What’s The Next Big Project At Our Home?

Great question, I’m glad you asked. Many people have asked me this question in real life, Instagram messages, and more. Even my mom, hi Mom! My standard answer is, “I don’t know.”

Now that our primary bathroom renovation is behind us, although we still have a few posts to write up about that, it’s time to start planning and saving for our next major project. Let’s explore.

Photo of our latest renovation…..ah she’s a beaut!

The Small Projects

While the major projects on the second floor are done, there are still quite a few smaller projects to tackle. So while we’re in the planning and saving stages of our next big remodel, these are the things we’re looking to work on.

Finishing Our Bedroom

Remember when we talked about giving our bedroom a little refresh? Still haven’t done it. Although I now have copious amounts of stain samples to test out for staining the wardrobe.

Here’s the TL;DR list for our bedroom refresh: update the bedding, hide nightstand cords (this one is new), paint the nightstands, refinish a pair of thrifted lamps to replace the current ones, and stain the wardrobe. Maybe build a new headboard? We’re still a little undecided on that one.

Finish The Attic Closet

With the bathroom attached to the attic closet done, I feel like I can finish the attic closet space. When we last left off with the attic project, I ordered the wrong size rug (doh).

Here’s the rundown of what I’m thinking for finishing the attic: touch up the floor paint, replace the window, add cafe curtains, find the right size rug, chalk paint the wardrobe that’s used for bathroom storage, create shoe storage, and figure out what to do (if anything) with the extra space.

There is some extra space in the attic closet. Just to the left in the photo above. I’m perplexed with what to do with the space. Big comfy chair to escape with a book to? Extra storage for something that’s in our big attic, like luggage?

Maybe something will come to me. But sometimes, just having empty space is nice too.

Rowan’s Room Update

We may or may not work on Rowan’s room update, or at least how we originally planned it. We had hit pause on the project for a couple of reasons.

One, Rowan was changing her mind on many of the decisions and projects we were working on. And two, Bea is outgrowing her small nursery and it’s time we figure out where Bea is going to land.

We have three schools of thought for where Bea is moving to and the shakeup to the rest of us that ensues.

Option #1: Each Child Has Their Own Room

Since we prefer the girls’ rooms to remain on the second floor, Rowan would likely move to our room, Bea would go to Rowan’s room, and we would move downstairs.

Option #2: The Girls Share Rowan’s Room

Both girls move into Rowan’s current room, which is just big enough for two twin beds. We would remain in our current bedroom and the third bedroom downstairs would get converted into a playroom.

Option #3: The Girls Share Our Room

With this option both girls move into our current room, the attic closet becomes a playroom for now and later a shared walk-in closet for them, and the nursery becomes a homework/art desk/study lounge kind of space giving them a large suite of shared space. We would move to the downstairs bedroom and Rowan’s old room becomes a guest bedroom.

Where is the Third Bedroom?

For reference, here’s our whole house floor plan although I should probably do an updated version since we’ve acquired children and moved things around. And when we were working on the bathroom, I discovered a room that was measured wrong.

We have two bedrooms on the second floor along with the craft room and nursery which are both too small in square footage and window egress to be a bedroom.

We have a third bedroom on the first floor that we barely have done anything to. The room is a catch-all for anything that doesn’t belong, which is why we NEVER show it on the blog or on the gram.

Here’s one view of the space:

She’s looking pretty rough, right?! Note the peeling/bubbling walls there above the mouse house.

The room currently stores the kids’ toys, an art desk, the washer and dryer, and a backup refrigerator from when the big refrigerator in the kitchen died during the pandemic. It took us half a year to get a new one so we bought a tiny temporary one.

So What’s The Next BIG Project?

Now with the little projects out there and a preface to an upcoming need to do something about the girls’ current sleeping/bedroom arrangements, let’s spill the beans on the options for the next big project here. We have a few schools of thought, but it all depends on what we decide to do with the girls.

Spoiler, I’m currently leaning toward option #3 but I change my mind daily. Especially since it means leaving behind our beloved bathroom reno!

Although, maybe they could share Rowan’s current room? Okay now I’m leaning option #2!

Kitchen Remodel

There I said it. We’re seriously considering tackling our kitchen for our next big renovation project. There’s a reason why it rarely makes an appearance here on the blog, we don’t love it and we haven’t done much with it.

Do you see how I quickly painted over tile on the kitchen backsplash and now it’s starting to peel? Lovely! Note the sarcasm.

To remodel our kitchen as our “dream kitchen” would cost many thousands of dollars that we don’t foresee having for quite some time, so we’re thinking of doing a temporary kitchen remodel. And by temporary we’re talking at least 5-10 years.

We want to move the kitchen to the other side, where there is an eat-in dining area. This requires moving the current entry door to where the big window is by the refrigerator to make the kitchen space as big as possible.

Here’s an old shot of the other side of the kitchen.

With the kitchen moved to this side it opens up the current kitchen space to be a dedicated entry, something old farmhouses like ours just didn’t have back in the day. The entry would be a mixed-use space for laundry, coat closets, cleaning storage, and a big bench for taking off muddy boots from the garden.

Third Bedroom Remodel

With Bea starting to outgrow her nursery, we’re feeling the pinch to get the third bedroom remodeled and use it as a bedroom. It’s the smallest of all the bedrooms but it’s the one that needed the most work.

Here’s another shot of the third bedroom. This one is looking from the living room into the bedroom.

The third bedroom is a gut job. We would love to fix the electrical so we have switches instead of a pull chain light, replace the windows, install a pocket door into the bathroom and maybe French doors into the living room, build in a closet, replace the flooring, and do something with the walls.

The walls are terrible in here. We painted over them a few years ago but they’re peeling plaster over plywood. More chunks flake off every year. We’re undecided if we would sheetrock or panel this room.

The Parent Clubhouse

This one is a fun project. Let me paint a picture for you.

We have this exceptionally large outbuilding on our property that’s currently a shop. It works okay as a shop but we’ve never really gone all in to turn it into a shop.

The previous owners of our home used it as a library and when we first moved in it was FILLED with metal shelving and books. Books upon books upon books. It took us years to go through them all, find new homes for them, and take down the shelves.

We’ve been waffling FOREVER over what to do with “the library” as it is affectionately referred to in our home. Do we turn it into a small apartment and earn rental income? Or do we make it a bunkhouse for kids and family visiting? Should we commit to it being a shop?

Here’s the library:

We’ve landed on turning it into a multi-use space for the adults in the family. Living in such a rural location, Colby and I often want a place to escape to in the evenings. One that’s not a bar, which is pretty much our only option here at night without having to drive for at least 30-45 minutes.

We’re thinking of a combo space with gym equipment, a very large tv, floorspace that I can invite mom friends over for Zumba or yoga nights, a poker table for Colby and his friends, golf simulator (dreamy!), storage space for Colby’s fishing poles and lures, and more. No kids allowed!

Sometimes it feels like the most important project and other times the least important project. It would be really great to have a space where one of us can escape when being a parent gets hard and we just need a break.

So What Are We Going To Do?

Still no idea. Ask me tomorrow! Ha! All of them. Is all of them an answer?!

All three big projects are so very different and I feel a sense of urgency for all three of them. Even though there truly is none.

With the bedroom remodel, it would mean we get a beautiful new bedroom on the first floor and we can turn over our suite to the girls. Plus we would have a guest room which we haven’t had in a long time.

With the kitchen remodel, we would get so much more functionality and space to work. Plus we could create the most organized entry and laundry room known to man once the kitchen is moved.

With the parent clubhouse, Colby and I get an escape and a fun place for us. Winters are long and dark here so we would love to have a hangout place to make them a little more enjoyable.

Can someone decide for me? I can’t make this decision!

Pssst…Honestly, what would you do? Bedroom, kitchen, or clubhouse?! Hit me with your best shot advice!