I hope everyone’s had a lovely weekend. After a couple of rainy days the skies finally cleared this morning, just in time so I could snap a few images of our living room and finished staircase. The weather has been so capricious lately that I was worried I won’t have enough light to take photos to show you our living room, as promised. But the sun came out and I did so here they are. But first, I must say that sharing these images inevitably puts me in a place of vulnerability because one, our home is not dreamy and gorgeous (not yet anyway 🙂 ) and social media has set such impossible standards for us to try to keep up with) and second, none of the rooms is (nor will be anytime soon) finished. (We moved in a little over two months ago and things are so far from being finished I get anxiety attacks.) So please be kind 🙂
This is our living room the day we moved in… That is June 28th, 2019 around 1pm… see how dark it is? And it was a hot summer day and all four living room windows face south!
I knew I wanted to lighten up the space and make it feel more youthful and warm. My inspiration for this room was a photograph I found on Mark Sikes’ blog, a room by Nanette Brown from a few years back…
I loved the warmth and texture of the natural woods, bamboo blinds and, of course, the paint color. I found that Linen White by Benjamin Moore looks beautiful IRL and makes our living room walls so pretty yet the color unfortunately photographs poorly… That or I need a better camera 🙂
This is the view of the fireplace now… The botanical prints above the mantel are my favorite element in the room and were a simple DIY project that took about 20 min and cost a little over $10! They still need to be hung 3″ apart but I’m missing a laser level and steady hands to complete the project…
We created very detailed plans for the downstairs and know exactly what we want but have yet to implement them. You can read more about them here if you’d like. What we did do was paint the living room walls a lighter color and straighten out a bit the staircase which is visible from the main living area.
We decorated with our existing furniture (with very few exceptions in the dining room, where we now have a new (to us) table and a set of six antique chairs). We postponed major purchases because we want to take care of the construction projects first and the immediate one on our list is opening up the living room to the adjacent bedroom. As is, that third bedroom is too small and closed off to be used as a family room/study/hangout space and there are other features to contend with, namely a radiator, a closet (where the previous owners installed the washer & dryer), two oddly-positioned windows and creaky floorboards, so turning the two separate spaces into a single, cohesive and functional area is high on our priority list. We feel it will make living more comfortable in our little cottage. We plan on installing French doors to provide separation between the two rooms while bringing in more natural light in both spaces. We’ll probably keep the doors open on most days, except when working or having overnight guests. We will also install light fixtures in both rooms and straighten out some of the electrical aspects (no overhead lighting and half of the switches do nothing at all…).
What I did postpone for later is settling on a color scheme, followed by textile selection. I have looked at new sofas in terms of shape, size and style, and I have my mind set on two… and I do know that in time we’d like to cover the living room walls in vertical 6” paneling and have everything painted. What color, I couldn’t tell you, not at this point… I keep playing in my head with different scenarios – a part of me wants the Mark D. Sikes clean and chic California beach house look, yet another part of me wants the moodiness of a Costwolds stone cottage… If only I could have both…
We also got a chandelier to be hung in the living room but seeing it in person, I am tempted to hang it in the dining room instead… we’ll see…
This is an old bamboo shelf that I’ve trotted around for a long time. Magically it survived several cross-country moves and I love it but it is totally wrong for the space. I need something taller and wider, with more storage space (and preferably a desktop), so I use it temporarily, until the right secretary hutch crosses my path… Could be any day now 🙂
One of the first things we did when we moved in was to remove the old fireplace screen.
I wanted to reveal the raw bricks and look at exposed logs but now that the weather is cooling off we needed a screen to replace the old one and I found one on Amazon I liked. I was ideally looking for an antique one ( I still am) but this one will door now…
Things we’ve done so far: replaced front door (which made a world of difference); painted the living room walls; replaced balusters and newel on staircase; removed fireplace screen;
Things left to do: open up the living room walls to the adjacent bedroom; replace baseboards with 6″ base molding; add crown molding; remove shelves; remove top fireplace molding to fix the scale a bit; install vertical paneling (tongue-in-groove); repaint (same color, different finish or different color? – to be decided); reglaze windows; refinish floors; get furniture & collect accessories… (And this is only the living room to-do list 🙂 )
I am impatient by nature and am learning to make peace with the fact that it will be long before our home will look just the way I want it, before we could call it “finished”. For what it’s worth, I do believe that homes are never finished and the best ones evolve with the passing of time and reflect the growth and change of their owners. Accessories, art and textiles are the “props” that tell a story of taste, hobbies and lifestyle… But as exhilarating as the hunt for that perfect piece for our new home is, it’s the sweet souls that live there that truly make my heart skip a beat. Seeing Isabella run around the yard, chasing butterflies and bringing in every-single-stone-she-finds. Sitting on the patio with a glass of wine and staring at the stars… (we’ve not done that yet, most evenings we collapse before we could make it outside but it’s the possibilities 🙂 ) Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this peek into our very “real” living room situation and, as usual, thank you for stopping by! Until next time!
LOVE the new paint color and furniture set-up…it’s a completely different room! Really, it looks finished and very inviting!
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Thank you so much, Janet!! xoxo
It’s looking great!
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Thank you!!!
Oh, I love this! The paint changed everything as did the staircase “fix”. And my first thought when I saw the before picture was “I hope they take that gold thing off the fireplace”! Done! Personally I find it refreshing and much more interesting to watch a normal budgeted home evolve over time. Thank you for sharing!
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Thanks a lot, Lynn! I’m happy you enjoy the changes we’ve done so far and that you’re following along with our renovation! xoxo, Eva
Hallo Eva
I receive your blog now for quite a while and now it is the right time to tell you, how much I enjoy it. It is always a pleasure to see your interiors.
I totally understand how you feel vunerable showing images of your new house. I had a craft profession and know what it feels like, when one receives disrespectfull comments. But I think you have done very,very well and you can be really proud. Your home looks already cozy and cared for. So , I send you kind greetings from Germany, wish you well and can only say…..KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!! Beatrix
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Oh, how sweet of you, Beatrix!! Thank you so much, your comment made my day!! xoxo, Eva
It looks so much brighter, warm and inviting! Love what you have done so far. Really enjoy watching this all unfold. Thank you.
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Thank you, Jody! So glad you enjoy following along with our renovation!! xoxo, Eva
I am so enjoying your progress reports!
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Thank you, Jo!!! xoxo, Eva
Under your tender care, it’s already such a different home. It looks like one of the European cottages that you share with us. I’m smitten! I have a similar old bamboo bookcase. I currently have mine in my kitchen, with cookbooks, a plant, a glass lidded jar with all my cookie cutters. . . I love when a kitchen can have a piece of furniture, it adds such warmth.
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Thank you, Melissa! Love that you have your bamboo bookcase in the kitchen! It must look beautiful the way you styled it! xoxo, Eva
What a great job! It looks beautiful now and everything you have planned is so exciting. Creating a home does take time so enjoy the process. You have your priorities in the right place and you know what you like. You are so far ahead of the game! I love your botanicals!!! Keep up the good work.
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Thanks so much, Ellen, for the encouragement and your kind words! I am so happy you enjoy the little changes we’ve implemented so far… It is a labor of love and the kindness I’m finding here though the blog makes it that much more gratifying! xoxo, Eva
It’s already looking so good, Eva! It’s cozy and warm and welcoming and everything you want in a real family home. Hope you’re enjoying the process as much as we seem to be enjoying seeing your home evolve.
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Hi, Linda! Thank you so much for your kind words… Yes, we enjoy working on our house immensely and that joy is magnified by the kindness and understanding I’m finding in this community!! Thank you! xoxo, Eva
I know it’s hard to wait and to live in unfinished spaces….not good at that myself, and I speak from experience. However, it is already so much better, and what you have in mind will most definitely be worth the wait! Hang in there:)
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Thanks for the encouragement, Paula! You’re so kind! xoxo, Eva
Small, positive suggestion: do not ever apologize for the state of your house! You are inviting the world inside, which says so much about your hospitality. You have a family to care for, and it’s exciting to share your journey with you. Designers and other homeowners tend to say that you should live with your house for as much time as you can stand without diving in, so you can get a feel for the light and how you tend to use it, and that takes awhile. What you think you want now may not work when you’ve lived there for 6 months. It’s supposed to be a fun project, not a competition and certainly not a burden. Be proud of your progress and take it slow!
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Hi, Gretchen! Thank you so much for your kind comment, I needed the reminder!!! xoxo, Eva
Eva, your living room is looking wonderful! So much brighter and very cheerful. Houses take years to evolve and patience is key. We are tackling our kitchen this coming spring which is nearly 3 years after purchasing our home. I’m so glad I waited to do it because I feel I truly understand the space now and how it needs to work for my family. Patience doesn’t come to me naturally either…so enjoy the time to figure out exactly what you want and where to spend your dollars. Looking forward to the rest of your journey!
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Hi, Sarah! Thank you for stopping by and for commenting! You’re absolutely right – patience is key when designing a home… I keep telling that to clients yet it is so much harder to practice it 🙂 Good luck with your upcoming kitchen renovation! xoxo, Eva
It’s lovely, Eva. Thanks for sharing with us and being willing to be vulnerable. We’ve been in our home for almost 20 years and are are still piddling with it. It was new when we purchased it and have done two major re-styles – colors, fabrics, etc. change in that amount of time. We did dark and moody the first time around and are much more light and airy this go around. All that being said is just to say…be patient. You’re making great progress in only two months! Enjoy the fun (and frustration) of your first home!
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Hi, Katie! Thank you so much for your sweet comment! xoxo, Eva
Eva, after reading the comments, I agree with others that the living room looks warm and cozy- Great color choice and furniture arrangement. It is always good to take a few days off and enjoy what you have accomplished. Take time to have that glass of wine with your husband under the stars!
Thanks for sharing your progress with us.
Jane
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Hi, Jane! Thanks so much, you are so sweet… a date under the stars before the evenings become too crisp…I’ll talk to my Mr. 🙂 xoxo, Eva
Nice job Eva! I also love Linen White for older homes–it brings in warmth and coziness. The fireplace screen is so very appropriate for your home, and the new balusters and handrail are simple and look great!
I agree with everyone to do things slowly. We’ve been in our (very old) home for 35 years, and it’s still not “done”! Every time I finish a project, something else pops up. Right now we’re replacing a bay window that was the FIRST project we did way back when. I’ve redone the kitchen, dining room, living room and master bath twice, the bedrooms three times and added a family room, powder room and new garage and pool. Not to mention many, many systems upgrades and repairs. It’s a labor of love when you love your home, and I for one would rather be home than anywhere else on earth!!
And don’t stop posting–I don’t think anyone who reads your blog will be overly critical or tactless. I love all your blog posts!
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Hello, Diana! Thank you so much for reading and for leaving such thoughtful and encouraging words!! I am learning to be more patient and am constantly reminding myself what a blessing it is to be able to decorate at all… xoxo, Eva
P.S. Your home sounds lovely, well-loved and cared for!
It looks great! The paint colour is perfect and the rest will happen in good time. Enjoy the journey and thanks for bringing us along.
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Thank you, Christine! Glad you’re following along!! xo, Eva
Thank you for being brave enough to show us the lovely improvements you have made in your new home. Our homes will always be a work in progress and we should celebrate every incarnation. Your future plans sound fantastic!
Excellent interior improvement of your interior. I love it and thank you for sharing!
Already a great improvement! You obviously have the eye :-). I like the new balusters and newel post – it’s amazing how much difference a little tweak like that can make. And you’ve arranged your existing furniture very well; it looks very cosy and inviting. I think tongue-and-groove panelling could be very attractive – I assume you mean up to dado (chair rail) height? All the way up could be a little overpowering and make the space feel smaller. If you install the panelling up to dado height, you could, for example, choose a darker colour for it, but still have the walls above pale – which would let you have your cake and eat it in terms of having a mix between California beach house and moody Cotswolds cottage! One thing I’m not sure about is putting in a cornice (crown moulding), because your ceiling isn’t very high and you could risk making it appear even lower. I think in the case of your house, keeping it simple might be the best (and cheaper) option. In that vein, you’ve absolutely done the right thing to choose a simple black fire screen. It really works! Well done for making so much progress in such a short time. It’s going to be lovely, I’m sure!
Best wishes,
Toby
P.S. Chandelier definitely better in the dining room hung as low as you dare over your table – as your living room ceiling is low, I think the chandelier could be quite overpowering…