We love looking back at the empty photos of our first house because, while they’re bittersweet, they’re a joyful reminder of how a house becomes a home. It’s the moments shared with family (and our chihuahuas) that matter most. So we immediately took empty photos of our second house too. I assumed the rooms would look similar without furniture, but each one feels distinct. It’s comforting to see the mark we left on this sweet house.
Here’s the dining room/office before:
And here’s the empty after.
Here’s the office all empty (I wish I had a before shot from this angle).
The frame hallway cleared out.
And here’s the kitchen as it looked when we moved in.
A lot has changed in the kitchen since then.
Here’s a before photo from the other side:
And a clean, empty after.
Here’s the laundry room before:
And how the room looked when we left.
Many readers asked what we sold with the house. The short answer: everything you see in these pictures. Practices vary by region, but in our area anything that’s attached—light fixtures, curtains, blinds, open shelving, bathroom mirrors—typically stays with the house unless specified otherwise in the listing or contract. For example, we listed that we wanted to take the curtains in the playroom, guest room, and dining room with us, but everything else remained. We didn’t want to leave the house gutted with bare windows and basic ceiling fixtures, and often fixtures and window coverings won’t fit the new house’s proportions anyway.
Light fixtures were chosen for the rooms in this house, so they don’t always suit a new space. Our clothespin chandelier, for instance, worked perfectly in this house’s laundry area; our new laundry area doesn’t even have an overhead light. In our market, homes sold as “turn-key” or “move-in ready” often include appliances. A refrigerator that fits one kitchen might not fit the next, so leaving appliances behind is practical—especially since we prefer buying fixer-uppers at a lower price and then upgrading appliances ourselves.
Back to the before-and-afters. Here’s the living room when we moved in.
And here’s how it looked when we left.
The sunroom before.
And the sunroom after.
Our bedroom changed a lot too. I wish I had a before photo from this angle.
We do have this before shot of the sink nook.
I wish we’d photographed the hallway on move-in day, but at least we have an after shot to remember it by.
Here’s Clara’s room when we arrived.
And how it looked when we left (Clara came with us).
Of course the guest room changed too…
…after the dark teal paint and crown molding were added.
Our biggest regret is not refinishing all the orange oak and faded parquet to match the kitchen’s rich mocha cork floors. That would have looked amazing. I wouldn’t be surprised if the new owners take care of it someday.
Here’s a closer shot of the frame hallway — look, no holes.
All hail spackle, king of DIY!
We’re going to miss this house, but we’ll carry the memories with us: three Christmases, three of Clara’s birthday parties, writing and photographing our book here, and watching Clara crawl and take her first steps. So many moments made this place home. Pass me a tissue.
Psst—We shared a funny picture comparison on Young House Life today too. Time really does fly.