I am tired today. It’s a pretty rare thing for me. I’m always tired at the end of the day, but I woke up grouchy and I’ve been tired all day. I didn’t even want to go out to yard sales this morning. I spent the day hanging out with my family, cleaning my house and chipping away a little bit more at my office/craft room purging project. Since I don’t really have anything new to share and I’m too tired to write an involved post about anything, I decided to share some before and after pictures of my house. If you’re new to my blog, you may not have seen these and if you’ve been around for a long time, I’m sure you’re the sort who appreciates a good before and after (even a regurgitated one.)
Not all of the angles are the same, but you’ll get an idea how far this house has come. Here’s the dining room before…
…and after.
The living room before…
..and after.
The kitchen cabinets before…
…and after.
The guest room before…
…and after.
Quite a difference, huh? There’s still so much I want and need to do, but all in good time. I’m off to have some dinner and will end the day watching a movie in bed. I hope you’re enjoying the first weekend of college football. Go hoos!
Just to respond to a few of the comments, the “before” pictures were taken before we moved in, so the furniture and decor in the photos belonged to the seller.
74 Responses
Just gorgeous! I wonder if the people who had lived there first are jealous??? How could they not be???
I hope you are feeling better after a little rest! I find that blogging can be exhausting too, with things to write about, photographs to take and so many e-mails to read and I am still new to it and don't even have a lot of followers yet! Be kind to yourself and try to find some more time to relax. God bless x
Sometimes our bodies and spirits just need a day or more of rest. I always enjoy seeing your lovely home, Marian. You are an inspiration to so many with your gorgeous photos, business, tutorials, and achievable ideas that you are so kind to share with us.
Not only are you before and afters of your home quite amazing I can see that your photography work took a whole new level with the metamorphis of your home!! I am curious and will go do a search to see what camera you use!! I am taking all my blog photo's on an iphone……holding out for a decent camera. I hope you enjoy your evening just tucked in watching an awesome movie!
I love your rooms Thanks for sharing I had seen some but not the guest room it is perfect!
Sherry
Okay – so I want your house! You have such a magic touch. I am sort of new to your blog but have seen enough to love and adore everything you create and transform Thank you very much and I am glad you took a break – us fans will always be here. Sometimes you just need to chill and recharge 🙂 Hope you will relax and enjoy the weekend with your family
Always love touring your home. BTW, I feel exactly the same way when I'm overworked. It sneeks up on you. Give yourself a much needed rest. We understand.
Gorgeous Marian, please take care of yourself and take a little break ~ you deserve it!
Hi Marian,
Take a well deserved break…a little retreat so to speak.
Be kind to yourself, it's okay, you certainly deserve one!
A little R&R; the best cure for whatever ails you!
All the Best,
Christine
Your home is so beautiful…you have done a wonderful job transforming it. The before and after pictures don't even look like the same person lived there. It looks like your taste/style has changed so much from when you initially moved into the home. Lovely 🙂
When can I move in?
That's the sellers stuff, right? Wow…what a transformation!!
Beautiful! Love the stenciled floor and the redo of the kitchen cabinets!~Ames
Such inspiration Marian!! Fabulous! Every room is just beautiful! You deserve to have a grouchy day and I know tomorrow you will be ready to go once again!
Lou Cinda
Gorgeous! Such a beautiful transformation!
Wow, those are drastic transformations! I love the curtains (blue)….where did you get them or did you make them?
New to me, just love it all, can't even say what most, simply breathtaking!!
ahhhhhhhhhmazing!
WOW!!! What an amazing job you've done! Your home is so airy and light now compared with the darkness of the before pics. I especially love the living room "after" pic. That room looks sooo much larger with the light colors. It's awesome how colors can visually change not only the feeling of a room, but the size as well. You've done a fabulous job in every room, and my only question now is…How soon can you come and redo mine??? LOL
Blessings & Hugs,
Karen
Rest, Dear Marian and relax- YOU need it and DESERVE it!
Sweet dreams,
Suzanne in NW Illinois
We all need our down time to just forget about "work" and commitments and just "be". Enjoy yours.
Your house went from dark and dreary to bright and HAPPY! Beautiful transformation.
So beautiful, sooo inspiring!
Lovely transformations! You have done so many amazing things to your home! Take care and rest up!
My apartment looks scarily like your dining room, down to the rounded doorway! I have oak floor though. It's a rental, so I can't paint, but it would be great to hear what you would have done if you had to leave the window frames and baseboards dark wood.
Love the afters! judy
Your house has undergone such an amazing transformation! You did an awesome job! It is ok to have down days once in a while to help rebuild your energy before tackling your endless projects 🙂
xoxo
Amanda
Amazing! I loved seeing the photos. How long have you been working on it to achieve all of these afters? You have such an eye for styling. Fabulous!
Loved seeing your rooms totally before, and now after. It certainly shows your vision and your talents so well.
Happy Weekend ~ Enjoy it and take a break from working so hard!
Great job! Sometimes we all need to slow down and recharge our batteries. I am absolutely enjoying the first weekend of college football. ROLL TIDE ROLL!!
I would like to know how you're so lucky that waking up tired and cranky is rare for you??? That's 65% of the time for me – totally jealous of your mad energy. Are you one of those lucky ones that can get by on 4-6 hours of sleep and function just fine?
And of course, your house is beautiful.
Oh my gosh! IF you ever feel you haven't accomplished enough with your current project (purging) just look at your pics again! You've done an amazing job, the house is now gorgeous! p.s. I need to purge too… which I have been doing for months. I moved from large house to tiny cottage and STILL have way too much. Please come to Oregon with your truck… I'll load you up! (Just what you need, huh)? 🙂
WOW! What a transformation! I love everything you did.
And this is why you are a great! 🙂 Just look at what you've done to your home…and on a budget! And THIS is a post you do when your tired! Yes, indeed, this is why you are great! 🙂 Have a nice Sunday!
Wow, your house is amazing! Good job!
Amazing!! What an inspiration for all of us! You did really good, and I love the "painting" (?) on the floor! How did U do it??
love Mia from Sweden
You've come a long way, baby! WOW…love befores and afters and these are knock your socks off 🙂
Thanks for these inspirational before-and-after photos. We're looking at renting a home built in 1920 – it's a wonderful blank slate. Can't wait to get in there and decorate!
Ohhhh girl amazing!!!
I love your guest room bed, is it called a pineapple bed? I have the head board, no
foot board. I had the whole bed many years
ago but our house was destroyed by a fire
from our faulty gas water heater. I did
manage to find another headboard-I
love those beds. I have seen them painted
and they look great in colors, too. I like
all of your "afters" very much.
What a transformation. You did such a good job! I had the same bamboo rug as you have in your dinning room. I have to warn you. It left black dots on my wood floors that would not come off. It has something to do with a reaction with the polyurethane on the wood and what they use on the matte. I had 3 of those mattes and the one we stood on the most is the one we had the problem with. I loved how it looked, but I removed all of them!
I just love your house…..and esp. those curtains.
It's amazing how all our rooms have such a signature style. You truly embody the European, rustic, cottage look that feels so warm and inviting. Thanks for inspiring so many of us!
I wasn't going to go on line today, after reading your entry I'm so glad I did. I just sat yesterday, had the day to myself and couldn't get started, and have been doing the self lecture ever since…..waste of time, you need to make a decision, just do something. I watched movies.
But now I'll let up on myself thanks to your entry. I'm not alone. Even on your bad days you inspire! thank you.
Wow, you really have moved mountains in your home! I"m sorry you were tired, but glad to see that you are actually human and not a robot that never stops! 🙂
now, that's what I call a great before and after!! wow. you have created a gorgeous, lovely, beautiful, comfortable home. fabulous!!
xojoan
Cleverly and beautifully done! Of course, I love all the blues you've used. Especially admire the lettering under the table. Genius and gorgeous!
I don't know about you but the heat has me feeling tired and grumpy and unenthusiastic! Yesterday I felt the same way so I too spent the day cleaning & sorting through things. I can't wait for fall. I love all your afters! How beautiful. Love your use of color. I'm so terrified of color…lol. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
I love love love your house and your blog. I have been reading for a long time and really enjoy getting ideas and seeing how talented you are! Keep up the good work.
It's so bright and airy! What a difference paint and furniture placement can make. Not to mention your magic touches throughout. Hope your energy returns soon, I began my day today that way too, wasn't fun…maybe the weather is about to change they say that has something to do with the way we feel sometimes. Prayers for rest 🙂
Know just how you feel!! On your creative genius…. Well pack your bags and come move in with me I have some projects I need ideas on. I love your blog and I have been combing over it to get some of your magic Into my brain. Thanks for this!!!
Would you tell me how you get the depth in frames using the chalk paint? I'm painting antique gold leaf frames and I"m using several of the lighter colors. I tried putting antique liquid wiping on/off, but that just looked dirty. I used your wax method, but these are so ornate, I'm having a hard time buffing them. Any suggestions? thank you. LOVE LOVE your blog
Rest and rest and rest some more. That probably means going 30 mph rather than the usually 120mph. You pack more into one day than I do in one week. Enjoy the weekend.
I hope you enjoyed your day off… As I am sure you can see by the comments, we all understand! Be kind to yourself. You already know you inspire me! I've had a rough couple of days and only have the energy to sketch (roughly, for sure, I'm not a draw-er). God is good and His mercies are new every morning! BTW, I love college football 🙂
Melodye
You have a beautiful home. I love your work and your blog brightens my day. I hope you get plenty of rest. God Bless
Greta
Thanks for re-sharing. Hope you're feeling better.
Wow what Gorgeous after photos.So close( some the same ) as my own taste in decor!
I would love to know how you got the wood plank look on the guest room walls ? Love that look:)
Hope your being as lazy as possible and getting some much deserved rest..we all need those days!
Love your blog…
These before and afters should give every house Hope! Look what a little paint and style can do! Your home is beautiful! Hope you feel more rested!
Debbie
Too bad your so horrible at decorating with a flair! LOL. JK – wow amazing transformations.
My Dad painted our cabinets white and some of my best memories are in that kitchen! Looking at your kitchen brought back some really good memories of my Dad teaching me how to cook Italian dishes and then having to clean tomatoe sauce off the white cabinets.
Thanks for showing before and after!
your kitchen and your guestroom are the best… malayeka blogspot
*** AHA!!! So THAT'S how they came up with the well known phrase, "YOU'VE COME A LONNNG WAY, BABY!!!"…..
*** Such a SUPER TERRIFIC home you've created… this SHOULD be in a MAGAZINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Warmest,
Linda in AZ *
bellesmom1234@comcast.net
Wow, just wow.
You are amazing!
Love your "after" photos! Please write a post about how you did the floor!!!
Always love seeing your house…thanks!!
I Love before and after pictures…and yours are the best! The living room is my favorite, I can't believe how small and dark it looked before. You did a great job making it look so open and bright. Love it! Thanks for sharing.
~Michelle
I hope you had a restful and relaxing weekend. I never tire of looking at what you've done with your home. Beautiful magical makeovers. It's certainly magazine-worthy and I've been keeping my eyes open for the latest issue of Cottages & Bungalows.
First, I am new..so thank you for the photos
Second, thank God you cleared up the "before" pics not yours. I kept trying to imagine how you had an aesthetic that allowed "before" when you really wanted "after". Ok, it wasn't your stuff. That makes A LOT more sense.
Third, I want to know more about that rug. I L.O.V.E. that rug. The dining room rug. Delish.
greetings from chicago! just want to say you are the goddess of my design universe. thanks for your inspiration.
Wow… that's all I can say! Wow!
Such a big difference!
The changes are amazing! You really inspire me! I just wanted to let you know that I nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award! You can check out my blog for instructions! I always look forward to seeing what you do!
Kristen
http://mycoveredbridge.blogspot.com/
The transformation looks stunning, beautiful! I love the curtains – any idea where they are from?
Oh my gosh fabulous! I want to live there! LOL
wow! amazing! awesome! great job!
hi!!! what color are the walls in your living room???