First off, Happy Texas Independence day to my fellow Texans out there! :) I've always told Tate he could move me wherever he wanted just as long as we didn't leave Texas! Good thing he agrees with me.
Moving on.
I think anytime you buy or rent a new house there is always something you wish were different about it whether it be gutting an entire room or something simple like the color of a wall. There always seems to be something you would have done differently. When we first started looking at homes here the one we were living in didn't even seem like an option to me. I had my heart set on another one and when the sellers pulled out from the offer I was devastated. We had looked at our house once and not one single thing appealed to me - small kitchen, wood paneling EVERYWHERE, terrible carpet, awful wallpaper, tiny closets, old appliances, ugly blinds - nothing! I guess there is one thing I liked - the front door because I would be seeing my way out to never return. When the above sell fell through (that was our 3rd offer) I was ready to call it quits. My realtor called me a few days later and asked me to meet her at this house alone. She said the house had charm and a ton of potential but I thought she was crazy. To please her though, I met her. Before we even walked through the house she told me to close my eyes in each room, imagine it being a different color with my furniture in it and throw in some life (the dogs, B's toys, cups on the counter, etc) and then open my eyes to the room. If after that I still had no desire for the house we'd start over.
Moving on.
I think anytime you buy or rent a new house there is always something you wish were different about it whether it be gutting an entire room or something simple like the color of a wall. There always seems to be something you would have done differently. When we first started looking at homes here the one we were living in didn't even seem like an option to me. I had my heart set on another one and when the sellers pulled out from the offer I was devastated. We had looked at our house once and not one single thing appealed to me - small kitchen, wood paneling EVERYWHERE, terrible carpet, awful wallpaper, tiny closets, old appliances, ugly blinds - nothing! I guess there is one thing I liked - the front door because I would be seeing my way out to never return. When the above sell fell through (that was our 3rd offer) I was ready to call it quits. My realtor called me a few days later and asked me to meet her at this house alone. She said the house had charm and a ton of potential but I thought she was crazy. To please her though, I met her. Before we even walked through the house she told me to close my eyes in each room, imagine it being a different color with my furniture in it and throw in some life (the dogs, B's toys, cups on the counter, etc) and then open my eyes to the room. If after that I still had no desire for the house we'd start over.
Y'all, she was so right! Our house was built in the 70's so the layout isn't something I wanted but it was common then. The kitchen is tiny and that's something we won't be able to change. The closets are small but they work. But the bedrooms are huge! The living room is huge! The walls, wallpaper and carpet can totally be fixed! This house does have so much potential and I am glad I get to be the one to start the renovating of it. Since this won't be our forever home, I can get it started for another family to love later.
Linking up with Jenn and Jessi for What's Hap-pinning Wednesday.
We both agreed on the living room and a fresh coat of paint in each room as our first priority. We are counting the hallway and entry way as the living room also because they will all be the same paint/trim/outlet covers. My inspiration now, then you'll see what the living room originally looked like on down. I'll show the after pictures when it's complete!
I would have never picked those colors together but after playing around with swatches and spending nearly an hour in Lowes looking at gray, they work! Our furniture is that color brown so I was set on a cream color, the gray is the color Tate picked. I was so against gray and brown but after finding inspiration from pinterest I'm in love! I'm so glad we went with the gray because the cream would have taken forever to cover the wood. The navy is the other main color and the other 3 are accents.
My first inspiration photo... this is what I based the entire living room off of. After Tate accidentally ( I use that loosely because I think he meant to do this) painted the trim gray also, I kinda liked it instead of white.
Although I wouldn't use yellow, I love the idea of a colored pocket door! Tate wants to get rid of it but I love this!
The color we've picked out for our floors.
This won't be a 'do now' project but I'm hoping to paint our doors white or replace them with white doors. I think the white will brighten up the gray and floors.
Where I got the inspiration for the accent colors.
To see all these pins and more check out my Living Room board on Pinterest.
Sidenote: The house was never on the market. To make a long story short the lady lived in a nursing home and her family had little by little began moving things so the house was never "complete" when we started looking therefore I have no other before pictures other than the ones I took.
Here are the before pictures:
We both agreed on the living room and a fresh coat of paint in each room as our first priority. We are counting the hallway and entry way as the living room also because they will all be the same paint/trim/outlet covers. My inspiration now, then you'll see what the living room originally looked like on down. I'll show the after pictures when it's complete!
I would have never picked those colors together but after playing around with swatches and spending nearly an hour in Lowes looking at gray, they work! Our furniture is that color brown so I was set on a cream color, the gray is the color Tate picked. I was so against gray and brown but after finding inspiration from pinterest I'm in love! I'm so glad we went with the gray because the cream would have taken forever to cover the wood. The navy is the other main color and the other 3 are accents.
My first inspiration photo... this is what I based the entire living room off of. After Tate accidentally ( I use that loosely because I think he meant to do this) painted the trim gray also, I kinda liked it instead of white.
Although I wouldn't use yellow, I love the idea of a colored pocket door! Tate wants to get rid of it but I love this!
The color we've picked out for our floors.
This won't be a 'do now' project but I'm hoping to paint our doors white or replace them with white doors. I think the white will brighten up the gray and floors.
Where I got the inspiration for the accent colors.
To see all these pins and more check out my Living Room board on Pinterest.
Sidenote: The house was never on the market. To make a long story short the lady lived in a nursing home and her family had little by little began moving things so the house was never "complete" when we started looking therefore I have no other before pictures other than the ones I took.
Here are the before pictures:
Entry way
Looking into the living room from the entry way.
Looking into the living room from the dining room.
Looking into the living room from the hallway (pocket door).
Fireplace.. obvious! Ha!
Hallway. The far right of the picture is that pocket door that leads into the living room.
Now, enough pictures. Here's our checklist:
Living Room, Entry Way, Hallway
// paint wood paneling and walls - Check - Valspar Silver Dollar
// new floors (living room and hallway) - almost! We've decided and bought just haven't done it
// white wash fireplace - changed my mind because I like it how it is :)
// new curtains and blinds - curtains - check! I found some I love on Zulily, blinds - in the works
// rug and throw pillows - this is the pillow above but I think it's too big. I've found some super cute pillows and rugs at Home Goods I may get.
// paint trim (white or gray) - I thought white but after Tate "accidentally" painted gray, I kinda like it
// fire place screen - I found a few things I like on pinterest but we haven't decided
// new ceiling fan and light fixtures - I like these for the hallway and entry way and we can't decide on a ceiling fan
// collage wall - will this every really be complete?
// entry way table and decor - have a bookshelf for now, working on decor
// doors - replace or paint? I love the look of the white doors and I think they'll look great with or without white trim
// pocket door - Tate wants to get rid of it, I like it. We'll see.
// outlet and light covers - haven't found them yet but I what a brushed nickel
// outlet and light covers - haven't found them yet but I what a brushed nickel
Whew! That was a lot - sorry! But I'm super excited about finishing this up and can't wait to show y'all the finished look!
