Here They Are (Drum Roll Please)

I've promised a handful of people I'd show them some pictures of our place. So here they are -pictures of the progress we've made on our little house. We still have lots of work to do. But I thought this would be interesting to see:

The Outside Before:

We didn't like the green trim - it's just not us. And the front door was an awful color. A loud, bright, and brassy pistachio green. No wonder they had the door open for this picture (which was in the pamphlet to sell the house).

Just a Few Changes After:

I painted all the outside trim a neutral color. And after a couple of tries, I found a dark, dark blue color for the front door. (Yes, this is a Fall wreath, but I haven't found a Summer one I like yet.)

We also hope to change some of the landscaping and add potted plants to the front porch and more flowers to the garden in front. One thing at a time...

The Living & Dining Rooms (and Glimpse of Kitchen)Before:

Living & Dining Rooms After:

We painted nearly every wall of the main floor, including the stair railing and the front door. I also found a more modern light fixture for the entry way. Thanks to Costco for the rug.

I also changed the curtains for an improved version from one of my favorite stores, Z Gallery (see right).

We painted the deep brown wall and the cream wall (behind the couch). I'm still in search of one more frame that is just the perfect size - in case you've noticed the asymmetry with the pictures on the ledges. I'd also love some flowers/plants and other accessories for the freshly painted end tables. Again, one thing at a time.



The dining room (on the right) is hard to see, but we changed the light fixture from a hideous 1980's brass fixture to this new one. I also painted this room and traded the industrial slat-type blinds for these curtains (the ones Andrew spilled ketchup on). There is a half wall from the kitchen to the dining room that we are planning to knock out, which means more pictures will come, so stay tuned! We'll move our main table in there with a rug underneath it someday.

Megan's Room:

My poor photography skills fail to do justice to her room. The paint color is called Barely Pink, and in person, it really doesn't look this pink. But the light from outside shines through the curtains, making it look more pink in this picture.

Notice the cute card I have framed on her dresser? It was made for Megan when she was born by my super talented friend, Mindy. It is so cute! I've always loved it, so I had it framed!

I don't have any before shots of her room. The paint was a bright salmon color and the curtains were yellow. Nothing I couldn't fix :)

Andrew's Room:

I absolutely LOVE this quilt that was made for Andrew by my sister, Heather. She is so talented and has such an eye for putting together fabrics in a way that make the finished product look beautiful. She has made quilts for each of my kids. They have become such treasures to me. I hope she has time to make one for our next baby (hint, hint, Heather)! I keep telling her she has to start her own business.




I don't have before photos of Andrew's room either. It was wallpapered half way up the wall with train wallpaper and the top half was a very loud blue. We wanted a much more subdued feeling for a nursery.










His cozy crib.

James's Room:

Once again, no before photo. When we moved it, the walls were as dark blue as the carpet, if not darker. It was like a cave!

I always pictured a marigold color to accent the red & blue decor we have for his room.

Again, my photography fails to do it justice. I'd like to change the carpet. Someday...

Our Room - A Work in Progress:

I've always skipped over our room. But someday, I hope to work on it and make it a very relaxing oasis for us. I love this paint color, it's very peaceful. The previous color was (I swear) the exact same obnoxious green as the front door. And I'm happy with the black and white pictures of our family that I've hung in here. Now, I need to update the bedding and do some other things. But, again, one day at a time.

One thing about the houses in this area - no one has white molding or white doors. All the maple makes me kind of crazy. I think white molding can make your paint colors look so much more appealing. I'm still trying to decide if I have the energy to paint it all white (which would take a lot of time).

Spaces that puzzle me. Any suggestions?

I'm ready to say goodbye to the bare walls! We hope to get a piano to put in the living room. Other than that, tell me what you would hang on these walls.

I'll post pictures of bathrooms after we paint and touch those up a bit. And also the kitchen. We're hoping to redo the floor this summer.