“Before” Home Tour

Okay! I am finally done taking photos of my whole house, and as I mentioned before, these are definitely real, totally unstyled images. It’s a little bit nail-biting to put the “before” photos out there when there is no miraculous “after” yet…but there will be! And that is why I am doing this: I am committing to use this winter and spring as a time to really push and accomplish as much as I can (on a limited budget) to make this house a home that I feel proud of. Are you ready? I am going to give my own commentary on each room, describing what I am thinking of changing – but I would also really like to get your input, so don’t be shy and leave me a comment at the end with any ideas you have!

So, here is our little house! I really don’t like the pale yellow vinyl siding, as it looks really washed out, but we can’t do anything about that right now, so it stays. We can, however, remove or replace the worn out screens and screen door on the porch, put up cool house numbers, rip out the random jumble of bushes, and do a bit of thoughtful landscaping.

I really feel that “curb appeal” is so important – not just for resale value, but because I am honestly more excited to come home when the house looks warm and inviting from the street. We have our work cut out for us in this department, but the good news is many of these things are relatively minor and inexpensive!

On our to-do list: replace rotting porch floorboards and refinish porch floor, remove ugly dead plants and mildewed rug (yuck!), repair doorbell, replace sconces, remove glass door and give existing front door a fresh coat of rich, glossy paint, and add furnishings.

Just inside the front door, I feel our “entryway” is very bland and boring. I would like to replace the small cubes with a demilune table, add a lamp, artwork and/or a mirror, and a larger bench to the right of the door with storage beneath for shoes and boots. I would either move the coat rack to the right of door, or replace it with wall hooks (but I wish we had a coat closet!). In the living room, I love our rich chocolate brown velvet sofa, but we need fresh throw pillows, a rug, and a second armchair. I am planning on reupholstering the polka dot chair on the right – any ideas on color/fabric? Oh, and I really want an arc lamp like this one from CB2 (and it is on sale right now…) as there is no overhead light in the center of the room.

Currently my desk is opposite the fireplace, but I would love to move it somewhere else and instead have a buffet/sideboard with storage cabinets beneath, and artwork and/or a large mirror above. I think once we have a child growing up in this house, we are going to want all of the storage we can find! As for the dining end of the main room, it is just plain, plain, plain! I want to do a big art wall here, replace our table and chairs with something a bit more substantial, and have an electrician move the overhead light fixture so it is centered over the table, replacing it with a more modern pendant light.

And here is the “nursery” today. Obviously, we have our work cut out for us! Much of the disastrous mess is made by an Ikea dresser that completely fell apart after our last move, so that needs to get out of here first thing! Otherwise, this room has become a dumping ground for all of the random bits and pieces we didn’t know what to do with…sigh.

Looking on the bright side, I think the large cube bookcase will make a fabulous storage unit for baby, once we move it to the other side of the room and anchor it to the wall. I would fill most of the cubes with attractive baskets, which can hold clothes or toys, leaving some cubes open for books and things. And the bureau on the back wall is just the right height for a changing table – and it has ample storage in the drawer and cabinet below, for storing diapers and extra clothes – we will just need to clean it up and add a bumper and pad to the top.

Our kitchen and bath both desperately need a fresh coat of paint! I am thinking gray in the kitchen and white in the bath. Fresh towels and a bit of organizational help for both rooms. And a breakfast bar with stools in the kitchen to replace the jumble of yard sale storage islands!

I haven’t decided on a color for the bedroom yet, but I can tell you it won’t be lime green! We could also use different bedside tables and matching lamps, a larger dresser, and fresh, colorful bedding. The one more complicated thing I would love to do in this room is revamp the closet: it is a very strange shape – shallow, but extending behind most of the bedroom wall! The problem is, most of the space is currently inaccessible. I would love to have the wall opened up to expose the entire closet, and then replace the door with a set of sliding doors.

And finally, our blood-red basement. First, let me say that I am not a big fan of basements. Most people did not have them in California, so maybe I’m just not used to them. But this basement is fully finished, so I would like to make the most of the space. Obviously the first thing to go will be the blood red paint.

There is a surprising amount of room down here, so I think with a few area rugs and accessories, and a fresh coat of paint to warm it up, it could be an inviting lounge for movie-watching, crafting, and guest quarters.

Whew! So, there it is – my home from top to bottom, flaws and all. Do you have any decorating or renovating stories to share? I would love to hear them! And oh my, it did get late, so I will not be posting a Sweet Obsessions Friday this week, I hope you don’t mind! Have a lovely, lovely weekend, friends!! And thank you again for spending time with me here,

{images: Laura Gaskill}

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