My third home went on the market today! Yes, as it turns out I am one of those people to whom a “Forever Home” apparently does not exist. The truth is I really like renovating and trying out new ideas and when my husband and I started to feel the need to have a little less responsibility, we felt like our house and yard could both get downsized to help make this happen. So after moving through three houses in 8 years, two of which I gut renovated, I’m starting to think quite a bit about my favorite parts of our houses that I want to repeat in our next home.
Dark Houses are the Best Houses
Inside, I love to stay light and bright but outside I love the way a dark house looks against green grass and plants. I painted my first house deep dark navy and my third house Black Panther and didn’t once regret it.
Let your Flag(stone) Fly
In my first home in Roeland Park, we did our first and largest home improvement project by having a really large gray flagstone patio installed. It spanned the back of our home and despite having a nice brick patio and extra large deck in my next homes, flagstone is still my very favorite.
via @ecooutdoors
Light Floors
For years in Kansas City homes, the normal was polyurethaned floors with a lot of shine and even a bit of an orange hue. In both my renovations, I have used Bona Natural Seal and it is the stuff of miracles. I’ve used it with both white oak and red oak floors and have been equally happy with the results. It’s SO matte and feels great underfoot. I had no trouble maintaining them even with big dogs and little boys running around on them.
Red Oak Floors with Bona Natural Seal
White Oak floors with Bona Natural Seal
Stone, Stone Everywhere
It’s no secret we are big fans of natural stone at GP, and I love to incorporate it wherever I can at home too. In the obvious spots, my favorites are the veined gray limestone in my kitchen and a custom quartz sink in my powder bath. But I also incorporated an alabaster pendant over my dining table that I love so much I may just repeat it and a travertine coffee table too. Gimme all the interesting warm stone for the next house please.
White Paint FTW
Like many of you, I’m firmly in the all white paint camp. I make exceptions for my sons' rooms if they want color, but all white throughout the house is light, bright and makes me really happy. My current favorites that I’ve used are Swiss Coffee, Dove White, and Decorator’s White. That said I have often made the mistake of painting a warmish white like Swiss Coffee or Dove White in low natural light rooms only for it to look dingy. So next time, I’ll be experimenting with cooler whites in those rooms as I’ve heard that helps.
Swiss Coffee in my Brookside Bath
White Dove in my Prairie Village primary bedroom
Zellige Tile
This house was my first time using Zellige tile - a shiny, reflective tile on top of a natural clay surface - and I love it just as much today as the day I sourced it. Normally, I am all matte all the time but having this one neutral yet shiny surface made me happy every single day.
Swanky Sconces
My current home is also the first home where I learned the absolute magic of sconces. I added four to my living room and they are the perfect amount vibe-y light when we are relaxing in the evenings. I splurged on an Allied Maker sconce in my primary bathroom (pictured on the zellige above) and also loved it every single day. When they are this pretty, it’s like art that also happens to give off light. WIN, WIN.
What do you think? Are some of my favorites also your favorites? What are your favorite must haves from your home? Stay tuned, I’ll be sure to share our next renovation once we start it.
