We reno/decorate

Our home (in the fall, time to rake the leaves HOA...)

Our "fixer upper" first house together: 2,300 sq. ft., 5 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths (including walk thru 1 1/2 which serves as powder, kids' and guest- a J&J to the hall if you will), dual masters w/en suite baths (guest on 1st floor and ours on 2nd w/vaulted ceilings and WIC), 2 car garage w/attic, WBFP w/gas starter in FR, two story/cathedral LR/foyer, open floorplan (LR/DR & Kit/FR), fenced back yard, first floor laundry/mud room/pantry, partially finished basement/rec room, perennial gardens...

Our neighborhood: Bedroom community < 25 miles from downtown Chicago, HOA maintains front yard, clubhouse, pool, beach volleyball and tennis/basketball courts, several playgrounds and acres of green space/miles of paved trails.  Steps to elementary school and easy access to golf courses, nature preserves, major highways and LOTS of shopping

Our eight years of green/eco home renos...

New Roof/gutters (CertainTeed architectural in mission brown) -old roof/gutters were recycled

All new windows (Pella Impervia composite, low-E w/argon) -old aluminums were recycled

New glass in sliding doors (low-E w/argon) - old glass recycled
Replaced all w2w carpet (ick) w/new bamboo flooring (LL Morning Star horizontal carbonized)

...so new rugs in every room
Mud/Laundry and Kitchen: Ballard Navarre Grey

The Pottery Barn four:
FR- open to kitchen (Navy Chain link wool)

DR-open to LR (Reese wool)

LR(Simon wool)

MBR(Jordan wool),

Guest: Restoration Hardware wool (circa 2002),

Office-open to stairs: Garnet Hill wool,

Open stairs: RL/Karastan Braemar in Gatehouse 100% NZ wool carpet/rug

List's room: Dash & Albert blue awning stripe (cotton)

Marielle's little girl room (new wool rug)

M goes big! (girl)

Alistair's room

Dining room

(new pendants since installed)

Open stairs (post recarpet and painting)

Living room

(since rearranged for new wall and kid play area)

Master Bedroom

(headboard/art/pillow update)

Family room

(wall shelves and built ins since added)

open to new kitchen 

(new white cabs and quartz counters/arabesque backsplash/SS appliances/farmhouse sink)

Guest bedroom

 (new rug, table, pillow updates)

Non-VOC paint throughout the house:
(SW Harmony (MSL colors: MBR: Maine morning, GBR: Mica, List's nursery: Lamb), DR: Clary Sage) & Olympic (LR/Loft office/foyer/hall: Toasted Almond, Mari's nursery: Tenderness)
New master bath (soaking tub/surround/flooring/72" double vanity)
New kitchen appliances (Kenmore E*/Samsung/Bosch DW)
New laundry appliances (LG HE/Steam Dryer)
New raised flower beds/fence gate (built from our old cedar fencing, thanks Dad!)
Installed security/fire system (Brinks/Broadview/ADT)
New ceramic tile foyer
New 6" colonial baseboards
Crawl spaces finished with cement
Sewer line cleanout installed (TY giant tree roots...)
New front walkway
Blown in attic insulation above garage and Kit/DR/FR
Installed 3 new euro toilets
Repainted side and back fence
House exterior repainted (BM Cape Cod Gray stain, existing trim is BM Cocoa stain)
Additional exterior light installed/all updated
Driveway sealed
Removed two mature, but problem, trees
Planted more perennials:boxwoods, hydrandreas, zinnias, clematis, etc.
New HE gas furnace/humidifier and water heater
Closed off den to make twin nursery/Mari's room
Basement demo/mold removal
Sump pump upgrades/back up generator installed
Radon mitigation
Replaced garage door w/super insulated steel door (Clopay Premium 18.4 R-value)
New white kitchen (new white cabs/Quartz counters/farmhouse sink/backsplash/buffet wall)
Replaced deck with new stone patio (Unilock Hollandstone in Sierra)

Still to do:
Install crown mouldings