At first I started typing the original “I like to move it, move it” lyrics, but I quickly realized I don’t enjoy moving at all. So it felt like an unpleasant déjà vu unloading furniture into the Homearama showhouse on Monday. The optimistic take: we finally get to furnish the house! (For anyone wondering what this showhouse is and how it benefits Habitat for Humanity, there are posts with more background on the project.)
With construction mostly complete, we welcomed a delivery from Green Front Furniture, the local shop loaning pieces to several show homes. They brought larger items like beds, desks, and sofas, so we staged an all-hands-on-deck day to carry everything in and arrange it. Here I am with Charlie, the listing agent, hefting the king mattress into the main bedroom.
Not everything is from Green Front—additional pieces have trickled in throughout the week. Sherry and I have spent several hours each day hunting thrift stores, secondhand shops, small local retailers, and big-box stores for the smaller items that make a house feel lived-in: art for blank walls, accessories for empty shelves, and finishing touches for nooks and crannies.
Outside, progress has been satisfying. The wood beams were stained and sealed, deepening their color as planned. It still looks bare without landscaping, so we’re excited to see the sod and plantings go in this weekend. The front door has been painted, too.
After everyone weighed in on the door color, the popular write-in vote for white won out. Keeping the door the same white as the sidelights gives it more visual weight without competing with the bold siding color and rustic wood porch. Those exterior elements are the real stars, and we’ll add landscaping, potted plants, and porch furniture (including a hanging porch swing) to complete the look.
Inside, the kitchen is coming together nicely. Appliances are installed, the backsplash is tiled, and we assembled island stools—comfy saddle stools donated by West Elm. The island is painted Hale Navy, the gray cabinets are a stock sample from the cabinet maker, and the gold pendants over the island are from Shades of Light.
You can spot a sliver of styling waiting in the built-ins of the eat-in nook to the left—Sherry was probably still working on them when this was taken. We hadn’t shown the right-side cabinetry corner before: it’s a generous open area (the island is 11 feet long for scale), and Sherry is excited to style the counters and glass-front cabinets to make the space feel homey. Just seeing stools pulled up to the island made it feel like a real kitchen.
For the backsplash we chose a subtle white blend waterfall glass tile from a local company called Mosaic. We wanted it to reflect light and add polish without competing with the navy island, gold fixtures, and x-fronted glass cabinets—just a quiet supporting player.
The counters are a leathered marble called White Moura, which has a slightly pebbled, matte texture rather than a glossy finish. It feels a bit like leather to the touch but remains hard and durable. The texture and sealing make it easier to maintain.
I’m admittedly a little jealous of the fridge. After initially choosing a Whirlpool line, the builder pushed us to go bigger, so we selected a Sub-Zero and Wolf package through a local contractor. It’s a dream unit and definitely raises my appliance envy level.
Through the doorway is the butler’s pantry, with the same cabinetry and counters as the kitchen. We included lower storage for wine and servingware but replaced upper cabinets with industrial teardrop sconces from Shades of Light and a wall of chalkboard paint. It’s a small transition space, so we opened up the upper wall; we have plans for that chalkboard area.
Upstairs, the wallpaper we’ve been excited about is finally up in the laundry room: Pebble Leaf by MissPrint. We debated adding it, but since this is a showhouse we decided to take the risk—and we’re glad we did.
The laundry counters are soapstone from a local fabricator, the faucet is the Leland model, cabinets are a dark wood stain, and the floors are a light modern tile called Travertino White Field. We hung two pendants from our Shades of Light collection in a row for a playful touch. We’re still waiting on the washer and dryer in a deep gunmetal finish to round out the room.
The guest bathroom is still a work in progress—tile work and a vanity mirror are yet to be finished. We aimed for a vintage vibe with a tile wainscot, and the penny-hex floor tile (donated by The Tile Shop) previews that direction.
We added vintage-inspired fixtures like a bridge faucet donated by Brizo, and cabinet hardware donated by Liberty, which brings the room closer to completion.
Our favorite bath in the house is the kids’ bathroom. The green vanity and white lantern tile are installed, and the wall-to-wall mirror, wall-mounted faucets, and an industrial light fixture are in place. The solid surface counter includes a recessed double trough sink with generous depth, so practical and playful at once—Clara would love it for her dolls.
An added feature in that bath is a separate toilet/shower area sectioned by a door so one child can shower while another uses the sink. Shelves behind the shower fit rolled towels and toiletries perfectly, and we selected striped glass tiles for the shower for texture and style.
Other small spaces are coming together too, like the main bedroom “atrium” between the bathroom and closet. We added a brass floor mirror from West Elm and a branch chandelier; the walls are painted Stonington Gray by Benjamin Moore. Those tall ceilings—10’ on the first floor and 9’ on the second—make a big difference in the feel of the rooms.
There are six other show houses nearby, each by a different team. We took a quick trip to see some of the exteriors and a backyard with a pool—pools aren’t common here, so it was a fun treat and a great example of creative use of outdoor space.
For the next couple of weeks the showhouse will take priority, so we may be behind on other things. We want to deliver for our team and Habitat, so we’re hustling to get as much finished as possible by the photography deadline on April 4th. After that the Homearama organizers will photograph and judge the house while we continue to tweak and finish the last details. We’re basically living at the site these days—thankfully there are mattresses now.
Psst – Want to see more showhouse photos? There’s a full showhouse tour with final room pictures, the floor plan, budget details, a video walk-through, and shopping info for the furniture and accessories.