OUR HOME || a few changes and a few before + after photos

Well friends, life went and got busy……you too? It sure happens fast, doesn’t it? The girls and I thoroughly enjoyed summer break and we even snuck out of town for a few weekend get-aways.

We also sold our little vacation rental in Carlton (we talk about doing that every year, but have never had another project to put that money towards). It was bittersweet, you know? That home holds so many memories. However, that allowed us to move towards purchasing a farm in Carlton!! On September 28th we closed escrow on the farm, put our shop building up for sale, and last week we listed our home! Things have been a little crazy around here lately, and God is gently teaching me so many lessons along the way :)

It’s no secret that Matt and I love old homes. We love to remodel them for clients, we love to design new homes to look like old homes, and we love to live in old homes! The home we purchased in Carlton was built in 1911 and the character and craftsmanship is unreal. I can’t wait to share more of it with you!

In the mean time, I wanted to share some BEFORE + AFTER photos of our current home, hoping that it inspires you enjoy your home to the fullest, regardless of budget or DIY skills :)

The biggest changes we made in the kitchen were opening up the kitchen/living room wall and raising the sunken living room floor. Before the area was really cramped and hard to have multiple people in the kitchen, let alone really utilize the island! PS-all of the “AFTER” photos are from our realtor’s fantastic photographer, Mark Coffman.

We kept some of the original cabinetry (it was in really good shape, just needed a paint job), modified some and built some. We moved the oven and kitchen sink which has been so helpful with the flow! We hosted our small group Monday night for dinner and it was so great to have plenty of room for 12 adults and 12 kids!

We went with black leathered granite for the countertops and I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint for the cabinetry. I painted the island “Graphite” (Chalk Paint) and the perimeter “French Linen” (Chalk Paint) and sealed them both with Annie Sloan Lacquer and Clear Wax.

Matt used some reclaimed Oak for the open shelves, and welded the brackets and painted them black. I have done a lot of research on induction ovens, and we have installed a handful of them in remodels, so I was really anxious to get one for the kitchen. After a lot of research, I decided to go with the Bertazzoni induction range. I love the sleek design, how it sits almost flush with the cabinetry, and I love the way it works! It pre-heats incredibly fast, cooks evenly and I love the induction cooktop even more than I thought I would.

We also added stone to the mudroom/kitchen entry floor and I am so happy we did!!! It rains here so often and with muddy boots and wet paws, this has been so good!! OK, I won’t overload you with pictures now, and I will add some more pictures next week. Thanks for always following along on our journey, it means so much to us!!