A Before & After Home Tour (5 Years in the Making)

My favorite type of post to read and write is a before & after. Can you believe we’ve now been in our home for 5 years!!! Those years just flew by. A lot has happened and changed so I thought it would be fun to do a Before & After Home Tour.

If I’m honest, it’s actually been slightly over 5 years. We moved into our home May 23, 2013. The kids were in a flurry of excitement running around the house. My parents brought us take away from Maria’s and we ate under the wisteria on the back deck. I remember all of it like it was yesterday. You can see the very first home tours I shared of our house here and here.

Three years ago I shared this post, another before & after tour.  A LOT has happened since then – new ceilings, makeovers in the bedrooms, updated the living room, a fireplace makeover and a pool this year!

This is our forever home. The decisions and changes we’re making are not for resale. Everything we’re putting into this is for our family. We want our home to feel comfortable and inviting because this is our favorite place to be. I’m sure in another 5 years there will be more changes…

I’ll try to include links to other posts and sources as I know it’s helpful for your own homes.

So let’s start the tour!

Before & After Home Tour (5 Years in the Making)

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Exterior

The minute we saw the home, we knew we wanted it to be our home. One of the first projects we did was paint the trim white and change the color of the doors and shutters. EVERYONE wants to know this color blue. While weeding someone asked me. It’s Buxton Blue by Benjamin Moore in high gloss. I love it and so glad we did blue. It is such a happy color and works in every season. In summer it looks beachy and in winter the red holly looks so pretty in the window boxes.

This is how the exterior is looking now:

We added the front bed and planted boxwood and white azaleas. Antique urns are filled with leafy Boston Ferns and we’ve added a flag to our entry. Last year, we reseeded and the lawn has really grown in nicely.

Source List

Shutter and Door Color – Buxton Blue by Benjamin Moore in high gloss

Living Room

This room has undergone many changes over the passed 5 years. We’ve gone through three couches, replaced the ceilings, added recessed lighting, updated the fireplace and created two seating areas.

We added this white sectional last November and many were worried about white with kids and dogs but we’ve loved how this brightened up our room. We have dark woodwork which I love but all dark furniture can make it look cave-like in here. You may remember the chesterfield we had previously. I LOVED that couch and it was such a bargain on Craigslist but as the kids grew we couldn’t all fit on it. Sigh.

Here’s the Chesterfield if you don’t remember it:

Here’s a before and after photo from when we moved it:

I’m still waiting for Luke to build me a new coffee table. I’m thinking round and a little modern, but maybe this fall he’ll be able to get to it.

We replaced the ceilings in here which took about a month. You can see the room without ceilings:

Here’s how the other side of the room looks:

The room feels so inviting now as it’s layered with different textures (baskets, fur throws, linen, cotton and oriental rugs) and soft decorative items.

One area I wasn’t in love with in the living room was our fireplace. It had dark orange bricks and ugly floor tile. Finally, we updated the fireplace over the winter.

I painted the interior of the fireplace with oven paint and we refaced the fireplace with fossilized ocean flooring and bluestone on the floor. A gas fireplace was added to the interior. Even in the summer I’ve flicked the fireplace on. It’s made this part of our living room so enjoyable.

Living Room Source List

• Wall Color – Mascarpone in Matte by Benjamin Moore
• Dark Woodwork – Original
• Linen Curtains – Ikea
• White Chairs – Ikea
• White Fur Throw – World Market
• Painterly Ikat Pillows (on white chairs) – Minted
• Oriental Rugs – Antiques
• Galvanized Table – Painted Tutorial and Build Plans
• Tommy Bahama Baskets – HomeGoods
• Safavieh Faux Fur Rugs – Wayfair
• Coffee Table – DIY Tutorial
• Desk – Painting Tutorial
• White Sectional – Boston Interiors, similar here and here

Shop the Living Room Look

Dining Room

This room also got new ceilings along with the living room. Last year, we found a beautiful Welsh Dresser on a yard sale site which made me want to redo the entire room. This happens from time to time around here. This is the beautiful Welsh Dresser:

When we first moved in a I dreamed of having a French dining room but the more we lived in the house I wanted a cozy English style dining room with a long farmhouse table and slipcovered furniture. Luke created a stunning farmhouse table with reclaimed heart pine.

It truly is a family heirloom and we love to spend time in this room. The boys play chess and build lego here. We love to eat family dinners here but I also love sitting and reading the paper with a delicious omelette.

I guess I should share a before and after of this room:

Dining Room Source List

• Wall Color – Mascarpone by Benjamin Moore
• Welsh Dresser – English antique found on Facebook Market Place. Click here for more.
• Ironstone – Antiques, see more here
• Painted Cabinet – See Tutorial here, Painted in Eulalie’s Sky Milk Paint
• Fern Wreath – DIY Project
• Table Legs – Laurel Grove
• Reclaimed Heart Pine – Stonewood Products
• Brass and Crystal Chandelier – Antique
• 8 x 10 Safavieh Rug – Overstock
• Table Paint – Farmhouse White by Miss Mustard Seed
• Tea Towels – Ikea
• White plates – Ikea
• Chairs – Ikea

Shop the Dining Room Look

The Kitchen

One day we’ll give our kitchen a huge renovation but for the passed 5 years, we’ve tried to update it affordably. You can read this post where I share a few ways to update your home without doing a full renovation.

The updates we’ve made included: painting the walls a dreamy gray, painting the cabinets bright white, adding stick on subway tiles and using woven plastic rugs on the floors.

I look at the kitchen and see so many things I want to change. I don’t love all the cabinets and don’t love the dark wood floors. I also wish our fridge was in the kitchen rather than that hall.

This is how the kitchen looked when we first moved in:

I’ve also added some sunflowers Conor drew. Every time I look at his artwork it makes me smile.

I also just made this Fresh Oysters sign for above the door:

Kitchen Source List

• Wall Color – Owl Gray by Benjamin Moore in Matte
• Trim and Cabinet Color – White Dove by Benjamin Moore in Satin, Advance
• Inside China Cabinet – Soapstone by Fusion Mineral Paint
• Rugs by Pappelina – The Welch Company
• Stick on Subway Tiles – Smart Tiles, similar here
• Ceiling Light – Vintage from ReStore
• Pendant Light – Ikea
• Bread Bin – Amazon
• Le Creuset Kettle – Amazon
• Le Creuset Dutch Oven – Amazon
• Kitchen Aid Mixer – Amazon
• Aloe – Home Depot
• Dishes – Ikea, Vintage
• Preserved Butterflies – Vintage
• Candle -Target
• Buoy Board – 163 Design Company
• Blue and White Plates – Wayfair
• Green Stool – Ikea and painted it, DIY here
• DIY Shibori Placemats – DIY here
• Wood Cake Stands – Target
• Bar Stools – Ballard Design
• Sunflower Art – My son, post here
• SMEG Toaster – Amazon
• Chopping Boards – Ikea, Target, Crate & Barrel
• Tea Towels – Ikea
• Tote of Flowers – Balsam Hill
• Utensil Holders – Target
• Fresh Oysters Sign – DIY Tutorial

Shop the Kitchen Look

Sunroom

This room was one we did early on in owning the house. Poppy got sprayed by a skunk, so the room smelled horrible and the rug got ruined. You can read all about the makeover here:

The room is a mix of Ikea and upcycled finds and it has a wall of windows which makes it an enjoyable spot for three seasons of the year. It isn’t heated so usually too cold out there in the winter.

We’ve added a few updates over the years. Like adding my childhood toy chest for more storage:

We created a hanging succulent wall:

We also built and painted this scalloped bench with a salt sprayed texture:

Here’s a before and after photo of this space:

Everything looks just as nice as when we painted it four years ago, although, there are some spots on the floor that could do with a touch up.

Sunroom Source List

• Ceiling Paint – Color – Ocean Air by Benjamin Moore, MooreGlo Exterior, Soft Gloss
• Wall Paint – Color – Simply White by Benjamin Moore, Moorlife, Flat Finish
• Trim Paint – Color – Super White by Benjamin Moore, MooreGlo, Exterior, Soft Gloss
• Floor Stain – Color – Silver Gray by Benjamin Moore Oil Based Exterior Finish, Translucent
• Galvanized Ceiling Light – Lamps Plus
• Vintage Chairs – Goodies II and I refinished them
• Empire Style Table – Bent Nail Farm Antiques, we refinished
• Enamel Pitcher – Consignment Shop
• English China and Pitcher – Goodies II and yard sale find
• Throw Pillows – Ikea, Pier One, Christmas Tree Shops
• Galvanized planter – Home Depot
• Sea Glass Bottles – Home Depot

Shop the Sunroom Look

Guest Room / Multi-Purpose Room

This space got it’s second makeover since we moved in. This was originally our guest room but since Luke started working from home I thought I really needed a creative space so this became my office / multipurpose room. We brought up a day bed from the playroom that can be pulled out for guests. I shared all the details in this post.

Max is usually following right behind me.

We stenciled this wall as part of our guest room makeover.

When we first moved in this room was a bright purple blue.

Creative Space Source List

• Wall Color – Glass Slipper, stenciled color White Dove – Benjamin Moore
• Wall Stencil – Royal Design Studio
• Desks – Ikea
• Storage Cabinet – Ikea
• Desk Light – Ikea
• French Chair – World Market
• Roller Chair – World Market
• Oriental Rug – Vintage from my parents
• Picture Ledges – Ikea
• Pin Board – Ikea
• Curtains – Target (similar – Target no longer have the same ones)
• Blue Heron Clock – Society6
• Wall Light – Amazon
• Mat for chair – Ikea
• Frames – mostly Ikea, Starfish one Welch Company
• Books, Shells, Antiques – Collected over time from thrift stores and yard sales
• Daybed – Ikea
• Standing Lamp – Target
• Fluffy Pillow and duvet cover – HomeGoods
• Striped Pillows – Ikea
• Kilim Pillows – Revival Rugs
• Whale Pillow – Minted
• Lighthouse Metal Prints in Reclaimed Wood – Kjeld Mahoney Photography
• Arches Paper
• Paint Palette
• domino – Amazon
• Classic Style – Amazon

Shop the Multi-Purpose Creative Space

Kids’ Nautical Bedroom

This room looks completely different than when we moved in. In fact, there used to be a faux wall up separting both rooms. When the boys were younger this was fine but as they grew we wanted to open the space up.

Our kids love sharing a bedroom and a dedicated work space. They are little sailors so I created a hook for holding all their sailing gear too:

Here you can see a before and after:

We replaced the ceiling in this room and had some new wiring run. Our books were so excited about the cool Ikea light.

Here’s a look at their industrial work area:

Boys’ Nautical Bedroom Source List

• Wall Color – Benjamin Moore Mascarpone
• Union Jack Dresser – DIY here
• Beach Subway Sign Chest – DIY here
• Bedside Lights – Target
• Striped Duvet – Ikea
• Sea Grass Rug – Wayfair
• Desks – Wayfair
• Framed Nautical Flags – DIY here
• Whale Book Ends – Wayfair
• Desk Chairs – Ikea
• Pine Dresser – Antique from Brimfield
• Wire Storage – Wayfair
• Pencil Holder – Wayfair
• Pendant – Ikea
• Pillows – Land of Nod, Vintage Sailcloth, One Kings Lane
• Custom Framing – Michaels, shared post here
• Angle Poised Lights – Wayfair
• Metal Frame Beds – Wayfair
• Sheets – Bed, Bath and Beyond
• Reading Pillows – Target
• Gray Curtains – Ikea
• R2 D2 Bank

Shop The Nautical Boys’ Bedroom Look

Master Bedroom

We completely redid our bedroom last summer. Our bedroom makeover was also inspired by a trip to England. I fell in love with the old wide plank flooring abroad which is oiled and isn’t as shiny. While in England I found a photo in a magazine of board and batten walls. Our bedroom isn’t huge but I wanted to make it appear larger.

Linen bedding, woven blinds and paneling on the wall all work together for a serene coastal bedroom.

We created the sea fan wall art above our bed and installed the hardwood flooring ourselves.

The flooring adds so much warmth and character to the space.

Before there was dark brown wall to wall carpeting and blue walls.

Master Bedroom Source List

• Wall Color – Shiplap by Magnolia Home in Matte, True White by Magnolia Home in Satin for the trim
• Wood Floor – Sierra by Sawyer Mason Wide Plank Flooring from Stonewood Products
• Blinds – Smith & Noble
• Duvet – Ikea
• Linen Pillows – Ikea
• Bedskirt – Shabby Chic for Target
• Sheets – Target
• Mattress – Mattress Firm
• Oyster Shell Pillow – My Society6 Shop
• French Chair – Vintage
• Bedside Table – DIY Tutorial
• Lamps – HomeGoods
• Basket – Home Depot
• Fig – Balsam Hill
• Genteleman’s Dreser – DIY Tutorial
• Brass Hooks – Vintage
• Shell Mirror – Brimfield
• Linen Curtains (on closet) – Ikea
• Boat Photograph called Serenity – Minted

Shop the Look of Our Master Bedroom

Oooooh, this is a long post! Are you guys still with me????

Since buying the home we also updating the back deck, you can read those posts here and here. It’s my favorite spot in the summer for family meals.

One day we’ll redo the deck, as the wood is starting to splinter.

When we moved in our yard looked like this:

Since then we’ve added a She Shed:

Here’s a look inside:

This whole area is a work in progress now though as we’re working on a beautiful pool area which was a dream for our family.

I’ll be sharing a full reveal of the pool area soon. You can see the pool progress here, but here’s a peek:

I hope you enjoyed seeing the journey of our home as much as I enjoyed sharing it with you.