We’ve been in the house for just over three months. Sometimes it feels like we’ve always lived here; other times it feels like we just moved in yesterday. In that short span we’ve made a lot of progress—new upstairs flooring, several exterior repairs and paint jobs, a half-bath refresh, a foyer facelift, bedroom paint, and a lofted sunroom—yet many rooms still sit untouched and waiting for attention. Below is a snapshot of how the house looks at the three-month mark.
– The Front –
Outside, we removed some hazardous trees, replaced the leaky roof, repaired and repainted siding and trim, and painted the front door a cheerful color. The yard still needs work—patchy grass and invasive weeds make it feel unfinished—so we plan to add garden beds and more plantings to soften the space.
For comparison, here’s how the front looked before.
– The Portico –
We removed the old slatted screen door and painted the sidelights white to match the trim, then painted the door. We’d like 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 could help.
– The Garage –
We repaired and repainted the siding on the house side and are considering painting the cream garage doors a darker shade—either charcoal to match the roof or black like the shutters—to give more contrast.
– The Foyer –
Inside, we removed the heavy wooden doors that used to block the kitchen, stripped wallpaper, painted previously blue trim white, and refreshed the walls with new paint. We added a new light fixture and some artwork. Remaining tasks include refinishing the staircase railing and replacing the old stair carpeting with a runner. We’re also considering a subtle ceiling color to add interest.
For reference, here’s the foyer before the changes.
– The Half Bathroom –
The half bath received several quick but impactful updates: wallpaper removal, new paint on walls and trim, a primed-and-painted vanity, a new mirror and secondhand light fixture, some art, and an upgraded faucet. These modest changes freshened the room while we save for a more extensive makeover—perhaps grasscloth wallpaper or a tiled accent wall down the line.
Here’s how the half bathroom looked before.
– The Dining Room –
The dining room still has blue trim and wallpaper. For now we moved in our furniture, but the room needs new wall treatments, an updated light fixture, and attention to the built-ins in the corners.
– The Living Room –
In the living room we primed and painted the walls and whitewashed the brick fireplace. Painting the wood trim a glossy white is next, and we’re considering coffered ceilings with a soft blue accent above. The room already feels much more like home compared with the original salmon pink.
– The Office –
We mostly placed furniture and organized a bookcase for now. Plans include painting the blue trim, adding built-ins, and possibly installing a floating desk to make the space more functional.
– The Kitchen –
We like to live in a house for at least a year before doing major kitchen or bath overhauls so we can truly understand how we use the space. We’re observing traffic patterns and storage needs with the goal of planning an open, bright, and more functional kitchen remodel when the time is right.
– Our Bedroom –
Upstairs had worn carpeting, so we painted cream doors and trim white, installed hardwood floors just before moving in, and later painted the walls a new color. Future plans include built-ins behind the bed to visually center the windows, window treatments, furniture rearrangement, and artwork.
Here’s the bedroom before we started.
– Our En-suite Bathroom –
We removed the old glass shower doors and hung a high shower curtain to open the space visually. Long term we’d like to combine the sink nook with the main bathroom to create a larger, more cohesive layout with a double sink instead of two separate vanities divided by a wall.
– Our Closet –
The closet is full and in need of organization. We plan to add built-in drawers and shelving and replace the old carpet. We’ll likely extend the bathroom tile into the closet so the whole bedroom wing reads more seamlessly.
– Upstairs Hallway –
We removed old carpeting, painted blue doors and trim white, and installed new hardwood floors in a quick push before moving day. Remaining tasks include painting the blue spindles on the bannister and finishing the hallway walls and ceiling.
Here’s the hallway before those changes.
– Clara’s Room –
We painted the blue trim white, installed new hardwood floors, and moved Clara’s furniture in from our previous house. Pending updates include painting the walls, installing an overhead light fixture, and hanging art. The layout will likely shift a bit as we fine-tune the room.
This is the room after we removed the old carpet.
– Spare Room / Possible Someday Nursery –
We painted the mauve trim white and laid new hardwood floors, then added a few items to make it usable. We’re leaving major decisions on hold until we decide how the room will be used—if a baby arrives, it may move up the priority list; otherwise it will stay as-is for the time being.
Here’s how this room started—old carpet and pink trim.
– The Guest Bedroom / Craft Room –
We painted the trim white, installed hardwood floors, and brought in furniture. We also rehung curtains from our last house to help the room feel finished. Still to do: paint the striped walls and settle on long-term furniture choices.
Here’s the room before we started.
– The Hall Bathroom –
So far we’ve added faux wood blinds for privacy and bright accessories to lift the space. Hanging the shower curtain high helps conceal some damaged tile in the shower.
– Laundry Nook –
The former blue trim is now white and the old carpet is gone, replaced with hardwood. We’re saving for new appliances and hope to add cabinetry and perhaps frosted doors to muffle sound, and potentially a tiled accent wall in the back.
– The Sunroom –
We removed old carpet and the broken doors that used to fog the room off from the deck, creating an indoor-outdoor space. We lofted the ceiling and updated electrical, and plan to add light-blue beadboard on the ceiling and tile the floor to give the room a bright, airy feel—possibly even an outdoor fireplace one day.
Here’s the sunroom as it looked when we moved in.
– The Back Deck –
We removed a dangerous tree near the deck, repaired and repainted siding and trim, patched the spot where the tree was, then stripped and re-stained the deck. It was rough when we bought the house, so reclaiming this outdoor space feels especially rewarding.
We stopped doing monthly recaps after the move, but posts like this are a great way to freeze time and remember how the house looked at a specific moment. Do you take photos or save progress updates when you renovate? We keep a House Tour page with progress photos and love looking back at how far things have come.