Get ready for a BIG post… I’m divulging the latest news, our future plans, what to expect on the blog, and much more. Obviously the post title gives away the element of surprise, but we’re house hunting! Click through to read all about it.
We knew this day would come, we just weren’t sure when. The office is officially finished (that reveal is coming soon!), and there aren’t any more rooms left to renovate in our little house. It’s always a bittersweet moment, finishing a home.
We’ve spent the past two years pouring our hearts into this place, creating a space that is inviting, functional, and this house has also satiated my desire to explore design in a different way. With every renovation we grow and learn. My skills and experience as a designer expand, and even Emmett’s bag of tricks has broadened. His carpentry work has grown leaps and bounds, and it’s obvious that he truly enjoys the craft and challenge that comes with renovating. So what comes next?
We’ve explored every single option… do we add on? Do we start over and move? Should we buy a second house (and can we even afford that)? The list goes on. The past few months, this has been our dinner conversation on repeat.
As you know, we’re in the business of recouping our investment (more on that in this post). After meeting with our real estate expert, we determined adding on didn’t make sense financially. As much as we adore our neighborhood, given the scale of the addition we had imagined, it wouldn’t be a smart investment. That option was out. Unfortunately, a second home was also quickly crossed out because of the increased pricing in our area- it was out of budget for the type of home we were looking for. Should we stay and enjoy the fruits of our labor? That answer seemed obvious.
Emmett was practically house hunting before the hallway was even finished, let alone the office. That man craves BIG projects. That’s what I love about him- he dreams big and a challenge doesn’t scare him. In fact, it attracts him. It was obvious that both of us were ready for a new chapter, a new home, and a new renovation that better fits our needs (ahem, a second bathroom). It’s not that we don’t adore this place, this is just how we make a living and what we’re passionate about.
This home has been so good to us in so many ways. It was one of the only places we could afford after making a cross country move. It went from basically non-functioning and unliveable (see the BEFORE tour here), to a place I LOVE calling home.
To say we’re proud of this place is a vast understatement, but it’s time. With that, I wanted to share the news- we’re house hunting!
What exactly does that mean? Wellll… I’m not sure. We’ve been on the hunt for the past month in Salt Lake City and have lost a couple places we both fell in love with. House hunting can be discouraging like that. Especially when I design a home in my brain after walking through the front door before it actually belongs to me. We’re also hunting in the “off season”, which brings a unique set of challenges and less inventory to choose from. As soon as an offer is accepted, we’ll be listing our home. If all goes as planned, we’ll hopefully be in a new place by the end of the year. That’s the goal anyway. Sometimes house hunting is a big game of chance, so we’ll see how it plays out.
What does all of this mean for the blog? More design and renovating content (YAY)! The office will be the last exciting room reveal (and I think it will be a crowd pleaser), but I know we’ll be here into the holiday season. That means you can expect the following posts: holiday decorating, our “home bucket list”, a giant renovation recap, maybe some house hunting posts, tips for staging to sell, etc. Let me know if there is anything specific you’d like to see or know! Obviously there will be a brand new renovation to love and follow- just as soon as we find the right house. Starting over is actually pretty exciting.
Did anyone see this coming (aside from those who caught the news buried in this post)? If you know Emmett and I well, we’re not ones to sit still… we always have to have a project. It’s kind of a double edged sword, but we like what we like. He’s even more anxious to start over on a new home than I am. He’s always the one to initiate a move, and eventually I get on board. Ha! I’d love hear your thoughts in the comments below. Just out of curiosity- what would you like to see in our next renovation? A historic reno? Perhaps a builder grade home? I’m already intrigued!
In the meantime: check out our current home before images // take the after tour // find every single source here
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53 Comments
Peggi
October 18, 2018 at 4:25 amExciting!!! But stressful and disappointing too. I imagine the market in Salt Lake is bonkers. (maybe you should check out the Boise area. 😉) I mentally renovate houses on Zillow; glad to know I’m in fine company. Wait. A new kitchen and two bathrooms? Just imagine the TILE shopping. Just curious, do you get attached to your home and stuff? I can really love something but let it go pretty easily; I know some folks get emotional. I suppose since it’s also your job, that’s a factor. Anyway, happy hunting!
Sarah
October 18, 2018 at 10:59 amThe market is really crazy. Everything moves SO fast. Hey- Boise doesn’t sound bad. I just made friends with Kirsten Grove on my trip to California last week and she’s located there and has amazing things to say about it. Ha! We also Zillow every night- it’s becoming our fun evening hobby. To answer your question about getting attached… I don’t really have the attachment issue. This was never supposed to be our “forever” home. It’s a little sad because we invest our time and love into a place and then hand it over to someone else, but it helps finding a buyer that appreciates it and will take care of it- that’s my main concern. I’m excited to start over! xox
Sarah
October 18, 2018 at 4:40 amI personally enjoy reading about historical renovations that border on restorations (because that will be my personal house hunting goal). That said it makes me sad when people gut that old character/try to retrofit a modern home into their historical one, so I vote historical only with that caveat 😉
Sarah
October 18, 2018 at 11:01 amYes! I totally agree… a historic home needs to LOOK historic and the integrity should be maintained. Our Ohio home was built in the early 1900s and it was a fun renovation, but Emmett is not excited about the idea of replacing electrical, plumbing, rotten subfloors, etc. We’ll see what we end up with! xo
Karen
October 18, 2018 at 6:13 amHistorical restoration project! However, with house hunting you can’t always be super picky, and really you find “the right” house as much as the “right house” finds you. And house preferences are so personal – my biggest non-negotiable is to not live in track housing/planned community. Regarding additional posts, I enjoyed the one where you helped a reader with her bathroom design dilemma, so more of helping your readers in their homes.
Sarah
October 18, 2018 at 11:07 amThat’s exactly it. I’m also trying to make Emmett happy this time around. We’ve done the historical house route and he is begging me to never replace another rotten subfloor or outdated plumbing. Ha! But you’re totally right- the “right” house finds you, so who knows!
Lisa Heller
October 18, 2018 at 6:14 amI find this line inspiring…. “he dreams big and a challenge doesn’t scare him. In fact, it attracts him”. I’m in PA and I have been dragging my feet on listing my cookie cutter larger home. No one ()except my husband) gets it though. There’s no CHARM. Everyone around here is all about big, new construction with very minimal picking on the inside. Your post inspired me to keep moving forward even when people around me say,,,,”But your house is so nice”. I’m a firm believer that when you are meant to stay in a house, it becomes a home, and nothing would make you list it. If you have doubts about staying put, those doubts never stop tugging at you. You are not going to stop having them even if you try to ignore them!
Sarah
October 18, 2018 at 11:10 amWell, your comment inspired me! It works both ways :) SO excited to hear you’re pushing forward to make your home your own- adding character along the way. There are tons of builder grade, new builds in our area as well. Just because your house is “nice” does not mean that it’s ideal for you. In my book, there is always room for improvement. A think renovating a big, cookie-cutter home would be a fun challenge. Keep on keeping on… you can do it! xox
Stacy
October 18, 2018 at 7:11 amI’m a newer reader (hi!) and I think your current house is beautiful – that hallway specifically is just gorgeous. That said, I’d love to see a historic renovation from you. At least with your current house, your style feels very “new traditional” to me, and I think the two of you would do an amazing job with an older home. THAT said, even if you end up with something more contemporary, I’m sure you’ll do great things with it!
Sarah
October 18, 2018 at 11:14 amStacy, I’m so happy you’re here! Welcome!! Thank you for the sweet compliments- I appreciate that. I don’t think I could see us taking the contemporary route. The older I get, the more I find my preferred aesthetic, and I think it keeps getting more and more traditional (but updated). Haha! Thanks for following along. xox
Morgan
October 18, 2018 at 7:20 amHistoric homes are my my weakness.. the unique architecture, the quirky layouts — I LOVE IT ALL!!! I would LOVE to see you work with an old historic home. I know you could work your design magic, and it’d give me inspiration for mine and my husbands first home… which I hope will be historic as well (that’s what we’re searching for anyways).
Also, I asked your opinion on painting my nightstands black to go with our midnight blue duvet cover and shams on your last blog post, and I must say, I’m in love. Thanks, again!!
Sarah
October 18, 2018 at 11:18 amOh, mine too!! What’s not to like about the character and quirks of an old home?! I will say, they come with challenges though (outdated plumbing, electrical, caving roof, etc) haha! I’ll never say know to a historic fixer upper though. So exciting you’re planning for your first home. Also really stoked to hear the nightstand / bedding situation worked out well :) xox
Jamie
October 18, 2018 at 8:31 amI am sad and thrilled about this at the same time! Sad because I loveee your current house, but I totally get it! As soon as we finished renovating our previous house (which also took about 2 years) I was itching for a new one, so we sold it and here we are – in the middle of another huge Reno! Can’t wait to see what house you guys end up with! :)
Sarah
October 18, 2018 at 11:19 amYes… same! It’s always bittersweet. Hard to leave, but excited to go. You know the story :) Thanks so much, Jamie! xo
Marti
October 18, 2018 at 8:32 amSuper exciting! I look forward to seeing whatever type of home you tackle. Your blog is one of my favorites – I love that it strikes the balance of being inspirational/aspirational AND realistic. You do things right, and on a more normal (i.e. not fully sponsored) budget. Good luck with the hunt!
Sarah
October 18, 2018 at 11:20 amThat was the nicest compliment. THANK YOU! So happy you find it relatable and inspiring Marti… I really appreciate you following along. xo
Laurie Anne
October 18, 2018 at 8:41 amI can’t tell you how happy I am too get to see this house before it’s gone!!! Hahaha 2 weeks!!!!!!
Sarah
October 18, 2018 at 11:20 amYessss!!! Can’t wait to see your face and snuggle Hazel. We have a dog wedding to plan. HA!
Natalia Tomlin
October 18, 2018 at 9:19 amOh, I will miss THIS little house but I understand ‘the renovation itch” and the need for new content– I kinda saw it (the new house ) coming as you were finishing last touches on this one. It is exiting to transform new places from ugly to beautiful and it’s not always feasible to purchase a second property. We are in NYC with crazy housing market, so, once renovated, we will hold tight to it and my design chops will be sharpened by the sofa pillows updates :( Please don’t purchase anything too grandiose or beautiful so we, small space dwellers, can relate to the reno challenges lol. This said, it is really exiting news and, hopefully, one day we can also see beach house renovation.
Sarah
October 18, 2018 at 11:22 amI will also miss this house, Natalia! I wear a necklace with the coordinates of each home we’ve renovated and they all hold a special place in my heart. It wasn’t our plan to move on so quickly, but sometimes that’s just how it goes. The housing market is certainly crazy right now- I can’t even imagine NYC. I am crossing my fingers (and toes) for that tiny beach house renovation someday. That is my ultimate dream, so I have to make it happen in the future! Thanks for following along. xox
Natasha
October 18, 2018 at 9:46 amExiting news! (Although, I will miss THIS little house) I saw it coming when you were almost done with the project. I get the “renovation itch” and the need for new content as well.
It is not always feasible to get a second property to work on–
Please, don’t get anything too grandiose or beautiful, with large windows and high ceilings – so we, small space dwellers, can still relate lol.
Sarah
October 18, 2018 at 11:51 amYes!! I will miss this place too. The renovation itch is alive and well. It’s a REAL THING. haha! A second home definitely isn’t feasible for us right now. I dream of a mountain home or beach house, but let’s get real… that’s probably not going to happen for awhile. Thanks so much Natasha! xo
Zoe
October 18, 2018 at 10:52 amI don’t really understand. Isn’t the point of renovating your home so you can enjoy everything you did to your own specifications? I feel like you just barely finished your dream kitchen and you’re ready to give it up again? Also, I feel like you made some very personalized choices in this home that are not necessarily geared towards traditional buyers ie the built in kennel, the dark bathroom tile etc. why not live in what you built for a little while longer?
Sarah
October 18, 2018 at 11:38 amGreat questions, Zoe! In our case… the simple answer is no. We renovate for a living (it’s also our passion) and this house was never intended to be our longterm home. We toyed with the idea of adding on, but we would never recoup our investment, so to make money and still continue with projects, a new home was the best option. We live for this stuff and we’re both excited to transform another home… which will hopefully be a little bigger and will allow us to live there a little longer. We don’t “flip” homes because we stay in them and enjoy them for a bit, while using quality materials.
For the design choices, like the dog kennel- we have solid inner cabinet panels in storage, as a back up, that a new buyer could easily swap out if they don’t have pets. As for the tile and other finishes, it’s pretty neutral and safe, which I think will appeal to most buyers. I still like to take design risks (while keeping resale in mind, of course) and there’s definitely a market for people who want a professionally designed home. Let me know if you have another questions! Hopefully this helped to clarify. Thanks for following along. xo
Lexie
October 18, 2018 at 1:43 pmI was also left scratching my head a little bit… though I have my own personal baggage of HATING to move, lol.
Gretchen
October 18, 2018 at 11:17 amWhat a dynamic duo! I cannot wait to see your next adventure. I admire and adore the freeing, brave, and heart following life that you and Emmett live. To move across the country, buy multiple homes to do what you both love, and be willing to move on to the next is something! Wishing you all the best house hunting and I cannot wait to follow along.
Sarah
October 18, 2018 at 11:53 amThank you so much Gretchen! This made me tear up a little. Ha. That was the sweetest comment. We really appreciate you following along on our journey. We’re trying to march to the beat of our own drum and although it’s not the norm- we really love the life we’re building together. xox
Lauren
October 18, 2018 at 11:19 amI’m probably one of the few, but I say looking into a new build/cookie cutter home and adding your own personal charm to it! That’s what my husband and I have done! We basically found our dream neighborhood and where we want to spend “forever” but the only homes available were cookie cutter so we are working on redoing ALL of it to give it some charm and really make it us! I like to live by the idea that the only thing you can’t change about a house is it’s location. :) And that’s why we’re doing what we’re doing! But regardless what you guys choose, I can’t wait to follow the journey! You’re style is INCREDIBLE and has inspired SO many of my projects!
Sarah
October 18, 2018 at 11:42 amThank you so much, Lauren! I really appreciate that. Honestly, I think that would be a fun challenge…. and it would certainly meet Emmett’s needs (nice garage, ha). A cookie cutter home is a blank canvas, in my opinion! Kudos to you for adding charm and making it your own :) xo
Jessica
October 18, 2018 at 11:24 amI would love to see you tackle a Historic home for sure. I am in the process of renovating ours (very slowly) and would love the inspiration.
Sarah
October 18, 2018 at 11:48 amHistoric homes are the best!! The thing I like most about designing and renovating an old home is the gridwork and layout it gives you for the design plan. It’s like built-in guidelines. People knew what they were doing back in the day, so you already have great design to work from :)
Alexa
October 18, 2018 at 11:28 amI have moved following along with you and I am excited to continue doing so! My family and I are mocing into a new build home in a few months so because od ththaththay, I am really curious to see how you would renovate a buimder grade home. But whatevwe you do, it will be fun to follow along!! Prayers yall are able to find a house you both love quickly!
Sarah
October 18, 2018 at 11:50 amThat is so exciting to hear!! Thank you so much for following our journey. Builder grade homes can be challenging in a good way- think of it as a blank canvas to add character and personality. I think that would be so fun. Really appreciate your thoughts and prayers during our search :) xo
Viktorija
October 18, 2018 at 11:30 amI absolutely love historic house chock full of character BUT…I’d love to see what you and Emmett could do with a newer home! My husband and I bought a 1985, fixer upper colonial last year in Durham, NC. This town has seen a huge resurgence in the last five years and the housing market is nuts. :/ This house is definitely not our dream home, but when the market is so hot, you buy what you can afford. So now I’m scheming of ways to insert character: to make this house feel like it’s 100+ years old instead of only 30ish. :) I’d love more inspiration in this area!
Sarah
October 18, 2018 at 11:46 amOne of the homes I fell in love with that we lost was built in the 80s. It had a TON of charm and potential. I’m still pretty bummed about it. We’re looking at what we could do to make it amazing anyway, so nothing is off limits. There are certainly ways to make newer homes feel old- that ooze charm, charisma, and alllll the character! Thanks for following along on our journey :) xo
Marie
October 18, 2018 at 11:47 amWould love to see what you guys do with a beach renovation! Love your style. Maybe somewhere along the Carolina coast would be beautiful!
Sarah
October 18, 2018 at 11:54 amTrust me when I say, THAT IS THE ULTIMATE DREAM…. but this will be another Utah home. Maybe we can someday afford a second home on the Carolina coast- it’s one of my favorite places, Marie :) xo
Nora
October 18, 2018 at 3:00 pmI would love to see a historic home renovation/restoration!
Sarah
October 18, 2018 at 4:11 pmThat would be so fun!!
Brandi
October 18, 2018 at 4:07 pmHi Sarah!I’m so excited for you and your husband. Lucky us to get to follow along as you make your mark on a beautiful new home!
Sarah
October 18, 2018 at 4:11 pmThank you so much Brandi! :) I really appreciate you following along. xox
Pam Schroeder
October 18, 2018 at 5:07 pmI can’t wait to see what you do next!! I’m a designer as well and love new projects, they bring such excitement!! I think it will help in healing from your recent loss! I read your posts every day, as well as your videos, even following your remodel in my area. Good luck and hopefully you find a bigger house with more projects!!
Sarah
October 18, 2018 at 6:39 pmThank you so much, Pam! Your words mean the world to me- really appreciate that! It is difficult to be in this house without Finn. Everything reminds me of him. I’m hopeful that starting a new renovation will be good for my family in this new chapter. I’m also hoping for more space and more projects :) xox
Shavonda
October 18, 2018 at 10:45 pmSo so so so exciting friend! I can’t wait to see where you guys land AND to see how you transform it!
Sarah
October 19, 2018 at 9:15 amThanks so much Shavonda!! xox
Megan
October 19, 2018 at 12:19 pmY’all have done an amazing job with this house! I really admire your eye for design and am excited to see what you do next!
Sarah
October 21, 2018 at 9:54 amThank you so much Megan!! xox
Lori
October 19, 2018 at 5:08 pmSign me up as someone in the “buy something with no character and give it character” camp. You’re great at that! I feel like there are already so many great blogs about fixing up historic homes, but how many of your readers are in a similar situation? I think putting character into a newer builder grade house is way more interesting, because that’s the situation most of us are in. Ditto maximizing small spaces!
Sarah
October 21, 2018 at 9:54 amI think that’s probably what we’ll end up with! We’ll see how it plays out in the upcoming months :) Thanks for following along Lori! xox
Krystal
October 20, 2018 at 8:34 amPut my vote in the “builder grade” camp!! It’s sooo hard for me to see beauty in a home that is cookie cutter, kind of functional, and just overall looks cheap. Would absolutely LOVE to see what you and Emmett could do with one (and get advice on which layous are best to reno and which would be challenging, if thinking about open spaces).
Best of luck in your new adventure! My husband and I are house-hunting for our first home, and your blog is so inspirational for what we could do ourselves and how to do it. I adore your style and your posts / stories are always so real and relatable. You two are amazing!! 🙌
Sarah
October 21, 2018 at 9:53 amThank you so much Krystal! These types of comments make my day- seriously so happy to hear that. Good luck with your own house hunt :) xox
Anisse
October 21, 2018 at 12:52 amI can’t wait to see what my favorite dynamic duo does next!! I’d love to see a new build with your talented touch or another existing ranch or 2 story Reno. I have to be honest, historic renovations (style) have never been my cup of tea at all. xox
Sarah
October 21, 2018 at 9:47 amThank you so much Anisse!! I think that’s what we’re leaning toward, but who knows what will come up :) Thanks for following along. xox