Hi Everyone,
First of all, before we get into my renovation mistakes and areas that turned out better than expected, I hope all readers in the path of Hurricane Helene are doing okay.
To show support, I will donate a minimum of 10% of my website earnings from September 28th to 29th, or $300, whichever is greater, to the CARE hurricane relief emergency fund.
Today, there will be a brief post and then three videos giving a tour of the downstairs primary bedroom suite.
The first is an intro video, then two videos of about 8 minutes each. They are split up because the file sizes are larger than I am allowed to upload.
Ugh, I’m so sorry. The endings and beginnings are a bit raggedy, and the video quality isn’t as good as I would like. The camera tends to overexpose everything and wash out the colors.
But, guys, the renovation is officially 99% done. All of the protective paper and tape is gone. Two house cleaners spent two hours cleaning on Thursday. I can breathe again!
Okay, we left off on Wednesday’s post, written on Tuesday about repainting my bedroom with Benjamin Moore Cotton Balls.
So, how is it?
Well, I don’t really like it;
I LOVE IT!
As soon as it was done, I remembered why I adored this soft, warm white. You will see it in the video, but here’s a pic of it taken in the bright afternoon sunshine.
Benjamin Moore Cotton Balls walls+trim – Ceiling Italian Ice Green
I’ve seen Cotton Balls when cloudy and bright and at night, and it is beautiful in all lights. It does not look yellow or green.* And it blends in beautifully with the Cloud-White door jam and doors you can see in slight shadow on the left.
*It is possible for it and many whites and neutrals to look green if the lighting is cool and there’s a lot of greenery outside your windows.
But, look at that chimney breast, all gussied up. This is one of the most satisfying parts of the entire renovation.
Oh, you don’t believe me? Let’s take a look to see how it was.
Do you believe me now?
However, the most satisfying part of the renovation, excluding the kitchen, was when we murdered the vicious spiral staircase.
If you don’t remember, the Knoxville Gray came about because I was considering this color for the upstairs entry. However, the painters misunderstood and painted a huge sample in the lower entry.
This was a couple of months ago and it was then that I decided I loved it.
Please enjoy another satisfying before and after!
I couldn’t manage a blog post on Thursday, but I did post this image on Instagram. A couple of you were a little jealous I posted it there, first as I was disloyal to blog subscribers.
First of all, this is rare, but what made me laugh is that YOU are the first to see it. So, please follow me on Instagram!
One more before and after before we get to the videos.
We’re still working on the harlequin floor and the lanterns, too. You will see one of them in the videos coming up.
Is the screen staying there? I’m not sure. However, I adore this painting I “borrowed” it from the Otis House on Cambridge Street.
The artist is unknown, and the subject matter is quite interesting.
Okay, it’s time for the videos. Again, I apologize for the quality. I’ll try to improve that.
The first video is a brief intro by me.
Then we will go downstairs. Part 1 focuses on the entry and bathroom.
Note several hours after publishing:
Please forgive me. Somehow, part 2 ended up being part 1 again. However, I figured out what I did wrong and I’ve triple checked that this is not a repeat of part 1. I appreciate your patience!
Below is part 2, where we will go into the bedroom.
***
This post was supposed to include most renovation mistakes. However, I know I missed a few.
I’m sure you’ll have some questions and comments. Please understand that this is NOT a finished space. Also, the camera is very unforgiving and points out every flaw, like when you take a selfie and don’t recognize yourself. lol, I know the switch plates need to be painted. The electrician is very slow in providing things like that.
Today, the 29th, is the four-year anniversary of my signing the contract to buy my home. It’s been one of the best things I’ve ever done.
Thank you all for your immensely kind words and support. You will never know how much it’s helped me cope.
xo,
***Please check out the recently updated HOT SALES!
There is now an Amazon link on my home page and below. Thank you for the suggestion!
Please note that I have decided not to create a membership site. However, this website is very expensive to run. To provide this content, I rely on you, the kind readers of my blog, to use my affiliate links whenever possible for items you need and want. There is no extra charge to you. The vendor you’re purchasing from pays me a small commission.
To facilitate this, some readers have asked me to put
A link to Amazon.com is on my home page.
Please click the link before items go into your shopping cart. Some people save their purchases in their “save for later folder.” Then, if you remember, please come back and click my Amazon link, and then you’re free to place your orders. While most vendor links have a cookie that lasts a while, Amazon’s cookies only last up to 24 hours.
Thank you so much!
I very much appreciate your help and support!
Related Posts
14 month Renoversary! and I’m Back In My Bedroom!
Laurel’s Home Renovation 2024 – News & Deets!
May Day 2024 – The Embrasure Doors are Fully Installed!
Colorful Wall Colors – This is Why You’re Afraid of Them!
Hardwood Floor and Primary Bathroom Update!
Stunning Architectural Features That Make a Big Difference!
The Bright Light at the End of the Renovation Tunnel
67 Responses
Laurel, it’s soooo staggeringly pretty. I am in love with your lower stair landing and the paint color and the screen and the lamps… what a PLACE to enjoy now! The bedroom mouldings look amazing of course, and the new paint color is right on the money. (Feel free to post many photos moving forward, I’m generally not a video watcher.)
Absolutely beautiful! Honestly, the old staircase was a disaster. I live on Cape Cod so I am aware of Massachusetts having everything to code. How did that old staircase pass? LOL 🙂 The new reno is perfect. All the best. Enjoy!
Hi Laurel,
Welp, you did it. You survived the big renovation. Sure, you got some battle scars. But you came out on the other side with your sanity intact.
I loved what you’ve shown so far. And I imagine it will take some more time to decorate. But that’s ok. I’m a firm believer in slow decorating.
I’m looking forward to seeing photos of the complete reno (vs. videos).Love those buffet lamps in front of the panels downstairs. And the dark paint creates a wonderful mood.
So lovely! Thank you for sharing the videos. Your blog has been a help to me in decorating my antique home. I’ve enjoyed hearing about your progress in making yours so beautiful.
Laurel,
I watched the videos on an Android Chromebook and for whatever reason they played at the same time. An ad was running while the videos played too. I understand that your blog is free. I don’t suggest changing this. In order to maintain and perhaps increase engagement with your audience you could consider creating a Patreon account. I enjoy seeing the before and after photos on the blog. In case you are curious, I don’t work for Patreon. A Patreon account could allow your audience to view exclusive content such as videos without ads and will provide you with income. Of course you could continue to offer a video or two on your blog for those who may object to a paywall.
Please ask your professional web developer, who maintains your site about creating a Patreon account primarily to share videos.
Everyone who follows your efforts is rooting for your success.
Laurel,
I’ve been dying to see the videos but I too use Duck Duck Go and have been unable to access the videos.
Being i the business for over 45 years myself, I have loved every minute of decision making and thinking outside the box that you have undergone to achieve perfection, given a multitude of moving parts, that I need to see the outcome!
Thank you so much for articulating the process. Beautiful work!
Hi Laurel, That was a lovely 30 second ad for Volvo, but then, nothing. I tried repeatedly on all three videos, but. just. nothing. I’ll check back in a few days and see if you can upload to YouTube or someplace more functional. I would really love to see your videos!
So disapointed that I cannot access your videos on my Apple I PAD. Your tenacity and sense of humor thru this renovation is to be admired. Hope you can send links to the Video One and Two so we can enjoy them
Hi Laurel! You’re downstairs is pefection. Is there supposed to be a video of the upstairs? I only saw the downstairs in the two videos. Was really hoping to see everything!
So disappointed that, like many others, I am unable to see any video links. Please post the link to youtube if you decide to post the long video there. Thank you.
I haven’t watched the videos yet, it’s so kind of you to have worked hard to make them!
The before/after pictures are quite shocking: that spiral staircase! Besides the safety hazard that you’ve always complained about, that picture shows how it was forming a sort of shaft in your home, with those walls surrounding it so close – it was almost a bit creepy! But now you have a staircase that is not only beautiful in itself, it integrates perfectly in the home and at the same time it makes the home a whole – in the sense that before you might as well have had a firehouse pole to go down, and the upstairs was one thing, and the downstair another. Now it’s clearly one home.
I love the bedroom picture too, with the chimney corner: Cotton Balls for the win! And the mouldings make it all so elegant and restful to the eye, truly lovely – I’m excited for you!
Speaking of mouldings, I feel like I’d like to see some on the under-the-stairs panels, where the secret closets are, because every wall and door around them has some: if you have a minute, I’d love to know why you left this area without (I apologize if you have talked about this already!)
I think all the stressful decisions are behind you and from now on it should all be fun, right? I hope so! And now that we’re going towards the cozy part of the year it must be such a comfort to you to be surrounded by so much beauty in your own home!
(And yes, please, do publish again the before floor plan and the final one – thanks!!)
My email did not contain any links to see the videos1
Laurel – your ideas are realized beautifully… what a pleasure to walk through the spaces. Any of the modern intrusions fade away as the design/decor takes over. Thank you for the personalized design experience.
Ads – part of internet life – they’re mostly well produced and short – and not worth complaining about … and if it helps you – then that’s our access to your content.
Looking forward to the ‘fun’ stuff … decor-wise…
Thanks again for an amazing blog…
Laurel, hi again. Just wanted to say I had some issues playing the videos on my iPad pro running iPados 17.7 – but then I went to my Dell laptop running Microsoft 365 – and the videos played as you intended. I saw it all. And it was beautiful, your bedroom suite is like a swanky London appt. Just lovely!
I switched to Safari which does not have an ad blocker on my machine. The ads on the first video appear every minute or so. I couldn’t finish that one.
I was able to watch the downstairs video but never saw the upstairs. Others are posting the opposite.
This has happened before on your site, but never anywhere else.
It seems like there might be several problems going on at once.
What I could see was stunning and exciting.
I sooo wanted to see the den from the perspective of the living room.
Maybe just do still pics of the finished spaces for right now without before and after?
Can’t i you of not watch these videos, I tried on iPad, iPhone and desktop First two full of ads )5 seconds video and then 29 seconds of add$. The last one kept loading.
What a beautiful apartment. The end result is worth all the time and effort for sure! You are doing a wonderful job and it looks like a fun home to live in and enjoy! It is heartening to know that even the most experienced decorators sometimes struggle, like the rest of us, to get the desired effect. You lovely ho me inspires my own efforts, and I look forward to the next installment.
Meredith
Hi Laurel! Wow!! All of your revisions and design work really show in your home. Just gorgeous! Congratulations on the one year anniversary! So happy for you!
(I could only see a portion of the lower level and then it kept repeating….and the ads were just beyond. I don’t have ad bloc functioning)
Your home is stunning and your decisions that you made are exceptional for every inch of your gorgeous home. I look forward to seeing everything once the floors, lighting and art is hung. There is a YouTube production called Home Worthy and as I see it, your home is definitely worthy! Thank you for walking us through every detail, as I have learned so much that can be applied to our own home renovations. Absolutely love your home!
The videos were great and I really enjoyed seeing the before and after pictures because they reveal what a dramatic change you have accomplished in transforming your home. When I first saw that hideous white iron railing in one of your earliest posts before renovation began, I envisioned Nurse Ratched emerging from the stairwell carrying a tray of medications!! Haha! That white pipe stairwell railing looked like it belonged in a creepy old institution. So out of place. The new stairwell, stairs and railing are perfect. The changes you made to the downstairs floor plan are brilliant and those downstairs spaces are beautiful and so much more functional now. The kitchen has been miraculously transformed. The new fireplace surround and mantle are beautiful, and the list goes on and on. Every area of your home has been greatly improved and elevated. You have a great sense of scale and proportion and wonderful color sense. All the details you have thoughtfully added look so right in that historic building. I look forward to your future updates as new light fixtures are installed, harlequin floor painting done, wallpaper installed, and furniture arranged. Still so much to come!
Thank you for this incredible comment, Janet. Nurse Ratched, indeed! I always felt like it was the stairway to the custodian’s storage room. One thing I need to do is post the floor plans again. With the old spiral, it was one step to the doorway, one more step to the right and one was IN the bedroom. And one step to the left and one was in the bathroom.
I very much disliked coming down here, but saw the potential because the ceiling is nine feet, and then there’s the beautiful bay.
Hi Laurel,
All I can say is “Wow!” Your home is glorious. So worth the long wait and all the hard work. Congratulations!!
Laurel, I tried to watch the videos on three different devices but I was unsuccessful. The before and after photos are amazing. Enjoy your home.
Hi MJ,
I am so sorry! I have tried incognito on both Safari and Chrome on my Macbook Pro and had no interruptions during the two eight minute videos. Since this isn’t an isolated issue, I will try to find out tomorrow why that is happening.
So funny that the ads I’m seeing are targeted for Montanan’s (where I am). The ads must be different for everyone, depending on where one lives? (The internet knows entirely too much about each of us). I don’t mind the ads though since they are kind of a passive source of income for you. Wish you had closed captions LOL. I am deaf and I understood there are some things you don’t like but didn’t catch most of it except that off center ceiling fan. What I think about those things (whatever they are) is that if they don’t get changed after a while your brain will ignore them :)) Glad you are getting to the end!
Hi Liz,
One thing I can do is post the videos and in one piece on Youtube, and then I can see how to do closed captions. It’s not a bad idea. The equipment isn’t professional. I’m just using my phone so if I move some words aren’t as clear as they should be.
As for being served ads based on location and interests (maybe, lol) yeah… There has been MUCH talk and efforts to do away with the third-party cookies. When you visit my site or any site, you will get a cookie which follows you around the internet. Google tried and kept saying they were going to eliminate them going as far back as 2021. Well, that didn’t happen, nor 22, or 23, and only about a month ago, they announced they had given up. That’s good news for me and other content creators.
People ask me what I’m going to do when this is finished. hahahahaha. I have to laugh. I’m already working 50-60 hours a week. I MUST get some help. However, I have to be able to pay for the help, so of course, the work they do must help bring in more revenue. blah, blah, blah…
Oh Laurel! Your home is beyond stunning! I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this journey with you, thank you. Your design, your choices, your attention to detail and more(!) are exquisite. Very well done! I have learned so much from you, and I am grateful to you. xoxo
Hi Laurel! Excellent results.
The contractors’ bone-headed mistakes don’t detract from all of the beauty you created. It’s hard to understand why they just can’t seem to get into the spirit of making it great. Weird, but it seems to be almost universal. Take heart. Embrace your elegant, nuanced, fantastic space, and let the rest go. You’ve done great work. I can’t wait to see more photos as you continue to appoint your gorgeous home. You are an inspiration!
Best wishes. S.
Wow! You are so close, and it’s gorgeous….
I am watching on an older iPad mini- videos are clear as day, and ads are fine…well worth the free blog!
Thanks for sharing all.
Can’t wait to see the final, final, final.
Amazing! Happy to view the ads in order to have FREE access to your amazing posts, videos, and knowledge. Love that you tried a new way of presenting your project to us!
It’s beautiful Laurel! Enjoy the fruits of all of your labor! I’m excited to see the rest of the Reno come together!
Sorry about that!!! I fixed the second video. Clearly, making videos is not my area of expertise. But please for those of you who are complaining about ads.
That is how I make a living. The blog is FREE! It did not start out that way, but I decided 9 years ago, that I was either going to be an interior designer with clients or one who didn’t take clients, but instead, one who writes about interior design. But this website is how I pay the bills. Over half of my income comes from the ads you’re seeing.
While I know that maybe a few hundred of you would prefer to pay a monthly fee to read the blog.
A. Thousands of you would be upset about that, and too many would find it a hardship and stop reading altogether.
B. It is exceedingly difficult to set up
C. It would be a lot more work for me which is impossible as I’m not close to doing what I’m supposed to be doing as it is.
And yes, a professional web developer maintains the site for me, troubleshoots, and could set up a membership site. However, doing so is fraught with issues that could cause more harm than good.
For those who can’t see any of the videos: do you have an ad blocker active? I do, and I had to turn it off in order to even see that there were videos.
Hi Vicki,
Thank you. Yes, that is why the videos cannot be seen.
Sadly distracted by the ads and only seeing the hall and bath video. But, what came through loud and clear was a breathtakingly beautiful transformation and a restoration to elegance!
Can’t imagine going through the hell and high water you’ve been through, and having the presence to share it with the world. The only output I could muster would be babbling.
Charming fellow, but definitely not a Bostonian accent – Chicago-ish? I’m on an IPad Pro v 17.6.1 in case that helps for future videos.
Hi Candy,
Sorry about that. The second video as intended, is up. Without ads, there would be no blog, or else I would have to charge everyone to read it.
Congratulations, for implementing your vision. And for perservering! I love the jewel-tone colors for this transformation from unacceptably ugly to jewel box. I would definitely paint the entry console. That shiny reddish finish clashes with the wall color and is out-of-character. Or, even better, replace it with an antique. Paint the bathroom ceiling fan to minimize its presence.
I hope to see the bedroom and living room reveals soon.
Thank you for sharing — one of the best design “classes” I’ve ever had!
I didn’t mind the ads. I understand running your website is not a free endeavor for you. I’m looking forward to the second video too. I absolutely love the colors, the bathroom flooring and all the mouldings and hidden storage. That vent cover on the ceiling will virtually disappear if it’s painted the same color. Sherwin Williams makes a great primer for painting over plastic. In a damp area, it would work well. It’s called Extreme Bond primer. Can’t recommend it enough.
Hi Mary,
Yes, it’s supposed to be painted. The painter isn’t completely gone. More about that soon!
You’ve done a phenomenal job and it’s gorgeous. I love the photos of before and after. And that screen with the Knoxville gray is magical!
There are no videos or even links. If you tell us where to look, we can just find them on our own. I have YouTube Premium, so I won’t get the pesky ads and can actually enjoy the content. I did do a search on YouTube, and couldn’t find the videos.
Hi Cynthia,
I’m sorry. These videos are not on youtube. And I have youtube premium, too. Please turn off your ad blocker if you wish to see the videos.
So beautiful! The before photos really remind us how much you have done. I think once that bathroom vent cover is painted, it will be fine. We put one in our shower and another in our water closet in canned light combos which was a nice way to disguise them, but you may not have had that option since this is downstairs. I too was unable to watch second video but actually enjoyed hearing the home inspector’s Boston accent over and over. 😉 Congrats on a job well done! But I hope you won’t “settle” for some of these mistakes if they continue to drive you crazy. You have worked too hard to not have it just how you want it. Maybe after a breather you’ll have the energy to deal with them. Enjoy! I look forward to seeing the second video whenever it’s available.
Can’t wait to see the videos! (No links available yet.)
Pls resend part II video.
Laurel, I so enjoyed the video. You are the queen of design. Such a lovey renovation that required you to stay on top of everything. It’s beautiful and I hope you enjoy your home for many years. Thank you for sharing your journey and struggles <3, you’re an inspiration
Hi Laurel, Well….OMG the place is gorgeous! Don’t worry about that bathroom fan – by the time your fixtures, mirror and art are all in place no one will ever notice it. They’ll be too busy admiring everything else in the room. The stairway and downstairs are stunning. I wish that second video showed your bedroom, but it seemed to just repeat the previous bathroom video. I can’t wait to see the upstairs. You’re in such a beautiful area of Boston (my old stomping grounds) and you absolutely did your apartment justice to the area (unlike that hideous job that was done to 130 Comm Ave (I attended classes in that building when it was part of Chamberlayne Junior College and admired it then inside and out). Thank you for taking the time to make those videos! Looking forward, as always, to your next post! Take care.
I guess I’ve seen enough videos in my lifetime to not have had a significant problem watching all three. All the ads allowed me to skip over after several seconds.
The exhaust fan will disappear once painted the ceiling color. Functionally, it’s in the correct vicinity and there may have been stuff overhead (joists, pipes, ducts, whatever) that prevented placing it a few inches differently. That explanation works to cover most “mistakes”, so run with that, lol.
The apartment looks fabulous. The screen in the hallway kind of makes the space and adds a lot of drama. It’s a beautiful entry regardless, but it’s like icing on the cake!
15 second Ads every 10 seconds? Longer than your video snippets. Waah! Gave up.😫
Hi Anita,
I watched one of the videos incognito on another browser and only saw one brief ad at the beginning and then another at the end of one of the eight minute videos. I have no idea why it would be different for you.
Love all your choices and vicariously watching this come together! Can’t wait to see the final with all the art work and lighting installed.
I have to turn off my ad blocker to view the videos (using Brave browser on a Windows PC). Also Part 2 is the same video as Part 1 – will check back later when this is fixed. Videos are hard to do, so bravo on a very viewable outcome. It would be nice to be able to view them full screen, but I suspect resolution is a limiting factor.
Congratulations on making it this far and a big THANKS for sharing your journey!
Hi Laurel! Glad to read you are happy with the results….I know how trying it is to get things coordinated…. I looked for a link to the videos, but there was none on my end… Am I doing something wrong or missed it somehow? I really would like to see them…..:-)
OMG, talk about getting attack by advertisements. Sorry, cannot stomach the ads. Gave up.
Hi Helen,
Please try another device or browser. I just watched on Safari and only saw one brief ad at the beginning and then another at the end of one of the eight minute videos. I have no idea why it would be different for you.
Couldn’t get through these because of all the ads. Maybe just still photos of before and after?
Laurel, your downstairs is gorgeous. So much character – love it. Re: placement of the exhaust fan – I think it was installed there because of the steam that the shower can produce. I say that because ours is on the wall over our shower doors. We have a cathedral ceiling – otherwise my guess is the builder would have put it in the ceiling. So yes its not in the best place, yet in time you may forget its there. All things considered the downstairs is amazing. Bravo!
Hi Marlene,
The electrician put the fan there.
I cannot see the videos either. There is no link; all I see is blank spaces on your blog where I believe the link should be.
For some reason the first video immediately repeats itself and if I click on the second video then both of them run simultaneously with double narration. I must be doing something wrong.
Looks lovely Laurel! At first I wasn’t sure about the dark wall, but I do think I like it! Very moody! I would be miffed about the placement of that vent in the bathroom ceiling. I’m wondering if you could’ve found an antique vent (I don’t know what else to call it) I remember seeing them (maybe in my grandparents home?) the kind that were quite beautiful with swirls on them. You probably know what I mean. I would guess they’d have replica’s of that sort of thing. But, it’s too bad they hadn’t consulted with you first on the placement of it and the light switches. Even the plastic switch cover is a bit of a distraction. I wonder if the vent could be smaller and could both it and the switch cover be painted to match the ceiling and wall? I bet they have paintable things like that. So far, so good though!
I don’t mind the ads – it is a pleasure to see the videos! For Arline (and Laurel) – I am on a macOS Sonoma and generally use DuckDuckGo as both my web browser and as my search engine; none of the videos show. However, the videos are there if I use Safari to go to Laurel’s site. Anyway, the video of the stairway, hall, and bath show those spaces to be so very lovely. Like returning from vacation only to be disappointed with the pictures, I can only imagine that actually being in these spaces is even better.
Laurel, you have been so gracious in sharing the journey of your home renovation.
I have a suggestion about the videos. I would prefer to see the videos without enduring adds. Since you already have the ability to charge for access to your Roladex, paint colors and other for fee materials I suggest you could set up a registration site. What you charge is up to you but perhaps $5 – $10 with the option to donate this or an additional amount toward hurricane Helene relief. There are a lot of tech folks in the Boston area, where I also live, that could be helpful if you need assistance.
The downstairs look beautiful. I love the screen with those wall colors. The bedroom video did not show, it was a repeat of the entry and bathroom, so please post that when you catch that. Can’t wait to see the finished product. I know you must be thrilled to have it almost 100% finished and now you just give to live and enjoy it!
So, so excited for this – for YOU to live in it and for US to see it and be inspired! The colors are just stunning. When I clicked on the link for the second video of the bedroom, it just played the first video again. 🙁
Bummer, I never seem to get the links for your videos. They are missing. Area where I presume you have the links are just empty space. I tried on both Safari and Chrome. What I saw from the photos you posted (and having followed you for years now), I can’t wait to see more. Love what I’ve seen so far in the pictures. Just wish I could figure out the video situation. Sigh.
Never got to the bedroom video. Kept seeing the original inspection video. Guess I’ll wait for the stills of the bedroom. Entry looks great although video colors are so far off it’s tough to tell, but the still is terrific. Can’t wait to see it all fluffed and styled! (And can’t believe it’s been four years since you bought it!)