“Good houses take work. And they evolve.”
This summer we celebrated 10 years in our home.
When we moved in a decade ago, there was no way to know our life trajectory. But now, 2 kids, several flocks of chickens, and lots of renovations later, we are happy with our path.
Without professional help, we have refinished almost every floor in the house (and laid a couple new ones!), two bathroom renovations, and built a laundry room. But the list continues, especially as we now typically accomplish day-long, not week-long, projects. We haven’t yet gotten to a kitchen renovation. And while we started the summer with big plans for a new patio, we currently have a big hole in the backyard where as far as we got was busting up old concrete. Our redesigns and rehabs are on more of an extended timetable these days, but we are always working to make this space more of what we need it to be, and to reflect the current version of ourselves.
We are looking forward to the next decade here as a family.
Not long after we moved in, summer 2009. That astro-turf porch was really something.
Late summer 2019, 10 years later.
(You can see we also got a new neighboring house.)
The living room, circa move-in day. The paint color would go within weeks; the window would be replaced within months; but the carpet took a couple years to rip out and finish the hardwood underneath.
Same corner, ten years later (same cute dude).
The ladder on the left is European gym equipment, for our sons to climb instead of the furniture.
So much Kilz on the walls of this house.
New front windows, refinished floors.
Before of our front stairs.
After: ripped out carpet, painted, new banisters, and new front door / sidelights. Just need to finally finish the entryway floor.