{Our Goals for 2013: Another List To Half Way Tackle}

{Ya'll I'm so sorry!! I've had this post ready for quite a while and keep forgetting to post it!! Here she is!! }

As we discussed recently, we didn't do all that well at checking things off our To-Do list for 2012. 

But...we did accomplish some rather large things, like our gorgeous desk, painting pretty much the entire top floor of our home, and re-doing our hardwood floors. 

This year will be a year of small, minor changes that will make some big-time impact! Nothing that is going to seriously break the bank {you can take a sigh of relief Wendel} but things that will really help our home to feel more like ours! 

So here's what our list looks like for 2013! 

1. Build a New Railing In The Entry

This was on our list for 2012, and I really can't wait to get this baby taken care of. For a few random reasons. Number 1: it's horrible ugly and I've loathed it since the moment was first laid eyes on this house...no biggie right? Number 2: Since our home was owned previously by chain smokers {no bueno} we have a lot of nicotine drips on random parts of the house {gross right...mainly on doors for some reason} but this railing for some reason is constantly dripping with yellow nicotine stains. I clean them with TSP and they show up soon after. PLEASE PEOPLE...DON'T SMOKE PERIOD BUT FOR SURE NOT IN YOUR HOME!  

Anyhoo..this really shouldn't be a complicated project, but something to take a Saturday figuring out and doing. 

Here's the look we're going for though! 

I love the white spindles and dark stained railing...gorgeous! 

2. Install a Tile Backslash in The Kitchen

Yes...this was on our 2012 list too...and we will accomplish this!! We had picked out tile about a year ago, bought it, and let it sit in a closet for a year. Then we decided we weren't in love with that tile anymore {and by we I mean me...opps} So we returned it and found these two samples that we're currently picking from!

This one...

And this one...

I also kind of love the idea of some very simple white subway tile...oh the decisions  But we'll give you updates when we actually make some decisions!!

3. Help Out Our Deck a Bit

We are looking for a way to make our deck less hot for the kiddos when they're over playing in the pool. We're researching a few ideas that we can do ourselves. One in material that you brush on over top of your current deck almost like a stain, but it makes it textured. The hope is that it wouldn't just be a flat piece of wood, but a textured surface that might not make the deck like lava. We'll see, and of course let you know how we feel about it! 

4. Build a Pergola on The Top Deck

We spend a lot of time on our top deck in the spring/summer because it has a nice big tree that helps shade it. But we would love to build an amazing pergola to help bring more shade {and let's face it...awesomeness} to the backyard. I just picture giant white lights hanging from the top, a glass of wine, and a summers night...mmm..summer! Here are some inspiration that makes me drool with excitement! 

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5. Install a New Front Door

So remember that time we painted our door bright blue, and then got in a wreck and I broke my hip? Yeah...as we were driving away for our date that night, we said "wow...that color has to change!" Well a wreck, and 9 weeks of no walking meant that got pushed to the back burner, and still is blue. But all of this to say, that door is horrible! The ugly side window is annoying as all get out, not to mention it's styrofoam on the inside {yes you heard me right!} But I think we'll end up buying a whole new door...and we're thinking black...here are some inspirations! 

I mean...hello, right? 

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While I don't think we want a door with so many windows, I still love this type of door!  

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Even though this is an inside shot, I love how simple yet detailed this door is! 

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And I'll still always try to convince Wendel that we need a colored door...love love love! 

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6. Jazz Up Our Cutting Garden

So this summer, we started a cutting garden in the garden on the side of our house that had nothing in it. We started a few things, but this year I really plan to do some amazing planting so we can have fresh flowers all summer long! I've started my research, so I'll let you know when I have some solid ideas!! Here are some gorgeous cutting gardens from Pinterest that I can aspire to someday! 

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7. Add an Popping Detail in Our Bedroom

So while I love our room right now...the walls are boring! And that's never a good thing...so we're going to change that soon! 

Loving this striped accent wall! 

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And this Ombre Wall, but I think this is too much for Wendel...

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And I still love this with I Heart Organizing 

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8. Re-Stain Our Bedroom Furniture

We were super blessed to get all of Wendel's bedroom furniture from his room, but man that furniture has been through it with him. I swear Wendel throughout time: lightly tapped a sludge hammer on parts of the dressers, took a lighter to the bed side tables, and keyed the tops of the dressers. He still defends that he didn't...but we need to work on them! 

I know that a light sanding and a fresh new stain will make them look good as new! Add some fun knobs and I might just have a new obsession! 

We'll keep you updated! 

9. Make Our Basement More Livable 

We've done quite a bit to our basement since the orange dungeon that we moved into...

Horrid, right?

Like re-painting the fireplace/walls and putting new carpet in...

But we still have big dreams of things to do to make this basement a more livable space! Here are some things on our list:

- Make some built-ins to flank the fireplace

- Pull down the paneling on the walls {not a huge fan} and put up drywall.

- De-horrify the ceiling

- Have the couch and chairs re-upholstered

- Perhaps make that little alcove into another bedroom by building a wall to cut it off from the rest of the room and add french doors to make it still feel open



-Make this bar more awesome by adding a super amazing backslash, taking down that thing on the top, adding an amazing light fixture and getting a new countertop

So yeah that's a lot for one area of our house...but this is one of those bigger projects that will happen gradually over the next few years. We're saving our pennies for this puppy and can't wait to have this place ready for football and award show parties!

Here are some inspiration shots for you!

Love these colors and how livable this space is!

We have storage under the steps, and it would be so fun to blow that out and make a little reading or storage nook! 

Love the storage flanking the fireplace...

Would love a rock or metal backslash for the bar! 

Don't know exactly what I love about this, but I love it! 

Love these shelves! Would love to have these on both sides of the fireplace maybe with mirror in the back! 

All inspiration photos via Pinterst

10. Enjoy Our Pool More 

We tend to get ourselves busy in the summer and we don't enjoy our pool enough! So this year we have decided to commit to spend most of our weekends {safely} enjoying our pool while loading up on SPF!

So that's what we have going on this year? Let's be honest, we're get side tracked and do other things...but for now that is what we're thinking about working on this year!!

What are your plans for this year? Any fun DIY projects on your lists? I'd love to hear about them!!