Home Improvement

I grew up watching Home Improvement, you? I met JTT after I moved to LA and we hung out for the night – not romantically or anything – my college girlfriend knew one of his best friends and the suddenly we were at the bar together all night and I was like, wow, this is like Bop magazine right in front of me! That night we were at the bars so late I think I recall our cars which were in valet were stuck there for the night because valet closed down. We took a group photo (and yes JTT is in it, I should probably find it and add it to this post. Maybe come check back later). I never had a crush on him like that, though. Anyhoo…

This is the year of a few home upgrades, Lord willing. We’ve been saving up and we’re pretty much done with the backyard. I’d say the inside of the home has been fairly complete since we moved in (redid both bathrooms subway tile with dark gray grout over 6 years ago before it got super popular but thankfully will be a classic look), and decorated with a few updates like the laundry room, kitchen backsplash, and random room makeovers, you know. Oh and the big storage shed turned photo studio makeover.

We have had a savings account we’ve been adding to for the big project, a home expansion. We have a start of a game plan, thanks to Caroline, my friend at Boho Farm and Home who will consult us which makes the process less scary.

Meanwhile, I spent $220 for our handyman to do this Greek key trim work on the photo studio door. The plan is one day this studio will be painted white. :) Maybe the door will be high gloss white or black! Anyway, here’s a before and after –

By the time you see this, I’ve already filled in the nail holes and painted the rest of the door as best as I could (as in, as my attention span gave me 10 minutes). It seems silly to paint right now given the fact I’ll be repainting it (hopefully) in a few months.

This second patio area will eventually be the main patio area and I’ll be working on a little makeover with a MAJOR home improvement brand – we’ve all been, I just went today. I can’t announce just yet. I have been laying in bed dreaming about it and wondering how to do it and make it look perfect. I anticipate several trips to the store, but that’s OK, it will be fun!

Rome wasn’t built in a day.

On another note, I ordered a new office desk. My home office is getting another makeover, lol. Ummmm, the last time I did the full makeover was 2016, that’s like two years ago. But the reason is I also desire to have the space flow into the next. My office has always stood out creatively, a little quirky like my own space but I now desire it to feel like the rest of the home. In the catchphrase of Project Runway, I want it cohesive. *wink* Also the furniture hasn’t been all new, there have been small additions to upgrade but I’m finally ready to say heck with it, I want this and this and I want these things for the next ten years! So this is it.

The desk arrives in February and I can’t wait to show you. I will be floating it in the room due to its unique features.

On another note, the roses got their winter pruning thanks to Jill of Sweet Life Garden. Makes me think, does my garden need a name? I just call it #welcometodianasgarden.

It looks like I collect bricks, which I suppose I do. We keep trying to hide it in places but I think it’s time to organize it or put them to use until we hire a mason to put something more permanent in. I made the brick border you see from old brick when our neighbor expanded his house and dumped some in the alleyway. I was like, alright, let’s grab it and make a divider and that was like five years ago and here we are, still using them LOL. .

One more thing – if I can give you any to-do task from today’s post. I’ve noticed that over the years I’ve really cluttered up the place. Like hooks on the back of doors, or adding unnecessary signs to the storage shed, thermometer, curtains – I’ve overdone it with the details and removing them has allowed me to reset. I don’t like a bare house by any means that looks stale, but this is how I’m going to refresh the place. So if you are looking for a blank slate or transforming your place, less might be more for right now, until you know what to add. That’s what I’m attempting and so far, it seems like a new place around here.

Thanks for letting me verbalize our plans and dreams for the house this year. As always I appreciate you being here and spending some of your day with me.

Here are some lemons from our garden, I put them in a bowl I picked up in Prague.