Hello, wonderful readers!
It’s always an exciting time to reflect on our home’s journey and set new aspirations for the future. As we delve into the heart of the year, it feels like the perfect moment to share an in-depth look at our evolving home goals. Every year presents unique opportunities and challenges, and understanding where we’ve been helps us chart a more intentional course forward.
Reflecting on our past adventures at #thecottagebungalow, especially the whirlwind that was 2018, truly highlights how unpredictable and rewarding homeownership can be. That year, I hadn’t mapped out any major renovation projects. In fact, after making the pivotal decision to pursue design and blogging full-time, my initial thought was to ease into major house projects. Life, however, often has its own grand plans!
What started as a quiet year quickly transformed into a period of dynamic transformation. We found ourselves immersed in the exciting makeovers of our laundry room and hallway, each project bringing its own set of discoveries and design opportunities. The biggest “surprise” of all was undoubtedly the bathroom renovation. This ambitious overhaul wasn’t even on our radar until the following spring. Yet, when the incredible chance to participate in the One Room Challenge presented itself in the fall, I seized the moment. That decision pushed us to think creatively, work efficiently, and truly stretched our design muscles, resulting in a space that exceeded our initial dreams.
Embracing a New Direction: Our Home Goals and Financial Vision
As we navigate forward, Naomi and I have established some ambitious financial objectives. This means our approach to home projects this year will be notably more strategic, focusing less on expensive, large-scale interior renovations and more on maximizing the existing potential of our home, particularly its outdoor areas. This pivot isn’t a retreat from ambition; rather, it’s an evolution in how we view and invest in our living spaces, aligning our home improvements with our broader financial well-being.
Our attention is shifting from the interior haven to the expansive and often-overlooked exterior of our beloved cottage bungalow. This year is all about transforming our outdoor spaces into extensions of our home – functional, beautiful, and utterly inviting. Here’s a detailed glimpse into what’s on our project list for the upcoming year, each goal thoughtfully chosen to enhance our lifestyle and the value of our home without compromising our financial aspirations.
Cultivating Outdoor Serenity: The Potager Garden, Side Porch & Backyard Oasis
Without a doubt, the primary focus for #thecottagebungalow this year is an ambitious transformation of our outdoor living areas. It’s almost unbelievable to think that this summer marks our fifth year in this home, and while we’ve made some foundational changes to the backyard – clearing overgrown trees, replacing an old fence, and dismantling a decaying pergola – we’ve yet to truly make it *liveable*. This yard was one of the main reasons we fell in love with this property, and it’s high time we unlocked its full potential.
My vision for these spaces is multifaceted and deeply personal. You might recall my detailed potager kitchen garden plans, which outline our desire to create a beautiful and productive space for growing fresh herbs, vegetables, and flowers. This isn’t just about utility; it’s about integrating beauty and sustenance into our daily lives, creating a space where we can connect with nature, harvest our own produce, and enjoy the simple pleasure of gardening. The potager will be a central feature, designed with both aesthetics and functionality in mind, offering a year-round display of color, texture, and fragrance.
Beyond the garden beds, I’m excited about several other significant additions. We envision adding a small, charming deck or landing directly off the master bedroom. This will create a seamless transition from our private sanctuary to the vibrant outdoors, offering a perfect spot for morning coffee or a quiet evening under the stars. The design will be understated yet elegant, using materials that complement the existing architecture of the bungalow. Beneath our magnificent Sycamore tree, a natural canopy already exists, begging for a dedicated dining area. My plan is to create this inviting space using pea gravel for a European garden feel, providing a stable yet permeable surface that blends beautifully with the natural surroundings. This will be the ideal spot for al fresco meals, entertaining friends, and making cherished memories.
Throughout our entire landscape, I plan to introduce more diverse plantings. This includes enhancing our front yard flower beds to boost curb appeal and weaving native, drought-tolerant species into the broader garden design. The goal is to create layers of visual interest, seasonal color, and texture, all while promoting biodiversity and reducing maintenance. And let’s not forget the often-overlooked side porch – it’s a space with untapped potential. I’m hoping to give it a thoughtful refresh, perhaps transforming it into a cozy reading nook, a functional mudroom transition, or simply an aesthetically pleasing area that ties seamlessly into the overall outdoor narrative.
A Sanctuary Reimagined: The Master Bedroom Makeover
Among the few interior spaces slated for a significant refresh this year, our master bedroom stands out. It’s a room that, despite being a primary retreat, has largely remained untouched in any major design capacity since we first moved in. Our initial efforts were practical: bringing in our furniture and installing our efficient PAX closet system to organize our belongings.
Over the years, we’ve made minor adjustments here and there – perhaps shifting a furniture piece or adding a small accessory – but we’ve never truly given this space the thoughtful and intentional design attention it deserves. For a long time, the grand plan involved a structural overhaul: tearing off the existing room and rebuilding it to align perfectly with the same level and roofline as the rest of the house. However, the reality of major structural renovations, with their associated costs and complexities, means we have no clear timeline for if, or when, we’ll ever undertake such a massive project.
So, it’s time for a more realistic yet equally impactful approach. Our goal now is to make this space truly feel like it belongs, transforming it into a cohesive and beautiful part of our home without a massive structural intervention. This will be a classic budget-friendly makeover, demonstrating that significant impact can be achieved through clever design choices. Paint will be our primary tool for transformation, offering an incredible way to alter the mood and aesthetic of the room dramatically. We’ll explore soothing color palettes that enhance tranquility and introduce an element of sophistication. Beyond paint, we plan to update the lighting fixtures, choosing pieces that not only illuminate the space effectively but also serve as stylish design statements. Additionally, we’ll thoughtfully evaluate and potentially change out a few key furniture pieces, perhaps opting for items that better suit our evolving aesthetic or offer improved functionality, all while keeping our budget firmly in mind. The aim is to create a serene, stylish, and utterly comfortable master retreat that reflects our personal style and promotes rest and rejuvenation.
The Sweet Satisfaction of Completion: Finishing The Bathroom and Laundry Room
After the exciting, yet intensive, journey of renovating our bathroom and laundry room, we are incredibly close to the finish line. This year, one of our top priorities is to tie up those last few loose ends and fully complete these essential spaces. The satisfaction of finally putting the finishing touches on ongoing projects is immense, transforming them from works-in-progress into fully realized, functional, and beautiful areas of our home.
While the major structural and aesthetic changes are behind us, these final steps often involve crucial details: adding the last pieces of trim, installing remaining hardware, perfecting the styling, and ensuring every element functions exactly as intended. Completing these spaces means we can fully enjoy the benefits of our hard work – a beautifully updated bathroom that serves as a tranquil oasis, and a highly organized, efficient laundry room that simplifies daily chores. These projects, once fully complete, will not only enhance the comfort and aesthetics of our home but also significantly improve our daily routines.
Streamlining Our Daily Lives: A Focus on Organization
Organization is a continuous journey, and this year, we’re tackling some key areas that will make a significant difference in our day-to-day lives. I’m particularly keen to get our pantry, hall closet, and entry closets meticulously organized. These are high-traffic zones that, when clutter-free and efficient, truly enhance the flow and functionality of our entire home. The pantry, in particular, has become a source of frustration for Naomi, and its chaotic state is something I’m determined to remedy.
My vision for the pantry is a full-scale makeover. This isn’t just about tidying up; it’s about re-engineering the space for optimal storage and ease of use. This will involve installing new, customized shelving that maximizes vertical space and provides dedicated areas for different food categories. We’ll invest in a range of storage bins and containers – clear ones for easy visibility, opaque ones for bulk items – ensuring everything has its proper place and is easily accessible. The goal is to create a pantry that is not only highly functional but also aesthetically pleasing, inspiring joy rather than stress every time it’s opened. Imagine well-labeled jars, neatly stacked cans, and designated zones for snacks, baking supplies, and dry goods. The transformation of this space promises to bring a sense of calm and efficiency to our kitchen routines.
Living Consciously: Deepening Our Commitment to Sustainability
Over the past couple of years, Naomi and I have been on a gradual but steady journey to make our home significantly more eco-friendly and sustainable. This year, we’re amplifying those efforts, making a conscious commitment to “hit this one hard” and integrate sustainable practices even more deeply into our lifestyle. Our planet is precious, and we believe every small change contributes to a larger positive impact.
One of our most ambitious goals is to drastically reduce our plastic usage, aiming to eliminate at least 80% of all plastic from our household. This effort is particularly focused on food storage and cleaning supplies, areas where single-use plastics are rampant. For food storage, we’re transitioning to durable alternatives like glass containers, stainless steel tins, and beeswax wraps. We’ll also be exploring options for buying in bulk to reduce packaging waste further. When it comes to cleaning, we’re moving away from conventional products that often come in plastic bottles and are filled with harsh chemicals. Our focus will be on making our own natural cleaning solutions using ingredients like vinegar and baking soda, and sourcing eco-friendly, refillable cleaning products from sustainable brands. This not only reduces plastic waste but also creates a healthier indoor environment.
Beyond plastic reduction, we’re excited to start kitchen composting. This simple yet powerful practice allows us to divert food scraps from landfills, significantly reducing our household waste and transforming organic material into rich, nutrient-dense compost for our garden. We’ll be setting up a practical composting system, whether it’s an indoor bin for immediate scraps or an outdoor tumbler, making it an integrated part of our daily kitchen routine. Furthermore, we’re committed to exploring other avenues to lessen our overall carbon footprint. This includes being more mindful of our energy consumption, conserving water, supporting local and sustainable businesses, and making conscious choices about what we consume and bring into our home. Our sustainability journey is about making thoughtful choices that benefit both our family and the wider environment.
And there you have it, friends – a comprehensive look at our home goals for the year! Each project, whether a major outdoor transformation or a subtle shift towards sustainable living, is driven by a desire to create a more functional, beautiful, and conscious home. What’s on your to-do list for your home this year? We’d love to hear about your aspirations and projects!
Until next time, with love and gratitude… Happy homemaking!