The Dining Room

Project #1 is complete! [for now]

Owning a home, requires lot of lists (which I love making). To-do lists, to buy lists, to do someday lists...

The dining room wallpaper fell on the "to do someday list". When you buy a house that has 11/13 rooms covered in wallpaper, you prioritize. The dining room wallpaper isn't as obnoxious as others and is in good condition, so it fell below some of the other (feels-like-100) projects.

For the before and after pictures, you won't notice must of a change - because not much did! We scrubbed the floors and woodwork with an all-purpose cleaner and moved in our furniture. I was anxious to get going on this room because it's one of the few rooms not under renovation, or waiting to be.

Before.

Beautiful hardwood floors.

 Lots of natural light.

Those built-ins.... :)

 Ignore hideous drapes in living room.

I mean seriously, the built-ins. [insert heart eyes emoji]

 THE POCKET DOORS. My favorite part of the whole house.

After.

I wasted no time filling up these beauties. 

I think we have enough wine glasses to serve a small army.

[DIY decorated wine glasses, check out my previous post]

 In case we drink things other than wine...

This beautiful table was given to us for FREE from a family friend.

As my mom would say, "we scored".

[My brother is just happy I've stopped bugging him about building me one.]

Oh did I mention the free table came with a beautiful free hutch? 

My brother and Luke moved this into the house today and I was on a mission to fill this hutch with some unique pieces. I hit the jackpot at the Goodwill and a thrift store. 

(All this + a coffee table for under $70!) - [reasons I love thrifting]

It will be rearranged umpteenth times - but for now it's filled and I must focus on the next room!

The pencil-covered vase is a centerpiece from my teacher-themed bridal shower last weekend. I love the addition of fresh flowers to a room!

[DIY burlap placemats, check out previous post]

Some of the placemats serve as a great cover to the scratches on the radiator in this room.

You'll notice there's a lot going on in this room - the wallpaper...

the rug...

the chairs...

I have learned quite quickly, doing everything at once is not possible. This room is clean and has furniture - and for that I am grateful. A new rug and removing wallpaper are on the someday list... 

One room down, 12 to go! Next up - the kitchen.

Patience Paid Off - We're Homeowners!

House-hunting can be found in the thesaurus next to a few words; fun, stressful, exciting, nerve-wracking, demanding, hard, never-ending, WORTHWHILE!

Luke and I began our house-hunting adventure in the summer of 2015; and after looking at 20+ houses, we found THE one. I had a very particular picture in my head and we had a long list of wishes. We were not going to settle; and we didn't! 9 months into the sometimes stressful process - we found our (my) dream home.
[I am marrying the most easy-going, least-picky man.]

We found our 120 year old brick beauty.

A front porch was on the top of my wish list, so I was in love before we even stepped foot inside. But when we did? It only got better. High ceilings, crown molding, hardwood floors, I love all the little details. My old soul is meant for an old house; and boy did I find it's match! I have dreamed about living in a house like this since I was a little girl.

We closed last Friday - June 10th. Let the projects begin!

[My lack of blogging between August and May can be explained with 4 words: first year of teaching. Here's to a summer of sharing all the before and afters of the house!]