We’ve lived in our modular spec home for 7 years now, and we are slowly working to make it home for us. When we built our house, we used mostly builder’s grade materials and accents because it was cheaper and we had very young kids. We didn’t want to invest a lot up front and have our kids destroying hard wood floors or drawing on kitchen counters (both have happened while we’ve lived here – haha!)
So, we built with the idea that, as we saved, we would phase out some of the spec accents and replace them or upgrade them with things that fit our style. I know that’s the case with my homeowners, and I think that’s important to remember anytime you walk into a beautiful home – it likely took years to get it to that point!
We made a list of priority items, and so far, our biggest project to date was completing a faux fireplace (with gas logs) with Appalachian Construction. They were phenomenal to work with and did an amazing job. Having that feature in our living room really centered the space and made it much more cozy and inviting. I showed more of that process here.
Our latest project was a master bathroom makeover. We had a standard soaking tub and Ben encased it. You can see more of that process here. I painted the vanity and changed out a couple decor features and made a faux basket pendant (complete with a puck light!) to hang over our tub. I’ll share a tutorial on how I made that light soon!
So what’s next on our list? KITCHEN! I think we will leave our cabinets to save budget. They are fine and in great condition – just maybe add a coat of paint to lighten up the yellow undertones they have. Our big project here is going to be new countertops and tile. We bought our countertops on clearance and it shows. They are literally peeling away. We also added peel and stick tile for backsplash, and while it actually isn’t that bad, it’s not designed for non-confined places. So any where the tile doesn’t have anything to ‘butt’ up against, it looks like a job my 4 year old would have done. We’re also planning on adding some more moulding and a new sink to brighten up the space.
We’re excited to take you along on our next project. We’ll be sharing the process here so make sure you check back in for a budget breakdown!
Love your before and afters! I upgraded a fire place years ago by putting rock over the top of old, ugly tile and then painted above the fireplace using a stencil. The look of the room changed so drastically and it was perfect! It’s amazing what small things like that can do for the look of your home! Can’t wait to see your kitchen after you make your changes!