Hello friends! This summer has been full of big changes around our home, so I wanted to share a life update and renovation progress. Grab a cup of coffee or tea — this is a longer update with lots of photos and honest details.
- Before I dive in: HomeBody Gathering Place is open for a short time to new members. We begin the fall season with our community of HomeBodies on September 1. If you love creating a cozy, intentional home, we open just a few times a year and would love to have you join us!
We are so close to the finish line with this renovation and we could not be happier. The past few weeks have been one of the most tiring stretches of the whole project, and I want to share why so anyone planning a renovation can be prepared — and so you can see both the messy in-between and the pretty progress.
Living in your home while renovating has perks, but it also means adapting daily routines as rooms become work zones. We’ve had to move furniture, empty closets, and shuffle belongings repeatedly so contractors could install new flooring upstairs and on the staircase. It’s exhausting and inconvenient, but absolutely worth it.
Please note the spaces shared here are still in progress — we still need to sweep, dust, and finish paint touch-ups, install wood heat registers, and complete some trim work.
The biggest task lately was clearing every closet and moving boxes so the new flooring could be installed. It was heavy work and not fun, but the result is stunning. We chose real European white oak engineered hardwood. The floors are light, warm, and have a relaxed coastal vibe that feels inviting and bright.
Our living room received a fresh coat of paint in Benjamin Moore Beach Glass, a layered blue-green that shifts beautifully through the day. We are thrilled with how it looks and how it complements the new floors.
If you expected a finished, photo-ready home by now, we’re not quite there. Even when the major projects are nearly complete, the final touch-ups and organizing can make the house feel more chaotic before it settles. That’s been our experience: the end is close, but there’s still a punch list to finish.
If you enjoy seeing the messy middle, here’s a peek at last week’s reality. Boxes and furniture were everywhere as we shuffled things to accommodate painting and flooring. Contractors helped with heavy pieces, but we still did a lot of moving ourselves — our backs are reminding us we’re not as young as we used to be!
The repeated moving has slowed down our unpacking and organizing, and we’re still waiting on final paint touch-ups and punch-list items. Because of that, some areas — like our mudroom — remain stacked with boxes until shelving and finishing work are complete. I’ll share the freshly painted mudroom and powder room in a future post.
Renovation teaches patience: creating a home takes time, thought, and intention. Even after contractors leave, there will always be small projects to finish or updates to make. The important part for me is enjoying the process and returning to the slower work of shaping our home.
We’ve finally begun placing items in rooms and layering in accessories. It’s a joy to see our style emerge as we add textures, colors, and familiar pieces finding new spots. My approach now is to live with things for a while, make small tweaks, and change whatever doesn’t feel right. That gradual editing is where the magic happens.
Our style evolves as we live in the rooms. I don’t rush decisions; instead I try different arrangements and let the space tell me what works. My husband and I move things around until one of us — or both — feels happy with the result.
Small things are bringing big joy right now: hanging art, placing a linen pin board in the guest room, and finally having a dedicated guest space and bathroom. We’re using what we already own to make the rooms welcoming, especially with family visiting soon.
My husband was delighted to finally display vintage fishing floats on a closet door, and it’s fun to watch familiar pieces show up in new places. A reader once told me following along feels like a game of Where’s Waldo with all the reused items — I love that idea.
We’ve also been keeping summer rituals alive: walks, quiet mornings with coffee, and enjoying a functioning kitchen again. Our new stove has been a delight to cook with, and making coffee in a calm house is one of my favorite simple pleasures.
Outside, we’ve started planning the backyard and planting. Our new jasmine on the porch has been especially happy and fragrant. I’ll share more about plants and outdoor progress in a future post.
A quick note: my new book Simply Home launched this week. It combines Simple Decorating and Simple Organizing into one hardback with practical tips for creating order and beauty at home. I’m excited to share these ideas and hope readers find the book helpful for real-life home projects.
We also escaped for a few days to one of our favorite beach spots, Seabrook, and stayed in a charming new home that I can’t wait to show you. It was a refreshing break and helped recharge us during a busy season of work on the house.
If you read through this whole update, thank you for following along and for your encouragement. I’ll keep sharing progress, the finished rooms, and the small moments that make a house feel like home.
See previous ‘Life Lately’ posts in the blog archives.
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