Living Room

Six Months

As of today, we have been in our new home for six months! We closed on the house and moved in on February 1, during the coldest weekend of the 2006-2007 winter (that was fun).

We’ve painted almost every room, remodeled the kitchen (and learned how to tile in the process), tore up the carpet in the bedroom and put in bamboo floors, changed light fixtures, setup a library, and of course… we’re freshening up our not-so-nice bathroom. I’m proud of what we accomplished, of the new skills we’ve picked up, and I love that we own tools now like a table saw and an air compressor.

We have so much to do though.

Living Room
Nice, but those curtains need to be hemmed.

I find myself looking at rooms and wanting to repaint or move the furniture around, but there are other areas of the home that need attention first. I’m still looking for wallpaper to go in the dining room, but I haven’t fallen in love with any single pattern yet. The outside is plain, pushed to the back of our to-do lists, waiting for next year. We need to put bamboo flooring in the studio. I still haven’t learned how to use my sewing machine. That aforementioned bathroom needs to be finished. Yes, there is still plenty to do around here!

A huge thank you to all of you, lovely readers. I’m inspired by you and your comments, and by all of the other wonderful blogs in the design community. I do hope that I’m giving some of that inspiration back. Here’s to the next six months!

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  • Kim
    August 1, 2007 at 2:09 pm

    Congratulations!! Here’s to you guys for making it look so absolutely fabulous in just 6 little months! Hope mine will come together as nice by December 25th (our 6 month mark). haha

  • Julieta
    August 1, 2007 at 2:54 pm

    Happy Anniversary! You’ve done a wonderful job. :)

  • sarah *
    August 1, 2007 at 3:26 pm

    Wow! 6 months already! I’m really enjoying following along. :)

  • cranny
    August 1, 2007 at 4:11 pm

    Hey
    Just wondering if you have been to http://walnutwallpaper.com/

    They have some really great papers though would go great in your home.

  • Mariah
    August 1, 2007 at 4:59 pm

    Yay! Congrats! :D You are definitely inspiring me! Also, I have been looking and looking for wallpaper for my entryway and came across a company that will print custom designs for you, meaning, that you could design your own!!! :D I have the link here someplace, if your interested! :D

  • katiedid
    August 1, 2007 at 5:57 pm

    Happy anniversary! Any excuse to break out the bubbly. Love the room above, esp. the light fixture! Instead of hemming the drapes, maybe just raise the rod…(it will make your windows look taller and the room bigger). ;)

  • Anonymous
    August 1, 2007 at 6:01 pm

    Congrats! Your house looks great. Where did you get your yellow drapes, by the way? Thanks.

  • jasi
    August 1, 2007 at 6:23 pm

    found your site today and i’m in love. a new home owner myself, i’m utterly inspired by all that you’ve done. i’m bold and have a similar style, but i lack any sort of design know-how to really pull a look together. hopefully, a little of your magic will rub off on me. best of luck in future endeavors. – jasi

  • lucy
    August 1, 2007 at 6:55 pm

    congratulations! reading your blog makes me really excited to move back to the Chicago area in a few years and own my first house :)

  • Nicole | Making it Lovely
    August 2, 2007 at 12:39 am

    Thanks, everyone!

    Cranny, yep – I’ve been looking at walnut wallpaper. I’m just being indecisive! And Mariah, I don’t think I could live in a room wallpapered in my own pattern. Maybe if you design it… ;)

    Anon, the drapes are from Crate & Barrel.

  • Anonymous
    August 2, 2007 at 6:43 am

    You are doing such a beautiful job—truly an inspiration to those of us who put our projects off for another day. I am waiting to see your wallpaper choice too. Did you see “Dress My Nest” when they did the room with the metallic version of that first wallpaper you were showing (with the pink wall above it)? That room was amazing—girly, but with lots of contrast. My bedroom is about the color of your old living room—my favorite bedroom color yet.

  • hanickaINprague
    August 2, 2007 at 7:56 am

    A long time lurker from far, far away, I am amazed at what you’ve achieved and how fabulous your house is turning out to be.

    Congratulations, Nicole!

  • Funky Finds
    August 2, 2007 at 11:11 am

    bamboo floor? awesome!

  • drey
    August 2, 2007 at 9:40 pm

    i love reading your blog (it’s like the me that finally owns a house and has the freedom to redo the place) i can’t wait to be in your shoes!

  • cotton cupcakes
    August 2, 2007 at 11:50 pm

    You have accomplished so much in 6 months! Great job. I love your style.

  • becoming-home
    August 3, 2007 at 9:54 am

    Happy anniversary!!

    Even too long, these gorgeous drapes are a very stark contrast to my frumpy ones..oh well, at least I can look at yours and see how I SHOULD have done them. *SIGH*

  • luckilu
    August 3, 2007 at 2:56 pm

    this is my first time to check out your website and i am in love with the blog! i’ve just owned my first home for 1 year and i think you blog is a great idea – it is also so inspiring!

    sarah

  • Little Grey Donkey
    August 5, 2007 at 9:30 am

    congrats on your anniversary. it looks wonderful!

  • Lorraine
    August 6, 2007 at 11:55 am

    OMG, I love your home- it’s so pretty! You’ve inspired me to tackle our living room (which I’ve been putting off far too long now). Any tips for working with an open space living and dining area?

  • franki durbin
    August 9, 2007 at 1:10 pm

    you get a nod for that fab chair! ;)

    painting is never fun but always worth it. glad to hear it’s coming along well.

  • Joanna Goddard
    August 12, 2007 at 2:44 pm

    congrats! love the pic. painting is worht it, it makes such a difference. good luck!!! fun to follow along….

  • jennifer
    September 13, 2007 at 9:13 pm

    nice job!!!

    mind if i ask where the curtains are from?

  • enthusia
    October 12, 2007 at 3:45 pm

    oh, i love puddly drapes. all our windows lie above aircon vents, so according to husband, no puddling. i will bask in vicarious curtain puddles here.

    and that lamp makes me so jealous.