It’s been 11 months since I posted part 1 of The Big House List. 11 months is really close to a year, so it seems like a good time to check back in and take a look at what we’ve accomplished from the list, what we have left to do, and what we’ve changed our minds about all together.
Note that there’s no particular timeline for these lists; they’re just lists of things we’d like to do before we call the house finished (cue hysterical laughter).
Foyer/Stairwell:
*find big mirror to replace prints on squirrel wall
*finish squirrels
eh. I didn’t exactly FINISH the squirrels, but I did more of them. It was getting kind of boring. Maybe this year when we move the dresser again to put a Christmas tree there, I’ll finish up for real.
*replace plastic bins with nicer baskets
*sign over front door*rug
*paint bannister*something fun for stairs (runner? Paint somehow?)
*finish painting stairwell
The foyer is definitely one of the more finished spaces in the house now, but we really need to deal with the unfinished stairway paint job sooner rather than later. And then there are my coat closet dreams…..
New list:
*sign over front door
*paint bannister
*something for stairs (runner? paint somehow?)
*finish painting stairwell
*paint inside of door
Library:
*more seating: I’d like to figure out a nice looking way to replace the lone plaid chair with a loveseat so that more people can read/hang out in here. Maybe move chess table more into the middle of the room, in front of the shelves, and put a loveseat against the window. or even two armchairs by the windows.
yes, well. We didn’t do it quite like this. We have a loveseat and two different chairs now. Chess table didn’t work anymore, so it’s gone.
*paint piano and bench fun color*make cushion for piano bench
*finish photo wall above piano
*find a way to hide Milo’s amp (build box around it maybe?)
*bigger rug?
*deal with lighting situation in some way or another (overhead lights, ideally)
*organize books somehow or another
Oh. I was feeling so good about this revisiting the list exercise when I went through the foyer stuff. We have not done as much in here. I am happier with the current furniture, though, even though it means I still need a coffee table.
New list:
*paint piano and bench fun color
*make cushion for piano bench
*finish photo wall above piano
*find a way to hide Milo’s amp (build box around it maybe?)
*deal with lighting situation in some way or another (overhead lights, ideally)
*organize books somehow or another
*(make or buy) coffee table
*refinish chairs (more of a walnut color)?
Dining Room
*gallery wall next to kitchen
*curtains
*work on top of buffet….maybe a seasonally changed out vignette of some sort?
*find card catalog for storage
*not sure about table and chairs. Maybe a different style chairs eventually and/or painted a fun color
*rug?
Well. uh. I’ve changed out the buffet a few times!
We do have PLANS for in here, though; they’re just taking awhile to get moving on. Like we’ve got fabric and new dining room chairs, all ready to get together and be pretty with a newly painted table. Once all that happens we’ll revisit the rug, curtains, walls issues. I’d still love a card catalog…..
new list:
*refinish chairs
*paint table
*figure out stuff for walls
*rug?
*curtains
Kitchen:
Scenario one (unrealistic, maybe someday scenario)
*move refrigerator to another wall to make room for a big island with seating
*open up doorway wider between dining room and kitchen
*built in storage along wall where table is now?
*all of this moving appliances about would necessitate new counters
Scenario two (the one that we can actually work on)
*come up with fabulous command center organization plan
*paint
*build farmhouse table (current table out to sunroom)
*get chairs for said table (maybe mismatched wooden chairs all painted the same fun color? Aqua?)
*build cabinet for cleaning supplies/vacuum
*chalkboard wall near hallway
*new (matching) appliances. Ours are all mismatched and nearing or at the end of their life expectancies, so it’s going to happen sooner or later. Probably very soon, now that our home warranty’s expired
Hey! Another room where we did some stuff! I won’t even talk about scenario one, because it’s still so far off in the potential future. But we’ve made a good bit of scenario two progress:
We still need to paint the chairs all the same color. And I give up on building a storage thing, I think. After all, I might have a COAT CLOSET someday! One appliance has died, so we have a new dishwasher.
new list:
*come up with fabulous command center organization plan
*paint chairs
*wait for more appliances to die and replace them
*take down cabinet that people hit heads on; replace with beautifully styled open shelves
Den
We’ve done absolutely nothing in here!
*sectional sofa: I’ve waffled about this for a long time, but I think I’m back to wanting a good ol’ Karlstad, with fancy different legs to replace the ones it comes with
*paint fireplace
*paint walls
*something fun on wall around fireplace (wallpaper or stencil)
*new tv stand
*shelf behind sofa
*more pictures on walls
*rug
*make/find big ottoman with storage for coffee table
*lighting—preferably overhead
….yeah….no need for a new list. This is still pretty much what I want to do.
Hallway
nothing here, either!
old and new list:
*paint (or wallpaper; it might be a fun little space for wallpaper)
*pictures
*build storage for baby stuff/books
Hall Bath
we’ve done nothing in here (sensing a theme? I’m about to mix things up with the next room, though)
….this is a really long, skinny room….tons and tons of wall space. I don’t have a clear idea of what to do in here, but it needs to be….something.
old and new list:
*paint (I would love to wallpaper in here, but the walls are textured, so I don’t think it would work without major prep work)
*replace fixtures
*towel rack
*replace lighting (vanity light and overhead)
*paint cabinets
*stuff on walls
Sunroom:
*paint
*coffee table (maybe the one from the den): coffee table on hold until Abe is older, so he has room to play
*move kitchen table out here for crafts/school/puzzles/eating/etc
*get some wicker chairs for more seating
*hem/cut curtains
*line curtains with blackout fabric
*do something fun with curtains (stencil?): all curtain plans ditched in favor of new curtains
*replace cruddy windows
*replace or repair ceiling fan light
Another room where we did lots of stuff!
I’d call the sunroom 95% finished? Maybe 90.
new list:
*expand plate wall
*more stuff on other half of giant wall
*make tiles look spiffier?
*hem the curtains already!
Phew! so that was kind of tedious to write (uhh, and probably to read. sorry!), but I like evidence of forward progress. Plus I said a couple of weeks ago that I’d write it, and you’ve probably all been waiting breathlessly ;).
Lists are important – I write new ones everyday. Maybe that is the problem… I should keep one big, long list like you – but my husband could never see it or it would be a little too much for him as well:) Lol!
You’re going to be busy! I need to do this but I’m afraid I’d start hyperventilating as the last grows!
I mostly just got discouraged and put off posting it for like 3 days 😉
Hey, lists are important. How else are we supposed to know how far we have come 🙂
I just love how the sunroom looks and feels. You home is awesome!
Lists are both satisfying and intimidating! Thanks, Katja 🙂
that is a long and intimidating list…. but you are doing it! 🙂 way to go!
I have to applaud you for actually writing this all down. I would totally have gotten distracted and given up halfway through the list. Also, I’m pretty sure I would not have the restraint to hope for a coat closet. I remember your original post about that and I’m mostly sure I would have been hacking into that wall by that same afternoon. 😉
Angela @ Number Fifty-Three
I keep meaning to update…we actually did drill into the wall on the basement side…and mysteriously found more drywall behind the drywall. So some professional sleuthing help might be needed!
Making a specific list for each room is pretty genius. Even if you don’t cross anything off at least it’s there…say the girl who can’t remember anything. A single thing!
I need to do this! I bet it just keeps you so organized! When I look at your space it always looks amazing to me even if you feel like you have a lot to do! Happy weekend to you lady! Nicole xo
I love reading other people’s lists. Is that strange? Don’t answer that.
Ryan hates my lists, but I find it motivating to know what we’ve checked off and what’s to come.
I like other people’s lists, too! So if it’s strange, at least we’re in good company 🙂
That is a mighty fine list!
I was just going to say the same thing as Kenz. That’s an impressive list. My husband would roll his eyes at a list like that but I’m the same way
I try not to show Dave the whole list at one time….I just tell him what we need to do this weekend and let him be in the dark about what comes next 😉