Our New House – The Before Tour

Our New House - The Before TourIt’s finally time to introduce you to our new home (this is the back patio view)! Thanks for being incredibly patient while I’ve been sick, family has been in town, and obviously we’ve been moving and unboxing. Things have been busy, to say the least. I really appreciate you guys sticking it out and continuing to check in. For those of you that requested a builder grade home- IT’S HAPPENING! We’re about to start an overhaul on a home that was built in the early 90’s. Click through for the tour! Please keep in mind, we’re unboxing and everything is chaotic right now- so things are a bit of a mess. I also took all of these images with my iPhone, so they quality is meh. To make up for the imagery, I’ll do an Instagram tour today on stories too!

Our New House - The Before TourI’ll start by saying, this is the largest and newest home we’ve ever tackled- and I think it’s going to make living amongst a renovation so much easier. That was part of the appeal- a bigger home for all of our tools (and house guests), and more rooms to renovate. That basically means more time spent in one place- that is, if we don’t get too attached and stay forever. Ha! I think with this one, it’s a real possibility. We’re guessing the renovation will take us around 4 years if we move at the same rate as our previous home. I’m obviously not a fortune teller, and we’ve both agreed to move a bit more slowly, so who knows when it will actually be completed. For now, I’m just excited to get started.

Our New House - The Before TourBefore the previous owners moved out, they had new carpet installed throughout and the entire interior painted. It made things look a LOT better, and although it’s not something I would’ve selected- I’m thankful it’s fresh and clean.

Our New House - The Before TourAlthough it’s a tract home, you can tell the builders added some customized details- like additional millwork. Sadly, it’s not to my standards and nothing really matches, so per usual- it will all get updated eventually. Some rooms have beefy mouldings and others have teeny tiny trim. We also noticed nothing is scaled correctly- and you know I’m picky about that!

Our New House - The Before TourThere are also floor plan challenges… the main level powder room is inside the laundry room, and since it’s no longer 1993- the laundry units don’t fit into the tiled area. They also protrude past the bathroom door, so that’s kind of awkward. That can all be fixed though! I’m just happy to have a designated laundry room.

Our New House - The Before TourLike most 90’s homes there is no shortage of cherry, oak, giant mirrors, and laminate.

The kitchen cabinets also used to be cherry (matching the bathroom vanity above), but they were painted the same gray color that was applied to the walls. Basically this place is one giant gray blob, which is totally fine for now. I’ll take that over cherry any day.

Our New House - The Before TourYikes… ignore our messy kitchen- we’re still getting settled and there is stuff everywhere. On the other side of the kitchen / dining area is living space.

Our New House - The Before TourAgain- ignore the junk. Emmett just sits things where he thinks they belong before I shuffle it away into closets- like art, decor, rugs, etc. Haha! This room bothers me. The carport transition, the scale of the fireplace, the lighting plan, the entire thing is just off. It has a ton of potential though! Also, who else wants to live a day in the life of Crosby?

Our New House - The Before TourLet’s move upstairs… those angled doorways drive me nuts. My heart was actually stuck on another home we put an offer on and lost, but Emmett LOVED this house. I told him the only way I’d move in, is if he changed every single angled doorway to an arched entry instead. He immediately agreed and we put in our offer right after. Haha! I’m looking forward to the day those are updated.

Our New House - The Before TourAll of the bedrooms look the exact same… well, excluding the master. They all have weird corner shelves and super fun light fixtures (BTW, joking about the lighting). I’m just excited to have more than one guest bedroom. We have so many visitors- friends and family love staying with us, and sleeping arrangements have always been an issue. We once stuffed 6 people into our guest room at our last house. I’ll be happy to better accommodate friends and family when they journey out west (our entire family is in the midwest & south).

Our New House - The Before TourThe upstairs guest bath is also pretty weird. There are three rooms inside… a toilet room, a shower room, and a sink room- and they all have their own doors. It’s a lot.

Our New House - The Before TourThe master bedroom has a fun feature I’m looking forward to using… a terrace / balcony / patio- I’m not sure what to call it yet? Regardless, I can definitely get used to the idea of sipping coffee or wine out there watching a sunrise or sunset.

Our New House - The Before TourThe master bath is gigantic. There is so much room to work with. I’m really looking forward to that renovation! For the first time in 7 years, Emmett and I aren’t sharing a single bathroom. I can’t even tell you how happy that makes me. We’re super close, but trust me when I say there are certain bathroom situations I’d prefer to avoid from here on out. Ha!

Our New House - The Before TourLet’s venture into the basement next… I promise it’s not creepy. Haha!

Our New House - The Before TourDownstairs, we have another guest bedroom, another bath, a kitchenette, and a living space. Obviously the basement will also get reworked.

Our New House - The Before TourNothing makes me cringe quite like carpet in a bathroom, but again- I keep reminding myself it’s brand new and super clean (for now).

Our New House - The Before TourOf course there are challenges, but I really can’t complain- this entire place feels so good and I’m thankful to have a beautiful, blank canvas to make our own. We’re ready to put in the work and start enjoying this house! I snapped the next few images the first time we toured the home…

Our New House - The Before TourThe exterior is really what sold me on this place. It’s so charming! I know we can bring the interior to the level of beauty that the outside exudes.

Our New House - The Before TourEmmett has never been happier to have a garage. All of our tools will finally live under one roof and we’ll have the space to build and create as our hearts desire.

Our New House - The Before TourIf you’re still here, thanks for making it to the end of the post and suffering through my iPhone photos and messy house! I can’t express how happy I am to hear your excitement for our new renovation. We are so thrilled and of course I’ll share every little bit with you along the way. If you missed yesterday’s post… check out the exterior all decked out for the holidays here!

I’m going to do a video tour via Instagram stories today at noon today (Mountain Time)… so check Instagram within the next 24 hours, before they expire, if you want to snoop around our new place with me!

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39 Comments

  1. Amazing! I am so excited to see what ya’ll have in store for your new home. We are getting ready to renovate a 1892 home and I love all of your tips. Congratulations!

    1. Thank you Rebecca! We’re excited to dive in and make this place our own :)

  2. Wow! So much space! A garage and two bathrooms can really make a girl feel like a queen, but a balcony off the master?! That’s living. I’ll be so interested in your process for such a big project. I know sponsorships and budgets influence timelines, but I’m curious about the design. Do you have a whole house plan before you start, or does it build room by room? Do you have a vision? What’s first?! So. Very. Excited! (Also glad to see that Crosby is handling the stress of moving. Ha.) Congratulations!

    1. So much space! We’re not used to having extra rooms or storage- it’s a crazy concept. Haha! For the timeline and design… I typically work room by room. I usually always have a vision, but it changes as things are completed. Sometimes the timeline is influenced by partnerships, and other times it’s based on our needs. This time around I want to renovate my office and the kitchen much sooner, so we have plenty of time to enjoy it! A bathroom will also be high on the priority list. Crosby is definitely settling in nicely. Ha! xo

  3. Wow, this place is incredible – the bones are solid, and the potential is oozing!!! From what I saw of your design aesthetic on the last house, this one is a great fit for you – I can definitely see the traditional style being updated and enhanced, and then toss in some of your modern touches and it will become a true show-stopper.

    I’m intrigued by what Peggi asked, regarding the construction “plan” and vision, would love to hear about that. Also, while you didn’t say this specifically, it sounds like there isn’t any major structural work to tackle? If so, that’s great, as that is a part of projects that can eat away at funds (and as I call it, “not a fun way to spend money!”).

    PS: for all its 90s glory, I have to tell you – my home’s last unrenovated full bath, in all its 1978 brown-meets-beige swanky glory, beats your 90s bath for today’s design appeal standards, ha! We get to deal with a dropped ceiling featuring a faux wood beam and plastic light covers, yellow laminate counter tops, a lower-than-standard (today) vanity, and the U-G-L-I-E-S-T brown/green textured tile you’ve ever seen. Oh, and our master bath had carpet in it when we moved in too (brand new as well).

    PPS: for having just moved in, your house is far from a mess! As a reader, I appreciate seeing the “real” side of your situation, and sometimes that means random crap on the floor and mail thrown on the kitchen counter.

    1. Thank you Karen! Usually the plan unfolds room by room. Of course we visualize and brainstorm along the way, but it often changes. In regards to structural work- this time around we won’t have to replace subfloors, floor joists, add insulation, etc. It’s going to be so nice! We will have to update all of the plumbing though… lots of 90’s homes have recalled piping that begins to leak, and that’s going to need replaced sooner rather than later. It’s definitely not a fun way to spend money. Haha!

      Your bathroom sounds like a doozy! I honestly don’t think this place is too terrible- sure, it’s outdated, but I feel like I’m living in luxury in comparison to the other homes we lived in during this stage.

      Thanks for making me feel better about the mess! We’re slowly unpacking and finding a place for everything, but it all takes time :) xo

  4. Great house! And you’re right about the yard. Beautiful.

    1. Thanks Becky! Yes- the yard wraps around both sides of the house, so the dogs are finding plenty of fun hiding spots and are playing lots of chase. Ha!

  5. Yay!! I am so, SO excited for you (and for myself, since I get to follow along)! This house has beautiful bones and so much potential. I absolutely love the classic nature of the exterior and can see why you guys fell in love with it. That pergola out back and the master balcony will be amazing in warmer weather, I’m sure.

    When I started reading this post, I thought, “Those angled door casings would look amazing as arches!” I definitely laughed out loud when I read that you were planning to do that! Anyway, as an owner of a 90s track home with a similar level of builder “upgrades” (random mouldings, etc.), I am beyond excited to see what you do with this house. :)

    1. Thank you Julie!! I’m also really into the classic exterior. I think this time around, I’ll design a more traditional interior to match. I am incredibly excited about arching those doorways! I think that will instantly make it look less 90’s.

  6. YES to arch doorways! The angles nabbed me first too and i murmured, “that’s first to go…”. Each of your house’s styles have changed and been different so can’t wait to see what you do, but even more so hear about how you are going to set about a plan to work through each space, setting priorities, creating a cohesive design along the way,etc. I was sad to see you leave your last house so quickly after “completing” everything and not really getting to enjoy it for a bit, but now I am so excited to see you tackle this bigger home!

    1. Yes!! Those doorways kill me, but eventually I think they’ll be beautiful. I can’t wait to share each step of the process. In addition to being excited about new design plans and renovating, Emmett and I have also been brainstorming better ways to share the renovation. I think this home is a much better fit for us, but I’ll definitely miss our previous place. It sounds like the new homeowners are enjoying it though- and that makes me very happy! xo

  7. Emily Villejoin says:

    So happy that Emmett got his garage, also yall have a whole guest house in the basement. Also love everything about the potential in this house!!

    I see a lot of one room challenges in yalls future ;)

    1. Thank you so much, Emily! That garage is making our dreams come true. Haha! This place is full of potential (and One Room Challenges). Haha! xox

  8. This house is amazing, I can’t wait to see how you transform it. Stunning bones to work with. Your exterior yesterday was fabulous too. I love it all.

    1. Thank you Marty! We are super eager to get started. We’re also enjoying having a place for all of our things. I’m already feeling more organized!

  9. So much potential! So excited to follow along. This place is going to be gorgeous!

    1. Thank you Jess! I can’t wait to share as this place unfolds. It’s going to be so much fun! xo

  10. So much potential indeed! Cannot wait to follow along and see what you do with the place! :)

  11. I can’t wait to see how you tackle the 90s bathroom! We just moved into a 90s house too and the bathroom, (with it’s oversized rectangular mirror and awkwardly places jacuzzi) is on our reno list.

    1. I am SO excited to renovate the master bathroom… no idea where and when that will fall on the list- but I’m giddy just thinking about it. Ha! xo

  12. So excited for this next phase of designing and renovating! I have two questions (one about the old house, one for the new):

    1. It seems like your meticulous kitchen in the old house was only just completed and debuted, and then you and Emmett were moving! How much time actually did you get to enjoy your new space before putting your old house on the market? I thought there were so many personal touches and choices you made for you and Emmett (like the coffee bar, custom hardware, etc.) – of course the new buyers now get to enjoy it, but did you feel like it was only a short time that you got to benefit from all of your hard work?

    2. Besides plans to renovate the interior of the new house, do you have any gut reactions to what you want to do to the front of the house for curb appeal and updating it out of the 90s? I was wondering, given that it looks like a home that might look similar to others in the neighborhood if they were all built by the same company, whether there are any restrictions or codes from the town/neighborhood preventing you from making certain changes (e.g., removing shutters, painting the brick).

    1. Me too, Kelly! #1: We finished the kitchen in May and ended up moving in November… so basically we got to enjoy it for 6 months. This is really part of our job, so while it was really nice to live with a beautiful kitchen for that time period, I am even more excited for the opportunity to do it all over again. We also moved into a kitchen that is far more functional than our previous one was prior to renovating, so it didn’t feel like too big of a downgrade.

      #2: It’s hard to say! I haven’t really tackled any design plans just yet, but I’d like to address the exterior eventually. We’ll definitely remove or replace the shutters, front door, etc. Painting could be fun, and someday I’d love to replace the dated upper columns on the terrace, but who knows what the future (and budget holds). We don’t have any sort of home regulations or HOA in our neighborhood, so we’re free to do what we please :)

  13. Sarah! This home is going to be stunning- it’s beautiful already, so I can’t imagine how gorgeous it will be once you put your touch to it.

    1. Thank you so much Candace! We are incredibly excited! xo

  14. I AM SO EXCITED! I cannot wait to see what you guys do!

    1. Ahh!! Thank you so much. We can’t wait to dive in and get started :) xo

  15. So exciting! I can’t wait to see what you do with it!

    1. Thanks so much Angela!! xo

  16. Ashley - The Gold Hive says:

    Congrats, Sarah! This is going to be such a big project house – I can’t wait to see what you do with it. Are you going to renovate the same way you did the other house where you don’t touch rooms until you can do a big overhaul? What’s first on your list?? What’s second? Oh, I’m giddy.

    I personally can’t wait to see the interior trim come off the front door. That extra long header piece kills me!

    1. Thanks Ashley!! It’s definitely a big project, but we’re excited to tackle a different kind of house. We’ll most likely renovate in that same way… I’m weird about fully decorating or putting money into a room, knowing that eventually I’ll have to remove everything little accessory or detail for demo. Ha! It’s looking like the guest bathroom might be first up- sometimes the house tells you where to start. In this case, plumbing / leaking issues might need to be addressed sooner rather than later. The piping that was installed in the 90’s was recalled and we want to replace it as soon as we can so it doesn’t create any big issues. Amen to saying goodbye to that header :) xoxo

  17. Ann Heltzel says:

    Congrats Sarah! But I must say I’m surprised. I’m sure you will do wonders with it but it’s not the usual one step from “Do we knock it down and start all over”. LOL jk.

    1. Thank you Ann! I know- isn’t that funny?! Haha! It’s not the typical, sad, nearly non-livable home we go for. I’m welcoming this new transition and am thankful to have a CLEAN, functional house… even if it’s stuck in 1993. lol! xo

  18. I’m so excited you guys bought a builder grade home!! I can’t WAIT to follow along the process. Selfishly, its going to give me so many ideas for our own home. Congratulations! It’s already beautiful!!

    1. Yes!! We are too Lauren :) I can’t wait to get started. This place is a blank canvas and I’m eager to add some much needed character. xo

  19. Do you know what size the louvres are on the plantation shutters? We are getting ready to put them in our house and the size on those look great! Thanks!

    1. Hi Courtney! The louvres are 4.75″… hope this helps!

  20. Jennifer P says:

    I’m so excited to see what you guys do with this house!! It’s going to look amazing!

    An outsider’ s perspective on the guest bath: All separate rooms does sound odd, but if you really host all those people at a time they will appreciate the privacy! It’ll be so helpful for the sinks and toilet to be available while someone is in the shower. When I was in high school, my parents moved to a house with a similar guest bath layout. My grandma moved in for a little while so she, my sister, and myself all shared the bath and that separation is the only thing that made it work!!

    1. Thank you Jennifer! Definitely a good point for privacy in the bathroom. It’s looking like we might have to renovate that room sooner rather than later, so it’s certainly something I’ll consider :) Thanks for the insight! xox