Just like we’ve learned and evolved through countless projects in our previous home, the journey of transforming our current house has been a vibrant tapestry of ongoing endeavors. Over the past two years, we’ve enthusiastically jumped from one space to another, leaving our mark on the living room, guest room, nursery, primary bedroom, kitchen, dining room, office, laundry room, patio, and deck, among others. Each space has presented its own set of challenges and triumphs, slowly shaping our house into a home that truly reflects our style and needs.
However, despite our whirlwind of activity, a few untouched corners have patiently awaited their turn. For far too long, these areas have remained in their original state, sometimes slowly but surely accumulating the inevitable household clutter, as we’ve seen happen in spaces like our playroom. It’s a common scenario for many homeowners – a perpetual balancing act between tackling major projects and allowing certain spaces to simply exist until the opportune moment arrives.
Up until very recently, our list of completely untouched spaces included:
- The sunroom
- The playroom
- The hall bathroom
- The guest bathroom
- The basement
- The carport (a prime candidate for conversion into a more aesthetically pleasing and functional structure)
- The front porch (awaiting a much-needed facelift, including framing out columns and removing dated scalloped trim)
Allowing seven significant areas to remain in their original state for nearly two years might seem like a marathon in procrastination, or perhaps a testament to the sheer scale of home renovation. Yet, the past four weeks have brought a surge of renewed energy and purpose. We’ve managed to dive into two of these neglected zones: the hall bathroom and the basement. This renewed momentum has significantly trimmed our list, leaving us with five projects still on the horizon:
- The sunroom
- The playroom
- The guest bathroom
- The carport
- The front porch
While five areas still promise a wealth of creative endeavors and hard work, the reduction from seven truly feels like a victory. It’s a powerful psychological shift, making the remaining tasks feel much more manageable. And what feels even better? The thrilling prospect of finally embarking on the sunroom renovation. The anticipation is palpable!
Beyond the sunroom, we’re also channeling our excitement towards Clara’s “big girl room,” a project that will undoubtedly unfold in the near future. It’s a familiar pattern for us: as the colder winter months settle in, a peculiar nesting instinct takes hold, driving us to tackle ambitious indoor projects. We tend to bite off more than we can chew, as evidenced by our decision to gut the kitchen last Christmas, a story you can read about here. There’s an undeniable satisfaction in confronting a challenging room, examining its flaws – be it a bare wall, dated trim, or an awkwardly placed window – and declaring, “It’s time. We’re doing this.” This resolute declaration has officially been made for the sunroom.
And so, our sunroom transformation begins! Before we delve into the details of our initial steps, let’s take a moment to appreciate the “before” state. These images, captured just yesterday, offer a raw glimpse into the room as we found it. This first view captures the wall that graciously overlooks our upper patio:
Moving clockwise, to the right of the patio-facing wall, we encounter the section that offers a vista of the patio we thoughtfully added to the side of our home. For a better spatial understanding, this somewhat crudely drawn, out-of-scale sketch of our lot might help you visualize the layout:
Continuing to the right, we come across the distinctive brick wall, featuring a window that strategically looks directly into our kitchen. This interior window presents an interesting design challenge and opportunity:
Finally, completing our visual tour, to the right of the brick wall is the section that seamlessly connects to our living room. Should you wish for a more comprehensive understanding of our home’s overall configuration, a floor plan of our house is available to help orient you:
As you can see, in its current state, the sunroom offers little in terms of aesthetic appeal. It’s truly a blank canvas, brimming with potential but currently lacking definition and purpose. To provide an even more immersive “before” experience, especially for those who appreciate thorough documentation, we’ve captured the space in a video. While it’s still a 2-D medium, we believe it offers a more dynamic and nuanced perspective than static photographs alone. The video also addresses a frequently asked question: why we can’t remove the window separating the kitchen and the sunroom, offering valuable context to our design constraints.
Initial Design Vision: From Brain Dump to Blueprint
After the initial “dude, we’re doing this!” declaration to the empty room, the very next step was to translate our burgeoning ideas into a preliminary plan. This wasn’t a meticulously scaled architectural drawing, but rather an unfiltered “brain dump” onto paper – a crucial first phase in any renovation project. It’s about getting all those swirling thoughts and possibilities organized, even if roughly. Our initial sketch looked something like this:
We knew from previous attempts that the daybed functioned best on one specific wall; after much repositioning when we first moved in, the brick wall emerged as the most sensible and aesthetically pleasing location. Our vision also included incorporating a sleek bar area, strategically positioned to overlook the patio through those expansive windows – an idea we felt would maximize both the view and the room’s potential for entertaining. For the currently bare wall opposite the windows, we considered some form of built-in storage or a thoughtful furniture piece to add both utility and visual interest. A key aspect of our design philosophy, and a testament to our commitment to resourcefulness, is the reuse of existing items. We planned to incorporate the jute rug left over from our bedroom, along with the bright blue stools from our kitchen renovation, alongside other accumulated decor like floor pillows and daybed cushions. This approach not only saves on budget but also allows us to infuse the space with pieces that already hold personal meaning.
Of course, certain foundational elements are non-negotiable in any room transformation, such as a fresh coat of paint and carefully selected window treatments. However, in this particular instance, we prioritized establishing a functional and harmonious layout that effectively integrated our existing pieces. We believed that defining the spatial arrangement first would ultimately inform and enhance the subsequent decorative choices, proving that sometimes, function must lead form.
Clearing the Canvas: The Power of Decluttering
The crucial first step in validating our little floor plan sketch in a real-world setting was to completely clear out the sunroom. This involved a dedicated decluttering session – an essential ritual in any home renovation that truly creates a blank canvas. Every extraneous item either found its way to Craigslist, was carefully packed for storage, or designated for donation. This hour-long purge left us with a significantly transformed space, illustrating the immediate impact of clearing clutter:
To achieve a truly bare room – ideal for visualizing the rug placement and overall scale – we temporarily relocated a few items that were destined to return to the sunroom into the living room. This meticulous process brought us to this stage, where the room felt remarkably reminiscent of move-in day:
Indeed, it felt like an echo of our initial moving experience, albeit without the added challenge of navigating snow. The clean slate was invigorating, allowing us to truly see the room’s dimensions and light without the distraction of clutter.
Grounding the Space: The Jute Rug and Daybed
With the sunroom finally bare, the next exciting step was to introduce the large jute rug. We carefully unrolled it, allowing a portion to extend beneath the daybed, a strategic placement designed to visually ground the entire seating area. The rug’s generous size proved to be an excellent fit for the room, its natural jute texture perfectly complementing the desired sunroom aesthetic. Beyond its visual appeal, the rug immediately introduced a much-needed layer of warmth, softening the cold expanse of the tiled floor and instantly enhancing the room’s coziness. We were thoroughly impressed with its transformative effect. While the rug’s natural tone currently contrasts a bit with the existing buttercream-colored walls, we’re confident that once we proceed with painting, add thoughtfully chosen accessories, and complete the remaining 99% of the room, the entire scheme will harmoniously coalesce into a cohesive and inviting space.
My inherent impatience often drives the next phase of experimentation. With the rug in place, I couldn’t resist tossing down floor pillows, positioning the coffee table, and artfully arranging a plethora of throw pillows. If you’ve followed our journey, you’re likely aware of my ongoing “pillow problem” – a delightful obsession with texture, color, and comfort! It’s worth noting the temporary nature of some elements in these initial photos: please disregard the orangey-brown drawers to the right of the daybed; these are remnants from our kitchen renovation and are destined for Craigslist. Similarly, the stacked tables to the left of the daybed are currently in limbo; their permanent home is yet to be determined, but they won’t remain there.
Embracing Design Challenges: When Plans Pivot
Our excitement grew as we brought in the bright blue stools, envisioned as a vibrant addition to the bar area against the bay of windows overlooking the stone patio. However, the moment they were placed, it was as if a DJ dramatically scratched a record – a resounding “screeeeech!” The reality simply didn’t align with our initial vision. Despite attempts to adjust the rug’s position, shift the daybed, or even try the daybed on an alternative wall, the stools consistently felt cramped and genuinely dysfunctional in that designated spot. The space was simply too tight for the concept, leading to a disheartened realization.
This experience, while initially disappointing, served as yet another powerful reminder of a lesson we’ve learned countless times throughout our renovation journey: the very first design idea for a room is rarely the final, perfect one. Thoroughly thinking things through – especially during the often-confusing “middle” and “end” phases of a project, as we’ve discussed here – consistently yields a space that is both highly functional and aesthetically pleasing. Design is an iterative process, demanding flexibility and a willingness to adapt. The initial placement of the stools highlighted the importance of physical mock-ups and understanding how elements truly interact within a space, rather than relying solely on abstract plans. The ideal bar setup proved impractical, primarily due to the limited space between the rug and the heating unit by the window, creating an awkward and obstructive traffic flow.
Consequently, we’ve already begun conceptualizing new ways to utilize these cheerful blue stools. Our revised plan aims to integrate them into the room in a manner that maximizes their functionality without causing congestion or visual clutter. They certainly won’t be flanking the daybed in their current position; this was merely a temporary placement for the photo, allowing us to reassess the room’s dynamics.
Imagine them tucked sweetly into a corner, perhaps paired with a bar-height table featuring a beautifully distressed wood finish? This alternative placement feels much more promising, offering both utility and charm. To further enhance this idea, I plan to shimmy the jute rug further under the daybed, creating more breathing room in that corner so that the new arrangement doesn’t feel quite so squeezed. Of course, in the dynamic world of home renovation, it’s always possible that our minds might change for a third time, leading to yet another evolution of the design. Sometimes, you simply have to “let things shake out,” allowing the room itself to guide the final decisions. This fluid approach is often the key to achieving truly successful and lived-in spaces.
We understand that visualizing these subtle shifts and future plans can be challenging from static images. Rest assured, we are committed to sharing detailed updates and abundant photos as we progress through each stage of the sunroom’s transformation. The excitement of tackling yet another previously untouched space is truly exhilarating; it smells like progress, a scent far more appealing than teen spirit! We’re curious to hear from you: Are you currently embarking on the renovation of any formerly neglected rooms in your home? Have you experienced the common phenomenon of sketching out a design plan only to find it completely impractical in real life? And on a related note, what are your thoughts on the brick wall that abruptly stops approximately seven feet up, precisely at the top of the window? This architectural quirk is a vestige of the house’s original exterior, marking where the roofline began, hence the absence of brick above that point. While it’s a design challenge we wish went all the way to the ceiling, we have a few creative ideas brewing to make it appear less jarring and more seamlessly integrated into the room’s overall aesthetic. We promise to keep you thoroughly posted on our solutions!
Psst – For a delightful glimpse into what a typical Thanksgiving looks like for our family, don’t miss Clara’s charming rundown on Young House Life.