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Friday, December 26, 2014

Make your house, your home

When people want to remodel part of their home, 
the question most of us ask first (or should) is: 
what can we afford?
I think it's harder for some to have a vision for their space, but truly, it all starts with a vision.
If you are not a visionary, then you probably know one. 
Ask them.

When my husband and I bought our first (and current) home, he could not fully see the potential. 
I, on the other hand, was planning a remodeling as soon as we bid on it. 
Started to rip off the carpet as soon as we signed and were

handed the key of our "new" home.

To give you an idea, this is what our master bathroom looked like when we moved in.

Lovely right?
This is how we transformed the space.

Our kitchen then and now.



Our Master Bedroom


I have plenty of projects of our home, so search my blog for more projects on a budget.

I had a vision for this home. 
We had a budget...and limited time.
But in the last 8 years we made so much progress.

We learned not to be afraid of paneling,
we learned not to underestimate what we are capable of,
we learned that youtube can be one of your best resources when it comes to "learning how".
Yes, I spent quite some time watching youtube videos about drywall, trim, and much more.
And yes, we made mistakes and redone few things.

What started as our "house", 
has become our home.

The memories we have made in this home are priceless.
Like the video of each child learning to walk down the hallway. 

Our starter home might very well be our only home...although I still dream of a home with few acres to expand our vegetable garden area and let the kids (and dogs) run free...like the wind.

See, I am a dreamer and visionary.

Stay Frugal,
Daniela


Check out  Compass, which is focused on helping people connect with their best fit home.

12 comments:

  1. Daniela, you have done such an amazing job with your home. You truly are a visionary. xo Laura

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  2. You've done a wonderful job renovating your home! I know you are proud to say yall did it yourselves too. Missed seeing yall this Christmas. Hope it was good'

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  3. Such great advice. It really is scary to take on a remodeling project. When we thought we were going to be moving I had all of these "dream home" ideas in my head. Now that it looks like we'll be staying here (where we've lived for 10 years) I see some areas where we might, over time, remodel. Once the kids are out of college, of course:)
    xoKathleen

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  4. Thank you for all the inspiration during the year on so many projects.

    Happy New Year
    Carla

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  5. It is nice to see a collection of your rooms in one place. You inspire me by how you find ways to keep the costs so low.

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  6. Dearest Daniela,
    Eight years are gone in a blink and yes, you get a lot done!
    We too started only with the garden after we came home from Indonesia, to actually live here, be there to maintain things.
    Building a greenhouse, than ripping out the carpet (cotton/wool) and getting solid oak planks instead. In 2004, Pieter started with the basement and that lasted years. The water projects got done end of last year and early this year. We had heave rains for five solid days and never a problem! So yes, it can be done and like you, with a very limited budget we spread it out as well. Living here now 24 years, looking back we also made the house our home. A cozy nest and also energy friendly.
    Sending you hugs for a great Capodanno with great health and good things for 2015!
    Mariette

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  7. You have done some lovely renovating of your home and have inspired me more than once! Have a Happy New Year!

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  8. Yes, you are a visionary. You have good dreams! Thank you for being such an inspiration to me. I'm learning that it's okay not to have a cookie cutter house or have the budget to decorate every single nook and crannie. I'm learning that my style takes time - and that's okay. Thanks for sharing such wonderful home improvement projects with us!

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  9. I love your changes and your style. Happy New Year, Daniela!

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  10. Dearest Daniela,
    Happy belated Birthday...
    Stay warm, we had frost till -8°C early morning hours! Brrrrrrrrrr
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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  11. This was an inspiring post, you are amazing and I love your vision and ability to accomplish great things on a budget! Your home is beautiful! Thanks Daniela!

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