In the beginning of the year, I shared our 2023 home project plans. (If you haven’t read that post or need a refresher, click here.) Today, I give you a brutally honest assessment of our accomplishments. By way of spoilers, I use the word “brutally” for a reason. We didn’t make tons of progress or complete many big projects in our home this year. 2023 was a year of transition. We made some major changes professionally that have had and will have amazing impacts on our family and future, but that minimized focus on things like home projects. And that’s OK; that’s life, priorities shift. One can’t complete a kitchen renovation every year, right?!? [*husband furiously types “RIGHT!” in the comments*]
game room
Completed! We repainted the game room Benjamin Moore Dragon’s Breath. I absolutely love the color for this room. While it’s dramatic, the space still feels open and airy thanks to its size and natural light, and everything really pops against the dark hue. Click here for the room reveal and a review of the paint color.
office
My office is a work in progress. The main project (paint) has not started, although I think I have settled on a color (stay tuned). We donated a few small random bookshelves that lived in here for years and inherited a set of large shelves from my husband’s former office. I layered a larger rug (from the dining nook) under the existing smaller rug and rearranged some furniture.
bonus room
As with the office, we have made progress, but it is not complete. I used this brush holder and a broom pole to finish painting those out-of-reach corners, but we have yet to replace lighting or add an ottoman.
dining nook
Remember my big plans for the nook? This space is honestly in worse shape than it was in the beginning of the year. I moved the rug to my office to layer under the one that was already there. The chunky woven jute blend is beautiful and has lots of texture, but it wasn’t the best choice for a high-traffic area with chairs getting pulled in and out from the table. I purchased a bar cart that I loved, but it arrived damaged. The seller replaced it, but the replacement arrived damaged, too. So I am still on the hunt for a bar cart. And I have yet to pull the trigger on a new table…
patio
The patio project is on hold indefinitely. Significant changes were made to a neighboring property in the last 18 months that have made us rethink the extent to which we will use various areas of our backyard. On a positive note, we met a landscape designer who did beautiful work on friends’ property, so we will keep that contact in our pocket for the future.
exterior doors
Two of the four doors are on order! The exterior door replacement has been a frustrating process. We spent the better part of a year talking with various suppliers and installers to determine if the doors to the deck could be replaced without having to replace the elliptical transoms over each. I will spare you the details, but the short answer turned out to be “no.” As a result, we need all-new custom door packages, including transoms, for both doors. We have deferred the double front doors and the door to the screened porch.
garage
Nope. We did not even consider working on a garage overhaul this year.
If your projects are stalled at 95% completion or you didn’t get to something on your wish list this year, you’re not alone. Creating a home you love takes time. And patience! Despite the lack of progress in some areas, we did accomplish a few things that were not in the plans. We gave our primary bedroom a mini-makeover and ordered a sectional for the family room that is scheduled to arrive in the next month.
As promised, I have an announcement: beginning in January, I will be creating a monthly newsletter for email subscribers! It will feature recaps, inspiration, and additional content not found in my usual posts. If you’re already a subscriber, no need to take additional action. To subscribe and receive the newsletter, use the form to the right.* I’m excited to share peeks behind the curtain with my subscriber friends!
Finally, thanks so much for being here. Every day I am surprised and grateful that people far and wide take a few minutes out of their day to stop by my tiny corner of the internet. I truly appreciate it. Happy New Year!
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