In December of 2014 we purchased our “new” home. We fell in love the the area, especially our lot. We have about 2/3 of an acre with a very private wooded backyard that is frequently visited by deer.
It is an amazing area that makes us feel like we are vacationing at a mountain retreat. Across the street from our home there is a small stream and we are in a ravine surrounded by trees, it’s quite picturesque!
Now the house we knew would need a major overhaul, to say the least. There was not one thing in this house that was my style, and the layout didn’t work for me either.
We moved in the day after Christmas and began the demo. The majority of the main living area was completed the first year, which included relocating the kitchen and changing the layout for the living area. Sit back and enjoy the journey with us.

Here we are the day we closed on our house. Excited for the adventure and fun that lies ahead. This home was an estate sale and the exterior had been somewhat neglected. We didn’t quite realize all the work that needed to be done on the exterior as well, until spring rolled around. Stay tuned, because the exterior doesn’t look like this anymore either. Now we’ll start with a tour of the changes that have been made to the interior bringing it into the 21st century!

As you step through the front door into our entry way, you will find a large hutch that I refinished with milk paint and wallpaper. We use this cabinet to hold books (we have a lot of books) as well as a few mementos.
The entryway also it a perfect place to share a few of our favorite photos. There is also a place to sit down and put your shoes on.

The living room features the calming colors of peacock blue and green. I love the outdoors and throughout my home you will find items that reflect that.
The drapery not only echos the blue and green from the room, but the motif is birds. I love to fill each room with plants as well.
This room as amazing 17′ ceilings as well as a large picture window with an amazing view. This room is always filled with amazing light.

I had the opportunity to create my dream kitchen in this space, which was once a den, complete with fireplace and built-in bookcases. You would never guess that now.
I wanted lots of counter space and plenty of room to have several cooks in the kitchen. I design a 4′ x 6′ island with storage on both sides.
The custom cabinetry features many deep drawers which make organizing a breeze. The cabinetry also extends all the way to the ceiling, creating more storage. In fact there is so much storage space in my kitchen, there is still room for more. 😉
One of my favorite elements was the custom venthood, flanked by 2 cabinets with seeded glass. A spot to add an element of decor.
My favorite color combination is black and white. I choose white cabinetry with an island stained in Midnight. The countertops are black granite on the perimeter and for the island Quartz that resembles Carrara marble.

The dining area is next to the kitchen where there is a bay window, which allows my dining table to expand to seat 12.
The dining chairs are vintage and painted in a fun turquoise blue. There is a unique iron and glass chandelier that I picked up from my local classifieds.

What was once the formal dining room and kitchen became our new family room area. A wall was removed, creating a great open floor plan.
A fireplace is always a must in every home for me. We installed a fireplace with built-in bookcases in the former dining room area.

We love the cozy sectional that is the perfect spot to gather with family for fun and games. There is a vintage style rug that anchors the room.
All of the floors throughout the main living area is a wide plank high end laminate that makes for easy care.
On the wall above the sectional I have curated a gallery wall of old family homes. I have been able to find old photos of family homes going back about 125 years. It makes for a great conversation.

The master bedroom was actually the first room we completed. I knew I would need some place to retreat to that was clean and peaceful during this renovation. I choose Behr smokey slate as the wall color.

The main guest bath got a budget friendly makeover using my favorite color combo, black and white.

Welcome to our guest room! This room is primarily for my favorite guests, my grandchildren. Not that I don’t love having other guests, but this room is really for the kiddos. I knew I wanted this room to be bright, colorful, happy and just a fun place to be. I think I have accomplished that with this energetic room.

On this side of the room is storage for books, toys and a few vintage items. The dramatic black and white chair add some energy to the room and it’s a great place to cuddle up and read a book.