait to show you how it comes together.

What do you think? Can you see the potential?

And more importantly – who wants to be our neighbors?

Life with three kids means nothing can be too precious. For the past few years, we’ve decorated our main tree with all of our family ornaments instead of a “designer” tree with themed ornaments. My kids actually decorated almost the whole tree this year. Having kids who want to help is cool. And my 9-year-old is particular about where everything goes so I just let him at it.

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I love all the little memories included with every ornament. We pick up an ornament for every trip and have lots of handmade treasures from the kids. It’s pretty full.

I was concerned that Owen (age 2) would want to mess with all the ornaments. But he’s been shockingly gentle and cautious. It’s a Christmas miracle.

Our collection of vintage Christmas trees is on top of our antique secretary. I love displaying these every year – the white one was Ryan’s grandma, the green was my mom’s, and the red one was made by me a few years ago.

Inside the hutch are past Christmas photos. It’s like timehop but in real life.

Cozy, casual and fun. Just the way we like it. 

Our dining room also got a little touch of Christmas cheer. We use the table 1,000 times a day, so I just added a few things in the centerpiece so nothing’s in the way.

I added twinkle lights everywhere, so it all glows at night.

As always, the kitchen is my favorite spot to decorate.

I went with all bright colors in here this year – lots of bright colored pom poms and a giant metal bow on the hood.

The pom pom wreath is probably my favorite addition this year.

It’s merry and bright.

I also added more pom pom garlands to this skinny cashmere tree.

Our kitchen open shelves are also packed with cheer. My favorite  Fiestaware holiday dishes and a bundle of Rae Dunn dishes I love. (The holiday lights dishes were purchased at Younkers, which has gone out of business. They seem to be going out of stock in many stores, so I think they could be discontinued soon.)

I know that not everyone loves red, but it’s my favorite color and I think our house is made for it. (That’s why it’s my home’s signature color.)

Plus it just pops against all the white and dark grey.

I also added the kids’ gingerbread houses below the hutch so we can all enjoy them until Christmas.

So much mess but totally worth it. Kind of like kids.

What are your favorite holiday traditions?

If you liked this post, here are some other past holiday decor posts you may enjoy:

Where to find the best holiday decor	A playfully modern Christmas living room
Holiday decorating with kids	Decorating kids’ rooms for the holidays

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The super simple, totally imperfect DIY handpainted brushstroke accent wall.

In a small bathroom like this, it’s really the only detail you need.

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The bathroom has been functional for two years, but it just never make it to the top of the project list. It didn’t even have a mirror or light fixtures until the past few months. Kids can survive without many essentials.

But this bathroom is connected to our basement playroom and gets used daily by our kids and by us. It was past due to make it feel a little special.

But, you know that we are all about affordable makeovers. So the goal was to make it look finished on a budget of next to nothing.

I wanted it to feel fun and fresh, and I also wanted it to coordinate with the rest of the space, since the door is often open. Now, the DIY brushstroke accent wall is visible from the entire playroom.

I asked for the light fixture and mirror for gifts from this year, which made pulling it together pretty simple.

One random Saturday night, I pulled out a sample pot of paint from the garage and a paint brush from our art supplies. I didn’t overthink it and I just started adding brushstrokes.

There are so many amazing bloggers who inspired me with their own DIY brushstroke accent walls – I especially love the navy blue brushstokes from An Indigo Day and these neutral brustrokes from D&D at Home.

It’s definitely imperfect. It’s not winning any awards. But I think it’s fun and my kids like it!

Plus, it took less than two hours to finish the entire wall. Which I figure is probably less time than it would have taken to install wallpaper – and a whole lot less expensive or stressful.

I also put a coat of paint on this shelf we received as a gift at our wedding from our friends Dave and Pam to coordinate with the wall. Then, I popped in three photos of our kids in black and white. Easy peasy.

The room gets a lot of natural light (and is the only bathroom in our entire home with a window). So, I brought down a few house plants that needed a home over the holidays.

And then I called it done. Now, I don’t feel embarrassed to see an unfinished room every day. And the DIY handpainted brushstroke wall is the perfect finishing touch for a fun playroom bathroom.

What do you think? Would you ever try something wild and crazy with paint?

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