Which means this time last year, we woke up to a surprise snowstorm…
… that resulted in our UHaul slipping into the gutter of our old driveway (more on that here).
Man, it feels like that was just yesterday. John and I still remember every word of that truck-snafu conversation…
JOHN: Hey Sherry. Walk-through went fine. They’re off to go close and I’m headed to the new house.
SHERRY: Okay, be very careful. It’s snowy out there so drive as slow as you need, even if people are honking at you. Just take your time.
JOHN: I will. Don’t worry.
SHERRY: Great. I just don’t want you ending up in a ditch or anything.
[HANG UP, SHERRY GOES TO PUT HER PHONE DOWN BUT IT IMMEDIATELY RINGS AGAIN.]
JOHN: Crap, the truck is in a ditch and I think I knocked over the mailbox.
SHERRY: You’re kidding right?
[END SCENE, FADE TO BLACK]
On the other hand, it kinda feels like we’ve lived here forever. And sometimes we forget little things about the old house (like where a certain light switch was located, or whether a door swung in or out to open). And that makes it feel like we haven’t lived there in a very very long time. Then again, there are a few light switches here that are still a complete mystery to us, so this house can’t be too “old” to us yet, seeing as there are probably going to be more discoveries as we renovate and decorate and spread out into a few rooms that we haven’t even started to really live in yet as our family grows (like the sunroom and the playroom for example). And no, that’s not a baby-on-the-way hint Mom! But back to reminiscing… it’s so weird to look back a year in our archives and see what our first house looked like empty:
Some of the angles that we shot it without furniture were never possible with furniture, like this one (I stood where the media cabinet used to be)…
You can check out more empty first house pics here. Now let’s take a look back at how our current house looked exactly a year ago on move in day (I literally ran around snapping these pics with our rented UHaul waiting to be unloaded in the driveway):
You can check out more empty house pics here. The funny thing is that a few of those spaces have come a looong way in 365 days…
… while others are virtually untouched (like all of our bathrooms). And a few other rooms haven’t been tackled at all except for plopping down furniture or using them to store a bunch of stuff that we have to garage sale/craigslist (like the sunroom and the playroom):
You can see a full play by play of “before” and “progress” pics here (and all the before and after pics from our first house here). But enough looking back, let’s attempt to peer into the future. We thought it would be fun to list a few of the projects that we have in mind (after we wrap things up in the kitchen in a few months of course), just in broad strokes (there have been a bunch of requests for an updated Listy Mclisterson post, so we’ll have to do that soon for ya in more detail with some fun red cross outs). In the meantime, here’s what we have in mind for taking this still very much in progress house a little further in year two (and beyond!):
- build a wooden deck for dining (beyond the glass sliding doors in the hallway right next to the kitchen)
- convert the carport into a garage (that’s going to be one of those big with-the-help-of-a-contractor projects)
- build a trellis arch/pergola around the new garage door so it’s all lush and pretty
- build a big media cabinet to balance the large console table that we built on the other side of the room (and a bench for the foot of the bed and a cabinet for the inset-wall in the master bedroom?)
- refinish the floors in our bedroom (along with the other wood ones in most of the house, but we can’t do them all at once since we need a place to offset furniture)
- add wainscoting to the hallway that leads to the nursery, playroom, and guest room
- actually paint/furnish/use the sunroom
- actually paint/furnish/use the playroom
- redo/update/spruce up all three of the bathrooms (with varying degrees of actual renovation – some just need a little cosmetic stuff)
- continue tweaking rooms like the living room, dining room, nursery, bedroom, guest room (all of which have entire walls devoid of frames and key items of furniture missing)
- create a defined entryway with a large buffet, art, and a rug by the front door (among other things)
- add crown molding to a bunch of spaces (like the playroom, nursery, guest room, etc)
- double side the fireplace in the kitchen so we can enjoy it in the living room as well
- build a backyard swingset/playset along with a pimped sandbox for the bean (and a play kitchen, and a dollhouse – so many bean plans)
- paint the siding/trim/shutters on the house along with framing out the porch columns so they’re chunky and square (and add another light near the door, stain the concrete, etc)
- take on tons o’ outdoor landscaping stuff (in the front, side, back, and beyond)
- build in the master bathroom vanity so it’s symmetrical (for more concealed storage since we don’t sit there and use it as a vanity)
- build some raised beds in the side/back for an edible garden
- retrofit the daybed in the playroom so a trundle bed can be slipped under it for future bean sleepovers or overflow guests
- add french doors between the dining room and the office (for privacy and added architecture)
- change the roofline out front (add some peaks for dimension and to make it more cohesive with the house’s shape from the back)
- DIY a pool someday (John thinks this idea is insane, mind you)
Of course we’ll do a lot of this stuff over the course of the next few years (our first house took us 4.5 years to finish) so there’s no rush. We just like to remember to relaxxxxxx. Seriously, you can get all crazy and stressed and frustrated if you rush through things instead of taking projects one day and one small victory at a time and remembering to enjoy the ride. And we couldn’t ask for more amazing people to have in the car (the house?) with us. Wait, that sounded weird. We just mean that we’re so honored and excited to have you guys drop in and encourage us as we go. So thanks! You all have a huuuge part in keeping our morale and our momentum up, so we owe you at least ten holiday cookies each. With extra icing and sprinkles. Picture yourself enjoying every last crumb (remember, fantasizing about eating ten cookies = zero calories).
Oh and as for the method to our “project order,” we don’t really have one. We jump around from room to room to stay excited and keep things from feeling monotonous or overwhelming. After a big project (or a string of big projects) sometimes we’re happy to take a breather and tackle the little stuff for a while. And other times we’re psyched to keep our momentum up and start planning the next big undertaking right away. Who knows what’s next. Gotta keep trucking on the kitchen for a while, so who knows what we’ll be in the mood for when the renovating dust clears in there. But one thing’s for sure… if year two is half as exciting and rewarding and memorable as year one in this house, we’ll be over the moon. Is it weird to love a house like it’s a member of the family? What do you guys hope to tackle in the coming year (and beyond!)? Every time you read “and beyond” do you think of Buzz Lightyear, or is that just me?
Psst- Clara is obsessed with big dogs and has no concept of personal space. More on that here.
Anna says
Happy Housiversary!
We moved into our new home 6 days after you did so will be celebrating ours soon enough. We also have that bizarre “been here forever but only just arrived” feeling. I must say I have never felt so settled in a home as this one and I think the DIY we have been doing is what makes the difference. We did very little in our last places to make them ‘ours’ but this place is getting lots of changes done to it as we plan on being here a long time.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, that’s so awesome to hear! I totally agree that when you pour some love/work/sweat into things, they can definitely make you feel more settled and at home!
xo,
s
Joy says
It has been so much fun watching you grow your house.. your family.. I love Burger.. but I am partial I have two little Chihuahuaa.. well one is a Malchi but love them.. Bug and Ellie. I love your blog and finally had a minute to read about how you met.. another fun read.. I dont have cable right now so I have been streaming Netflix.. I am running out of things to watch so my cousin said to try Mad Men.. I am sure you have heard of it. But seeing that made me chuckle .. So was working at an AD Agency anything like that? :) no need to check out my blog I just cant get back into it. Oh and Congratulations!
YoungHouseLove says
The funny thing is that we tried to watch Mad Men back when it came out and we just couldn’t do it! The bitter disappointment of clients turning down awesome work during pitches got to us. Haha. Although there was not nearly as much drinking and smoking (although I’d definitely describe the ad world in NYC as high-pressure, so there was a fair amount of blowing off steam after work – usually at 11 or 12 because 14-16 hour days were kind of the norm). It was a Mad Mad world. Oh and not as much formal attire either. Haha.
xo,
s
alex says
Just a general…merry wonderment?….does it bother you that you have like 5 different types of flooring or do you like how it makes the rooms unique, which I do think is neat, especially your bedroom floors? The floors in your old house were so gorgeous and ran through the whole house…do you ever see yourselves making the floors match (besides the kitchen) in your new house?
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, we have a little bullet in there about refinishing them all eventually since we’d love for them all to have the same rich mocha color (which we believe will really unify things, even if some of them are wide plank or parquet). It took us a few years at the first house to get to that (moving all the furniture is a big job!) so we figure it’ll hopefully happen eventually!
xo,
s
Natasha says
Good to know I’m not the only one who thinks of Buzz Lightyear when I read “and beyond” haha!
Regan @ RenovatingRothenbergers says
Congrats on 1 year in your home! I’m always impressed by how much you manage to get done! It takes us a million times longer to finish projects over here.
Seriously though, you should DIY a pool!! :) I’d be all over that!
Heather says
That’s a ton of progress in one year! Love it and congrats :-)
Diana @ Boy + Girl says
I can’t believe it’s already been a year! It’s flown by! Do you ever miss your old house?
-Diana
YoungHouseLove says
We definitely always have a special place in our hearts for the old house, but we’re so smitten with our current one that we never wish we were living anywhere else. I think we both know that house was so important for so many things in our lives (bringing home our first baby, starting this blog, adopting Burger, getting married in the front yard, etc) but we definitely were getting cramped once we all were working from home in a tiny room that also doubled as a playroom and a guest room (the house only had one full bathroom, which was pretty hard to juggle since we have relatives from out of town staying with us quite often). It was the perfect little first house though. We love that we had those wonderful years there!
xo,
s
renee says
Happy 1 year “House Anniversary”! It is amazing how many projects you have tackled over the past year. Your house is shaping up nicely & I can’t wait to see the finished kitchen project!!! Merry Christmas to all @ YHL!
Jennifer Spadaro says
You have made so much progress it’s crazy! Especially now that you’ve broken through the wall and have started with the kitchen. It’s looking amazing so far!
Megan says
Wow you’ve done a whole lot in just one year! We’ve been at our house for six months and have managed to change two light fixtures, that’s it. I’m just throwing this out there but I think your dining room chair covers would look great in a dark gray. Somehow the brown chairs just don’t look right with all the cool colors surrounding them.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- that’s funny because we mentioned planning to dye them a deep charcoal color back in the comments. Someday!
xo,
s
Jordan@the2seasons says
Congrats on the year mark. We just hit ours a couple weeks ago. It has been fun to see everything you all have done. It helps keep me motivated over here! Thanks for letting us follow along.
Paige says
Happy Houseiversary!
Our ultimate home goal for 2012 is to sell our condo and move into a house. But if that’s still not going to work (dratted housing market), then we’re going to build a custom vanity in the bathroom and take a stab at an entertainment center.
Megan says
I am so obsessed with your beautiful family and as a new home owner, I’m so excited to start doing some of these great projects! I’m glad we aren’t the only crazy ones who bought a house in the winter time! I’ve got my fingers crossed we don’t take out a mailbox in the process! Keep on inspiring!
Nicola says
I predict that by the time you get to do / use the playroom it will be time to turn it into a nursery. Think about efficiency, you don’t wanna make it over only to redo the whole thing a year later.
YoungHouseLove says
We’re thinking that the nursery we have now will remain a nursery for the next kiddo (possibly with a few tweaks if it’s a boy obviously) so we’ll probably turn the playroom into a big girl room for Clara that still has lots of toys and things for her to play with (so we won’t have to redo much if we end up converting a playroom into a big girl room).
xo,
s
Ashley @ House on Pender says
Excited about the sneak peak at future projects! The list looks like it is full of fun and hard work – can’t wait to see how they turn out.
Elizabeth says
Hey guys! I was wondering, any chance you can do a “moving up” type deal and will the new owners of your old house let you take pictures of the progress they’ve made, and the changes they made in your old house? It always looks so cool – Katie Bower did it with her old house’s new renter, and it was cool to see things from a totally different perspective!
YoungHouseLove says
I wish! We left the ball in their court about that (they know we have a blog and all that) but have yet to hear from them! We do know that they only planned to live there two years (it was a relocation for work from out of state thing) so maybe when they sell in a year we can walk through the open house and take a million photos for everyone (with their permission of course)!
xo,
s
kathy says
We are coming up on one year in February and I have gotten a lot less done than you guys haha! I seriously just finished the guest room enough so people can actually sleep in it last week (that project was 8 months in the making). I honestly didn’t realize how expensive having a house is. I mean, obviously I knew there was money involved, but I guess I was under prepared for how little my husband and I own and what it would take to “outfit” a house. Thus, the house is full of half-completed projects. Completing the guest room has given me a bit more motivation to work on other area as well. I’m hoping to throw a combo housewarming/hubs 30th bday party in late February so the place needs to look somewhat hospitable!
best of luck to you guys in year 2! can’t wait to see what ya’ll accomplish!
candace says
You’ve come a looong way in a year! I’m amazed at your light speed progress!
Pam says
I can totally relate to your comment of your house being around a while but not long enough that you still don’t find new light switches that stump you. We moved in our house in July and are still having outlet and switch fun – especially when we put up Christmas lights a few weeks ago. I think some of the most fun of renovation is looking at and figuring out the ‘upgrades’ previous owners. Congrats on all your progress so far! :)
Justine says
Wow, I forgot just how much you accomplished this year! You guys are such an inspiration.
Jenna at Homeslice says
Wow. It seems like yesterday that I was reading that truck-stuck-in-a-ditch post! Weird! Congrats you two!
Genelle says
I’m amazed at all you’ve accomplished in one year! Great job! I can’t wait to see what the kitchen looks like when you’ve finished it.
On a side note, I realized while reading this post that my parents would probably love your blog. I’m going to send the link to them. They have been “slowly” building an addition onto their house for the past 7 years. It is massive! Two stories, one and a half times the depth of their current home and as wide as a four stall garage. This is the third time they’ve added onto the house. The other additions were when I was in middle and high school (So 15-20 years ago. Gosh! I’m old!)but all of them are DIY. My parents do the design/blueprint themselves, and will occasionally hire a handyman to help with some jobs, but my dad is the “contractor” (it’s not his actual vocation, but he does a great job) and does the majority of the work himself. I’m amazed at all they can do (both in their fifties!) and hope that someday I’m as adventurous as they are when I own my own single family home.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw that’s amazing! Good for them!
xo,
s
Claire @ Claire K Creations says
You guys certainly have a lot to be proud of. What a year of achievements!
Katie K. says
Sherry, I LOVE your house(s)! There’s so much about your style that speaks to me. I wish you would come play at my house and make it pretty like yours. I am so NOT a DIY’er, so I’m tres jealous of all the great work you guys do to personalize your homes. As soon as we get some paint up on our walls, I am going to pay homage to your hallway frame wall. I can’t wait!
Thanks for all your great ideas, and I second the “Happy Homiversary” post! :D
kelly says
Thanks for the clarification on the playroom thing. I get what you are saying now, that the playroom will become Clara’s new room and the nursery will be the nursery for a new kiddo if you have another one. I think most people around here keep their kids in the same room for consistency that is why I was confused.
Thanks for the info, and I can’t wait to see the playroom/big girl room. We have always had a no toy rule in the bedroom, but I know my family is weird like that. But we have a family room that really is only a playroom and I would love to make it over some day. Right now we have ikea shelving in there (All my friends have the same unit we do, because it fits bins so nicely). I am hoping to redo the room with built-ins that have a desk space for the girls to do their homework at when they get older, so they are close to me in the kitchen.
Good luck and I can’t wait to see the playroom for the Clara! I have been waiting a whole year for you guys to tackle that, and I feel like it could be a fun change for you.
Cynthia says
Happy Move-In Anniversary!
So every time I see your $6 cabinets, I sit and stare at them. Time passes. Admiration, Awe, Jealousy–I go through a whole range of emotions. You got super-lucky on that find, you did Fantastic work that made it look easy, and they look kickin’.
I LOVE the idea of the French doors to the office area. Definition AND Light Flow? Oh Yeah.
Oh, and maybe I missed a post, but I’m wondering about the floors. It seems like the rooms adjacent to the kitchen have both standard wood floors and parquet, and I probably can’t even imagine the expense involved in changing that…its just that since the wall has come down, it seems like the difference in flooring is really emphasized. Obviously you’re the ones living in the home, and we’re just enjoying it from afar, but I was wondering if perhaps you could post about the flooring plans and how it will look? I’m sure if anyone can pull it off, it’s you guys. Just wondering.
Thank you and Happy Holidays!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, we have down-the-line plans to refinish all the floors in a rich mocha stain that should unify them a lot (they might have different widths since the ones in our bedroom are extra wide and the ones in the living room are parquet, but the same color value throughout should work wonders!). Someday!
xo,
s
Firesparx says
We’re closing in on the 1 year anniversary of moving into our new house and we too can’t believe it’s been a year. What amazes me still is that the first night we slept in our new house (on a mattress on the floor of course) it felt like Home. Stopping in on the construction every day really helped make it feel like ours and not some building. Your before and after shots put ours to shame (most of our rooms are the same as the day we moved in!), but I have to keep reminding myself that we need to go at our own pace and enjoy the adventure.
YoungHouseLove says
Yes! Take your time and have fun and enjoy every moment! The in-progress stage is the most fun of all! So much possibility…
xo,
s
Jamie says
Congratulations!
Interesting to see the progress pictures of your new place. I feel like we haven’t seen the sunroom since you moved in!
Kimberly says
Do any of your mystery switches operate outlets? That’s what all of our mystery switches do. Took some trial and error to figure it out.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, we keep trying! One in the kitchen we’re convinced doesn’t do anything. We have tried every outlet and… nada!
xo,
s
busymama says
Where did you get the sectional and green rug in the living room?love!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks! Here’s that post for ya: https://www.younghouselove.com/2011/12/living-room-cha-cha-cha-changes/
xo,
s
Breeanna says
I can’t believe it’s been a whole year! I remember last year when you were house hunting. I’m glad I get to read along with your adventures!