It’s hard to believe we’ve already been in the house for a month. To be honest, it still looks pretty chaotic: blue trim everywhere, wallpaper in several rooms, bright salmon paint in the living room, old carpet that remains on the stairs and in our closet, and a lot of furniture that was simply dropped where it landed on moving day. Nothing is staying in its current spot long-term—this is just the temporary setup. Some areas feel like we just moved in yesterday, while others, especially upstairs, have already changed so much that it’s hard to remember how they looked before. Here’s a clear look at how the house is shaping up after one month.
The foyer:
The kitchen:
The table is too small for the space, but it already looks less chaotic than it did on moving day. We’ll be swapping things around and upgrading pieces as we go.
The sunroom:
The office:
The living room:
The dining room (confession: nothing has changed here since day one, so we’re using the same photo):
The half bathroom:
The half bathroom is looking noticeably lighter and brighter compared to the wallpapered version we started with. Removing the old wallpaper made a bigger difference than we expected.
The guest room:
This room has come a long way. A few weeks before we moved in, it looked very different; now it feels fresher and more welcoming after removing outdated finishes and adding simple, functional furnishings.
The hall bathroom:
The spare room, which might become a nursery someday:
This space already looks different from the mauve-trimmed, carpeted room it used to be. We’ve been slowly stripping away dated details and considering options for a softer, more neutral palette.
Clara’s room:
Clara’s room has also made solid progress. A few weeks before we moved in it needed a lot of work; now it feels ordered and actually livable, even as we continue to refine finishes and decor.
Our bedroom:
Our bedroom is starting to feel like a peaceful retreat. It’s a definite improvement over the pre-move condition, though there’s still more to do before it feels finished.
Our bathroom:
We still have some “just-moved-in” moments around the house—like the kitchen cabinet stuffed with a jumble of tools—and our closet needs organization, but overall the progress is encouraging.
Walking up the stairs used to be a jump from old carpet and blue trim into a dated corridor, and now the upstairs feels clean and new when you reach the top. The hallway has been the most dramatic transformation so far; I find myself sighing with relief every time I go up there. The railing still needs an upgrade, and we’re far from finished in any room—our process usually stretches over many months—but we’ve already checked off a lot of practical projects.
- Removed large sections of old carpeting
- Installed hardwood floors upstairs
- Painted doors and trim upstairs
- Replaced doorknobs
- Removed wallpaper from the half bathroom
- Removed interior doors between the foyer, kitchen, living room, and dining room to improve flow
- Completed some necessary tree work around the property
- Removed glass shower doors and re-caulked the bathtub
- Hung curtains in the guest room
- Stripped old carpeting out of the sunroom
- Installed new blinds in all bedrooms and bathrooms
We’re slowly starting to feel like this is truly our home. We’re utterly in love with the place—blue trim and all—and excited about the neighborhood. We’re taking our time, researching and planning each project as we tackle it, and we’ll be sharing the details as we go. If you’re curious about what we have planned for each room, we’ve compiled a long to-do list that guides our approach, but many decisions are still in progress and will evolve as we live in the space and prioritize what matters most.
P.S. We’re enjoying the process of turning this house into our home. Expect more updates as rooms get painted, furniture gets rearranged, and small improvements add up to big change.