Our New House

So, I kept waiting until we had the house all organized and cute before taking pictures...and then I realized that you might not see the house (unless you visit us) for several years! 

(I am a slow decorator and organizer - I'm really good at organizing and ok at decorating - i.e., copying ideas I find online.....but I take a long time to do it. I'm busy and have to budget in any changes.)

So, here it is, roughly a month after move in! (The inside)  It'll be good to have before and after pictures anyways. :)

The Laundry room

probably one of the selling points of the house for me.

What I love:

• the left wall for lots of blanket, picture, fabric storage and for hanging clean clothes
• the right wall for a folding table (see the piles...times to get your laundry!)

What I might change:

• the computer is a little overwhelming in the space, but I like it here for now
• the left shelves will probably receive re-organization several times to make them look better!
• add wall storage above table for missing socks, iron, pattern storage

(that's an ironing board in the wall by my table)

Master Bathroom

Haven't even had time to use the tub yet (the girls love it)

What I love about it:

• It's so big! (Our last master bathroom was apartment sized)
• So much counter space
• Open toilet (I was afraid of having to settle for a closet toilet)
• Big mirror
• Room for scale

What I will probably change about it:

• eventually a bigger shower would be nice (we did downsize there)
• And having the shower NOT affected by the toilet flushing (again, downsize)
• white tile to something less white (tile is really cold by the way!)
• remaining gold fixtures to brushed nickel
• shelving near shower/toilet

 The kitchen

another selling point for me

(I love a big open kitchen - I will sacrifice elsewhere in the house to get one. I always have.)

 What I love:

• granite countertops (wasn't even on my "list", but turns out, they are so easy to clean)
• the faucet sprayer in one (thought I wouldn't like it - actually, I love it)
• built in microwave (so nice to have that again)
• vinyl floors (what?! you say - yes, I like vinyl in my kitchen!)
• cabinet color (we had white last house - awful to keep clean)
• LOTS of cabinets and LOTS of counter space
• pantry + "cupboard under the stairs" for more food storage
• light fixture over the table

What I will probably change (over time...it's fine like it is for now)

•  floor color (when it's old)
• appliance color (when they die)
• better cookbook storage
• better baking sheet storage
• better shelving in "cupboard under the stairs" (food storage room)
• the "learning walls" will change over time - right now it's sight words on those butterfly and fish :)

Dining room

What I love -

• that I have one! 
• cool dimmer switch
• enough room for china cabinet (found that one at thrift store in town - it's beautiful)

What I'll change

• light fixture (but not until the girls are older because they LOVE It)

Rob built this square standard height farmhouse style table and we love it!

It seats 8 comfortably and 12 minimum width but still enough room.

The Den

What I love:

• A big space enough for seating for the entire family at once
• wood burning fireplace (for emergency use mostly)
• mantle (to decorate)
• windows (lots of light)
• wood floors (rug is easier to update over the years when they wear out the carpet)

(more love)

• Room for instruments
• "circular downstairs" (You can walk around in a circle from dining to kitchen to hall to den to foyer, repeat)

What I will probably change:

• add tv stand/shelving for books
• decorate
• yep, that's it.

Master Bedroom

What I love:

• It's HUGE (We have never had one this big) - great for exercise and cutting out lots of fabric) :)

door by the bed is our bathroom seen above

 What I will probably change:
(besides decorating)

• lock on closet door (you'll see why)
• craft wall storage (above table) that is cute
• chaise lounge for Rob to read while I sew or scrapbook
• end tables (we're using kitchen stools) :)

 Leads straight to the master closet and through to the laundry room (pictured above already)

Craft Area

If you leave the laundry room from our closet, you'll go through this "bonus" space we are using for kids craft/learning area and straight into one of our girls' bedrooms. 

(That's the reason for the lock on the closet - to separate us a little more from them. There is a pocket door in that doorway between craft/laundry, and it has a lock, but when we want no little girl bursting into our room, I'd rather have another lock closer to my room for added privacy. I like that all the girls are very near for bad dreams and scary storms nights.)

What I love:

• a space for crafts that is hidden from view
• built in shelves
• (isn't that a cute dresser I found at a thrift store?)

What I will probably change:

• more specific organization on table wall - lots more detail storage
• set up girls sewing machine

Kaitlyn and Alee's room

(will be girly flower/nature themed)

What I love:

• their own room
• big closet
• connection to our room (through craft and laundry)
• (the fact that there is room enough to rearrange)

What I will probably change:

• better storage/organization
• curtains for closet (we took off the bifold doors)
• fan (it's bright red)
• display for art
• Re-arrange

(alee's lamp already got updated to a teal one just like kaitlyn's - found at goodwill, target clearance) :)

 Carolyn and Natalie's room

What I love:

• their walk in closet
• the bay/bow? window
• the connected bathroom (K and A have access from the hall across from their bedroom)

(bathroom door to right of vanity, closet door to the left)

 Can you tell which girl loves to organize and which still needs some tutoring in that area? :)

Had to include this...she amazes me sometimes. No one made her make a goal; she just does it.

What I will probably change:

• just organization of their stuff and decorating

 The playroom (FROG)

What I love:

• how BIG it is (and that it doesn't have to be for computer and sewing (unless I just want them there)
• the attic access doors
• the window overlooking front yard
• that it can fit a couch!
• the nooks and crannies (not just straight rectangle)

what I will probably change:

• carpet
• paint
• arrangement (over and over again) :)

Reading area...need more shelves (to right of door on entry)

 playhouse area (with kitchen inside) - to left of door on entry

Entertainment area

 Toy area (windows to front driveway)

Shelves are partially hidden from view when you enter, so they don't ALL have to be neat and cute - just the first 3 columns :)

Seth's room and bathroom

This is where the organization will begin:

 (AFTER the walls and closet are no longer 2 shades of purple!)

What I like about it:

• That he has his own room on his own floor (no girls distracting him or aggravating him in the morning)
• He sort of has his own bathroom (it's for the entire first floor - us and any visitors), but for showers, he's the only one that uses it.
• That we have a first floor bedroom (should one of us ever break a leg or something and can't get upstairs)
• The room is a good size and can fit the queen bed and all his stuff without making guests (yep, this is the guest room too) feel like the turtle and legos are crowding them out.
• It's a nice carpet too (never had non-cheap carpet before) 

What I will probably change:

• The paint (that is definitely, not probably)
• mostly just decorating and organizing with shelves to display lego creations

The downstairs bathroom (otherwise known as "Seth's bathroom")
What I like about it:

• It's huge (for a non master bathroom)
• There is enough room for a laundry basket between toilet and tub
• Lots of storage under the sink

What I will probably change:

• um...the pink! (Pink tile on floor, pink tile in tub, pink shell countertop)

I don't mind the shell sink really, but the color is hideous and the floor looks dirty about 10 minutes after I clean it. Eventually I'll update this bathroom...but Seth is laid back and could care less that his bathroom and bedroom are pink and purple and look like a grandma's house. love him for that.

• and gold fixtures (the sink is done for us)
• Not wild about a window to the back porch...but I'll just change the blinds to something else and ignore it.

We love the house! It has a funky little layout. (I'll include that below so you can see it.) It matches our family. Sure there are things that we want to change, but only to personalize it. We will probably update all interior door handles and many light fixtures (b/c they're all gold) and we'll probably paint (or if we can afford it, pay someone else to paint) because I flat paint doesn't last long with children and I like color.