- Julianne 4 Comments

One Little Word {Happy 2016}

Every house that Jeremy and I have owned has been older and in need of a lot of renovation. Each one has taken a little bit longer than the last to “finish,” with most of the work getting done once it’s time to move and therefore, get ready to sell. This time around, a good chunk on the work was done before we moved in. However, the rest of it (and there is still quite a bit) is progressing very slowly. When things are in upheaval like this, I tend to put off decorating. We have lived here for a year and a half and the only thing that I have hung up on the wall is a calendar. I didn’t put anything on the built in shelves in the living room for the longest time because they still need another coat of paint. I finally just decided that I would rather have to remove all of my books from the shelves when it came time to paint than keep them sitting in boxes any longer. These kind of things make a house feel more like a home. It bothers me that I don’t have pictures on the walls. It bothers me that I have a guest bathroom that has unfinished walls (read: wallpaper removed and haven’t gotten around to repairing and painting said walls), peeling vinyl flooring, and no toilet paper holder. Okay, that last thing is mostly a life-with-a-toddler thing (We used to have one, I just have no idea where the thing even is right now), but still… The point is, all of this adds up to me not opening up my home to friends and family because I want all of these things done first. It drives Jeremy crazy. In all honesty, it drives me crazy too.

So, all of this to say that my one little word for this year is “open.” This goes beyond opening up my home to others regardless of the state it’s in, but that is a huge part of it. I have always loved hosting friends and family in my home. I used to be a part of an epic dinner exchange when I lived in Dallas. I’ve never lived in another place with such an emphasis on eating out All. The. Time. My circle of friends decided to take turns hosting each other in our homes and cooking instead. I miss that. I miss crowding around the table and playing nertz and other fun games with friends. So, this year, I’m going to be open to hosting in my not-so-perfect home. Who wants to come over first? I promise not to say, “Sorry the house is such a mess,” or point out the boards coming up in the kitchen under the sink. As long as you do the same for me. Invite me into your not-so-perfect life and don’t apologize for the mess. Deal?

As I mentioned before, “open” applies to more than just opening my home. I’m open to choosing one little word. This isn’t the first year I have heard about this concept, but it’s the first year I am participating. I’m open to new ideas, challenges and opportunities. I’m open to meeting new people and even being set up on a blind “mom date.” Yes, that happened. And when I read the Facebook message, instead of pretending that I didn’t see it, I responded (gasp!). I’m not going to lie, I was still tempted to just pretend I forgot all about it and let it be forgotten by all parties involved, but I am proud to say that I did not do that. As nervous and hesitant as I am about making new friends, I realize that it is something I need (and want!) to be open to. I’m open to taking a health-related step that I have been putting off for two and a half years. I’m open to putting myself out there. I’m open to taking the first step.

Open heart.
Open mind.
Open book.
Open road.
Open.
Wide open.

Bring it on!

- Julianne Leave a comment

{Friday Refresh} A new beginning

I posted the first Friday ReFresh post almost one year ago with the intention of showing updates of our home remodel. Then our remodel kind of stalled, or at least it is going much slower than I had anticipated or hoped. It turns out that having a toddler in the house is not very conducive to things like redoing floors, painting, or completely gutting the only bathroom with a bathtub. Luckily we were able to get quite a bit of the work done before we moved, including replacing the ductwork, repairing the drywall, painting, etc. However, we still have so much more to do. My hope of a series dedicated to home reno projects seemed to have floated away like a kite without a string. Then I began thinking about all of the different ways to refresh. You can refresh yourself, your wardrobe, a piece of furniture, a routine, a perspective…the list goes on.

So the Friday ReFresh is officially reinstated, just no longer limited to home remodel projects. I love a good before and after and I look forward to coming up with weekly ways to refresh my mind, home, wardrobe, decor, and even my blog. I hope you will come back next week for a post that will be about refreshing my workspace.

What would you like to refresh? Is there anything in particular you would like me to address in this series? I really would appreciate your input on this endeavor. It can be anything! I will try my best to use your replies in a Friday ReFresh post.

(Sharing at Idea Box Thursday)

- Julianne 3 Comments

{Friday ReFresh} Our home remodel

Looking back at the before photos of our home, I was so shocked at how much of a
turnaround we have made to this place in just 6 months. I couldn’t help but want to
share. This will be the first in a series of posts chronicling our home remodel. Today I’m starting with a doozy–the living room.

The living room was a dark, wallpapered mess from the peeling wood laminate floors to the smoke-stained ceiling. After painting the ceiling, the first thing that had to be done in this room was to remove the wallpaper. Under the wallpaper was paneling that had been given a skim coat of drywall mud for a smoother texture. Once the wallpaper was removed, the skim coat had to be repaired in many areas of the wall before we could even think about painting. Once that dried, the walls were painted and primed in a medium gray. The trim, including a new windowsill, was refreshed with Clark & Kensington’s Silent White.

Instead of repairing the wall behind the bookcases that flank the fireplace, Jeremy replaced the drywall completely and it was painted to match the gray walls. The bookcases were then painted in the same white as the trim. The fireplace itself received a fresh coat of paint as well. Also, isn’t it amazing how just removing a dated piece of trim across the top of the fireplace made it look 10 times more modern!

Finally, the flooring was replaced with a light blond wood laminate to tie in with the modern feel of the room. With an exploring toddler in the house, we also added some safety features like tamper-resistant outlets and a new fire-safe door going into the garage.

Of course, this room is still not complete, but the transformation is incredible already! I hope you’ll check back next week for more renovation reveals!