When we were house hunting, we had a pretty short list of features we really wanted in a house. Since we were looking to buy a house in a pretty competitive market with a budget on the lower end for the area, I tried to keep our expectations realistic. On aforementioned list, albeit towards the bottom, was a dining space. Brian and I could easily get by with just our eat-in kitchen (and did more many years in our first home!) but since we enjoy entertaining, a dedicated dining room that can accommodate my large family (just barely!) was a wish list item I am so grateful we got with our new home.
Do It Yourself Magazine Feature: Behind the Scenes of a Home Decor Photo Shoot
We were recently featured in Better Home and Garden's Do It Yourself Magazine (!!!) and I thought it would be interesting to share what the process is actually like in real life. This was our first photo shoot for a magazine, and I had no idea what to expect. For some reason, my biggest concern was making sure we had enough snacks on hand for the day (you can see where my priorities are, haha). Here is our personal experience and a glimpse at all that goes into those pretty glossy pages of home decor magazines!
Denmead House: Budget Kitchen Renovation Before and Afters
Happy spring, friends! We haven't been graced with spring-like temps quite yet here in Raleigh, but honestly the cold weather has been beneficial for getting some indoor projects knocked out, like our kitchen!We knew when we bought our new house that the first thing we wanted to tackle was the kitchen renovation. Originally, we planned on painting the existing cabinets and potentially keeping the laminate, but after living with it for a while, we shifted our plans. I HIGHLY recommend living in a new space for a while before making big changes, if possible. By living in our kitchen, I realized a number of things I wouldn't have if we had just started renovating on day one, such as:
Our New Home - The Denmead House
Happy New Year, friends! I hope the holidays were restful and joyful for you and that you are excited about a shiny new year. We've had some changes in our personal life that are bittersweet but also very exciting (hence the silence around here the last few months). After much thought and deliberation, we've decided to move back to Raleigh. It seemed like every weekend we were going back to Raleigh for family, friends, or work, and it became clear over time that a move back was going to be the best long-term plan - at least for the foreseeable future.
House Flipping: Avenue House Final Numbers
I cannot tell you how happy I am that the Avenue House is officially CLOSED. Brian and I both walked around for days after it sold chirpily saying, "We don't have to work on that flip house ever again!" If you've followed along with this renovation, you know things did not go smoothly. True to form, the selling process of this house did not go smoothly either!
House Flipping: Avenue House - Exterior
Truth be told, I spent more time than I expected figuring out this odd little yard and how to add curb appeal. The front of the house looked a little blah, but we didn't have the budget to do anything dramatic like repaint so I had to get creative on how to liven it up without spending much. The backyard was a hot mess (especially after we removed the old wooden ramp) but I think we came up with a budget friendly and low-maintenance solution that the new owner will enjoy.