After Dark Home Tour

After Dark Home Tour - roomfortuesday.comIt’s sort of rare to see homes photographed after dark. Nighttime images aren’t “Pinterest-worthy” and aren’t drenched in bright, natural light, but they’re definitely moody, cozy, and most of all- realistic. Honestly, I like my house just as much after the sun goes down as I do during the day. I thought it would be fun to give you guys an after dark home tour to show you how it looks in the evening with the lights flipped on- if you’re reading this at night, pajamas are encouraged! Click through for the post…

To make things even more realistic, I shot everything with my iPhone. Maybe that was because I was being a tad bit lazy… but it was fast and easy! Hopefully you’ll still enjoy the photos. Let’s get started, shall we? Obviously we should enter through the front door…

I’m happy to report the curb appeal and flower boxes are just as charming in the moonlight. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… my FAVORITE time to walk the dogs is at dusk because people haven’t closed their curtains yet and I love peeking into a lit house. Call me nosey, but it’s fun to see how my neighbors decorate. As I’m walking, I think of how I’d change their floor plan, renovate, etc. Is that mean?! I think it’s just the designer in me. I can’t seem to shut it off.

Regardless, Emmett didn’t realize I was snapping photos from the outside in, so this is what our late night typically looks like. This entire post is basically a big dose of reality, giving you a peek at our evening routine- work, tv watching, and dog snuggling.

After Dark Home Tour - roomfortuesday.comAnyway, through the front door is our entryway and main living space. We usually drop our keys and mail in this area of the living room.

After Dark Home Tour - roomfortuesday.comThe other side is our sofa, built-ins, and lounge area. You can see it in the daylight in this post! We do a lot of Netflix watching here… typically with dogs on our laps (proof below).

After Dark Home Tour - roomfortuesday.com

After Dark Home Tour - roomfortuesday.comMy favorite light source in the living room is the picture lights installed on the built-ins. They’re actually battery powered and were the easiest to install! I love the soft glow they add. Sometimes we don’t even turn the large wall sconce on, and use the picture lights as the main light source instead. They’re perfect for movie watching and super soft light.

After Dark Home Tour - roomfortuesday.comThe living room is our main hangout in the evenings. I always have a couple candles lit- something about it just helps me unwind.

After Dark Home Tour - roomfortuesday.com

After Dark Home Tour - roomfortuesday.comLet’s make our way into the kitchen… it’s fairly open to the living room, as we widened the doorway during our renovation.

After Dark Home Tour - roomfortuesday.comClick here to see what the space looks like in the daylight. I almost like it better at night! We went all out with the lighting. Everything is on a dimmer- under cabinetry lighting, sconces, pendants, recessed can lights, …the works. That was 100% Emmett’s doing, and I have to say- I’m glad we did it. The mood instantly changes and can be adjusted to fit our needs.

After Dark Home Tour - roomfortuesday.comLet’s move over to the breakfast nook, eating area, and coffee station…

After Dark Home Tour - roomfortuesday.comI suppose at this hour, it’s more like a “midnight snack nook” than a breakfast nook, but you get the point. We get a lot of use out of our coffee bar. In the winter, this would be an accurate depiction of what it looks like, because typically we’re awake before the sun comes up. On the contrary, if you noticed the bottle of wine- no judgments! Sometimes I leave it out for easy access rather than tucking it away into the bar.

After Dark Home Tour - roomfortuesday.comNow let’s step into the laundry room. I completed this space for the One Room Challenge and it’s still one of my most favorite reveals in the house. We also refer to it as the “dog room” because that’s where all of their stuff lives.

After Dark Home Tour - roomfortuesday.com

After Dark Home Tour - roomfortuesday.comRemember these portraits I painted of the dogs? I’ll have to add Crosby once he gets older and starts looking like an adult. I’m really happy to have Finn’s portrait… I know it’s something I’ll cherish forever.

After Dark Home Tour - roomfortuesday.comStepping outside the back door under the carport, you’ll notice the back porch light and a view into the dining room and kitchen. Just like the front exterior, there’s also a window flower box there, but you’ll have to wait a few more days for that fall DIY!

After Dark Home Tour - roomfortuesday.com

After Dark Home Tour - roomfortuesday.comLet’s go back inside and I’ll take you to the next room on the tour… the bathroom. It’s just to the left of the kitchen, at the end of the hall.

After Dark Home Tour - roomfortuesday.comThis project was another One Room Challenge space and it’s our one and only bathroom. It may be small, but it’s mighty in terms of aesthetic. The tile is still my absolute favorite!

After Dark Home Tour - roomfortuesday.comNext up, the guest room. It’s right beside the bathroom… which is extra convenient for company.

After Dark Home Tour - roomfortuesday.com

After Dark Home Tour - roomfortuesday.comFurther inside the guest room is the beloved green dresser– I get so many questions about that thing! I found it at an estate sale in Ohio and moved that heavy baby all the way across the country with us during the move.

After Dark Home Tour - roomfortuesday.comLet’s step back into the hallway and check out a different view…

After Dark Home Tour - roomfortuesday.comI have to admit… the hallway still isn’t finished. The french doors arrived, but we haven’t had time to install them, and everything needs a second coat of paint. Some areas might even need a first coat of paint, if I’m being honest. I suppose I’ll get to it eventually? I want to reveal the finished space already! In the meantime, check out the linen closet here. It finally has a door on it.

After Dark Home Tour - roomfortuesday.comLast, but not least…because we’re skipping the office since it’s a construction zone right now, is the master bedroom. It’s at the very end of the hall- which is nice for privacy when we have house guests visiting.

After Dark Home Tour - roomfortuesday.comI’m thinking Emmett made the bed- or the dogs jumped up, because the bed-making job looks sub par or lumpy for some reason. That’s not my handiwork, I can assure you! Either way… we hardly ever use the ceiling light on the fan in this room. It’s super bright, and the sconces are typically all we need. They’re much more inviting.

After Dark Home Tour - roomfortuesday.comThe above image shows my side of the bed, and the below image is Emmett’s side. Sometimes we’ll drag a dog bed in here and Cash will also take up residence on my side of the floor.

After Dark Home Tour - roomfortuesday.com

After Dark Home Tour - roomfortuesday.comUh oh… I lied. There is one more space, but I forgot to shoot it, so I’ll share an after dark photo from a previous shoot. It’s the backyard! We love lounging under the pergola on the outdoor sofa or around the firepit.

After Dark Home Tour - roomfortuesday.comWe also entertain outside pretty often. We’ll fill the backyard with friends and cookout. It’s always a lot of fun- I love seeing it all lit up! You just can’t beat the mountain views at sunset.

After Dark Home Tour - roomfortuesday.com

After Dark Home Tour - roomfortuesday.comWhew! That was a lonnnng post… sorry guys! Did you enjoy the tour? I know things aren’t as pretty as they look in natural light, but there’s something magical about the ambiance, warmth, and cozy feeling that occurs once the sun goes down. Would you agree? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. Do you like your house better during the day or at night? Would you be into more nighttime or “after dark” tours? I got the idea from this post I participated in a couple years ago!

If you’re wondering about resources, you can find all of those right here! Want to see where our house started? Find all of the ugly before images here.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

30 Comments

  1. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again (!) – your house is one of my absolute favourites, it’s so warm and welcoming. Crucially in these Instagram-oneupmanship times it’s also refreshingly relatable – aspirational but achievable (there’s a new strapline for you! 😉). It looks lovely at night and I agre with you about the spying pleasures of dusk walks, they’re always interesting.

    1. Thank you so much, Sally! I love that… “aspirational but achievable”- that’s such an amazing compliment! xo

  2. I love the after dark tours! Even though your house is spotless, the shots feel impromptu…intimate even. My favorites are the creepy stalker looking in the window ones! Your breakfast nook/kitchen looks especially fab from that angle. (Emmett may not have known you were shooting, but I’m pretty sure Cash was on the case!) Honestly, your house shines, day or night! Your hard work and talent are evident. (Unrelated, how do you burn candles at dog-nose level? Certainly my dog is more of a doofus…I worry about all sorts of disasters.)

    1. Thank you, Peggi! The shoot was super last minute and I didn’t have anything prepped / cleaned, so I’m thinking that’s where the impromptu vibe is coming from… but that’s a good thing- that’s real life. Ha! In regards to the candles, our dogs don’t bother them. I might have to reposition once Crosby gets older, but Cash (and Finn, when he was around) both know “leave it” and know not to mess with them. If they play rough, I’ll move them up higher, but for the most part, they always stay there. xo

    1. Thanks so much Jen!! xo

  3. Such a great idea for a post! And I love it to see how much light your lights give off. I’m very gun-shy about buying lighting online because I can’t tell how bright they are.

    1. Thanks Brittany! Most of our lights are on dimmers, so I didn’t turn them to full or the brightest bright for the shoot… just because it blew out the exposure. I find that sometimes it’s more about the bulb than the fixture itself. xo

  4. Sarah, I am always so inspired by your home! You and Emmett have created such a beautiful, livable space! And the pup photos are icing on the cake :)

    1. Thank you Ashley! That’s the best compliment. I’m all about the aesthetic, but more importantly – the function and comfort of our house… so happy you noticed and feel that it’s livable :) We love it. xox

  5. Marty Oravetz says:

    Love the night time tour. Your home is stunning, the transformation is unbelievable.

    1. Thank you so much, Marty! xo

  6. I love the after dark tours and I, too, love my house both during the day and at night! I’m glad you posted this because I had no idea your living room sconces were battery operated! I installed rope lighting along the top of my built ins, which are similar to yours, since we have a top shelf that spans the full width, but now I’m thinking of adding these both for the aesthetic as well as the light – it’s a little more enhanced. Love how your house is coming along!

    1. Yes!! Those picture lights are the best- we’ve been using for them two years and they still haven’t burned out / ran out of battery. Thanks, Michelle! xo

  7. Thanks for inviting us in this evening. Your home is very cozy and inviting. And those puppies are so sweet!

    1. Of course! This was a little bit of an impromptu shoot / post, but I think necessary… this is the time of day that most people are enjoying their home :) xo

  8. Love this Sarah! Everything feels so much more cozy at night with lamps on a candles lit! The pups are just too cute too – can’t wait to see Crosby’s portrait someday! :)

    1. Thank you, Jamie!! We’re all about the pups :) Ha! xox

  9. So so beautiful! Feast for the eyes! We also purchased a coop 2 years ago (September 2016) in a horrible shape and slowly changing it while living in (challenge!!)– I take inspiration in your blog posts and appreciate your aesthetics. In fact, I stole quite a few ideas but that was easy because I love your taste. Thank you for the great content! The new addition to your family is adorable as well.

    1. Thank you so much Natasha! We’re basically on the same timeline then :) … I know all too well how difficult it is to live amongst a renovation. So happy to hear you’ve found a little inspiration- that’s the best compliment! xo

  10. Your house is exactly what I hope to achieve in my place (a tiny fixer-upper city condo). I chose Minwax dark walnut for my floors after seeing how beautiful yours are! Thanks for the endless inspiration, looking forward to reading more :)

    1. Aww thank you Emily!! That is my favorite floor stain… I stained our previous home’s hardwoods the same color. It’s the one thing I can’t seem to quit. Good luck fixing your condo :) xo

  11. I always love after dark shots! They always look so warm and cozy 😊 and your house is very beautiful!

    1. Thank you so much Amy!! xo

  12. Your home is gorgeous! I love everything you have done and it was fun to see it lit up at night!

    1. Thank you, Felicia! :)

  13. So COZY! Love it!
    Question about the battery operated light, please: do the battery run out often? I want to get the same one that you installed (and linked in your store) but am debating whether I should just get it hard wired. (Am in the middle of a huge reno so won’t really cost extra to have them hard wired.) Thank you!

    1. Thanks, Anne! We haven’t had to replace the batteries yet, so I can’t answer that question at this point in time. I can say, they’ve been installed for over a year and are still going strong. With that being said, if you’re renovating anyway- if it were me, I’d just hardwire them. I like everything to be on a switch if possible. Hope this helps! xo

  14. Thank you for this tour! It’s great to see what an “Insta-house” looks like in real life. I especially appreciated the bathroom. When I moved into my house, I repainted my bedroom and I painted the ceiling in SW Neptune. It’s a deep, inky blue almost black color but when the sun sets in the winter time, the light hits it just right and there’s a green tint to it. Everyone thought I was weird for doing this color. Maybe it was the 4 coats of paint it took to get a good solid cover on the ceiling white. I’m glad I’m not alone in the dark ceiling club!

    1. So happy you liked it, Tricia! I’m also team dark ceiling… and I have even a wallpapered ceiling the hallway. I don’t think it’s weird at all- the perfect amount of personality. You’re just ahead of your time :) xo