Happy 5th House-iversary! (Plus a Round-Up of 25 Projects)

Tal and I moved into our house five years ago! In December 2010, we bought our foreclosure fixer-upper at a bargain price in exchange for some sweat equity.

Over the last 5 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 us and our decorating style.

In honor of our 5th house-iversary, I thought it would be fun to take a trip down memory lane, so here's a round-up of 25 of our house projects from the past 5 years (in no particular order):

1. In 2015, Tal ripped out our 15-year old deck, laid the boards for our new deck, and then stained it:

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2. In 2015, we updated our scuffed garage doors by painting them a cream color that matches our bay window and siding:

3. In 2013, Tal and I yanked out all of the bushes in our front yard and planted new ones, as well as cut up the grass and laid 90 rolls of sod:

After

4. In 2014, Tal (along with some help from his family) built Savannah's play area. Then, we put down landscape fabric, spread 4 truckloads of mulch, and installed plastic landscape borders:

5. In 2014, Tal and I transformed our backyard by laying 48 rolls of sod and spreading 7 truckloads of mulch around the exterior of our house:

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6. In 2016, Tal ripped out the carpet on our stairs, and then we painted the risers white and the treads black:

7. In 2016, Tal removed our kitchen desk and built a mud room that includes a bench, coat hooks, and shoe cubbies:

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8. In 2015, Tal and I updated our worn front door by staining it mahogony and spray painting the gold hardware:

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9. In 2015, Tal and I made our entry more colorful and inviting by hanging art and family photos along our staircase:

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10. In 2015, we used gel stain to transform our stair banisters from honey oak to black:

11. In 2013, I made our garage entry door more colorful and inviting by painting it golden yellow, adding a welcome decal, and hanging a wreath: 

12. In 2013, Tal and I gave Savannah a turquoise and pink big girl bedroom that will grow with her until she goes to middle school:

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13. In 2014, Tal and I finished Hadley's nursery/big girl bedroom before she was born in October. We created a girly turquoise and pink bedroom that will grow with Hadley for the next 5-10 years:

14. In Hadley's nursery/big girl bedroom, I added some whimsy by hot gluing turquoise pom-pom trim to some simple, white Vivan curtain panels from Ikea: 

15. In 2013, I made no-sew curtains for our gym using Waverly's Groovy Grille fabric, Heat 'n Bond, and curtain clips:

16. In 2015, Tal and I hung some artwork in our gym:

18. In 2015, Tal and I added some artwork, including our custom home portrait, in our dining room:

19. In 2015, Tal and Uncle Kenny ripped out the carpet and tile downstairs and then installed hardwood floors in our living room, kitchen, and master bedroom:

20. In 2015, Tal ripped out the carpet upstairs and laid hardwood floors in our loft area and hallway:

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21. In 2012, I updated our brass fireplace by spray painting it black: 

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22. Tal and I made our home more personal by hanging gallery walls upstairs and downstairs: 

Upstairs

 Downstairs

23. In 2014,  I made no-sew chevron curtains for our living room and kitchen: 

24. In 2013, I made no-sew curtains for Tal's man cave: 

25. In 2012, I relocated our medicine cabinet from our master bedroom to an upper kitchen cabinet. I made our medicine cabinet functional and pretty with labels:

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