2016 House Projects Review

Tal and I moved into our house 6 years ago! In December 2010, we bought our foreclosure fixer-upper at a bargain price in exchange for some sweat equity. The good news is that the value of our house has increased 40%-50% over the last 6 years.

Over the last 6 years, Tal and I have been slowly updating our house (which was built in 2000)...one project at a time. It has been a labor of love to transform our house into a home that reflects our family and our decorating style.

In honor of our 6th house-iversary, I'm sharing a round-up of our 2016 house projects:

1. In January 2016, Tal and I refinished our stairs. Tal ripped out the carpet and staples. Then, he puttied the nail holes and sanded the stairs. I painted the risers white, and Tal painted the treads black.

2. In January 2016, Tal finished building our kitchen mudroom. He ripped out the built-in desk/office area and then built a mudroom with beadboard, coat hooks, and shoe cubbies. Our family loves having a designated spot for shoes, coats, and bags!

Kitchen Office Area Before (now our mudroom)

Mudroom After

3. In March 2016, Tal took down all 25 doors in our house and removed the brass hardware. Then, he spray painted the doors and installed new oil-rubbed bronze hardware. It's amazing how new paint and hardware make our 16 year-old house feel newer and brighter!

4. In April 2016, Tal and I decluttered and painted our garage, as well as installed organizational systems for our tools, bikes, and equipment. We love coming home to a beautifully organized space!

Garage Before

Garage After

5. In May 2016, Tal cut down the shrubs and trees on the sides of our house. Then, he put down landscape fabric for weed control before he planted 15 new shrubs and spread 3 truckloads of mulch. Tal installed metal edging to contain the mulch and define the landscaped areas, as well as built a trash can enclosure to improve our curb appeal.

Before

6. In June 2016, Tal ripped out the carpet in the upstairs of our house. Then, he singlehandedly laid 1,000 square feet of hardwood floors in Hadley's bedroom, Savannah's bedroom, the bonus room, and the guest room. All of the dust and chaos was worth it because we now have hardwood floors in every room of our house (except our tiled laundry room and bathrooms)!

Savannah's Bedroom Before

Savannah's Bedroom After

Hadley's Bedroom Before

Hadley's Bedroom After

7. Over the last year, Tal and I have updated our master bedroom with new hardwood floors, curtains, and bedding, as well as a rug and a gallery wall. We also mounted a TV in our bedroom.

Master Bedroom Before

Master Bedroom Progress

In April 2016, my mom helped me sew curtains for our master bedroom:

Master Bedroom Gallery Wall

8. Over the last year, Tal and I have updated our living room with new hardwood floors and curtains, added a new sectional and rug, and mounted a TV above our fireplace:

Living Room Before


Living Room Progress

This year I also painted our exterior kitchen door that opens to our screened porch:

9. In July 2016, I updated our family photos in our downstairs hallway.  I included recent family photos and baby pictures of Hadley, as well as some photos of Savannah as a baby, from our wedding, and of our dads who have passed away. Seeing these photos every day makes me thankful for all of our family's vacations, milestones, and holidays!

10. In 2016, Tal and I also finished our home gym! In 2013, we converted our formal living room into a home gym. Over the last few years, we have added some exercise equipment, as well as curtains, art, and a TV.

Home Gym Before (formerly our formal living room)

Home Gym After

11. This year Tal and I made some progress in our guest bedroom. We painted the room and laid hardwood floors, as well as added bedding, curtains, and a rug.

Guest Bedroom Before

Guest Bedroom Progress

Here's our list of 2016 House Goals and a recap of what Tal and I accomplished this year:

• paint interior doors
• paint trim upstairs
• paint and begin decorating guest bedroom
• replace door hardware (levers, strike plates, and hinges) throughout house
• rip out carpet and staples in the 3 bedrooms and bonus room upstairs
• get new carpet installed in the 3 bedrooms and bonus room upstairs
• buy and install TV above fireplace in our living room
• move living room TV and install it in our master bedroom
• move master bedroom TV and install it in our home gym
• hire electrician to replace outdated chandeliers in entry and formal dining room
• hire electrician to fix broken lights in garage, master closet, and Hadley's closet
• paint upstairs loft cabinets and add new hardware
• paint kitchen cabinets and add new hardware

• update downstairs gallery wall to include pictures of Hadley and recent family photos
• restyle living room bookcases
• paint dresser and nightstand in master bedroom and move them to the guest bedroom
• buy king-size bed and begin decorating master bedroom (bedding, headboard, dresser, nightstands, area rug, lamps, and wall decor)
• buy living room furniture (couch, end tables, console table, and lamps)
• buy bonus room furniture (couch, end tables, and lamps)
• buy porch furniture
• buy freezer for garage