photo navbar-headerpic.jpgPhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucket

House Updates

Recently, I had a conversation with my sister, Courtney about how I don't have any projects to blog about. She brought up a good point. . . "What about all of the little updates that you've been doing to your house?" (not exact words. In fact, this is a compilation of like 4 conversations.) Me: "Like what?" Court: "Well like the light switches, and blinds and this and that." I tell you what. . . she's so smart that sister of mine! 

We've haven't gotten around to any major decorating yet, because we've been working on getting the house to normal before it can be extravagant! So here are some pictures to show our "progress" on our little Victorian that we call home.
Before-although nice and bright. . . neighbors can see right through to the back of the house and in the kitchen as well. . . NO PRIVACY!


After-Freshly painted walls and new blinds to boot! Originally we wanted to get wood blinds because that's what is in the rest of the house. When we had them priced, we realized that for $130, we could get faux wood blinds (that will be easier to maintain) instead of the real ones for $500 (that are now chipping in the boys' rooms) Realistically, nobody can tell the difference unless you examine them. Now we can walk around in our underwear pj's at night without creeping out our neighbors.


Here is the only "Before" picture that I have of the back doors. If you look really closely at the trim, you can see the botched paint job that the previous owners started. No priming, let alone sanding, and they didn't even finish the 2 coats. Amateur! I thought I was bad about not finishing projects! They even started to paint the window separators on the inside of the door. . . again just one strip. I'm embarrassed to show that one. 


After- I finally busted out the painter's tape and white paint. I always have both. I finished the job that they started. It looked so unfinished and I didn't want people that haven't been here before to think that WE did that. So I finished it and WE the hubs hung blinds that they left in the garage. I'm not a fan that the base doesn't match this door trim and that this door trim is the only one in the house that is painted. BUT, it's a start and maybe now the hubs will see how good it CAN look and will immediately jump on board with painting the rest starting tomorrow! . . . and then I woke up from my fantasy.



Another project that we undertook was changing all of the light switches. They started out as the old school toggle switches. They didn't all match. Some were white, some were this color, and some double switches had one of each. 


 We just switched them all out for new updated, flat switches. WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!!


 We had the same problem with the outlets, so we switched all of them too.
I thought about giving a tutorial on how to change these, (because it's SUPER EASY!) but decided you had better consult a licensed electrician instead. ;)


So there you have it! We have been making progress. I just wish we had an endless budget to just renovate everything at once, but we live in reality and reality is. . . we take it one thing at a time after dreaming up our ideas from
Under the Mulberry Tree

2 comments :

  1. All of those small changes can make such a big difference with the final design...good for you for getting them finished! Your house looks so cute, I love the front window (looks like a great place for a little built in window seat :)

    by the way, thanks for stopping by my blog and for the awesome link to the Urban Outfitters rocking chair...I think I can do $200!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ohh, a built in window seat would be fun! You are coming along better than I think you are! I can't wait to see what this place looks like in a few short years of you working your magic!
    Sounds like you have one smart sister? :)

    ReplyDelete