I just finished uploading all the photos for this post, and I am already second-guessing our ambitions for this year–especially since I have to take it easy (doctor’s orders) these next 3 months and then we’ll have a newborn and then…?? And then apparently we’ll be tackling the staircase, that’s what!
As “fun” as it is to read recap after recap of what every blog has done over the past year (hey–we’re guilty, too), we love to look forward and plan/predict the big projects we’ll tackle in the year to come. It gets us excited, is fun to look back on at the end of the year and gives you something to look forward to as well. Let’s dive in and spill the goods about what is to come:
1. Picture me wincing while whispering, the floors. In the first quarter of this year, before baby girl gets here in April, we’ll be tearing up all the tile and carpet on the 1st floor (all 1700 square feet!) and laying new flooring. It will be messy and hard and time-consuming and it will be absolutely worth it. We just keep saying that–It will be worth it!
The carpet is all in horrible shape and while the tile isn’t our style, it’s also configured around elements we will be removing/moving, like the pantry and kitchen island–so it has got to go too. We are giving ourselves a conservative 3 months for this project (crossing our fingers we can get it done faster!) and will be starting in the next week or so. We’re waiting on 2 more samples to arrive before we share our direction.
2. The nursery, of course! The nursery is on the first floor and will be receiving the same new flooring treatment as the rest of the square footage surrounding it, but also, you know, other decor. It’s a very blank slate after its recent paint job, but I just ordered an area rug today as a sort of jumping board for the rest of the room and will share a mood board, soon!
3. Greta’s room is also on our list this year. So far, we have plopped her bed in place. Her room is downstairs and although it desperately needs new carpet, too–we are just not sure it is in the cards this year. That won’t stop us from sprucing the rest of the room up and injecting her personality into it. She has been through a lot lately and we want to make sure she has a special place just for her.
4. Call it the year of the bedrooms if you must, but our room is getting some attention this year, too! We’ve never done a proper full makeover on our bedroom–ever. We need that. A sort of sanctuary to come to at the end of the day. I think everyone needs that, right? Our room (like so many others, I’m sure) is always last on the list, so knocking it out our first year here seems like a good idea to us. We like our nightstands and mattress, but pretty much everything else will go. So say your goodbyes to the bed and pathetic, old bedding. Â Ha!
5. We. can. not. WAIT. to tackle the lighting (and lack thereof) in the great room. This will most likely be a first quarter project as well. The fluorescents in the kitchen, bad but also off-centered dining chandelier and outdated and low ceiling fan in the living area are all getting the boot. We’ll be adding recessed lighting throughout the space, with room for a new fixture in the dining room as well as some pendants in the kitchen (when the time comes). We tackled recessed lighting ourselves in our last home’s family room, but are really thrilled we’ll have attic access to work in this time around. Really. Can’t wait.
6. When we painted the great room, we didn’t extend the paint into the adjoining staircase because it required a little more effort. For starters, a ladder at scary angles. But also, the removal of some awkward accent-wall wainscoting? We want to tear that down, paint the whole thing, add a new chandelier and hundreds of family photos. Or a few large pieces of art? We’ll see.
7. Add a fireplace in the living room. Hanging our fauxdenza in the living room was always a sort of placeholder until we figured out how to put a fireplace on that wall. And, well, we figured it out. Now we are just gathering ideas for the actual look we want to go for before we pull that project plug.
8. And lastly, by the end of the year, we want to have a plan in place for a kitchen remodel in the beginning of 2015. Our kitchen is a good size and has a lot of potential, we think, but the current layout just isn’t working for any of us. The pantry is in the dining room. The island is large, but an odd shape (we’ll actually be tearing that out before we do the floors). And the appliances are sadly on their last leg–here’s hoping they can hold on just a little longer! Our last kitchen took us several months to plan so putting the planning on the calendar this year will hopefully give us a good start into an actual renovation next year.
So those are 8 projects you can look for and forward to in 2014. Each one we’re excited about. Some, we’re just anxious to get done (floors!) while others, we’re truly looking forward to the process–three bedrooms in one year just sounds like the best year ever.
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I just discovered your blog (how is this possible!?) and I am in love with it! I am super excited to see what is coming for your house and I will probably reading your archives for days! I’m especially excited to see what you do with those tile floors…I’m pretty sure we have the EXACT same ones at our new house and I can’t stand them. I want to rip them out right this second!!
Following you on Instagram now as well just to complete the stalker-ish obsession! ha!
Have a great day!
Amber @ Averie Lane
ps. fellow Idaho Blogger too!
Hello. We just closed on our first home and I am struggling with the family room layout. Our open kitchen, dining and family room space is similar to yours (but flipped). I remembered this post and your plans for a fireplace in 2014. Once the fp is complete where will you put your tv? Everyone has suggested above the fp (my initial thought too) but after reading up on it, it doesn’t seem like the best choice.
How exciting for you! We are actually planning to put our tv above our fireplace, actually.
We’re planning on moving into a new home and have our second baby on the way come June and we’re just about on the same design track. Definitely tackling our floors first and foremost. I learned from our first kid that life gets put on hold those first few months the baby is born so I’m squeezing in as much as I can before the baby comes—I’m sure you guys feel the same way! I already love your living room. Can’t wait to see it evolve : ] Happy new year, Julia!