I have felt so sentimental all month, reminiscing about the last two years. I still remember walking through the house with Daniel, beginning to imagine what our lives might look like together. We loved the idea of buying a place to make our own, large enough to host family gatherings, and really build a shared home. At the time, many people said things like, “Wow, planning a wedding, first home purchase, and starting several DIY home improvement projects– are you sure that’s a good idea?” I remember my realtor specifically saying “Well, if you can survive home renovations, marriage should be a breeze.”
Painting and yard work might not be romantic, but it strengthened our relationship in ways I could not have anticipated. Before getting married I hated the expression “She’s marrying her best friend.” It seemed so cheesy, and quite frankly not true. I have so many amazing women in my life, it was inconceivable that a man could fill that role. While Daniel is still not my go-to for girly stuff like Downton Abbey, he really has become a “best friend” and a true partner. We have shared so many ridiculous, beautiful, and joyful experiences in this house–I can’t imagine sharing life with anyone else.
Here’s a recap of some of our favorite moments from the last two years
My favorite room makeover:
The living room was our first big makeover, and it still is my favorite project. With the right paint and a little TLC, the living room embodies the hallmarks of a cozy, inviting space. I truly adore the “grey-eige” color– it’s cool, and yet warm all at the same time. I love the furniture in the room too– the hand-me-down sofa and love seat from my sister, the Costco arm chairs, the church rummage sale desk, the Ottoman from the Habitat re-store in Charleston, and my curb alert antique trunk. None of it was meant to be together, and yet it all works.
Most-improved Award:
I cannot tell you how badly I wanted to paint the ugly knotty pine walls when I purchased the house. To me, wood paneling conjures images of crappy old bars and weird vacation homes. Daniel however is very much pro-paneling and insisted we find a way to update the room while keeping the warm, knotty pine. We settled on white-washing the fireplace and adding white-painted built-in shelves. Now the den totally embodies the Hygge life. It’s perfect for watching a favorite show, reading a book, getting lost in a conversation, or drinking too much tea.
The best instant gratification project:
Easy pick– tearing down the disguising, broken shower door in the master bathroom. Truly I think that went down within the first few days after I moved in. Fortunately the tile was in good shape after the removal. A simple shower rod, was all that was needed to transform from B-list horror movie, to B-list 60s bathroom awaiting it’s permanent makeover.
Most disgusting Makeover
Dealing with the woodpile in the backyard is easily the most horrifying thing I have ever done. Truly, I’m not sure if I have ever screamed so much in my life. If it wasn’t my house, you couldn’t have paid me enough money to touch it. Amidst the logs in various states of decay, we found plywood, bricks, several ant colonies, at least two snakes, and way too many scary-big spiders to count. Sure wish the last owners kept their fire wood in a covered area, or perhaps just chucked the stuff into the woods in the first place. I imagine they planned to have some glorious bonfire that just never happened.
Favorite Wildlife Sightings
Growing up in Suburban hell, I never have seen so many critters in my backyard. Once I was sitting on the porch with Daniel and saw an owl swoop down (probably to pick up a vole) in the front yard. That would NEVER happen in my old neighborhood in Burke Center! I love looking out the window to see deer, woodpeckers, cardinals, squirrels– makes me feel like I’m away in the woods while still being a quick 10 minutes from Downtown Richmond.
Finding My Green Thumb
My whole life my parents have been active gardeners. In the house I grew up in, my dad managed a huge vegetable garden and I loved watching the sunflowers and pumpkins grow as a kid. My mom has always planted beautiful flower beds, a mix of hardy perennials and sunny annuals for pops of color. Honestly, they made gardening look so easy. Who knew how difficult it would be to build flower beds from scratch? Well, actually, I guess a lot of people know that and that’s why it costs significantly more to buy a house with mature landscaping.
I have really enjoyed experimenting with different things in the garden– seeing what worked and what didn’t. Turns out I’m not much of a vegetable gardener, but I have loved building flower beds along the front of the house.
Thanks for reading & I hope you enjoyed my little walk through the last two years.
XOXO,
Kari