Thursday, June 10, 2010

A little reality

I always giggle when people leave comments asking if our house is always so clean. It's a funny question to ask someone who basically lives in a slowly progressing construction zone. To keep any semblance of sanity I have to have a few areas that look remotely finished and tidy.

But at the same time I want to make sure that you guys see the reality of living in a home that is always progressing, often slower than we would like but we would rather do it at our own pace so that we can pay cash for everything. Although there are days (lately a whole lot of them) that I really want to see the pace go up a few notches.

-To see our demo and mantle install click here

-To see our DIY board and batten progress click here

-To see our DIY fireplace tile job click here

This is really what our daily life looks like. It is laundry day and the family room couch slipcover is getting it's monthly bath.


But even once the cover is back on I really want to emphasize that a family lives here!


I seem to share just bits and pieces of rooms so I am trying to conciously make an effort to take more "room shots". Since we have this whole room dedicated to enjoying our favorite shows and movies we don't mind having the TV out in the open.



See the bottom left hand side of the couch? Wren likes to stash her back pack and some other goodies down there.

Wren loves bouncing around on the poufs and playing on the rug while we eat our breakfast and get our daily dose of Sesame Street every morning.

But the stuff you don't see (because why on earth would I constanly remind both you and I that I have a mile long to-do list!) are things like where the floors are not yet finished.

Here is where the front hall meets the kitchen. We can't finish these floors until we rip out a few walls in the kitchen. And we can't do that until we are ready to purchase all the cabinets. And we can't buy the cabinets until we pick out our appliances... and we can't pick out our appliances until we finish the stair case and railings... and on and on !
So for now this is what it looks like~


And here is where the kitchen meets the family room! We ripped out the railings (yeah, a railing to save us from 1 step was definitely necessary, love the logic of these houses), and will eventually extend the kitchen floors a few inches to where you see the wood end.


We also plan on running the beadboard ceilings from the laundry room all through out the kitchen and family room too... but until then I will be sitting here in my half-finished but fully loved family room.

(this cabinet is completely bursting at the seams with toys and usually overflows into the whole room)


The light is so beautiful in here and it really makes me feel like I am floating on a cloud~

But even with all that, I wouldn't change a thing and fully love living in our reno as we progress in our journey!

36 comments:

christine, just bella said...

Thanks for keeping it real, girl :) Your family room looks so flippin' cozy, I just want to curl up on that couch!

I think I have the same sconces as you, Home Sense?

Unknown said...

AHh good eye Christine!! They were indeed scores at HomeSense (and you have to love that they required no wiring)~

alison (semi-fab lane) said...

wow, i love all of the white! do you mind sharing where you got those fabulous poufs?

Nancy said...

so your house was built in the 70's? cause that raised kitchen was "cool" back then...

Love all the white and the dark wood floors, but nice to know it's not all perfect.

Unknown said...

Thanks so much Alison! I bet you can guess....Home Sense! LOL They were on clearance for $80 about 2 years ago and I knew I had to have them. You can't really see it in these pictures, but the leather is embossed with a paisley pattern which stole my heart.

Shannon said...

omg how do you keep the white sofa's white...are they really that easy to keep clean with children??? I really want white couches but I am so afraid of ruining them and my guests not sitting on them for the fear of messing them up as well.

Anonymous said...

aaah! looks so peaceful and pretty!

Nicole @ the style hatch said...

I know what you mean. I always say my husband and I are 'living in a flip'. I would love to see your dining room... In one of the pictures there was a small shot of the chairs... Love what I saw. You have a lovely home!!!

Nicole

www.sobeautifullyinspired.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

Hi Holly-
Love these "real life" posts. So authentic. Either way, you're home is gorgeous.

~Rachel~

Unknown said...

I love your house! It's cool to see a full view of your living room, the white looks so great in there.

We too have spots in our hosue yet to be completed and tings we need to fix....but all in due time.

Amber said...

wow I love that last picture! Fun to see some of the not so perfect aspects love it!

Tanya said...

I just love your floors ... love love love!!!

Momma Rhyne said...

YES!!!! I LOVE this post!!

THANK YOU.. I saw a toy, the floors are awesome, even work in progress!! Great job!!

Now I want to see what what your family room looks like with that "cabinet full of toys" emptied all over the room, like my kids would. Hehe!

liz @ bon temps beignet said...

Oh thank God. I thought I was the only one with unfinished floors. And I TOTALLY understand the 'we can't do this until we do that' never ending cycle. It's so frustrating.

Cindy said...

Your family room is really pretty, it looks SO comfy. Nice to know I'm not the only one who has to take selective photos. I don't have kids at home, but the two of us do live here. Your home will be lovely when it is finished.
Hugs, cindy s

Shannon @ What's Up Whimsy said...

I really love your house! And I really love your blog! And you have officially inspired me to get a white slipcover for my couch.

A well Loved Home said...

Thank you for making us all feel better about ourselves. Sometimes it seems like we must be the ONLY ones who live in chaos! Sue@awelllovedhome.com

Melissa said...

I love the "real" shots-- although you've done such a nice job of making it livable and beautiful, even if it is unfinished!

Unknown said...

OMG thank you, you make me feel more normal!

Unknown said...

Such a gorgeous space! I love how white just brightens everything. People think I'm crazy for having white furniture and slipcovers with animals and two little boys, but to me it's so fresh and happy. My house never looks that organized, though! ;-)

Kacey

Chelsea said...

Hi Holly~
I know you've probably mentioned before so I hate to ask, but...where is your sectional slipcover from? :)

My sectional has 3/corner/2 seats & I can't seem to find one that meets that criteria!

Lena said...

Love seeing the whole room. Any suggestions for finding a slip cover for a sectional?

Anonymous said...

Thank goodness you have unfinished floors! Here I was thinking that you were some kind of home goddess who not only maintained a completely white palate of decorating but also maintained the 100% perfect house. Not that I need you to show your works in progress to knock you down but it certainly makes everything much more reality based.

Scott and Rebekah said...

I'm sure you've answered this a hundred time, but where is your sofa from and where are the poufs from? Love them both!!!!
rray@liberty.edu

Anonymous said...

Haha, I was one of those "how do you keep the white clean" commenters! I realize now that what people post on their blog isn't always what real life looks like. Especially with a baby/toddler!!!

P.S. I still LOVE your house. I would cheat on my house with yours in a nano-second!

Janine Claire Robinson said...

Yay Holly! I love the reality of your post!! I was just thinking along the same lines over the last few days. Most blogs I read so inspire me to re-do every inch of my house. They look pristine and so "finished". After spring cleaning for 2 weeks straight I actually thought to myself that it is a privilege to have "evidence" of my sweet/busy little princesses and handsome hubby around the house. That's what makes it our home :) I loved your post! Janine

Gina said...

I so love your floors!! And I could live in Home Goods, addicting right? Thanks for sharing!!

Angelica said...

Ha! I love this post and I just need to say dearest sweet Holly, if you find something similar to your TV stand please please please scoop it up for us! You know about my on-going quest for a tv stand, and that piece is exactly what I've been searching for. As always, thanks for the inspiration.

Kristin said...

thanks so much for sharing the real side and making us all feel better about our real houses, too. we've all got little spots that are on the 'to-fix' list and it's just nice to see that you've got them too. Your house is so lovely anyway, though, that i'd hardly notice the other stuff.

bagfashionista said...

my question would be, where are all the ugly bright colored plastic toys?!!! our house seems to be overrun by them, and there are some pieces that are just too big to put away in the closet/cupboards!

faith said...

Would you mind sharing where your slipcovers are from? I've been trying to find similar white slipcovers for my sofa and I keep coming back to PB.

Glamourshoes said...

Such a pretty room! I love all white rooms! I am thinking of making a few more of mine white again! I have two black chalkboard paint rooms and I really love that too.

Anonymous said...

Hi! First, I love your blog. I have used it for inspiration many times. I just so happen to have the same couch from IKEA and was wondering what you do to wash it? I have three kids and thought the white would be great because anytime I gets stained I could just bleach it...not so much. It now looks like it has been in a fight with a cat and the cat won. The bleach ate through the slipcover in the worst way. I don't want to completely give up on the white yet, so any advice/tips you have would be much appreciated! Thanks.

wrenocat said...

i love it I love it. iw ant a white house. xx and love the floor.

natalie miller said...

looks fabulous...love it

natalie miller said...

looks fabulous ...love it xxx

 
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