When we moved into this house we knew there were a lot of projects we were going to take on. To paint a picture for you, the description of our house on Zillow wrote, “Don’t let the modest curb appeal fool you.” And it was modest. Adorable. But modest. It was exactly what we were looking for. The location was perfect for our needs. Close to Carter’s school in a quiet neighborhood and only a few miles from the beach. We were excited and ready. So let’s dive into what we’ve already done in this tiny bungalow.
Driveway
Yes, there was no driveway when we moved into our bungalow. It is pretty common in the older Florida neighborhoods. Everyone parks on the grass or the street, unless you put a driveway in. Carter and I wanted to add a driveway for several reasons. One being THE DIRT. Especially having a dog. We were sweeping our floors twice a day before we added a driveway because the dirt tracked in easily. Second, the dust. Every time we pulled in dust would stir up and our windows and house became a mess.
Last, it helped make our home look together. Our front door is on the side of our home so having a driveway and sidewalk leading up to the home really helped pull the front together. We hired this job out and they did an amazing job. We were able to paint our front door. I have always loved a bright colored door. This pink is Pink Elephant by Behr and you can find it HERE.
HELLO DOORMAT | BLACK + WHITE MAT (SIMILAR) | PINK PAINT | CAFE LIGHTS
Kitchen
This was the first project we tackled after moving in. Carter and I did the updates ourselves and it took us 14 days. Over Christmas break. I plan on doing an entire blog post on our kitchen remodel soon. These are the few updates we did do, the floor, sink, counters, backsplash, and breakfast nook.
TEA KETTLE (SIMILAR) | FAUCET | KITCHEN TABLE | WATERING CAN | KITCHEN AIDE | WHITE PILLOW | GOLD KNOBS | WOVEN PILLOW | PAPER TOWEL HOLDER | WHITE PLANTER | PINK CART | CHAIRS (SIMILAR)
Painted Living Room
The paint color that was in the living room was a cool gray. During the day it was pretty in the natural light. But without the natural light, it was terrifying. It had some weird purple/orange tints. So it had to go. I wrote a whole post on it HERE and THIS is the color we chose.
BOOKSHELF | LAMP WITH SHADE | WATERING CAN | CHAIR | PILLOW | COUCH (SIMILAR) | RUG (SIMILAR) | VASES | PRINT | OTTOMAN
Outdoor Shutters
The vintage storm shutters were painted seafoam green, so I updated them with THIS black paint and added white stripes for a more unique look. I was lucky enough to have a friend come help me paint. (Little shout out to Sav. You are the best!) It was 108 degrees that summer day but we weren’t scared.
Landscaping
We have done a lot in the yard. Or should I say, Carter… Carter loves yard work. I am getting there. 😉 First came out the old shrubs and chain link fence. Carter had to hook his truck up to some of the shrubs to get them out. It took a lot of work but the shrubs were wild and so it was a must. Then with the help of his parents, we sodded the front and back while adding in a sprinkling system. That was a big weekend project, so we were very grateful for the help.
Then, Carter put up a new privacy fence BY HIMSELF. I had to travel for work and when I got back it was done! (I love him.) Having full privacy was a gamer changer in the time we spent in our backyard.
The last thing we’ve done was added some palm trees, plants, and some mulch. We aren’t quite done with the landscaping, but our budget was out and we were really happy with the progress we had made. We did spend a lot of our budget and time in the yard, but since we live in a warm climate it was important for us to focus on these updates so we could use this part of our home.
HELLO DOORMAT | BLACK + WHITE MAT (SIMILAR) | PINK PAINT | CAFE LIGHTS
Patio
We JUST finished this project. And can I say, IT TURNED OUT AMAZING! You can see the finished post HERE. We started with a small piece of concrete and some patio furniture that was given to us. After some paint and a new patio set, we are in love.
ROSE GOLD CANDLE | SMALL VASE (SIMILAR) | GREY TEXTURED PILLOW (SIMILAR) | | STENCIL (SIMILAR) | CAFE LIGHTS | VISION GRILL | CHIMINEA (SIMILAR) | CUSHIONS (SIMILAR) | PATIO SET | SUNSHADE
We are so happy with our bungalow. What it was, what it has become, and how it’s going to continue to change. Thank you for following our journey in our first home. Come back tomorrow for a list of To-Dos! We are talking all about our plans for this bungalow in 2020. See more of my post HERE or follow me on Instagram HERE.