projects | This Old Colonial Home

May 18, 2015
by This Old Colonial Home 4 Comments

Upcoming Transformations

Maybe you noticed, maybe you didn’t. But the posts have been slacking as of late. (I apologize.) That’s not to say we aren’t still busily working on the house — we are. Well, Jamie is. I’ve had to take a backseat approach … because in just a few short months we are expecting our first child!I guess you could say we are undergoing our biggest home transformation yet! We are so overjoyed!

So as you can imagine that has been keeping us plenty busy. And Jamie being the good husband and future daddy that he is, is making sure I stay away from projects that involve a lot of physical labor (no pun intended). He is working so hard to get some of our outstanding projects crossed off the list. He is currently in the midst of building two nightstands for the master bedroom.Isn’t this great?! He’s still working on sanding and staining them. I’m working on finding knobs and new lamps. Decorating is pretty much what I’m left with 😛 We also just ordered a new headboard. I can’t wait until it’s all put together and I can show you the reveal. In the meantime, be sure to follow me on Instagram at @oldcolonialhome for sneak peeks along the way!

We will also, obviously, need to start working on the nursery. What was the guest room will be transformed this summer into a room for our little one. I can’t wait to get going on that!

And because we don’t have enough on our plate, we will also soon be undergoing a bathroom renovation!Yes, I’ve been saying that for months, but we can thank town bureaucracy for holding up the permit approval. And of course now the timing kind of stinks since a certain someone needs to get up a few times a night to use said bathroom, but it’ll be worth it in the end! I hope to show you a fantastic before and after once it’s done.

So we certainly have a lot to do, but also a lot to look forward to … in more ways than one!

Luca, however, isn’t quite sure yet 😉

June 8, 2014
by This Old Colonial Home Leave a comment

Celebrating One Year in Our Home

Today marks one year since Jamie, Luca and I moved into our very first house. On June 8, 2013, we said goodbye to renting and hello to home ownership! It’s been a year full of hard work, but I wouldn’t change it for anything. In the past year we have managed to:

Rip up the cranberry carpeting on the first floor

Refinish the hardwood floors hiding underneath said cranberry carpets

Install a stair runner

Replace the switch plates and outlet covers throughout the entire house

Install a smart thermostat

Paint the living room, family room, dining room, first and second floor hallways, upstairs bathroom, and master bedroom (including a stencil wall)

Replace the light fixtures in the dining room and entryway

Create a gallery wall in the living room

Add decor – artwork, pictures, curtains, etc.

Make a mirror out of a window pane

Refinish a dresser into our new TV stand

Build a coffee table for the living room

Freshen up the front flower beds – ripping out dead bushes and adding mulch

And of course we’re not done — there are always more projects on the list. But the sense of pride in owning your own home makes it all worth it! So please join us for our second year in this old colonial home to see what we’ll be up to next!

August 1, 2013
by This Old Colonial Home 7 Comments

A Work in Progress

Just like this blog, so too is our house — a work in progress. Since this is my first post, a little introduction is needed. My name is Kelly. I’m a public relations professional, new homeowner and fan of flea markets. My husband and I recently bought this old colonial home in New Jersey that we share with our border collie mix, Luca. We fell in love with the house upon first viewing — its size, ample storage and charming chestnut trim. No major issues came up in our inspection and so far we haven’t had any big surprises (knock on wood). There are plenty of projects, however, that we plan to tackle. It’s pretty much a clean slate with white walls everywhere, which means much painting is in our future. But the very first and foremost project involves ripping up the lovely 1980s pinkish-red carpets that are hiding 75 year old hardwoods underneath! Down the road we hope to redo the upstairs bathroom (which by the way has no electrical outlet. What?!); replace the concrete patio with a more inviting wood deck; and knock down a wall to make our galley kitchen a little more functional. With all these projects, we’re hoping to be thrifty when it comes to furnishing and decorating. I’m just not the type of person who can spend $500+ on a dresser or even $40 on a pillow. It’s just a pillow! We’ll hit up flea markets, estate sales, craigslist and use some good old DIY to get similar, expensive looks for less. So please, keep coming back for updates as we work to make this house into our home.