Home Reno Listy McListerson

Here is as photo tour of our new home along with a list of what we are dreaming to do for our future projects. This will become our "list document" to keep you, and ourselves, updated and moving forward in our home updates. Of course this will be a LONG work in progress and I suspect that this list will evolve, change, and grow as we travel along this reno journey, but it's a good spot to start and it helps both ourselves, and you to see the BIG vision that we have for our new home!

NOTE: This is a LONG post! You have been warned!

The Front Yard (40% complete)

Before - right after we bought it.
It isn't the greatest picture to really show the over growness ... but you can see the two scaggly little pine trees that were blocking the beautiful rodedendrum bush and the random plants in the ivy. Also, a lot of the ivy around the edges was hanging over and looking pretty rough over all.

Current

• Trimmed the ivy 
• No scraggly pine trees
• Cleaned out stragglers in the Ivy
• Cut down two low hanging branches from the front tree to allow for more sunlight and to see the house better from the road
• I didn't get a before picture of the driveway kicking myself but KC cleaned this up BIG TIME! We didn't even know there was a rock wall under all of it! ha! 

To Do: 

• Clean out the gutters 
• Flower boxes off of the deck 
• Paint the front door 
• Eventually match the trim and garage door to the color of the house 
• Perhaps WAY down the road change the color of the house - think dark New England style

I actually cannot take ANY credit for the front yard. All of that goes to my handsome and muscular Paul Bunyon, the lumber man! 

Front Deck (5% Completed)

I have swept it, multiple times ... so that makes it 5% completed in my eyes :) 

To do: 

• Reinforce the railing with stronger screws (it's a little wobbly) 
• Obtain some deck furniture
• Hang flower boxes off the front 
• Create a box/create herb garden like this
• Get some sort of lighting out there

Back/Side Yard (45% Complete) 

Again, I don't have a before picture - ugh. 

Current:

• Trimmed all the ivy in the rail ties 
• Trimmed the bushes 
• Mowed the lawn 
• Spread out grass seed in patchy spots

To Do: 

• Spread mulch in the flower beds along the edge
• Plant flowers in flower beds 
• Get rid of/replace decrepit fence beside the deck 
• Add flower boxes or hanging baskets to side mini-porch 
• Clean out gutters

Back Patio (45% Complete) 

Current: 

• Hand - me - down lawn furniture (at least I can enjoy the patio now!) 
• Tiki Torches 
• Swept  Sweep every day! stink.
• Trimmed low hanging branches 
• Trimmed Japanese Tree 
• Trimmed Ivy on rail ties 
• Got the ground lighting working from previous owner (will probably need replacing soon since it shorts) 

To do: 

• Some sort of drain system because water puddles lakes form on brick if it rains
• New patio furniture 
• Italian inspired hanging patio lights like this
• Potted plants 
• Grill 
• Mulch along the edges 

Side Walkway (90% Complete) 

Current:

• Trimmed ivy back from the walk 
• Raked rocks 
• Removed sticks and logs 

To do: 

• Fix gutter crossing 
• Add some taller plants to hid the neighbors fence 
• Fix rock path so that the little rocks are not completly covering them 

Front Entrance (0% Complete) 

To do: 

• Repaint all of the walls 
• Paint the registers
• Match the two mixing wood colors? Or change the stair wood color like this? Paint railing white? Put a runner down? Something with the stairs ...
• Paint the door a bright color (yellow? teal?) similar entry to this or this
• Create a photo wall collage like this? OR wall paper with a bold design such as this or this? 

Living Room (0% Complete)

To Do: 

• Repaint walls 
• Add curtains and rods to the two sets of windows
• Repaint the fireplace  
• Get furniture! 
• Bring books up from the basement and add to bookshelves
• Rearrange and move some of the art to other rooms 
• Replace gold fireplace cover 

Dining Room (0% Complete) 

To do: 

• Paint the walls (we are leaving the ceiling green and painting the walls white) 
• Still deliberating on what to paint the trim .. or if we should do a two-tone looks similar to this or this
• New furniture - matching chair and table set, china hutch, low hutch like this ??
• Debating on the removal of the shutters... open for comment or opinion! 

Kitchen (1% Completed) 

BEFORE: This is what it looked like when we moved in 

Currently Underway: As of this very minute ... I am taking a break from cleaning to blog this update!

• Removed cabinet doors 
• Removed all hardware from doors and cabinets 
• Cleaned 10 of the 28 door fronts with paint thinner 

To do:

• Sand all of the doors and cabinets 
• Prime them 
• Paint two coats of paint color (white) on the doors and cabinets 
• Paint the walls (also white) 
• Change countertops to ikea butcher block like this
• New light fixture over the sink 
• Replace microwave (we have it in the basement already)
• New floor rugs 

Hallway/Basement Stairs (1% Complete) 

 Before

Current

To do: 

• Thinking about repainting them something fun and colorful OR just leaving them off and maybe repurposing them for something like this
• Repaint the walls 
• Replace the little sign on the bathroom door (circular object on first door) 
• Re-shelve the kitchen pantry (add shelf paper etc. like this) 
• Repaint the doors thinking something bright like this on at least one of the doors ?? 
• Add art to the walls 
• Change the light fixture 
• Hang something on the walls - Similar to this or this ??

Main Microscopic Half Bath  (0% Complete) 

To Do: 

• Repaint the wall above the tile (not sure on a color yet ... just white?) 
• Lower the mirror (I think giants lived here before us - I can't even see my forehead in this mirror!)
• Replace the scary light fixture!
• Build/create a little shelf to hold the soap better 
• New towel rack 
• New hand towel that will match black and white 
• Curtains??? 

Family Room (0% Complete) 

To Do: 

• Remove shelving units doors 
• Clean doors with paint thinner 
• Sand doors and cabinets
• Prime doors and cabinets
• Repaint the shelving unit and doors white 
• Replace all the hardware on the shelving unit 
• Purchase curtain for the sliding glass door and other two sets of windows 
• Repaint the walls (not sure on a color yet) 
• Purchase an area rug 
• Purchase furniture including a couch and TV stand 
• New lighting fixtures 

Upstairs Bathroom (0% Complete) 

 To Do:

• Remove wallpaper above tile 
• Repaint white? Blue? 
• Replace shower curtain hooks (the ones right now fall off every two seconds!) 
• Replace cabinet over toilet 
• Mini trash can 
• Add mini shelf for soap, toothbrushes, etc. 
• Organize bathroom closet like this :)
• New bathroom rugs that match and are less decrepit! 

Master Bedroom (0% Complete) 

To Do: 

• Repaint the walls and shelf unit (I am thinking of keeping the two toned look but changing the color) 
• Purchase an area rug
• create cushion for window seat
• Unpack books and place in shelves 
• Purchase and put up curtains or blinds for the three sets of windows (especially the one over our bed)
• New Bedspread eventually 
• Sitting chair, side table, lamp? 

Office/Craft Room/Britt's Closet Area (0% Completed) 

To Do: 

• Remove wall paper 
• Repaint (not sure on the color) 
• Unpack and set up desk, bookshelves, and craft table (my old island) 
• Unpack clothes and shoes into closet 
• Change the light fixture 
• Add area rugs 
• Create closet space similar to this 
• Create craft space like this or this

Guest Room #1 (0% Completed) 

To Do: 

• Remove wall paper 
• Repaint (not sure on the color) Thinking a design like this (I even own those curtains!) or this
• Purchase furniture, bed, dresser, night stand, lamp

Guest Room #2 (0% Completed) 

To Do: 

• Remove wall paper 
• Repaint (not sure on the color) Thinking a design like this or this 
• Purchase furniture, bed, dresser, night stand, lamp

So there she is. Our newest baby - and what a lot of plans we have for her! Thanks for peeking into our lives and our home. We will be making updates to this list often, and hope that you tune in to the posts we do as we tackle each project!