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8.06.2025

Bedroom updates, and affordable custom trimmed curtains

After many years of subpar window treatments in my bedroom… I finally cracked the code! I had been using slightly-too-short standard 84" Target curtains, pretty good blackout, but just the hidden tab top, because I knew they would be quiet for opening and closing while the kids were sleeping nearby. But I really wanted the elegant look of pinch pleat curtains on rings. Well, I figured it out!

The best window treatments for my primary bedroom

The solution: layered Roman shade and curtains. I got this beautiful woven Roman shade from Twopages, with a super thorough blackout lining, and I mounted it outside the window to block the light around the cracks and allow all the light I can through the window when the shade is open. This thing is so powerful, but all I need is the shade closed for a seriously effective blackout (and it’s silent when I open and close it).

7.30.2025

Floral wallpaper transformation (and more) in our plain upstairs bathroom

I think I’ve done it… I think I’ve wallpapered the last room in this home that needs it! I hesitated for a while because I had already renovated this bathroom… Back in 2020, with kind of a mix of that organic earthy modern thing that was trending for a while plus some traditional elements like wainscoting. It was...fine. Honestly, fine. But I also thought it was sort of begging for wallpaper about the wainscoting on the white walls.

7.22.2025

New sofas in the living room!

A couple years ago I finally figured out the right layout for my long skinny living room. Two couches facing each other: simple and classic, but very comfortable, with lots of seating options. Plus an ottoman instead of a coffee table for comfy foot resting, and of course lots of forts and jumping by the kids. But as for the sofa style, I debated for probably a year and a half before I figured out the right combination. Well, they’re finally here and I’m so excited to reveal them!

Thanks to Interior Define for partnering with me on this post.

6.18.2025

Re-doing the entryway wallpaper! With something way better

Well, I’m to the point of redoing DIY projects I did at this house a few years ago…! I wallpapered this entryway with peel-and-stick wallpaper in 2021, My first wallpaper project in this house. That paper was trendy and kind of modern and never exactly perfect for this house. But, it was neutral and not offensive, and I wasn’t sure what else I would choose. But an entryway is such an important moment. When you first walk into the house, I wanted it to be really special.

Thanks to Sandberg Wallpaper for partnering with me on this post.

5.22.2025

Finally, the right size rug for the dining room!

This dining room was the first room I called "finished" when we moved in almost 7 years ago, and because dining rooms have pretty basic ingredients, it hasn’t really changed all that much. I’ve definitely improved it though, several times. But the thing I was never able to get right was the rug. This room is about 12' x 12', which means a standard 8'x10' rug looks… OK? But definitely not high-end or really comfortable.

Thanks to Rugs USA for partnering with me on this post.

4.17.2025

Cutest patterned Roman shades, and outside mounting them

I’ve installed many Roman shades in my house, but only just now did I install any outside mount. Inside mount is typically the ideal, because then it doesn’t block any of the trim around your windows. But on some windows, there isn’t a deep enough trim, or maybe you don’t have trim and you want to make the window look taller. Or in my case, I didn’t want to block any of the light that I didn’t have to, and when you install inside mount, you automatically block the top 6+ inches of the window when the shade is folded up.

2.16.2025

English pine dresser refinishing project

I’ve been looking for a new, smaller dresser for Otto's room since we got the bunkbed because the layout of his room is so funky and his large painted IKEA dresser is very functional, but means you can’t access the ladder without being crushed up against it. The kids don’t seem to mind, but it’s weird. I had a small space, 36" wide, between the bunkbed and the other wall that could accommodate a dresser instead.

I wasn’t finding anything in the traditional antique/dresser styles I like because they tend to be more like 42" wide. Then I found this English pine dresser on Facebook for $40 was the perfect size, and I thought, maybe I can sand it down, sort of stain it, and make it really charming!

1.31.2025

Vintage dining table refinishing project

I’ve been looking for a dining table for about two years, since I started refreshing my dining room with some more traditional pieces and getting rid of the modern traditional/Farmhouse look I liked when I first moved in. This house was built in 1937 and is a Tudor revival, but has a few federal revival elements in it too, and that’s my favorite style of old houses.

I’d been scouring Facebook Marketplace and had given up my search, but then this vintage Ethan Allen table with three leaves and lovely curved legs popped up in my feed. It was in rough shape, but I think it was $60. And miraculously fit in my car. I picked it up after work and then my dad helped me get it out of the car and into the garage where it’s at for months, overwhelming me.

I mentioned to a friend that I had a dining table to refinish and she said she’d help me. I should’ve asked her before, I knew she was good at refinishing furniture! Anyway, I’m so happy I did and I now have a much better dining table in my dining room!

Vintage Ethan Allen Dining Table Refinishing

1.25.2025

Strawberry floral and gingham little girl room!

Four years ago we finished Lucy's nursery in the "pointy room" upstairs. This house has four bedrooms with closets plus this room and the basement, which sounds like a lot but nothing is perfectly laid out for traditional family living (e.g. all bedrooms on the same floor, or kids upstairs and primary suite downstairs)... and this room is only accessible through my bedroom! Won't always work, but for now (she's four and I'm single), it works great.

I've made a few updates over time (like these pegs for hanging clothes instead of a closet), but she slept in the crib until recently. (It was great. She never tried to climb out, either!) But this summer I found a charming vintage (c. 2002) daybed on Facebook and repainted it, and just now I finally found the perfect bedding and accessories. "Big girl" room complete!

Lucy's Big (Little) Girl Bedroom Update

The pointy ceiling and low walls add a lot of drama!

12.28.2024

2024 recap / 2025 goals

2024... my rate of progress on this house is directly related to my 1) financial comfort but also 2) my emotional state RE the rest of my life which includes health, parenting, my coparenting relationship, and dating. I was all over the place on those things in 2024 so I had some bursts of feeling good and having lots of creative energy for house projects, and some bursts of being distracted (good and bad). In general I'm feeling pretty close to "done" with this fixer upper, at least with the important stuff, but continuous improvement is my style and I'll probably always be refining. So, here are my top projects of the past year, and what's on the list for next year, assuming those two things go well. (:

Historic home project recap

My goals for 2024 were:

1. Finish the basement. Paint touch-ups, etc. I got about 25% of those done, but getting out all the right paint and finding a wall patch solution have been overwhelming so it's still not there. I did finish the laundry room.

11.20.2024

Living room update! Rug, sconces, plates, and unique curtains

My living room has been a great canvas the past few years. Living rooms are hard to decorate (there are so many options for what might work) and I've tried a lot of different things. I don't think I'll ever be totally done, but I'm feeling so good about some of these new pieces and think they will last a long time.

Historic Tudor revival house living room update

7.24.2024

Mudroom/sewing room tour!

A few years ago I renovated this pass-through room that goes from our downstairs hall to the garage as my office. Previously it had been Otto’s nursery when we lived entirely downstairs! It was definitely awkward as a nursery. It was pretty good as an office because it’s downstairs near the kitchen, etc., but the north facing windows sometimes made it feel dreary. So I moved my home office to the guest room when I updated that space, and was left with this funky room that pretty easily became a catch-all for shoes and coats and returns going out the door. So I cleaned it up, and made it functional again with some hooks and shoe shelving, and still had room for my sewing stuff on the former desk.

Mudroom/Office Reveal

5.31.2024

Updates to the pink bedroom (with sources)

Last fall I painted my bedroom a light peachy paint color I concocted myself out of some samples and then had color matched. I had been thinking of doing this for a couple years, but ended up actually doing it around the time my divorce was final (not intentionally a girly single woman choice, but it works!). I was bored of the white (see that version here), but it was also comfortable/I was used to it. Adding color can be scary and sometimes it takes a while to get used to it. I was really not too sure about this color at first but I’ve made a few changes around the room, and now I just love it and it feels so right!

1.04.2024

The pretty projects I did in 2023, and my big ideas for 2024

It is very satisfying to look back on what you've done in your home over 12 months. I set goals every year and do a recap of progress too. Usually each goals post includes a depressing photo of the exterior in early January, some interior in-progress shots, and some inspiration photos. The recap posts have exciting before and afters. You get all of the above in this post since I'm combining recap and goals in one this year. Efficient!

Historic house 2023 project recap

I started the year with almost no energy for projects, and that wasn't a bad thing. After our separation the prior spring and a tumultuous year and holiday season, a year ago I was feeling like I could really be myself, and didn't really have the energy or time for doing a lot around the house. Instead I went on my first warm weather long weekend vacation (Palm Springs in February with a girlfriend); I made major decisions about my life; I made major progress on my resolutions list like learn to make cocktails, get my tattoos removed, and buy golf clubs. But then this fall I got the bug again and have been pretty busy doing little things around the house and sharing about them on Instagram.

In April I wallpapered the dining room. It was a daunting job but I'm so glad I did it!

6.05.2023

Downstairs guest room/office REVEAL!

Another room done! I haven't had a guest room in years so this one feels very luxurious (even though it doubles as my work from home office squeezed onto one wall). We've had a few room shuffles since we finished the basement, then Jason moved out, then etc. other changes, but things are getting cleaned up and I have this whole glorious, light-filled room on the main floor to decorate and use.

4.28.2023

Wallpaper in the dining room! Just what it needed

I'm working on the dining room this spring. New chairs, new rug, different gallery wall, working on replacing the dining table and finding a permanent replacement for the chandelier. The dining room was the first room I "finished" in this house in 2018-2019 and aside from changing the rug a couple times and adding to the sideboards, it was still that "modern traditional" look I was doing here at first and not my current style.

The new chairs, rug, etc. helped but it was still looking really plain. We have the original wood trim in here and I struggle with what paint colors would look good with it, but am also not planning to paint it. So... how to add more interest? Wallpaper!!

Thanks to Brewster for providing this wallpaper for my review.

I have some patterned curtains in here that I love, so wanted either a very small pattern or just a texture that wouldn't compete. I found this sort of grasscloth-ey, super durable, fabric backed vinyl textured wallpaper from Brewster.

1.06.2023

2023 house project goals

As I mentioned in my 2022 house project recap post, this house is in a good spot and I've learned I need to focus more on myself in 2023. So I have some goals for myself (take 3 fun vacations with friends, get my tattoos removed, learn to make cocktails), and the house stuff will have to fit into the happier lifestyle I'm trying to create for myself.

Part of that means hiring out some projects when I'm able. Partly that will also mean making small changes when they feel fun, like adding pieces that represent the style I've been working on identifying this past year.

Fixer upper renovation project goals for 2023

Exterior

I had this on my list last year but talked myself out of it... I want to paint the brick. I've gone back and forth a lot on this one and it's a harder choice since this is a somewhat historic house (1937), but... the bricks and mortar are not in good shape and cleaning them has not been successful. I need to tuck point/re-mortar in places and then I'd like to have all of the brick painted the same color as the siding. I think it will really clean up the look of the front and give the house a less shabby feel overall.

In the backyard, I hope to get it cleaned up (ended up storing a lot of garden stuff for various reasons) and hopefully remove the garden area, just make it lawn.

1.02.2023

2022 home project recap

I majorly paused home projects and blogging and Instagramming in 2022 due to an unexpected divorce (hard) and finally learning to take care of myself and choose fun and rest over needless productivity (good). We moved into this house in July of 2018 and have been working on it since, with not a lot of breaks. It's currently very comfortable and adequate, with a few unfinished or under-improved areas, but I am so grateful for it as it is, a wonderful home for me and my children.

I did get several fun projects done this year (somehow), though. Here they are.

2022 Tudor revival home projects

Here's my list of house project goals for 2022. I definitely did not do all of those... but I did a good job of picking the highest priority/most important to me ones.

Exterior

The biggest deal thing on the exterior this year was replacing the front window. Read about that here. Very expensive, long lead time, kind of sad on an old house, but very much needed! So glad I did that.

11.19.2022

Moody English-inspired basement guest bedroom REVEAL! + costs and sources

Hooray, my One Room Challenge is done! I 100% did not have time or capacity to do this project (hence the lack of blog posts long the way, unlike how I've done my previous ORCs) but I have to say it turned out great and I'm so glad I did it!!

Moody English-inspired basement guest bedroom

This room is part of my big basement renovation which unfortunately is still not 100% done--though now this room is, as is the bathroom right next to it (my spring One Room Challenge--reveal here). Most of the work in this room was done earlier this year, and a lot of it by the electrician, drywall team, etc. who did the rest of the basement, but still--huge transformation!

See the before/inspiration post in Week 1 of the ORC here.

9.28.2022

English-inspired guest room makeover, week 1 One Room Challenge!

I need a kick in the pants to wrap up this big basement renovation project, so here goes--my 117th (kidding) One Room Challenge. (See all my others here.) We started turning this little extra room into a guest room months ago and stopped, and... now it's just sad. But I have plans for a beautiful, richly colored, vintage-ey English country-inspired room and here I go!

Basement guest room One Room Challenge makeover

The before(s)

This room has been through a lot. Here's its recent history, from 70's/80's home office to newly framed tiny bonus room. There's no closet since it wasn't intended to be a bedroom (hence why we didn't add an egress window), and it's really very small. A full size bed is as big as you'd want to go! I was thinking it would be a nice office, too, or music room or small playroom... but then we decided we wanted it to be a guest room, and I love decorating bedrooms so that was the most fun option anyway.

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