Each year, my husband Robert and I embark on a tradition we deeply cherish: openly sharing our aspirations for the year ahead through our “New Year, New House Goals” post. This annual ritual isn’t just about documenting our projects; it’s an invitation to our incredible community—you, our readers—to share what inspires you, what challenges you face in your own homes, and what content you’d love to see us tackle next. It’s a wonderful way to connect and shape the Bless’er House journey together.
The dawn of this New Year has brought with it a period of introspection and renewed purpose for me. While I haven’t felt entirely adrift, the precise direction for Bless’er House has been somewhat nebulous in recent times. Granting myself the grace to pause, reflect, and truly listen to my inner voice has been invaluable. This blog has evolved significantly since its inception, and as our lives change, so too does our vision for this platform.
Robert and I still have a multitude of exciting projects on our current home, transforming each space to better suit our family’s needs and evolving style. However, once these significant renovations are complete, we have no intention of moving houses simply to generate new content. Our philosophy is rooted in authenticity and real-life experiences. We are real people, living in a real home, and our content reflects the genuine journey of making a house a home, not a series of staged moves for the sake of novelty.
Looking beyond our own four walls, I am increasingly driven by a desire to leverage this blog for greater good within our community. This year marks the beginning of more meaningful collaborations, with several room makeovers for friends already in the pipeline – a truly exciting prospect! My long-term dreams are even more expansive. When our children are older, I would be honored to provide decorating services for organizations like Habitat for Humanity, helping families create beautiful, functional homes. Another passion project that resonates deeply is designing inspiring break rooms for teachers in schools; these dedicated educators deserve serene and uplifting spaces to recharge. Perhaps, one day, we’ll even launch a full-fledged Bless’er House Design Service for actual clients, or take on the rewarding challenge of renovating a vacation rental home. These might sound like ambitious endeavors, but then again, starting this blog itself once felt like an incredibly lofty goal, and look how far we’ve come.
So, as we step into this promising year, here’s a glimpse into the ten key home improvement and community-focused projects that define our 2022 vision:
1. Embracing Community Through Thoughtful Room Makeovers
One of our most fulfilling endeavors for the year involves a series of community-centric room makeovers. We are thrilled to be planning a couple of these transformations in the coming weeks, a true highlight on our agenda. These aren’t just cosmetic changes; they’re opportunities to bring joy and functionality to the homes of our nearby neighbors and friends. Our approach focuses on quick, impactful spruce-ups, typically completed within 1-3 days, proving that significant changes don don’t always require extensive time or budget. These projects are particularly special to us because they embody the spirit of giving back and sharing our passion for design with those around us. Moreover, we’re committed to meticulously documenting each step, from the initial concept to the final reveal, hoping that these real-life makeovers will inspire you, our readers, with practical ideas and creative solutions for your own spaces. We believe that thoughtful design can truly enhance daily living, and we can’t wait to share the transformations and the stories behind them.
2. Revolutionizing Playroom Storage and Functionality
Last year, we made significant strides in refreshing our playroom, creating a more adaptable and organized space for our growing girls. We ingeniously added custom doors to our existing built-in IKEA bookshelves, effectively transforming them into hidden storage units—a game-changer for corralling toys and clutter. Complementing this, we updated the furniture with flexible seating options, providing versatility for various activities and stages of play. This quick playroom refresh was a testament to how smart solutions can evolve with a family’s needs, especially as our daughters transition out of toddlerhood.
However, the other side of the room remains a challenge, particularly since we’ve introduced a TV into the space. Let’s be honest, there’s only so much Peppa Pig one parent can endure without a dedicated viewing area! This means the existing layout and storage solutions are due for a comprehensive reevaluation. Our goal is to design an integrated system that seamlessly accommodates media, toys, and crafts, maintaining the room’s overall aesthetic and child-friendly appeal. We envision smart, hidden storage, perhaps custom cabinetry or multi-functional furniture, that will bring order to the chaos and create a more serene, yet still vibrant, environment for play and relaxation. This project is high on our priority list for a much-needed overhaul.
3. Elevating Our Home’s Entry: The Staircase Revamp
Our staircase, a central feature in our home’s entry, has always been a canvas for future transformation in my mind. Beyond aesthetics, safety is a primary concern, as we’ve all experienced a slip or two on its currently slick surfaces. My vision includes installing a beautiful, durable runner that will not only add warmth and texture but also significantly enhance traction. Furthermore, I picture replacing the existing balusters with more streamlined, modern designs that better reflect our personal style—a subtle yet impactful change that will instantly elevate the entire foyer. The goal is a simplified, elegant look that feels more “us.”
We are hopeful that this will prove to be a fairly straightforward DIY project, one we can conquer without major hiccups, making a significant difference with careful planning and execution. The inspiration for this transformation comes from the refined simplicity seen in designs by experts like Marie Flanigan Interiors. I particularly admire her use of slender, understated balusters that bring a sense of airiness and sophistication to a space. Our aim is to achieve a similar impact, creating a staircase that is not only safer and more functional but also a true design statement, welcoming guests with elegance and character from the moment they step through our front door.
4. Optimizing Our Breakfast Nook for Flow and Family Life
Our breakfast nook has been a persistent source of frustration, primarily due to its challenging traffic flow and furniture arrangement. This relatively small space is incredibly busy, featuring no less than four doorways, one of which serves as the main entry point from our garage. This constant movement makes creating a functional and comfortable dining area exceedingly difficult. However, we have an exciting long-term plan that will fundamentally reshape this area. Next year, we envision building an addition by reconfiguring a portion of our garage. This expansion will allow us to create a much-needed pool-accessible bathroom, a dedicated laundry room, and a practical mudroom.
Crucially, this larger renovation means we will be able to relocate two of the problematic doorways in the breakfast nook. While it’s undoubtedly a significant undertaking, the functional improvements to our home will be drastic and transformative. With improved flow, I keep envisioning a charming banquette seating arrangement in this space. A custom-built banquette will maximize seating in the compact area, create a cozy, intimate dining experience, and offer additional storage beneath the benches. Once complete, I’m confident it will transform a perpetually frustrating corner into a quaint, highly functional, and aesthetically pleasing heart of our home, perfect for family meals and casual gatherings.
I absolutely adore the concept of this dining nook designed by Jaci Daily. It perfectly captures the cozy, inviting atmosphere and efficient use of space that we aim to achieve. Of course, ours would be on a slightly smaller scale, fitting within the dimensions of our nook, but the overall feeling and functional elegance are exactly what we’re striving for. It’s a wonderful example of how a well-designed banquette can transform a dining area into a truly special spot.
5. Conquering the Clutter: A Full Garage Makeover
Our garage has consistently been in dire need of a complete overhaul. For years, it has served more as a dumping ground than a functional, organized space. Even a fresh coat of paint would work wonders, immediately brightening and refreshing the area. However, our plans for this space extend far beyond just paint. A comprehensive garage overhaul was actually on our list of to-dos last year, but unforeseen circumstances, as often happens with home projects, completely threw our schedule off course. This year, we’re approaching it with renewed determination and excitement.
Our vision for the garage makeover involves creating a highly efficient and aesthetically pleasing environment. This includes installing robust shelving and cabinet systems to maximize vertical storage, a designated workspace for DIY projects, and specific zones for tools, sporting equipment, and seasonal items. We’ll also consider durable flooring options and improved lighting to transform it from a neglected space into an integral, organized extension of our home. It’s a brand new year, and we’re more than ready to tackle this challenge head-on, turning our chaotic garage into a model of efficiency and order.
6. Bringing Warmth Outdoors: The Back Porch Fireplace Dream
My desire for a fireplace on our back porch has been a long-standing dream, and this year, I’m putting it out into the universe with the hope that it will finally come to fruition. There’s something incredibly inviting about the idea of gathering around a crackling fire on a cool evening, extending the usability of our outdoor living space well into the cooler months. While it might seem like a grand undertaking, I’m exploring practical and budget-friendly ways to achieve this ambiance.
Could it possibly be as simple and manageable as incorporating an electric fireplace insert and constructing a beautiful, custom frame around it? This approach would circumvent the complexities and costs associated with a traditional masonry fireplace, offering a more accessible DIY solution. I genuinely believe we have the skills and determination to make this happen, creating a cozy focal point that will elevate our back porch into an even more inviting and functional outdoor retreat. It’s a project that promises warmth, atmosphere, and countless memorable moments for family and friends.
7. A Fresh Perspective: The Powder Room Refresh
Our powder room, while perfectly functional, is certainly due for a refresh. It’s not that there’s anything inherently “wrong” with its current state; it simply doesn’t fully align with our evolving design aesthetic anymore. The existing vanity, which I gave a quick weathered gray wood-look makeover previously, was always intended as a temporary fix rather than a permanent solution. This year, I’m thinking of something more cohesive and reflective of our current style.
My vision for this small but impactful space includes changing out the vanity for one that better suits our style, perhaps incorporating more refined materials or a unique design. Beyond that, my mind is buzzing with possibilities: maybe a new, sophisticated color on the baseboards, a bolder wallpaper pattern that adds depth and personality, or even a completely new wall treatment. I’m feeling a strong pull in a new design direction for this space, envisioning a powder room that feels fresh, elegant, and perfectly integrated with the overall aesthetic of our home. It’s an exciting opportunity to experiment with new ideas and create a memorable small space.
8. Cultivating Curb Appeal: Improving Our Landscaping
After a busy year filled with various backyard projects, our landscaping, particularly the grass, has looked rather neglected. It’s time to shift our focus outwards and give our exterior the attention it deserves, transforming our outdoor areas into lush, inviting extensions of our home. Improving our landscaping is not just about aesthetics; it’s about creating a harmonious environment that enhances both curb appeal and our family’s enjoyment of the outdoors.
This project will involve a concerted effort to revitalize the lawn, address any issues with our existing trees and plants, and strategically introduce new greenery to create visual interest and vibrant color. We’ll be looking into sustainable planting choices, efficient irrigation solutions, and thoughtful arrangement of shrubs and perennial flowers. The goal is to cultivate a verdant and well-maintained landscape that complements our home’s exterior, provides a welcoming atmosphere, and offers beautiful views from every window. It’s a significant undertaking, but one that promises immense rewards in terms of natural beauty and outdoor living pleasure.
9. Enhancing Outdoor Living: Stamping the Pool Concrete
While this particular project might lean more towards being a 2023 endeavor, it’s firmly on our radar and definitely part of our long-term vision for enhancing our outdoor living space. The idea is to transform the existing concrete surrounding our pool by stamping it to resemble elegant brick pavers. This seemingly simple change would have a dramatic impact on the aesthetic of our entire pool area, elevating it from functional to truly luxurious.
The beauty of stamped concrete lies in its ability to mimic the look of more expensive materials like natural stone or brick, but with greater durability and often at a more accessible cost. We envision a classic brick pattern that will add texture, character, and a touch of old-world charm to the modern feel of the pool. This upgrade will not only enhance the visual appeal of the space, creating a more sophisticated and inviting atmosphere for relaxation and entertaining, but it will also likely improve the surface’s slip resistance. It’s a design choice that promises to make our poolside experience even more enjoyable and visually stunning, and we’re excited to delve into the planning and execution when the time is right.
10. The Heart of the Home: Strategic Kitchen Remodel Planning
Rest assured, a full kitchen remodel won’t be happening this year—we know the scale of such an undertaking! However, we are enthusiastically entering the critical planning phase, laying the groundwork for what promises to be a transformative project. This meticulous preparation is paramount, especially after our experience with a somewhat rushed bathroom remodel last year, where we didn’t have the luxury of extensive planning time. This time, with the kitchen, we’re leaving nothing to chance; every detail will be carefully considered and documented.
One of the most exciting discoveries recently is what appears to be a hidden secret: those shelves beside the stove seem to conceal an old doorway! This revelation has sparked a flurry of creative ideas, opening up new possibilities for layout and functionality in our small-ish kitchen. We’re determined to pack a lot of design punch into this space, making it highly efficient, beautiful, and reflective of our family’s needs. We’re drawing inspiration from stunning designs like this one from Park & Oak, which exemplifies how thoughtful design can maximize impact in any size kitchen. Their ability to blend classic elegance with modern functionality is truly aspirational. Our planning phase will involve everything from optimizing the layout for better workflow and storage to selecting finishes, appliances, and lighting that create a cohesive and inviting atmosphere. This year is all about deep dives into research, architectural drawings, and material selection, ensuring that when the time comes, our kitchen remodel will be executed flawlessly and result in the culinary heart of our dreams.
Beyond these major projects, I’m sure plenty of other small makeovers, DIY crafts, and unexpected home improvement tasks will be sprinkled throughout our year. We definitely have our work cut out for us, and we’re embracing every challenge with excitement and creativity.
My overarching goal, however, remains constant: to share content that genuinely helps and inspires you. This blog exists because of you, our amazing readers. Your engagement, your questions, and your shared enthusiasm fuel everything we do. So, I have one huge favor to ask:
Please take a moment to tell me what kind of help or inspiration you need for your own home this year by completing the 2022 Bless’er House Reader Survey below. Your feedback is invaluable in shaping our future content and ensuring we’re providing the most relevant and impactful ideas.
I don’t say it often enough, but thank you—thank you so much for being here, for your continued support, and for sharing in our home journey. I am eternally grateful for this community, and I truly hope that through our projects and shared insights, we give back to you in return. We can’t wait for all the wonderful things ahead!
