"Before" pictures...AKA: My house now

I just know I will lose these pictures if I don't post them now! I have a lot of aspirations to renovate this house, but most of the projects can't be started yet for various reasons, so here is what the house will look like for a while. I do like the clock that Paul hung on the wall between the dining room and living room. We found it on clearance at Target a few weeks ago. Also, the gun in the photo is a replica of a civil war gun. Totally harmless, in case you were wondering. :)

I really want to paint the brick on this fireplace and replace the wooden blinds with roman shades.

Our furniture is hodgepodge...it's comfy, though!! What I WANT is a cool patterned armchair and a big L-couch...someday!!

Paul and I can't agree on whether crown molding would work on the vaulted ceiling..I say "yes!" We also need to paint all the wooden baseboards and windowsills white. One project that may happen soon is to paint the tv wall a nice beachy blue color. I have picked the exact shade out already!

I remember how excited I was when I first bought this couch 10 years ago. Sigh. It's seen better days!

Can you see how the chair railing in the dining room stops where the laminate floor transitions to carpet? I don't like that. I also don't like laminate floor or carpet! I want stone and hardwood. I am gonna save my pennies.

This room would look snazzy with some 2-tone paint colors! There is also a horrible border that needs to go...I didn't get it in the shot but it's awful. The kitchen is awful. The cabinets wouldn't be bad with a coat of paint, but the counters need replacing and we need to install a backsplash. I really like having projects on the horizon...wish the horizon was a leetle bit closer, though!

This is the hallway from the living room to the bedrooms. The wooden doors are very cozy, but outdated and it makes it really dark.

The bathroom is basic. It just needs new sink hardware, a new mirror, painted vanity, and a hanging cabinet with some colors and accessories... it probably will be my cheapest project!

I love that they built this bookcase into the living room. It just needs to be painted and some nice molding to make it perfect.

Mantel accessories...I have some ideas...I love Steinmart's homegoods section...I will do this last just in case I change my color scheme or something...

Ellie's room looks about the same...except she now has a doggie crate in there with her!

Her books and accessories.

Oh what a difference...

Above is a picture of our sunroom. I have big plans for it but right now it houses my favorite piece of furniture. My mother somehow acquired this from my Aunt Diane when I was about 5 and I laid claim to it before they moved to Tennessee. I am going to get some flowy curtains and a sisal rug and a wicker settee with fun pillows to soften it up...but not until AFTER I find a new job!!

Below is Ellie's cute bathroom. I just love the cabinet space!!

Here are all Ellie's books at the foot of her bed. I made her get rid of half her collection before we moved, but she still has plenty as you can see. At her 5th grade graduation, she won an award for "insightful comments in reading". They gave each of the kids adjectives that most described them and hers were "bookish and bouncy"! I have to agree. Right now she is reading Anne of Avonlea. It's one of my favorite series.

Here is her new bedroom. All the new stuff we got for her birthday looks even better at our new place!! And I recovered the lamps just before we left. I was going to put a cute print above the bed, but she insisted she have the pictures of Christ and the temple. I love this age! She is growing up, but still holding on to her childhood.

I am pretty excited about our new place. It makes me giggle a little. It is a lot smaller than our old place, but sooooo much nicer! Even though we still have to rent, it is a lot better when you actually like your place!

The kitchen has a great pass-through to the dining room and has a laundry room. We found a washer and dryer set for $160 on Craig's list. SWEEEEET!!!!

This is the master bath and below is the living room and dining room.

Here is Ellie a few weeks ago after I gave her a little makeover...I guess she is trying to have a staring contest with Buster. He is Sam's doggie so we had to leave them both behind and we miss them.

New Home

I just got back from a weekend with Paul in Charleston. It was our 2-year anniversary and we spent it "house-hunting". We ended up getting a condo rather than a house, and I am so excited to decorate it! (but SOOOO not excited to go through all our stuff and pack it up) I have been spoiled in our current house because there is a ton of storage space and this new place is probably only 1/2 the size...I have LOTS to get rid of and not nearly the amount of time that I am going to need! YIKES!
Ellie is excited because our new pool looks like this:

Paul is excited because he misses us and has been anxiously awaiting us joining him!