Last spring I shared that my daughter Kylee moved into her first house — remember when she got married? And now her first home — my heart!
After living in a studio apartment, Kylee and her husband Lance bought a small townhouse in Seattle (if you missed the announcement, you can find the original post on my site). My other daughter Courtney rents a room from them in the townhouse and has already shared her design plans for the tiniest bedroom you’ve ever seen. She’ll update that space soon, but today Kylee is back to tell us how the townhouse is coming together.
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Hello — Kylee here! It’s been a while, so I wanted to share a few updates from our little townhouse. Last time I posted about our simple powder bath. Since then I’ve slowly been making progress in other rooms.
I finally had a day off and was home while it was still light out, so I took a few photos to show how things are shaping up. This will be an overview of several rooms; I’ll return with more detailed posts featuring small-space tips and tricks we’ve used to make this townhouse feel like home.
Our home is a three-story townhouse, and in Seattle every square foot counts. When you enter the front door you step into a long hallway. We recently painted it Swan White by Glidden to create a clean, bright backdrop for rugs and accessories.
To make the most of this narrow space, we treated the entire hallway as functional, adding storage and plenty of hooks for coats. We don’t have a coat closet, so the more hooks the better. The white storage unit above is from Ikea — a great space-saving solution for a small hallway or entry. The cabinet doors tilt out and hold gloves, scarves, reusable grocery bags, shoes, and supplies for Bella, our puppy.
My favorite new addition in the hallway is a colorful Dash and Albert runner. It brings a pop of color, pattern and warmth the moment you walk in the door.
Bella’s favorite spot is the living room on the second level. For months the space was basically empty while we tried to figure out how to get our oversized leather couches up the narrow staircase. Once we worked out the trick to get the sofas inside, the room started coming together.
We added a textured zig-zag rug to bring warmth and help define the living area, since the kitchen and living room share one open space. Above the couch we haven’t settled on permanent artwork yet, so we temporarily framed decorative wrapping paper — an inexpensive and cheerful solution that fills the wall while we decide.
Bella is thrilled to finally have furniture — all she wanted was a comfy spot — and we’re happy to have a room where we can invite friends over. We don’t have a formal dining area, so our sofas and coffee table pull double duty for socializing and eating.
Setting up the bedroom on the third floor was another challenge. Moving large, handed-down furniture up two flights of narrow stairs required creativity and patience. Starting from scratch with new pieces would have been easier, but as a young couple on a budget we’ve been determined to make the most of what we have.
In one memorable case we discovered the queen-sized box spring could not fit up to the third floor. We slept on the mattress on the floor for several months while weighing options, and eventually cut the box spring in half to get it up the stairs, then reassembled it — an intense solution that worked and one I’ll describe in more detail later, complete with photos.
The kitchen is larger than our previous studio, but it still lacks a dedicated pantry and has limited cabinet space. Since I love to cook, we made a makeshift pantry by storing dried goods in clear jars on the counter and keeping frequently used utensils in a pitcher next to the stove. It keeps things organized and accessible in a small footprint.
Of course we have a coffee station — I wouldn’t be my mother’s daughter otherwise. Our little setup sits on a hand-me-down wine rack, and it’s perfect for grabbing a cup as we head out the door. Living in the Pacific Northwest, coffee is essential.
That’s all for now. I’ll be back to share the couch-moving saga, the box-spring rescue, and more projects as we continue to make this townhouse feel like home.