After yesterday’s first house vs. current house comparison, a comment from Jess got us thinking: “It’s unfair to compare eight months of work at the current place to four-plus years at the old one. You should compare how your first house looked eight months after you moved in.” Fair point — we’ve learned a lot in five years of owning homes and now spend much more time on projects because this DIY diary became our work — but we’re game. Here’s a cleaner, eight-month snapshot of our first house. Be warned: it’s equal parts cringe and nostalgia.
Front Yard, First House (8 Months In):
When we moved in the front yard felt like a small forest. Within eight months I had trimmed back the trees so the house was visible from the street. That surprise “project” — performed with a lawn chair and a branch cutter while John was at work — made a big difference. He was genuinely shocked to see the porch again.
Front Porch, First House (8 Months In):
I cut a large “window” into the fully slatted wood screen door to add interest, painted it yellow, and hung a simple wreath from Target. A wood plaque with a pineapple and “Welcome” — left by the previous owner — hung there for a year. It felt homespun and charming at the time.
Living Room, First House (8 Months In):
The living room was a lesson in working with what we had: a hand-me-down sofa, an Ikea coffee table, and awkward spacing that made the room look sparse. There was even a faux-stone linoleum square by the door. Over time we learned to create two zones — dining and living — plus a console by the entry, which made the long space much more functional.
Kitchen, First House (8 Months In):
In eight months we replaced appliances (Frigidaire from Lowe’s), painted the cabinets Brown Bag by Glidden, swapped in inexpensive Ikea hardware, and painted the faux-brick backsplash Wishes by Glidden. It wasn’t perfect, but it was our project — complete with awkward serving spoons hanging from a range hood that wasn’t even over the stove.
Dining Room (Future Bedroom/Nursery), First House (8 Months In):
We built the dining table using a thrift-store pedestal and a large wood top, painted glossy black. I spray-primed and painted the old brass chandelier white and swapped the bulbs for modern round ones. I also painted the area above the chair rail a Tiffany-box blue and sketched subtle leafy branches with chalk — a playful, imperfect experiment that made the room feel more personal.
Our Bedroom, First House (8 Months In):
The bedroom felt sparse and under-furnished, with a printer/fax on the floor — a relic of working from home before everything went digital. Small art and a low bed left the room feeling unfinished. Over time we filled the space with better-scale pieces and learned to layer for warmth.
That bathroom phase was like a bad haircut: I painted the window trim black thinking it would look chic, then repainted it white and removed a swag of fabric that was actually a pashmina I still wear. A small change, but it improved the feel immediately.
Guest Room, First House (8 Months In):
We had the room painted but no guest bed yet — frugal decisions meant prioritizing other areas. A few months later a full-size hand-me-down bed solved the problem and welcomed visitors.
Den, First House (8 Months In):
The den had awkward elements — a white bedsheet stapled under a desk and partially painted paneling beside unpainted brick. A month later we painted the brick to match the paneled walls, which helped the room start to feel cohesive. Tackling the exposed beams took a bit longer.
Laundry Nook, First House (8 Months In):
The laundry nook got peel-and-stick vinyl over grimy yellow sheet linoleum — a simple fix that brightened the area. We added glass knobs to the bifold doors to improve the look until we eventually removed those doors and installed continuous wood flooring through the hall, half bath, den, and kitchen.
Half Bathroom, First House (8 Months In):
We knew the bulky vanity needed replacing with a pedestal sink for more space, but that felt like a big job so we postponed it. In the meantime we painted the walls the same Tiffany-box blue used in the dining room (with flat paint, which we later learned was the wrong choice for a bathroom), replaced an avocado-green toilet, and updated knobs and window treatments.
Sunroom, First House (8 Months In):
We stained the concrete floors “Tuscan Gold,” used a hand-me-down wicker daybed with a thrifted mattress, and improvised a Scrabble table from an Ikea Lack topped with the thrift-store tabletop. The stain later proved too orange in direct sun, so we painted the floor a glossy chocolate to better match the hardwoods.
Patio, First House (8 Months In):
The patio was flagged during inspection as “needs replacing.” A few weeks before our backyard wedding my mom worried guests might get hurt, so we hired a pro to redo it in three days. Knowing how labor-intensive patio work can be, we were glad to pay to get it finished safely and on schedule.
Back Yard, First House (8 Months In):
The backyard felt like a park when we first saw it — a wooded, spacious setting that nearly took our breath away. We used the planted area and pea gravel path for the wedding, then later removed the gravel and bushes, laid seed, and created a flat grassy yard that was more practical for everyday use (and appreciated by our dog Burger).
So that’s how our first house looked about eight months in. The process was full of trial and error, but each small step taught us something useful — from what paint to use on trim to how to make rooms feel lived-in and functional. If your house is only a shadow of what you hope it will become, take heart: gradual change, experiments, and lessons learned eventually get you there. Enjoy the ride.