At the beginning of every year we share a list of home renovation projects we want to work on for the year. You can really tell from our 2021 project list we shared in January that life can really change in an instant. We started the year off on the hunt to buy a little fixer upper, and instead we ended up selling our Modern Cottage home in Idaho and moved across the country to North Carolina and bought our charming Modern Colonial.

With that I think it’s time to share a more up-to-date renovation project list! Chris and I sat down the other day and really wrote out everything we wanted to accomplish in this house. One thing I did mention in that post in January is that we didn’t want to be living amongst dust and contractors indefinitely, and that remains true. For the most part it’s unavoidable, but we want to get through the larger chunk of it now so we can really live in our home and feel more settled.

So without further ado, here’s the 8 renovations on our list to finish by January? Somehow that feels crazy to say out-loud.  We’re feeling determined and excited about making our home feel more like us.

1. Finish the front entry.

The stairs and herringbone floors have been a work in progress and understandably so because they requires some serious precision and craftsman skills beyond our own. Happy to hire it out and collective jaws are going to drop when you see the reveal coming soon. We’re also going to add some furnishings to the entry, paint it and would love to eventually trim it all out!

2. Finish powder bath.

We shared a little update in this Casual Friday post but the penny tile is done, wallpaper is installed, and trim and ceiling are painted. The cutest pedestal sink got installed yesterday (I shared updates in my Instagram stories), and the most gorgeous antique mirror arrived yesterday. The toilet went in and now all we need is lighting and a toilet, but we’re nearing the finish line! Can’t wait to have this little bathroom available for guests to step into.

3. The living room is getting a phase one renovation starting immediately.

I’m talking paint and more paint, and lighting, and a new furniture layout entirely. I would say that this is where our furniture is translating the least and it will be so nice to have this space flow with the rest of the house. In the “Our Living Room Today” post I chatted a bit about maybe facing two sofas to open the space up. What do you think? Paint color TBD, but I’m narrowing it down for sure going with a tone-on-tone high gloss for the fireplace–probably hang an antique mirror.

Oh and the beams! There’s going to be beams in this vaulted space and I’m loving the way the white beams in the inspiration photo below make the whole room feel fresh and also dramatic. I really wanted beams, but nothing rustic and these fit the bill.

image source

Another thing to note is that the living room has a cased opening into the dining room and I’m going to be piggy backing that space into the design of the living room. Dining chairs just arrived, table is arriving any day now and I’m thinking a new light fixture of course, and some wallpaper to complement the living room.

This is also just a phase one. Someday I would love to have a custom stone fireplace and just moulding galore in this room.

4. The Bonus Room.

This is the biggest renovation project we’ll be DIYing over the next couple months. We’ve discovered we spend a lot of our free time as a family in this room so it’s getting bumped up the priority list. We’re making a built in desk area for the girls, installing lockers, AND building in little window seats into each of the nooks. We talked about paneling this entire room wall-to-wall-to-ceiling and painting in this post here, plus included a dreamy mockup worth checking out. Lighting is a must of course and I’m also envisioning a big vintage gallery wall going up the stairs that lead into this room. Our Charly sectional will stay put but this space but needs a rug (which we were holding off on until the floors were well past done).

5. Installing wallpaper, and more in the music room.

Spoiler alert, we’re installing a 360º mural in here and it’s going to be gorgeous. The lower part of the walls will have wainscoting and be painted. Are you tired of me saying “we’re updating the lighting” yet because we are. Maybe some light rearranging in this room and I’ll call it a successful phase one renovation.

6. Minimal updates in the bedroom.

Yesterday I shared our new bedroom rearrange and layout on the blog and honestly I’m really happy with where our room is at. I would love some new lighting of course, and the moment we get new window treatments I’m taking those shutters off myself. On the like-to-have list for this room is some picture frame moulding, but we’ll see if 2021 is the year for that haha.

7. Last but not least, the kitchen. 

You already know from this post that Jean Stoffer Design is designing our dream kitchen and it’s the biggest project and really the grand finale to this whole list. We shared the kitchen plans here and we’re seeing some progress which is hopeful (peek the gorgeous framed out range hood). A finished kitchen is going to make the biggest impact in our house because of the functional value it adds to our every day lives, but I’ll admit I’m equally excited about the finishes and materials being selected. We’re right on track with the construction of this space and are on track to be finished by the end of the year. Well… everything but the kitchen appliances. Another day, another story.

This list is long and anything is due to change, but we’re feeling so excited about finishing out this year with the main living spaces in our home fully functional and more reflective of us. It’s a little unsettling living amidst construction chaos which is why we’re pretty determined to use the momentum to just keep it going, plus look at how far we’ve come.