GOODBYE 2013.... HELLO 2014!!!!!!

Well, 2013 has come and gone. I started with so many ideas and good intentions for the year and fell flat on so many! I did get a lot accomplished though. The family room re-do and kitchen update were pretty great. But...oh well, here's to 2014! And a fresh start.

Here is a list of some of the things I hope to accomplish in the coming year.

The floors look great from a distance but up close...not so much.

1.) THE ENTRANCE. Refinish the hardwood floors.
Wainscoting on the stairway wall you see there.

Do you see these ugly stairs???????

Yes, we have a dog. 3 in fact. She was a puppy though, so she is forgiven. 

2.) THE UGLY STAIRS!!!! - YUCK!! I am so dreading this job! I know it's gonna be nasty and dirty. I hate even showing pictures of them! I need to rip up all the old carpeting. Sand, paint and finish off the stairs. I think it's simply beat up plywood under them so I may try staining them in a striped fashion to mimic hardwood. Or do the traditional black treads with white risers. I haven't decided yet. But anything would be better than the ugly carpeting on there now.

3.) THE LIVING ROOM. Short term - This room is just so boring and unfinished. I have been working on the other side of the house for so long that this room just got overlooked. I don't want to do a full remodel of anything -just a reset. I need to empty it out and take a new look. A couch or loveseat, companion chair and rug. Paint that coffee table!!!! Rearrange the entire layout of the room. But not a major redo...just tweaking....

Can't wait to paint the coffee table and get a new love seat and rug!! And then do a whole re-set here.

Although, I think I want to do a chair rail in this room? And maybe wainscoting that matches with the dining room that it opens to. You will notice that I would like to do a common theme of wainscoting throughout the downstairs. I think it adds such a gracious charm to homes. And a 2 story in the south begs for it!
4.) Dining room - Wainscoting. I had thought of doing the textured wallpaper that gives the illusion of wainscoting but I think I may save that for another project upstairs and just do the real thing here.
5.) Kitchen - New counter tops! Maybe a white solid stone???? A new backsplash? The kitchen was recently redone (new appliances, and an overhaul on the cabinetry). I would also like to add a wine cooler to the kitchen. Possibly under the counter. And maybe paint the one wall with a chalkboard paint.
6) Downstairs powder room. Paint, beadboard,shelving, and new vanity and sink.
7.) I would like to checkerboard paint my back deck. I saw it on Pinterest and fell in love!!! Check it out.....

8.) Finish my bedroom and master bath. I've painted both already. I want to paint the vanity and figure out some kind of window covering for the large bathroom windows. Finally get new bedding and new drapes are in order too.

9.) Family room, I may continue the wainscoting from the entrance into this room.  

And we won't even start on the front porch, painting the shutters and garage door, the flower beds, stamp the concrete around the pool, landscaping, etc etc etc.... First I must win the lottery and then...Oh well, then I can hire people!!! ugh....