For the past ten years I have rented the home we lived in.
It was a lovely home with lots of memories, but we were ready to begin a new chapter.
So we looked a lot online first, and wanting to keep the kids in the same school limited our area.
The real estate market right now is pretty fierce here in the Pacific North West, and more than once we found something, scheduled a time to look at it, and it went pending before we could see it.
We realized that we would need to know exactly what we wanted and be ready to submit an offer quickly when we found “the one.”
Only actually walking thru two homes, the second we immediately knew was what we were looking for.
We found a mid-century modern home built in 1978 on 1/3 of an acre. A huge piece of land in our area, with all the space we need and lots of room to grow and add on if we want to someday.
The seller had put in all new wood floors, white baseboards, tiled the 2 wood burning fireplaces, and painted the interior a light grey.
But, the kitchen, main and master baths (both baths have new tile floor and the master a new tile shower) had very outdated oak-tastic cabinets.
Since we have only been here 2 weeks (hence my silence while we do a partial reno and move for what seemed like forever) I will share the kitchen as soon as I can.
But the space I am sharing today is our front living room, and it’s one of my favorite spots in our home.
And a bit of the dining room too. We have been making progress in the kitchen too, painting the upper cabinets white and the lowers a pretty charcoal color.
More of that soon since the navy-blue Corian countertops need to be dealt with….
I love the original wood around the fireplace, and while my first thought was to remove the mirrors above, I am waiting until we are here a while and get settled in to make any big decisions.
I kind of want the house to speak to me so I don’t regret any changes, especially things that make the home unique.
While the interior had a partial renovation, and the rest inside was just cosmetic, the exterior is where we will be working extensively.
The home had been a rental for many years and the large front and back yards, as well as the huge covered deck in the back are all in need of an overhaul.
And the paint.
Let’s just say that is our next project, and she will say goodbye to her tan paint with spearmint green trim (I thought the same thing, who does that?) and get a sleek new look in grey with black trim and lots of warm wood accents.
That is a before and after you will see every step of the way.
And Troy being a contractor who seems to know how to build, repair and replace anything, the house that scared buyers away is just what we were hoping we would find.
We both said “think of all the projects we could share on the blog!”
And while sharing a couple things on Facebook recently a hashtag came to mind that has kind of stuck.
#that70’sHouse
You’ll see why as I share the vintage 70’s carpet GLUED to the cement in the garage.
We are beyond excited and cannot wait to share each adventure, what we learn, and what this little 70’s house becomes as we get to know her.
And the best part, we surprised the kids when we got the keys after we closed on the house.
We were a little concerned they may not be as excited as us, but that was not the case.
They love their new rooms, and have had quite a bit of fun riding in the little bucket trailer behind our riding lawn mower.
Oh, and one more thing.
There is a chicken coop, with a little door for them to go in and out.
That’s about 19 projects from now as we have our yard equipment stored in there for now.
But I think that may have just sealed the deal on their reaction.
They screamed CHICKENS when they saw it.
I may have had the same reaction, and may or may not have already named our future chickens.
I am partial to LuLu and Taco.
More of that another day. One last picture of my favorite spot to read and drink coffee….
Thank you as always friends for reading and following along, wishing you everything peaceful and wondering today,
xo, Tanya
linking up to: http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/
And these awesome parties: https://twelveoeightblog.com/awesome-link-parties
6 Responses
I love it and am so happy for you!! Congratulations, it already looks amazing, I can’t wait to see all your other projects to come. A few years ago I would have probably wanted to move into a move-in ready home, but you know I’d love a house like yours now. Kind of move-in ready with a lot of possibilities to add my own character still. Enjoy!!
What an exciting new venture for you all Tanya. I look forward to seeing you share all these future projects at Create, Bake, Grow & Gather!
l4gTrP I was suggested this blog by my cousin. I am not sure whether this post is written by him as no one else know such detailed about my trouble. You are incredible! Thanks!
wow, awesome post.Much thanks again. Cool.
My family and I bought an old house and started with the living room: we painted the walls light gray, added white baseboards, replaced the flooring with a warm wood look, and tiled the fireplace—it became cozy and modern, just like yours. When we decided to deepen the remodel with an open floor plan and custom built-in shelves, we turned to the professionals at https://thaconstruction.com/ . They took the mid-century style into account, enhanced the structure, and added lighting. Now the room is perfect for family evenings, bright and spacious!
Transforming a new house into a home is one of the most rewarding parts of moving, and the living room often becomes the heart of that process. From choosing the right furniture to creating a space that reflects your personal style, the journey of making a space your own is both creative and deeply satisfying. The excitement of moving in, however, is often preceded by the practical steps of securing the lease and managing the associated costs. This is where innovations like Egiro come into play, offering tenants ways to handle rental payments that can make the move-in process less financially stressful. By reducing the need for large upfront deposits, these services allow more cash to be available for the things that truly matter, like furnishing and personalizing your new space. A smoother financial transition means you can focus more on the creative aspects of making your new house feel like home.