Unrealized home renovation dreams: what i wish we did to the house but never did
- Madeline Stilley
- Mar 3
- 5 min read
About a year ago, Ryan and I agreed we were pretty happy with the house and wanted to start saving for other life events and emergency funds and we paused on projects for the foreseeable future. We are currently discussing an exterior paint job to up the curb appeal, either siding or roof and window trim with a bright door but other than that, we have no plans to do much else. That being said, I can very easily tell you all the things I would have purchased or renovated, if I had unlimited funds...
Purchases
The fun furniture I dreamed of, the art, and the things I could still add without a major fuss but haven't...
A custom painting by DC artist, Carina Tenaglia, for the blank wall above our stairs
I have been obsessed with Carina Tenaglia's art since I saw it at a DC boutique in 2022. It is the perfect mix of abstract and neutral for a large space like the one above our stairwell, a wall that really is a central feature of our home. We have kept it blank for the past four years but I have always thought about working with Carina to do a custom sized piece similar to the below. Maybe one day?
Window treatments on all family room windows
We splurged for the window treatments on our front family room windows that look out to the street due to true necessity. The sun was the so bright at certain times of the day, we were blinded. We also wanted some privacy since our large windows invite any onlooker to observe the goings on of our family room and kitchen. The shades, from Smith + Noble, are one of my favorite things we have done in the house but I always wished we had them for the side windows in this room too, where the sun can be just as blinding. Approximate cost for the additional window treatments... $4000.
A posh dining set for the family room/kitchen area
Early in settling into the house, we researched a new dining set for the family room. We were using an old West Elm table I had bought for my first apartment in DC along with some budget-friendly chairs from Pier 1 (see above) that we had bought for our DC condo. Likely because we had a stand-in and finding a new dining set felt daunting, we never replaced them. I am sitting here today on this relatively uncomfortable Pier 1 chair writing this entry. But if we do end up splurging for the dining set, here's what I would buy:
A big cozy chair for reading in our primary bedroom
We turned the existing basement family room into our primary bedroom and the room is large. Other than a bed and dressers, we have no other furniture. There is a perfect little corner next to the fireplace where I would love to put a chair, like this one, but never have.
A door with a doggy door for Linus to come and go as he pleases
This is really more of a convenience for me and Ryan as we get tired of going up and down the stairs to let Linus out for the bathroom. It also means we can't leave him for more than five or six hours. We got some quotes for installing a doggy door into a glass door, which is very challenging it seems and these were around $1,600 with a new door costing $3000 because of its custom size. We never pulled the trigger.
Renovations
The renovations are updates that I think would have made a big difference, especially this first one, which is a functional annoyance on a daily basis. But these updates would cost a pretty penny.
Pantry installation in the dining area
The homes in our neighborhood were not built with pantries. I grew up with a really nice pantry. It was off the kitchen and had double doors and shelves and my parents labeled all their nice glass containers that held flour and sugar. I have no idea where all that shelf-stable food would have gone without that pantry until... I bought a house without a pantry. We have resorted to stuffing pasta, flour, rice, spices, etc. into the two high cupboards in the kitchen that I can barely reach, reducing the space we have for glassware and often resulting in food falling on my head while I'm trying to get something out of there. If I were to invest in any home update, it would be to build a pantry in the alcove just off the kitchen where we currently have a buffet. It would be similar to my parents with double doors, shelving, and glass containers. I dream of it often.
Laundry room remake
Our laundry room is a scary dungeon in the basement that is used for storage, the "drinks" fridge, and the washer and dryer. It also houses our firewood, camping equipment, counter appliances we don't have room for in the kitchen, and many other items. It is organized, but not a place you want to hang out. I'm always jealous of the pretty laundry rooms I see on home tours or in magazines, a real tony feature, if you can afford it.
Shower and tile renovation in guest bedroom
Several years ago, my parents gifted us a pretty vanity from Room and Board for the guest bathroom, which absolutely changed the look. The previous bathroom vanity was black and clunky with polished nickel hardware. We changed out the hardware with gold and installed a new mirror and lights and I finally enjoyed being in that bathroom. The other side, however, remains untouched. It's a semi-dated shower and tile situation that I would love to gut and replace with Italian glass shower door, Heath tile, and heated floors.
Below is an example of what I would love to do if we renovated this side of the bathroom, including switching out the tile to terrazzo.
Vanity and retiling in primary bathroom
Our primary bathroom has also never been my favorite but it's tucked way back in the basement of the home on the other side of our office/fitness room and hardly anyone sees it. The shower is also a bit of a spa experience with multiple spouts and settings. But I dislike the dark tile floors, the wavy gray tile throughout and the black vanity and would love to just redo the whole thing.
Would love to hear your thoughts! Anything that seems like top priority in this list? Renovations you did that were worth it?
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