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House Update: What’s Been Done

I wanted to do a big update of what we’ve done around the house and what still has to be done. In some ways, it feels like we’ve done a lot and then in other ways it feels like we have a long way to go. Most of it is pretty boring and behind the scenes but has eaten up a lot of time:

– Setting up WiFi/cable: this should have been pretty easy but the Fios connection was inadvertently cut at some point…. so we had to have a whole new thing come in and the house re-wired with the fiber cable thing. At some point, we’ll have to pull all the old wires out because I keep finding them in random places (like closets?)

– I had our TV hung on the wall with the wires hidden which was a whole ordeal. (The guy who came to do it quit his job in my living room?) And we have our old bookshelves flanking it now, but eventually I want to have built-ins put in and potentially paint the fireplace white.

– Our kitchen is fully set up which feels amazing. We just need to buy a rug, further organize some of the cabinets, and get the shelves styled perfectly. I was so nervous about storage space because of the open shelving but we actually have more than enough space! I think it’s my favorite space in the whole house!

– I’ve also been working with Kira to decorate some of the empty spaces (our guest room, master, and “formal” living room) so that’s been a lot of back and forth behind the scenes. (Oh and she had her baby!!!)

– The house didn’t have a washer or dryer when we bought it so it was pretty exciting to buy a set. I was so excited for it to show up and it nearly didn’t make it down the stairs. The delivery guys and I had to unscrew the railing down to the basement to make it fit!! We got this top-loader and this dryer and have been loving the set so far!!

– Even as I’m typing this… I just keep thinking about how much stuff we have left to do. From landscaping to rugs to organization… there’s a lot to do. The house is more than livable right now but I’m anxious to get everything in its place!

Here are some picture updates:

Rocking Chair

ROCKING CHAIRS

FRONT PORCH:

We have this cute little nook of a porch in the front of the house. I was searching high and low for rocking chairs with a certain “look.” I didn’t want anything boxy or bulky and had a difficult time finding it. I found these at Target. They were relatively easy to put together but each one had a (non-essential) broken piece… but nothing a little super glue couldn’t handle.

I still want to get a little side table for in between the two chairs and a couple of outdoor pillows.

Dining Room

TABLE + CHAIRS 

While we’re still figuring out the space, we’re just using the furniture we already had from old apartments. I keep having to remind myself that there’s no rush and to take our time. Honestly, it works for now and I don’t mind the look at all. As our other empty spaces come together, I’ll work on the dining room + sunroom.

Sunroom

Chair + Artwork (graciously gifted by Kate Scialabba!!)

This room is definitely the dogs’ favorite spot. It’s a cute little sunroom with built-in bookshelves. The light in there is amazing. Perfect spot to get a little work done or to just sit back and read.

Walmart Daybed

Daybed (coverlet is from Home Goods)

The whole upstairs is pretty much a blank slate. It’s what I’m most overwhelmed by but I know it’ll come together over time. Our master bedroom is quite literally empty, besides our closets! There are three bedrooms and two bathrooms upstairs: the master bedroom (empty), the guest room (currently a hodgepodge of old furniture), and my office (a total work in progress).

I didn’t want to give up the option for another guest space in that third bedroom, but I also didn’t want it to feel like a guest room with a bed. So I went the daybed route. After lusting over a few options from Serena and Lily (I got very close to getting this in gingham!), I found this one at Walmart. Admittedly, it doesn’t look great on their website and the review kind of scared me but I rolled the dice anyway. I’m so glad I did. It’s amazing and even better than I pictured. I need to do a little reworking of the space (there are some constraints with the furnace + two doors + two windows) so there’s a small chance I will have to part with my beloved desk (and/or store it in the basement) and get a smaller one for the room.

Family Room

Couch + Navy Pillows (floral pillows are not available anymore) + Coffee Table

I was initially unsure if my white couch would even fit in this space. It’s on the tighter side of things but it worked! The side tables and lamps will likely be temporary only. A rug is on its way and I am OBSESSED with this coffee table. It seemed a little expensive and it was a white glove delivery. But it’s even better than I was expecting. Still need to do some styling for it.

While I’m here, I’ll just give another shoutout to this couch. Yes, it’s white and yes, I have two dogs. The entire thing can be washed and with a touch of OxyClean, it comes out looking brand new. I wash the covers for the cushions about once a week and the big part about once a month to keep things looking extra clean. I’ve had it since 2015 and it’s really holding up perfectly.

Serena and Lily Bar Stools

The kitchen was like this when we moved in. There’s still a hole for a microwave in the island but I’m having a hard time finding the right size so I’ve put it on hold for now. I got these chairs for it and Mike and I love having dinner there almost every night. I’ve also been plugging in my laptop and doing work there during the day! I like the light that there’s now (again, came with the house), but I think we’ll end up switching it up down the line.

Pantry

Probably the thing that I am most excited about is our closets! I went to the Container Store and designed the guest room closet and Mike’s closet in our master bedroom. (My closet is a funny shape so it’ll need something custom if I do anything with it down the line.) They turned out great, but the PANTRY gets me the most jazzed. Besides the lack of washer and dryer, the lack of pantry made me nervous. This tiny sliver of a closet used to be a second coat closet (we also have a big one immediately next to the front door) so it was a little redundant. I had the Elfa shelves put in and it instantly turned into a pantry. I went back and got all the organization for it and seriously couldn’t be happier. The back of the door organizer is what really took the pantry to the next level. We actually have so much space in there that I don’t know what to do with all of it!

PS Can you tell that Hamilton follows me around everywhere? 😂 I swear on my life that I don’t force him to pose… he’s just always there!!

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34 Comments

Megan

Your home looks so lovely! I can’t wait to see more updates, it’s such a process decorating a new house. Also love the photos of Ham!

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Christine

Hi, do you remember what fabric you picked for the sofa? That’s amazing it holds up that well!

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carly

They had a washer, but I think they removed it when they moved out which isn’t unheard of. We knew going into this that it wasn’t included!

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Taylor

I would highly recommend Troutman Chair Co. rockers! They aren’t sold directly off their website, so you’d have to find a dealer or order off another company’s website, but they are 100% worth the price. Super comfortable, beautiful, and high quality craftsmanship!

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g

Tell me about the floor in your sunroom. Did you seal it….if so what product did you use? How do you clean it? Any info you can provide will be very helpful!!!!

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carly

It was here when we bought it! (🙌🏻) but so far I’ve only used the swiffer wet jet on it and it’s been working like a charm

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Evelina

The best thing I did was turn our dining room into my office and a sitting room! We only used that room once a year and now I just move the coffee table and set up a folding table and grab chairs from around the house for Thanksgiving. We use this room e wry single day now and it’s my dog’s favorite place to hang out. Just wanted to mention this to you since you mentioned you may need to part with your desk. Sometimes we just need to think outside the box.

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Christine

We moved into our house last summer and our red brick fireplace stuck out like a sore thumb because it didn’t go with our furniture. I had to work so hard to convince my husband that it should be painted white. He finally trusted me (after seeing all the images on Pinterest I pulled together!) and he admits that painting the brick was one of the best decisions we made in the house. Next up for us are built-in shelves. However, they are surprisingly expensive in our area, so we are shopping around.

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Jennie

Everything looks great! You’re so smart to let things come together over time instead of rush to fill with just any old thing. Can’t wait to see more as time goes by.

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Dee Paulino

Lovely home! I am dying over the kitchen and the natural light!! Congrats on the purchase. Would you mind sharing where your couch cover is from? Thank you.

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Angie

I’ve been wanting to turn a cost closet into a pantry, too, but it keeps getting put on the back burner because of non-fun repairs needed in my 80 yr. old house (hooray for new sewer pipes!). Thanks for sharing what you did!

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Carolyn

It’s so fun to see what you’re doing in the house! More decorating posts :). I LOVE that coffee table. And your custom artwork. Since you’ve moved into the new house, have you set a budget to decorate with? Or are you prioritizing certain things now, and waiting to buy for other rooms later? Would be curious how you’re attacking house upkeep/maintenance expenses vs the fun decorating…we have been in a new house for 6 months and all the money has gone to projects!

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carly

So I factored buying furniture into my budget at the beginning of the year– I knew we were buying a house at some point. And I’m also in the camp of wanting to buy something I WANT vs buying something right now because it’s more affordable. (I.e. it’s worth waiting until you have the money saved to make your house exactly how you want it.)

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Harper

Hi Carly! How do you clean the wicker furniture with two pups? We have some on our porch and they seem to trap the dog hair and I can never get it all off. Any tips?

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laura mcclung

If you do not want to spend the money on the PB couch. The Cindy Crawford Beachside Couch in Cream is a great alternative at a really good price point. It has slip covers and super easy to wash as well. All my friends have bought it!

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Lara

Do you know the name and brand of the paint color in your kitchen/living room or was that already that color when you bought it? I always have a habit of picking a color that I like and then it being too dark when I actually see it on all four walls!

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MaggieTS

Unused microwave oven cubbies work well as book cases for cookbooks! I’ve never owned a micro.

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Cindy Wilbourne

What is your interior paint color? I love it!
I’m hoping to paint my home and would love to use this color.

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carly

I’m actually not sure! Everything was here when we moved in and we haven’t changed anything yet!

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Kristina

My fiancé and I are also in the process of decorating our home so I can’t wait for more posts as you share your home journey 🙂 Love what you’ve done so far and the kitchen is so pretty!

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