There’s something about being nearly a year into living here that makes it feel like we’ve experienced a lot of evolution over the last 357 days. A month in a house doesn’t give you much time to tweak things, but twelve months straight is enough to make meaningful changes. We lived with our floor plan for almost a year to be sure, and then finally removed a wall we’d wanted gone from day one.
Spending that much time in one place also gave us the opportunity to make thoughtful furniture and accessory swaps as we transitioned from bringing along pieces from our previous home to making more deliberate choices. These things take time—remember our eight-month update on how rooms can change? The story here is a fairly large three-way adjustment: rug, ottoman, and chair, each chosen for proportion and function.
Since moving, we hadn’t bought many major furnishings beyond the essentials: our sectional, the first rug, our bed, and a big dining table. Most of the rest was DIY or secondhand—projects like a modest console table, a wall-to-wall desk, and laying our own patio saved us thousands. We also picked up inexpensive secondhand finds, such as bargain desk and dining chairs, and four used kitchen cabinets for an upcoming remodel.
After months of saving and waiting for the right pieces to appear, it felt great to finally invest in a few items we truly loved. We had some store credit to apply, so the living room—one of our most-used spaces—was the obvious place to spend it. The changes were practical and aesthetic, and we’ll notice them daily.
For almost a year we adored our plush green shag rug. It was perfect for a wiggle-prone baby and a wobbly toddler—so thick and inviting that even adults often sat on the floor. But as Clara grew, a few issues surfaced.
First, the high pile made it more demanding to keep clean. Milk drips, crushed crackers, and the occasional cheerio were less than ideal. We’re relaxed about allowing snacks in the living room—dry crackers and a sippy cup are fine—so low-maintenance surfaces make more sense now that an energetic toddler uses the room daily.
Second, size mattered. In our old house, 5 x 8 rugs were sufficient because those rooms were small. In our new, much larger living room, an 8 x 11 rug felt too small. No matter how we tried to make it fit, the sectional seemed barely contained by the rug’s edges, and the space still looked unbalanced.
So when we found a large 10 x 14 wool rug at a significant discount, it was tempting. Rugs that size, low in pile and in our style, usually cost far more, so the sale price made it possible to commit. We discussed it together—nothing gets bought unless we both love it—and discovered that we had actually each found the listing separately. That felt like a sign. We took a breath and ordered it.
At the same time, we replaced a too-small, non-storage ottoman that had been serving as a side table. We picked a big tufted leather storage ottoman with an easy-open hinged top that offers nearly fourteen cubic feet of hidden storage and a surface suitable for serving with a tray. Beyond the storage, its scale works better with our sectional and it’s safely cushioned for toddler play.
We also replaced a well-worn parson’s chair purchased years ago that had started to crack. A modestly priced replacement chair in a complementary style rounded out the trio of updates. When the rug, ottoman, and chair arrived around the same time, it felt a lot like unwrapping Christmas presents. The new rug still needs a pad to settle perfectly, and some art swaps are in progress, but the room already feels more complete and comfortable.
Spending this amount on a rug and ottoman was a stretch for our usual budget-conscious habits, but the combined sale savings made the purchases feel worthwhile. After many DIY projects and careful saving, our bank account comfortably handled the spending without creating debt.
We plan to reuse the old rug and ottoman in other rooms and might slipcover the old chair for another spot. There are many other spaces still evolving—an office rug that doesn’t fit, a too-small TV and media cabinet that we hope to replace with a custom media center, and several rooms that haven’t been tackled yet, including an entryway, playroom, sunroom, and bathrooms. But knowing our first house took 4.5 years to come together is comforting; good design takes time.
One year in, we’re proud of the progress and excited about the direction the house is headed. How long did it take you to feel settled in a new home? Do you notice a particular number of months or years before a place starts to feel like yours?
P.S. The items we purchased were available during limited flash sales. If you’re shopping similar pieces, watch sale sites and sign up for their notifications for the best prices. We found options that fit our needs, size, and style while staying within our refreshed budget.