It’s been almost two years since we bought our home in North Carolina with a plan for eventually moving here from Connecticut. It seemed like forever away at the time but those two years flew by! We officially closed on our home in Connecticut last week and the moving truck arrived in North Carolina with all of our stuff on Wednesday. It’s basically complete chaos here with unpacked boxes EVERYWHERE…
I’d be lying if I told you it wasn’t hard to move from our completely remodeled home to one where we’re starting all over again but at the same time I’m so excited to start making this house our own! Today I’m partnering with Wayfair to share the details of our remodeling plans including favorite picks from Wayfair’s “Save Big, Give Back” event that we’re planning to use in our new home. It’s a unique sales event because not only is there a wide selection of home furnishings at amazing prices (up to 80% off!) but also Wayfair is donating 10% of profits to Built for Zero to find sustainable solutions to homelessness and help everyone have the feeling of home. With every purchase, you’re giving back while saving!
Let’s kick things off with our family room, which is the first room you see when you walk in and the hub of our home… (post includes affiliate links; full disclosure statement available {here})
Family Room Remodel Plans
Before moving in we knocked out several items on our family room remodeling to-do list including painting the walls and ceiling (Benjamin Moore Simply White), refinishing the white oak floors (I’ll be sharing more details on that soon – it made SUCH a difference!), taking down the valance and vertical blinds, removing the four decorative columns at the corners of the room, wallpapering the back of the bookcases, removing the hearth and replacing it with hardwoods that are woven into the existing hardwoods, and removing the brown marble and fireplace surround in prep for a fireplace remodel. Here’s a quick pic showing where things are at today:
Before the movers came I made sure that we got our new family room rug rolled out so we could set up our sectional right away:
A huge plus of removing the decorative columns that framed our family room is that it gave us more floor space so I was able to up the size of our rug from an 8 x 10 to a 9 x 12. I chose {this blue and white rug} that has a mix of several shades of blue and great pattern and texture too – I love it!:
And we were so excited that our sectional from Connecticut FIT! We knew removing the columns was key but still thought it might be a little too big for the space so the fact that it ended up working is a huge win!
Replacing the family room ceiling fan with a light fixture is at the top of my to-do list for this room. After LOTS of looking, these are my favorite lighting options I’ve found so far, including three that are part of Wayfair’s “Save Big, Give Back” sale (and two that might look familiar since I used them in our CT home):
Source links: 1. Shaded tiered chandelier | 2. Wagon wheel chandelier | 3. Tiered wagon wheel chandelier | 4. Oak + brass angled wagon wheel chandelier | 5. Oversized rattan pendant
Which light fixture is your favorite? The remainder of the ever-growing to-do list for our family room includes:
1. Add deeper shelves to our built-ins (they’re so shallow they can hardly fit anything) – I might use thick white oak shelves instead of painted white
2. Do a complete fireplace remodel (I’ve chosen our new fireplace insert but it will be SIX MONTHS before they can install it – yikes!)
3. Add frameless TV above fireplace
4. Add a rod + drapes over sliders
5. Replace door hardware on cabinets (plus reinstall missing cabinet doors that are being repaired)
If you’re wondering where the rest of our family room furniture is, our coffee table and family room chair didn’t quite make it with the moving truck (!) but are supposed to be delivered soon (fingers crossed). The joys of moving!
Dining Room Remodel Plans
Looking from the family room into the dining room, this is what things looked like when we bought our house:
Since then, we’ve removed the columns and arch to make the two rooms more of one continuous space and did the same floor refinishing and painting in the dining room as in the family room. We now have a completely blank slate to work with since we didn’t move our dining room furniture from Connecticut. Currently, the “decor” is piles and piles of boxes:
I took down the dated brass chandelier before we did the painting and am now deciding between these beauties for replacing it:
Source links: 1. Gold linear 5-light pendant (on sale) – also see {this similar pendant} | 2. Modern shaded globe chandelier | 3. Natural beaded chandelier with rope accents | 4. Cream beaded chandelier (on sale) | 5. Curved arm empire chandelier (on sale) | 6. Square lantern chandelier (on sale)
Since the family and dining rooms are open to each other, the lights need to coordinate with each other which makes choosing lighting a little trickier. The rest of my dining room remodel to-do list includes sourcing a dining room table & chairs, a sideboard (I love {this one} but it’s $$$), a rug, and wall decor so there’s LOTS of decorating to do in this space!
Master Bedroom Remodel Plans
Another big project we knocked out before moving in was replacing the old, stained carpeting in our three bedrooms, including the master. And while I haven’t knocked out the painting of the entire room yet, I did paint the one wall that the bed goes on before it arrived so I wouldn’t have to move that sucker once it was assembled:
If the king sized upholstered bed in our new master bedroom looks familiar to you, it’s because it’s the same exact upholstered bed we had in our guest room in Connecticut in a queen:
I love the look of it and the price is amazing for an entire bed with sideboards and a footboard (especially considering shipping is free)! You can find it {HERE}. I chose the same fabric (Zuma White) as I did previously – it’s the perfect not-too-white, not-too-cream color. Be sure to see my Tilly Upholstered Bed Review for more details if you’re considering buying it.
While our new master bedroom is larger than our old one, due to the angles of the walls we have limited space for nightstands (unfortunately none of the nightstands we already had would fit). After hunting for some narrow nightstands that aren’t too short for our bed, these are my favorite options:
Source links: 1. 3-Shelf nightstand | 2. Classic, clean-lined nightstand | 3. Fluted nightstand | 4. Flared top nightstand | 5. Solid acacia wood nightstand | 6. Classic flared-leg nightstand
Along with ordering new nightstands, the rest of my master bedroom to-do list includes:
1. Finish painting the walls (BM Simply White)
2. Replace drapes (I need to figure out a system for angled rods…)
3. Swap out the ceiling fan (I’m debating between replacing it with a more updated fan (Jeff’s preference) vs. a chandelier (my preference) – what is it with men and their ceiling fans?😂)
4. Add artwork above the bed
Hall Bathroom/Powder Room
I wasn’t initially planning to remodel our hall bathroom right away, but realized that I needed to remove the toilet and pedestal sink before our floors were refinished if I was ever going to swap them out since the new pieces would have a different footprint. So at this point, our hall bathroom is basically empty (unless you count lots and lots of floral wallpaper)…
These are some of the final contenders for remodeling this space, all of which are on sale as part of the “Save Big, Give Back” event:
Source Links (ALL part of Wayfair’s sale!): 1. 24″ Patterned door vanity | 2. Rectangular vanity mirror | 3. Cross handle bathroom faucet | 4. 24″ Marble top vanity | 5. Round mirror (multiple sizes) | 6. One-piece comfort height toilet | 7. 30″ Navy vanity (other color options too!) | 8. Scalloped edge vanity | 9. Toto one-piece toilet
Once I finalize the new vanity, mirror, and toilet, the rest of the bathroom to-do list includes:
1. Remove wallpaper and replace with a wall molding design on the bottom third of the wall and new wallpaper on the top ⅔
2. Replace sconces flanking the mirror
3. Add art or shelving above toilet
4. Replace towel bar & TP holder
Our master bathroom and kitchen are in need of MAJOR work too ({this post} has “before” pics of those spaces if you haven’t seen them) – both of those spaces will get a full remodeling plan blog post of their own at some point because there are so many details to share!
Other Favorite “Save Big, Give Back” Picks
While none of the rooms in our house are “done”, the two that are the closest to getting there are my girls’ room and the guest room. I took advantage of Wayfair’s sale event to order {this round mirror} for above the dresser in my girls’ room (it comes in multiple size and finish options – I chose the 32″ brass option). I ordered it on the first day of the sale and it came just 3 days later so I already got it hung up!
Links to accessories: Rattan lamp | Llama planter | Beaded basket
As you probably know from our other house, I’m a sucker for round mirrors. They’re perfect above dressers since they add softness to all of the dresser’s hard angles. {This round mirror} with pocket watch detailing at the top made the move with us from Connecticut and is part of Wayfair’s sales event too – we’ll basically be re-creating this same look in our master bedroom here:
Another “Save Big, Give Back” sale item I snagged at the start of the sale is {this highly rated cookware set} (over 9000 reviews!) that comes in several color options. I bought it for my daughter to have for her first apartment but it’s actually so much nicer than the cookware that I have that I might have to pull a switcharoo on her :):
Another recommendation from Wayfair’s sales event is {this folding Adirondack chair} that my sister has on her front porch. She actually moved in just a few weeks before we did and we now live within walking distance of each other in Wilmington – how amazing is that??!! If you look closely at the bottom left window, you can see Cricket’s Cavalier King Charles cousin peeking out – she’s her new BFF:
What makes this Adirondack chair unique is that comes in a LOT of color options and it folds for easy storage or transport which is amazing given how large and difficult these chairs typically are to move:
Since Wilmington is prone to hurricanes, it’s a huge plus to be able to fold it up and store it compactly in the garage when needed.
There are a ton more sale items that are part of Wayfair’s Save Big, Give Back sale that you can explore {here} – I’ve looked through almost all of them and these are the other pieces that caught my eye:
Source Links: 1. Arched mirror | 2. Outdoor dining chairs | 3. Hexagon wall shelf | 4. Wood platform bed | 5. Wood tripod lamp | 6. KitchenAid stand mixer | 7. Rolling desk chair | 8. Round wood mirror | 9. Spindle chair | 10. Patterned rug
Wayfair’s sale ends soon so be sure to snag anything you’re eyeing today or Monday! You also might enjoy learning a little bit more about Built for Zero if, like me, you hadn’t heard of this organization before today – you can read about their mission {here}. I love their approach – they’ve basically gathered tons of data on homelessness, crunched the data to figure out solutions that would solve the problem, and are tackling one homeless population at a time with a community based approach. Truly impressive!
I’m off to unpack some more boxes – for every one box I unpack I think there’s about ten more waiting for me! We’ll get there…
XO,
Sylvia says
Wishing you the best in your new home. My vote is for chandelier #1 or #4. My daughter had #1 over her dining table – looked amazing.
Kris Jarrett says
Thanks for weighing in! Good to know that #1 is pretty in person!
Judith Ford says
Please don’t put the TV over your fireplace. It is just so cliche. Why do you feel that it is necessary to do it?
Nanci says
So agree. Why put your neck at that angle. It’s uncomfortable and the look isn’t attractive but then sometimes that seems to be the only place people can see to out a TV
Caroline says
I don’t think that she asked either of you for your opinion on this, and your comments aren’t remotely polite.
Kris Jarrett says
As part of our fireplace remodel, we’re lowering the mantel so the TV won’t be mounted up so high. I would never design a home where the only good place for the TV was above the fireplace, but given what we have to work with in this house, it’s the solution that’s best for us.
Nancy says
I thought a TV over the fireplace was so stupid and then I learned to love it. Now I want to do it in our new house but my husband is the one saying no!
Kris Jarrett says
That’s good to hear that you learned to love it! We’re not thrilled that it’s where our TV will go but we’ve tried other solutions in this room and we think it’s going to be what works best.
Kris Jarrett says
I don’t love the look of a TV over the fireplace but sometimes you have to consider function over looks. We’ve tried the TV sitting on top of one of the bookcases and it just didn’t work for us. As part of our fireplace remodel, we’re lowering the mantel so the TV can be mounted at a reasonable height. To each their own but this is the solution that works best for us!
Mary Ann Pickett says
Love your plans and Built For Zero makes me like Wayfair even more! Take care, Kris!
Andrea Hundley says
Your floors look beautiful. It’s so nice to see the shots that show real life with boxes. It helps to see you house isn’t always picture perfect. Love the improvements so far.
Gail says
Hi Kris, I’m so excited for you and your family. Lots of hard work ahead but with your wonderful decorating style, I know it’ll be fabulous. Love your new rug and all the plans you have for each room. Soon the boxes will give way to a new home filled with lots of love and joy. And thank you for bringing awareness about Built for Zero!
Shirley says
Well I am going to read everything in your post but I just had to say your Boston is adorable! How old? Boy or girl? Also welcome to North Carolina! What part are you residing in? I’m in Mooresville, NC.
Kris Jarrett says
Thank you! She’s a 7-year old female Boston – totally sweet but spunky! We’re in Wilmington 🙂
Christine says
Helser Brothers for drapery hardware. And check out Four Hands for similar sideboards.
Kris Jarrett says
Thanks for the drapery hardware tip – never heard of them before but will check them out!
Nanci says
Personally a ceiling fan in a bedroom is required for us..we live in OK and it makes a world of difference. I go for comfort over looks any day. Let your hubby have his way on this, you won’t regret it. Especially when you reach a “certain age”. As far as the pine sideboard, for that asking price find a local craftsman and have one made for you. It will be custom, unique and cost less and made locally! Win win!!
Kris Jarrett says
Our bedroom runs really cold compared to the other two bedrooms so while we’ve had this house for two years, we’ve never once used it! We’re keeping the ceiling fans in our other two bedrooms though 🙂
Jean says
Kris,
Welcome Home!!! I know you are glad to have the move behind you. Your home in CT was beautiful, but I know you will put your stamp on Wilmington and it will look just as beautiful or better. You are so talented and can decorate anything. I love light #2 for the family room and #5 or 6 for the dining room depending on the style of the table. I can hardly wait to see what you’ll be doing for the kitchen and master bath.
jean
Kris Jarrett says
Thank you for weighing in and for your sweet words Jean!
Patty says
Kris, I can hardly wait to see how beautiful this home will be – the plans sound exhausting but you are amazing in getting remodeling done! So good to see that little Cricket seems right at home already – so sweet!❤️ Welcome to NC!
Vikki Webb says
Living in Wilmington, living in the South, you had better reconsider having ceiling fans! You’ll need them.
Kris Jarrett says
We’ve had this house for two years now and have found that we use some of the ceiling fans but others aren’t needed – we’re keeping five of them and getting rid of the three we don’t use.
Barbara says
Beautiful renos checked off your list so far! Your style is perfect to me. Love that you have links to things- thank you. I’ve had great luck with Wayfair and good prices. And Built for Zero is special.
Cindy Stewart says
How exciting! My vote for light fixtures is 5 for the family room and 3 for the dining room. With your blue rug and light floors and white sofa looks like you’ve got a costal vibe going already.
Kris Jarrett says
Thanks for weighing in! I loved that rattan light fixture so much in our bathroom that I know I would love it here too! 🙂
Sharon says
Love your ideas! Please share the carpet details including color. We need to replace our bedroom carpeting and need a fresh idea for that as well! Thanks
Kris Jarrett says
Sure! There’s a close-up pic and more details on it in this post: https://www.drivenbydecor.com/small-bathroom-vanity/
Patricia says
I love your updates, and the items you select. Best wishes on your new home, and having your sister so close by.
I love the Wood Tripod Lamp that you have in the family room, and saw the link on Wayfair…but none of the pictures show the cable to the socket, and would like to see how it looks if it is inside the leg or hanging, etc. can you send me a close up picture?
Kris Jarrett says
Hi Patricia – it’s comes hanging outside of the lamp with zip ties for you to attach the cord to one of the legs so that it runs down the back of it. The Wayfair one is the most similar one I could find but it’s not the exact one I have – the one I have is out of stock everywhere right now.
Arli says
Congratulations on your move! I can’t wait to see the changes unfold, but the house looks beautiful as is. Thanks for all the reccs. I might have to purchase one of your chandelier suggestions!
Kris Jarrett says
Thank you!
Marsha Stopa says
Thanks for sharing all your plans! You always give me more cool ideas. 😉
A quick note from another Northerner who moved to the South (the other end of North Carolina in the mountains): Don’t be so quick to ditch the ceiling fans. They are invaluable in keeping the air moving and keeping you comfortable EVEN with air-conditioning. They also make your air con more effective.
I know from reading your blog for a long time that your tastes tend toward more modern. The ceiling fan style you keep calling “dated” is actually a classic style. That’s probably the very first style that Hunter created and is often used in more traditional interiors. Some of us love the style and prefer it. 😉
I bought seven ceiling fans in that style and replaced all the fans in my mountain house just a couple years ago. Those stark, modern fin-like fans are just not my thing.
Have fun unpacking!
Kris Jarrett says
Hi Marsha! We’ve spent two summers in this house already and have figured out which rooms the fans are needed in and which rooms they aren’t. In the rooms with ten foot ceilings, they just tend to circulate the hot air that would normally stay up at the ceiling so they’re not very helpful. And for sure, to each his own with ceiling fans! This style would be perfect for a mountain home 🙂
Michelle says
Would love to hear more about the fireplace plans! Am in the middle of re-doing mine, and changing the brown surround to a pretty white porcelain surround and taking the trim all the way to the ceiling. Curious what you are doing about the hearth since you removed the existing one and put in hardwoods. Will your new fireplace insert also have a glass front so you don’t worry about embers falling on the floor? I love the no hearth look, but want a wood burning fireplace, and don’t see how you can avoid a hearth if you have wood floors. If you have any creative solutions, would love to hear them! Thanks!
Kris Jarrett says
Hi Michelle – our fireplace is a gas insert, not wood burning so that’s how we can get away with no having a hearth (I think you have to have one with wood burning). I love wood burning fireplaces but we don’t have a full chimney so it would be really expensive to make the change from gas. And I haven’t figured out the final design for the fireplace since we’re going to have to wait so long for the new insert but it will be a very simple design, likely with white marble around the insert!
Barb says
Congratulations on making the transition to NC. I live west of Raleigh, and I love it here. Wilmington is one of my favorite places in the state. You may want to try living through the rest of the summer with a ceiling fan. I too prefer a glamorous light fixture, but I appreciate the comfort at night even with air conditioning. We run the ceiling fan EVERY night year round. If you get a fan, be sure it has a remote so there is no “fight” over who is going to turn it on or off, etc. It never hurts to let a wonderful husband have his way. .. You might consider a ceiling fan and add beautiful pendants over the small nightstands to provide the glamorous look that you appreciate in stead of lamps. Just a thought so each of you gets what you want in the main bedroom.
I look forward to reading about your house adventure.
Kris Jarrett says
Thanks for your suggestions Barb – I love Raleigh and lived there for several years after college! Looking forward to getting back up there from time to time!
Laurie says
May I suggest living a full summer in North Carolina before making a decision about the ceiling fans! 🙂
Kris Jarrett says
Thanks Laurie! We’ve actually had this house for two years as a second home (and lived in the Carolinas 10+ years previously) so we know what we’re getting into 🙂 We’re keeping several of our ceiling fans but in the rooms with ten foot ceilings they just pull down the hot air that rises to the ceiling and aren’t very helpful in cooling the rooms off.
Lisa says
I love your new home and the fact you’re close to your sister!! I can’t wait to see your finished projects.
When you say you painted a wall or removed a light fixture, do you actually do this yourself and if so, do you Have a post about how to do those things and mitten look professionally done?
Kris Jarrett says
Hi Lisa – it’s a combination of the two! I did about 90% of the painting in our old house and most of the light fixture swaps. For this house, we hired out for most of the initial painting because we wanted it done before our furniture arrived (and there’s no way I could have managed that) but now that we’re here I’ll do most or all of the remaining painting. I do have one older post on painting tips but you’re right, I should do a complete start to finish one! https://www.drivenbydecor.com/interior-painting-tips-how-paint-walls/
Karen B. says
Kris,
I’m so happy for you and look forward to watching the house evolve into a dream home. Thanks for the sources. I am sure I’ll find some treasures. Haha
Karen B.