Let me start this post by saying that I am a huge mixer of styles and therefore makes it really hard for me to select one photo and feel like it captures the entire direction + feeling of a space. A lot of what I’ve saved is for layout inspiration or captures the feeling of a lived-in home that I am looking to achieve!
All of these photos are meant to provide a quick peep into my head. Things will absolutely change as we get into the thick of projects, but it’s so helpful to have sat with my ideas for months so that I am not overwhelmed when speaking with contractors and specialists. I highly encourage you to put yourself through this exercise to really start to nail down what could/couldn’t work in your space, find commonalities in photos you’re drawn to and set realistic expectations to inform your plan and budget.
I can’t wait to kick off projects this week! Thanks for following along. If you are aware of one of my unknown sources, please let me know so I can give proper credit!
Mudroom Entry
We love the idea of framing the windows in the mudroom with floor to ceiling storage to create a welcoming, yet functional space. With it being an old home, we don’t have utility closets so turning this space into a multi purpose room to store coats, cleaning supplies, tools and pet items fully makes sense for us. We’ll have fun with tile selects and color, but remain timeless and welcoming to create instant warmth in our home.
Sitting Room
The space in between the mudroom and the kitchen is very free-flowing and transitional. So, we pretty much instantly knew that we wanted to create a sitting area with a dry bar. This will maximize our storage in the home by creating a space for all of our barware and glassware, alcohol, games and more – while also creating a space that sparks gathering and conversation. A space that truly allows us to ENJOY this home! We’ll definitely do a fun cabinet color here, and as we get into it determine if we really need a sink or not. More to come!
Kitchen
source: unknown
source: carolyne ferguson design
At a glance, these photos are a little misleading in terms of the overall look and feel we are going for. These lean a little rustic, but are more about the layout and elements we want to include. Mixing textures through beams, tile, potential brick on the range, metals and lighting is all important to us. We’ll be creating a sitting island and overall updating the look for a clean, yet timeless kitchen. Trying to push outside of white, too!
Dining Nook
This is one of the most exciting projects for me. Right now, the dining area is not optimized for gathering and storage. We’re hoping to create a surrounding bench with storage and create more of a casual area for breakfast, lunch, dinners and game nights! The kitchen is always a gathering place and we want this to be an extension of that. The frame TV will come in key here 😉
Powder Room
source: unknown
I’ve always loved a moody, warm and characterized powder room. It’s such a small space, why not do something fun? These all capture the feel of warmth that I’m going for, and love the elements of a cast iron utility sink, daring tile and little details to make guests feel welcome. I came across this last powder room on our trip to Charleston and loved how all the elements together made it feel like home.
MLCO Office
source: unknown
The office is in between the staircase and living room, so it’s very important for me to create an open space that doesn’t feel like guests are being intrusive by walking through. One of our DIY’s will be building a built-in storage bench and shelves by the window to create a reading nook and an instant feeling of cozy to soften up the idea of an “office”. This will also be functional for the times that we host larger dinner gatherings as we plan to swap out my desk and bring in a long table. The bench will provide additional seating and allow guests to comfortably gather around with dessert or night cap cocktails!
Living Room
source: unknown
source: unknown
I’ll be beating the term I’ve coined “lived-in layers” to death but it really captures how I want this space to feel. I love muted tones, while mixing different woods and metals. Layering in the living room is key to me when looking to create a complete space. These images depict the ideal layout and elements of our tall windows and ceilings. We plan to explore a ceiling treatment or beams as well.
G’s Office
source: unknown
Greg’s office will need to be transitional in that the current room he is in will eventually become a nursery when we should be so lucky to grow our family! We’ll move him into a wall in the guest room, so each piece needs to fit both, which won’t be hard to do – just sharing to think about your long term plans to save time and money in the long run. He wants a masculine feel with touches of his interests of golf and books – this photo is great inspo for it!
Secondary Bathroom
source: unknown
I absolutely love the bones of our shared secondary bath. The angles, high ceilings and space make it easy to become inspired here. We plan to utilize timeless tile, keep the clawfoot tub as a nod to our last home and maximize storage with new cabinets.
Primary Bedroom, Bath + Closet
source: unknown
Our Primary space is going to be the biggest project given the current set up. If you missed our House Tour, you may not be aware of the terrible bathroom layout and lack of a closet. We are lucky that this space is so big, giving us confidence that we can figure a renovation out with a talented contractor! We are still figuring out when we’d start this as we want to knock out some other things first, but these images indicate how much we want to maximize space and lean into the tall ceilings and abundance of windows!
Exterior
source: unknown
The exterior will be an ongoing, but also long-term item to address. We aren’t in love with our exterior but are so happy with the starting point! We’ve always dreamed of white shaker siding and fencing, so will definitely do that after the inside is near complete. The deck and backyard are amazing for entertaining, so we plan to make repairs and furnish with lush greens and seating that encourage meals under the stars!