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- Our First Home (The Bungalow)
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• Tour our current home, an 1891 Victorian in Oak Park, IL.

• Tour our first home, a 1910 bungalow in Oak Park, IL.

House Tour: Making it Lovely's Oak Park Bungalow

Hello! I’m Nicole Balch.

Designer with a handyman background, renovating our Victorian home in historic Oak Park, IL (just outside of Chicago). Mom of three, fan of pink, keeping busy all around.

More about Nicole…

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Instagram post 18078527077159336

I think we’re just about done decking these halls. I’ve been giving away and selling some of our decorations. 🎄 The extra faux-wreath I thought I needed for some reason. The 72’ of garland I’m not excited about using but that someone else was SUPER into. Do I hold onto the tinsel tree I haven’t used in years? Is it time to let all the glittery stuff go? 🤔

Instagram post 18086597581140543

#sponsored Our garage door got a smart update! I replaced the old lock with the new Schlage Encode Smart WiFi Deadbolt. I can unlock the door from my phone (it works with Key by Amazon, Google Assistant, and the Schlage Home app), but I also just like that I can use the keypad. It’s nice for the kids too so they can grab their bikes from the garage without needing a parent to unlock the door for them! There are different styles and finishes to choose from (MSRP for each is $250). I went with the @schlagelocks Camelot trim in aged bronze, and it’s looking very handsome. A win for form and function! http://bit.ly/35v5ZmC #Schlage #SmartLocks #SmartHome #OpenPossibilities #SchlageDoorHardware #SchlageEncode

Instagram post 17935610551317893

I like the precision of baking. The careful leveling of a measuring cup. Knowing when to use cold, room temperature, or melted butter and the difference it makes. I like arranging for the maximum number of cookies on a sheet before they spread and touch. But mostly I just like baking and eating things made with chocolate. 🙃

Instagram post 18084443578191109

#sponsored These High & Mighty floating shelves in Calvin's room were super easy to put up. There's a template that sticks to the wall with a built-in level (brilliant), and you just use your thumbs to push a couple of supporting hooks into your drywall. The shelf slides down into place over the hooks and you're done! A perfectly straight shelf, no tools required. @designedtobestuckup has hooks and wall hangers that install just as easily, and they're strong enough to support even heavy things like mirrors. I used one to add the print above those new shelves! You can check out #DesignedToBeStuckUp here: https://lnk2.io/wyy4sSH

Instagram post 17925455200346552

Christmasification in progress. Matching my house on the outside as well as the inside now! 👯‍♀️ #thelovelyvictorian #housetwinning #christmasdecor

Instagram post 17923350505354029

I fixed my stupid lamps. Both of ‘em! 💁🏻‍♀️ I wrote about these last year when I found them through FB Marketplace. I don’t love them, but I like what they do for the space. Symmetry in black and brass with those sharp angles the room needed. Well, Lily chewed through both cords when she was a puppy. I wasn’t even mad because hey, I didn’t love the lamps. But they should work and I missed the functionality, so I bought a couple of replacement cords to rewire them. Turns out the part I hate most, the twisty base, made rewiring super difficult! Many curses were uttered, but they’re back in business. Now I’m in for $75 for the pair when you factor in the original cost plus the new cords. Not nothing, but also not the hundreds of dollars for all of the other lamps I like more that these are a stand-in for. That’ll do, lamps. 🤷🏻‍♀️ #thelovelyvictorian

Instagram post 17928005101337338

The built-ins in Calvin’s room that you saw in my last post? I almost got rid of them when we converted his room from a kitchen back into a bedroom.
.
Our kitchen isn’t original to 1891 - it probably dates to the 1930s or 40s, and I would guess Cal’s built-ins do too. They mirror the kitchen so well I that I could only see them as the ‘weird kitchen part 2’ but now I’m so glad we kept them.
.
Should I paint them though? 😘 #thelovelyvictorian

Instagram post 18082605229080583

I finished my Roman shades out of pieced-together pillow cases! I had been wanting to make these for Calvin’s room for ages, but it took the experience of making shades for E’s room to give me the skills/confidence I needed. And I’m glad this wasn’t my first attempt because Roman shades are hard enough - working with these fabric pieces stitched together with little room for error was even harder! 😬 #thelovelyvictorian

Instagram post 17997683059278016

#ad I switched to @native last year during my search for a more natural deodorant. Theirs is made with ingredients like coconut oil, Shea butter, and tapioca starch, and none of the parabens, aluminum or phthalates that I am trying to avoid. Now is a great time to order because starting tomorrow you can take $10 off $30 with my coupon code LOVELY, plus free shipping on every order. If you're looking for a scent to try, I like their new sweet almond & honey! #workingwithnative #sharenative

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Our 1891 Victorian

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Latest Posts

One Room Challenge: Week 6 (My Daughter’s Room Reveal!)

November 6, 2019

One Room Challenge: Week 5 (A Lucky Find)

October 30, 2019

One Room Challenge: Week 4 (A Disagreement)

October 23, 2019

One Room Challenge: Week 3 (Adding Interest)

October 16, 2019

One Room Challenge: Week 2 (The Design Plan)

October 9, 2019

Instagram post 18078527077159336

I think we’re just about done decking these halls. I’ve been giving away and selling some of our decorations. 🎄 The extra faux-wreath I thought I needed for some reason. The 72’ of garland I’m not excited about using but that someone else was SUPER into. Do I hold onto the tinsel tree I haven’t used in years? Is it time to let all the glittery stuff go? 🤔

Instagram post 18086597581140543

#sponsored Our garage door got a smart update! I replaced the old lock with the new Schlage Encode Smart WiFi Deadbolt. I can unlock the door from my phone (it works with Key by Amazon, Google Assistant, and the Schlage Home app), but I also just like that I can use the keypad. It’s nice for the kids too so they can grab their bikes from the garage without needing a parent to unlock the door for them! There are different styles and finishes to choose from (MSRP for each is $250). I went with the @schlagelocks Camelot trim in aged bronze, and it’s looking very handsome. A win for form and function! http://bit.ly/35v5ZmC #Schlage #SmartLocks #SmartHome #OpenPossibilities #SchlageDoorHardware #SchlageEncode

Instagram post 17935610551317893

I like the precision of baking. The careful leveling of a measuring cup. Knowing when to use cold, room temperature, or melted butter and the difference it makes. I like arranging for the maximum number of cookies on a sheet before they spread and touch. But mostly I just like baking and eating things made with chocolate. 🙃

Instagram post 18084443578191109

#sponsored These High & Mighty floating shelves in Calvin's room were super easy to put up. There's a template that sticks to the wall with a built-in level (brilliant), and you just use your thumbs to push a couple of supporting hooks into your drywall. The shelf slides down into place over the hooks and you're done! A perfectly straight shelf, no tools required. @designedtobestuckup has hooks and wall hangers that install just as easily, and they're strong enough to support even heavy things like mirrors. I used one to add the print above those new shelves! You can check out #DesignedToBeStuckUp here: https://lnk2.io/wyy4sSH

Instagram post 17925455200346552

Christmasification in progress. Matching my house on the outside as well as the inside now! 👯‍♀️ #thelovelyvictorian #housetwinning #christmasdecor

Instagram post 17923350505354029

I fixed my stupid lamps. Both of ‘em! 💁🏻‍♀️ I wrote about these last year when I found them through FB Marketplace. I don’t love them, but I like what they do for the space. Symmetry in black and brass with those sharp angles the room needed. Well, Lily chewed through both cords when she was a puppy. I wasn’t even mad because hey, I didn’t love the lamps. But they should work and I missed the functionality, so I bought a couple of replacement cords to rewire them. Turns out the part I hate most, the twisty base, made rewiring super difficult! Many curses were uttered, but they’re back in business. Now I’m in for $75 for the pair when you factor in the original cost plus the new cords. Not nothing, but also not the hundreds of dollars for all of the other lamps I like more that these are a stand-in for. That’ll do, lamps. 🤷🏻‍♀️ #thelovelyvictorian

Instagram post 17928005101337338

The built-ins in Calvin’s room that you saw in my last post? I almost got rid of them when we converted his room from a kitchen back into a bedroom.
.
Our kitchen isn’t original to 1891 - it probably dates to the 1930s or 40s, and I would guess Cal’s built-ins do too. They mirror the kitchen so well I that I could only see them as the ‘weird kitchen part 2’ but now I’m so glad we kept them.
.
Should I paint them though? 😘 #thelovelyvictorian

Instagram post 18082605229080583

I finished my Roman shades out of pieced-together pillow cases! I had been wanting to make these for Calvin’s room for ages, but it took the experience of making shades for E’s room to give me the skills/confidence I needed. And I’m glad this wasn’t my first attempt because Roman shades are hard enough - working with these fabric pieces stitched together with little room for error was even harder! 😬 #thelovelyvictorian

Instagram post 17997683059278016

#ad I switched to @native last year during my search for a more natural deodorant. Theirs is made with ingredients like coconut oil, Shea butter, and tapioca starch, and none of the parabens, aluminum or phthalates that I am trying to avoid. Now is a great time to order because starting tomorrow you can take $10 off $30 with my coupon code LOVELY, plus free shipping on every order. If you're looking for a scent to try, I like their new sweet almond & honey! #workingwithnative #sharenative

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