We’ve been in the house for just over three months. Some days it feels like we’ve lived here forever; other days it feels like we just moved in. In that time we’ve already tackled a lot: new hardwood upstairs, several exterior repairs and paint jobs, a half bath refresh and a small foyer facelift, bedroom paint, and a newly lofted sunroom. Plenty of rooms still haven’t been touched, so there’s lots more ahead. Here’s a photo-driven snapshot of how the house looks after about 90 days — a quick house tour and renovation update to capture the progress and the plans.
– The Front –
We removed some dangerous trees, replaced the old leaky roof, repaired and repainted siding and trim, and painted the front door a cheerful color. The yard is still patchy and overrun with weeds; we want to add garden beds and more plantings to make the outside feel finished.
Here’s a before photo for comparison.
– The Portico –
We removed the old slatted screen door, painted the sidelights white to match the trim, and painted the front door. We still want a larger doormat, a new light fixture, and to add architectural interest to the flat plywood triangle above the door — framing it with chunkier molding is on the short list.
– The Garage –
Siding along the side of the house was repaired and repainted. We’d like to paint the cream garage doors a darker color, either charcoal to match the roof or black to match the shutters.
– The Foyer –
We removed the dark wooden doors that blocked the kitchen, stripped old wallpaper, painted formerly blue trim white, and refreshed the walls with new paint. We hung a new light fixture and some art. The staircase railing still has blue spindles to redo, and there’s old carpeting on the stairs we plan to replace with a new runner. We’re also considering a subtle ceiling color in this space.
Here’s the foyer before.
– The Half Bathroom –
We stripped the wallpaper, painted the walls and trim, hung a new mirror, primed and painted the vanity, installed a secondhand light and some art, and upgraded the faucet. We’re saving for a more comprehensive makeover — perhaps grasscloth wallpaper or a tiled accent wall — but these affordable updates made the space feel much fresher in the meantime.
Half bathroom before:
– The Dining Room –
The dining room still has blue trim and wallpaper. For now we’ve moved in furniture, but long-term we want to update the walls, change the light fixture, and address the built-ins in the corners.
– The Living Room –
So far we’ve primed and painted the walls and whitewashed the brick fireplace. We loved the look in our previous house after painting brick and trim, so next up is painting the wood trim glossy white. Coffered ceilings with a soft blue above are on our wish list as well. It’s far from finished, but it already feels more like home than the original salmon-pink palette.
– The Office –
We’ve set up furniture and organized a bookcase, but the blue trim still needs painting. We’re considering built-ins and possibly a floating desk to increase storage and workability — perhaps something like a custom built-in configuration.
– The Kitchen –
We usually live in a house for at least a year before committing to a major kitchen or bathroom gut to understand how we actually use the space. We’re taking notes on flow and function so any future remodel will be more open, brighter, and far more practical.
– Our Bedroom –
Upstairs rooms started with worn carpeting, so we painted cream doors and trim, installed hardwood floors right before moving in, and later painted the walls. We plan to add built-ins behind the bed to visually center the windows, install window treatments, rearrange furniture, and hang art.
Here’s a before shot from when we bought the house.
– Our En-suite Bathroom –
We removed the old glass shower doors and hung a tall, high shower curtain to open the space visually. Down the road we’d love to combine the sink nook and main bathroom into a single, more open bathroom with a double sink rather than separated vanities.
– Our Closet –
Our closet is full and in need of organization. We plan to install built-in drawers and shelving to maximize function, replace the old carpet, and carry tile from the bathroom into this area so the bedroom wing feels seamless.
– Upstairs Hallway –
We ripped up the old carpet, painted all the blue doors and trim, and installed new hardwood floors in a last-minute push before moving day. The hallway still needs painted spindles on the banister and fresh paint on the walls and ceiling.
Before photo for comparison:
– Clara’s Room –
We painted the blue trim in Clara’s room, installed new hardwood floors, and moved her furniture from our previous house. Next steps include painting the walls, adding an overhead light fixture, hanging art, and fine-tuning layout as the room evolves.
Here’s a before shot taken after we removed the old carpet.
– Spare Room / Possible Future Nursery –
We painted the mauve trim and installed hardwood floors. For now it’s a multipurpose spare room with a few items moved in. We won’t commit to a nursery until we know for sure how we’ll use the space.
Original condition with carpet and pink trim:
– The Guest Bedroom / Craft Room –
We painted the trim, installed hardwood floors, and moved in furniture. We rehung curtains from our last house to give the room some warmth, but the striped walls still need paint and we haven’t settled on a long-term layout yet.
Before:
– The Hall Bathroom –
So far we’ve added faux wood blinds for privacy and bright accessories to cheer the room up. Hanging the shower curtain high helps conceal some damaged tile. This bathroom will get a fuller update when we prioritize bathrooms later on.
– Laundry Nook –
The blue trim is now white and the carpet was replaced with hardwood. We’re saving for new appliances and plan to add cabinetry, possibly frosted doors to muffle sound, and maybe a tiled accent wall in the future.
– The Sunroom –
We removed the old carpet and tore out broken doors to create a more indoor-outdoor feel. We lofted the ceiling and completed electrical work so the space no longer fogs up or seals off from the deck. We’re excited to add light blue beadboard on the ceiling and tile the floor for a bright, breezy look — possibly even an outdoor fireplace one day.
Sunroom before:
– The Back Deck –
We removed a hazardous tree, repaired and repainted siding and trim, patched the hole left by the tree, then stripped and re-stained the deck. The outdoor space was rough when we bought the house, so reclaiming it has been especially rewarding.
We stopped doing monthly recaps when we moved, but posts like this are useful time capsules — they freeze a moment and remind us how far the house has come. Do you ever take photos or keep albums to track your home’s progress? We update our House Tour with new progress photos, and looking back at posts like these always prompts a proud “remember when?”