Our new home and our first 'project'...

Ok, we did it...we closed on our home.  Actually it was June 27th but I am just getting the opportunity to post about it. 

 

 

Here we are getting ready to enter the house as owners for the very first time.  Yippee!!!

Can't you tell we are happy?

 

It was a Thursday and our plans were to close on the house and over the rest of that day and Friday, we would move all of the boxes, lamps, large wall décor, and anything fragile that I didn't want going into the moving truck on Saturday. So, it all began.  Loading and unloading until we were completely exhausted

 

 

However, you know me, I had to work on a project in the midst of all of the 'crazy'.  Do you remember in the 'before' house tour that I showed you my inspiration for my laundry room?  Well, I knew that if I put my washer and dryer in there, that I would probably never get around to moving them out and stenciling the wall behind them.  So, then came the idea of getting it done 'before' the washer and dryer were moved in.  Which means, getting it done in the middle of moving in. 

 

In comes Cathy.  A great friend of mine.  She is all things crafty.  She is even brave enough to actually cut and create her own stencils.  What???  That's totally not me so I knew I was in good,  great, hands with her helping me on this.  With a lot of back and forth on colors, design, etc...we settled on the below stencil shape (which she made from scratch and colors.  She came over early Friday morning (remember...there's a whole lot of moving going on all around) to get started.  I don't know how she stayed focused with but she got in there and was in her own little world and got to work right away. 

 

 

Hard at work...I am loving it already. 

Hi Cathy...thank you for helping me out with this.  You are the best!

  Here is a close up of the design and color.  (I will have to come back later and add the names/brand of the colors because right now I cannot locate the paint sample)  We went with two colors to add depth and dimension. 

This is just with the lighter color - no darker color has been added yet.

 

 

In progress...

Here is the entire wall done with the darker color added sporadically over the wall.  I love it!!!

Here is a close up shot of the finished results. 

With the washer and dryer added and the shelving back up. 

 When looking at the 'somewhat finished' picture above, I have to mention two things.  One, I did not realize that our washer and dryer were not tall enough to cover up the outlet and the spigots.  I have some ideas for covering/masking those but will get to those later.  Right now, we have other 'more pressing' projects at hand. 

 

Also, I still need to find a cabinet and wooden shelving to replace the wire racks that were already in this space.  Once those have been found, purchased, and installed, then I get the fun of adding the baskets/bins/pretty stuff to stage the space. 

 

Once that is complete, I will share an updated post on this space.  So, what do you think?  Does a pretty laundry room make doing the laundry easier??? 

 

New House - Part 4 (final post in the New House series)

Sorry that I didn't get this posted yesterday.  When we gave our notice to move out of our current home (rental) they put it on the market to sell.  Well, they called today for a showing and I also work from home so we had some juggling to do and my day got away from me. 

 

Just a reminder, all of these photos came from the MLS listing or the photos I took when we went to see the home.  All of the furniture and belongings are not ours.  We will be closing on this home June 27th and moving in immediately.  (you know what I will be doing next weekend) - jut say a pray for me...thank you,

 

So, here is the rest of the house.  This is the final day of our 4 part series on our 'before' photos of our new home.  Today we are going to look at the lower level (our basement).  It is a little over 1650 sq ft and has 2 bedrooms, 1 full bath, kitchen, living room, dining area, additional sitting area with a fireplace and a mud room.  It also has a separate entrance and a patio area outside. 

 

If you are looking at the front of our house, this stone walkway is to the far right side of the house and leads you to the back yard and the entrance to the lower lever.  There are beautiful flower beds along the path.  Cannot wait to see what blooms in this area and then I will know what my starting place will be so that I can choose things I wish to add .

 

 

 

This is the patio area and entrance for the lower level.  Our son, Matthew, and his wife, Allina, (with a new little one on the way-due in Sept) will be living in this lower level.  This outside area will give them their own private outdoor space. 

 

 

This is the hallway in the basement that both bedrooms are off of.  To your immediate right (from where this photo was taken is a bedroom (which will be the nursery for Kylie Grace) and then if you look straight ahead and to your right (around the corner) is the other bedroom. 

This will be Kylie's nursery.  In the MLS listing this cannot be listed as a bedroom because it does not have a window.  It will be the perfect space for the baby.  

 

 

This is the other bedroom, Matthew and Allina's.

 

 

This is the extra sitting area with the fireplace. The dining area is to your left. 

 

 

This sitting area and table are directly across from the fireplace.  Also, the orange wall is directly in front of you when you come in the door from outside.  This is actually the foyer area.  (you can see that it leads to the hallway that both bedrooms are off of)

 

 

The kitchen is directly to your left on the other side of this dining table. 

Here is the kitchen.  Both of those counter tops in the foreground of the photo are movable.  They are not secured down so that we will be able to rearrange the kitchen counters.  We will also be adding a stove so that it will be a full functioning kitchen for them.  They have a lot of counter space and cabinet space.  

 

 

This is the living room area. 

 

 

The full bathroom. 

 

Allina and I have talked about what we want to do in this space.  I realize it is our house so we have to be in agreement with any major decorating decisions.  However, they will be living in this space and we want them to create a space that they love and enjoy living in.  Matthew will be deployed to Afghanistan in September and be gone of about 13 months.  (that is one reason they are living with us so that Allina and the baby won't be living by themselves while he is away)

 

Initial plans for this space include:

*adding the stove to the kitchen (my husband and I will be doing this as the stove will stay with the house whenever they get their own place)

*painting the foyer (neither of us really love that orange color

*may do some painting in the bedrooms (nursery for Kylie)

*They will be buying quite a bit of furniture for the entire space (they just got married this past September so they are still in that place of building up household furniture and items. 

*They will look into adding a washer/dryer to the mud room so that they won't have to come upstairs to do the laundry. 

 



I want to thank you for hanging in there with me for the entire tour.  As you can see, we have a lot of potential to make this our dream home.  I will be posting about our move and all the projects that embark on as we begin settling in to this new space for us.  I hope you stop back by to see our progress. 

Blessings,
Cherri

New House - Part 3

Ok, thanks for sticking with me on this 4 part tour of our 'new to us' home.  We close next Thursday and begin moving in right away.  Hopefully we will spend our first night at the new home next Saturday evening, keeping our fingers crossed.  Well, as promised, today I will be showing you the rest of the main floor.  (three bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms)  Tomorrow I will cover the entire lower level (or basement area). 

So here goes...just a little bit about the layout of the space first.  This photo was taken standing in the family room (the foyer is to my right and the TV is too my left...family room and kitchen are behind me).  The first door on your left is the guest bathroom, then a linen closet and far left (at the end of the hall) is the master bedroom and bathroom.  There is another linen closet at the end of the hallway and then coming down the right side (back towards me) is the bedroom that will be my home office, then the guest bedroom and the door closest to you on the right is the door that leads to the lower level. 

List of thing to do for this area include:

*paint the entire hallway the same color that I have chosen for the family room

 

 

Guest bathroom:  

List of things to do for this area include:

*replace window treatment

*build/install a frame for the mirror (make it look custom)

*pick out paint color and repaint (this won't be right away)

*New bath rugs and shower curtain

 

 

Master Bedroom: 

List of things to do for this area include:

*pick a paint color and repaint

*remove current curtain rods and rehang them higher and replace curtains

*at some point, remove the carpet and replace (with what we are not sure yet? Husband likes carpet in the bedroom but I may be leaning towards hardwood and a large area rug...this is a future project anyway so that gives us time to decide)

 

 

Master Bathroom: not a very big space but it is doable.  It does have a window to your right but it doesn't show in the photo that I have here. 

List of things to do for this area include:

*replace window treatment

*repaint

*eventually change out the mirror/medicine cabinet that is currently in there

 

 

Guest Bedroom: 

 

List of things to do for this area include:

*replace carpet eventually (large stain-hopefully Stanley Steamer can get it out before we move in)

*remove current curtain rod and rehang higher and replace curtains

*repaint

 

 

Bedroom that will be my home office: 

List of things to do for this area include:

*remove current curtain rod and rehang higher and replace curtains

*Remove the closet doors and create a desk/storage area that is open to the rest of the room (probably store all of my scrapbook supplies in here out of sight)

*repaint

*eventually replace the carpet

*build/create some type of storage unit that can organize scrapbook/office supplies neatly and concealed

 

 

 

Well, there you have the remaining spaces of the main floor.  This floor has right at 1900 sq ft and will mainly be occupied only by my husband and me.  This gives us plenty of space to spread out and not feel cramped in our living space. 

 

Now tomorrow I will show you the lower level which is actually a house unto it's self.  Our son Matthew and his wife Allina (with little Kylie on the way) will be living in this area.  I can't wait to show you that space tomorrow.

 

Thank you for stopping by and have a very blessed day,

Cherri

New House - Part 2

Ok, so I know yesterday's post was full of photos of our 'new to us' home that we are getting ready to move into, and today's post will be no different.  Today I will be sharing with you the kitchen, family room (or den), laundry room and the sun porch.

 

Tomorrow I will show you the rest of the main floor, including the three bedrooms and two full bathrooms.  And then on Thursday I will show you the entire lower level. 

 

So, without further ado...let's get started...

 

 

Here is the kitchen.  It has wonderful tile flooring (which we love) and all new stainless steel/black appliances.  The dishwasher is black on the outside and stainless steel on the inside.  The door that you see to the left of the cabinets in the first photo, leads to the pantry/laundry room which you will see in just a little bit.  

  

 

            

List of things to do for this area include:

*install backsplash

*pick a paint color and paint

*replace light above the sink (a small florescent one is there currently)

*replace window treatment

*remove cabinet doors over the sink to create some open shelving

*replace cabinet knobs (I already have the cutest knobs that are ceramic clock faces)

*make chalk/magnetic message board to hang near the laundry room door (message center)

*paint cabinets white (this may be early 2014)

*farmhouse sink (down the road)

*replace counter tops (also, down the road)

 

The kitchen opens up into the family room/den area.  I love the openness that this provides in this space.  I can be in the kitchen and not feel removed from the family. 

 

 

List of things to do for this area include:

*paint or whitewash the fireplace

*new area rug for this space (not sure the one I have will be big enough)

*stage mantle and hearth

*new lighting fixture

 



 Next on the agenda is the laundry room/pantry.  This is a very small area but I am grateful to have a designated space for laundry so I am not complaining.  As soon as you walk into this space, there is a built-in pantry on your left with slide out drawers.  This space also leads you from the kitchen to the double car garage. 

List of things to do for this space include:

*Wallpaper the back wall with a graphic print (see inspiration photo below)

* Add window treatment

*add cabinet/shelving above the washer and dryer

*add baskets/bins to organize all laundry/cleaning supplies

 

Inspiration photo...I just love this small laundry space.  When we looked at this house, I thought...I have the exact space layout as this laundry room that I love.  (here is the link to the post on this laundry room pictured below.  Laundry Room Inspiration

Now to talk about our Sun Porch...one of our favorite spaces in this new house.  It is 34.5' by 12.5', what a great space.  I love that this space can be used all year round.  (it has it's own heat/air system)  I am so excited about the decorating possibilities for this room.  My husband has decided that he wants to have his 'office space' out here.  We have such a beautiful view from that wall of windows that he wants to be out there a lot.  So, my décor ideas have to have a desk/computer area factored in.  It's doable...

List of this to do for this space include:

*Get a new rug (possibility two-one for each end of the room)

*new furniture (found some that I like but have to make a final decision on it)

*no sew burlap curtains (Burlap Curtains)

*add live greenery (possibly a lemon tree and/or a ficus tree)

*add a small table and chairs for eating on the porch

*figure out the floor plan for furniture with plans for Mark's desk

*may consider painting the brick wall (this is just a thought at this point)

 

 

Well, there you have it.  Part 2 of the peek into our new home.  Hope you are enjoying the 'before' tour.  Hope you stay tuned for the rest of this house tour. 

 

Be blessed and have a wonderful day,

Cherri