There’s something about being nearly a year into living here that makes it feel like we’ve accomplished a lot of evolution over the last 357 days (not that I’m counting). A single month in a house doesn’t leave much time for changes, but twelve months in a row is plenty of time to experiment, refine, and commit. We lived with a floor plan for almost a year just to be sure, and then finally knocked out a wall we’d wanted gone from day one.
That length of time also allowed us to swap a few furniture pieces and accessories as we moved from using random hand-me-downs and first-instinct choices to making more deliberate decisions. These changes don’t happen overnight—especially when you’re balancing small budgets, DIY projects, and a toddler—but after many months of small fixes and larger builds, we finally made a few thoughtful updates. This post tells the story of a three-part refresh that centered around rug, ottoman, and chair proportions.
Since moving in we hadn’t made many major purchases after buying our sectional, the first rug, our bed, and a large dining table. Instead, we went into a DIY sprint for almost a year: we built an inexpensive console table, created a wall-to-wall double desk, laid our own stone patio, and even saved money by exploring options for a kitchen wall opening. In the meantime we filled gaps with inexpensive secondhand finds—cheap desk chairs, thrifted dining chairs, and salvaged kitchen cabinets for our remodel.
After months of saving and being patient, it felt nice to actually buy a few things we loved. We also had some store credit from curating a sale with Joss & Main, which made it easier to put money toward living room upgrades. The living room is one of our most used spaces, so we expected to notice the difference right away.
For nearly a year we adored a fluffy green shag rug. It was perfect for a crawling baby and a wobbly toddler—so thick that adults often found themselves sitting or lying on the floor. But as Clara grew a few issues emerged.
First, practicalities. Spilled milk and crushed crackers or goldfish in a deep shag are a pain to clean. We’re a casual family who allows dry snacks and sippy cups in the living room, so the rug had to withstand toddler traffic and frequent clean-ups. While vacuuming and spot-scrubbing worked, a lower-pile rug would be much easier to maintain with an energetic child.
Second, scale. Our previous home had small rooms and 5 x 8 rugs, so when we moved into a much larger living room, an 8 x 11 rug just felt undersized. Our sectional was barely contained by it, which made the space feel unbalanced. We were still learning how to decorate a larger room and knew a bigger rug would help anchor everything.
Then I found a 10 x 14 100% wool rug on sale and started weighing the pros and cons. Rugs that size we liked were often in the $1,000–$2,000 range, so a $599 price tag felt like a rare opportunity. After thinking it over, I showed John—only to find he’d already found the same rug and had it open on his computer. We both had been mulling it over independently. It was one of those rare instances where a decision felt right, so we ordered it despite the nerves.
Along with the rug, we’d been using a too-small ottoman that offered no storage. We longed for a large tufted leather storage ottoman—not cheap, but exceptionally practical. The piece we found offered nearly fourteen cubic feet of hidden storage and a soft surface for a toddler, and its proportions matched our sectional. Add a tray and it doubles as a sturdy serving surface. The sale price made it affordable enough to pull the trigger.
We also picked up a chair on sale that replaced a well-worn parson’s chair we’d bought for $70 years ago. The faux-leather on that old chair had started to crack from heavy use, so a fresh, affordable replacement was welcome.
The worn chair looked like this before we replaced it:
When all the new pieces arrived within days of each other, it really did feel like Christmas. We declared these purchases our gifts to each other across the past and coming years. The rug still needs a pad to settle perfectly, and we swapped out artwork for textured burlap-like fabric that complements the room without competing with bright pillows and accents.
Spending on a large rug and an ottoman wasn’t trivial for frugal folks like us. Even the chair was a step up from our typical thrift-store finds. But factoring the sale savings made the splurge feel justified, and our months of DIY effort meant we had the savings to pay for it without carrying debt. That financial restraint makes purchases like this more satisfying.
We plan to reuse the old round ottoman and the green shag rug in other rooms, and we might try slipcovering the faux-leather chair for another spot. There are still plenty of projects left—wrong-sized rugs in the office, a too-small TV and media cabinet, and missing pieces in the entryway, playroom, sunroom, and bathrooms—but we’re making steady progress.
Knowing our first house took 4.5 years to finish is comforting; it removes the pressure to have everything done immediately. These things take time, and after a year in this house we feel more settled and pleased with the direction of our home. How long did it take you to feel at home after moving?
Psst—flash sales come and go quickly, so the exact items we bought weren’t always available after we received them. If you’re tracking similar pieces, keep an eye on sales and signup offers from retailers for the best deals.