The Cottage: Our Five-Year Anniversary, What I'm Glad We Did, and What I'm Glad We Didn't Do

 

It's hard to believe that we moved to the Cottage in Michigan five years ago this month! Seriously, where has the time gone? Those five years were action-packed. A global pandemic. A new career. Career changes for my husband. Caring for our parents. Sisters in hospice. Sisters going to heaven. A son in high school, then graduating and getting ready to head to college. 

One thing is certain. God had a plan for us, and it was so good that we were here, in this place.

I thought I'd share with you some of the favorite things we did to the cottage, and a few things I'm glad we didn't do, too.

1.) Installing sky lights and solar tubes from Velux

I almost dismissed this house after the first showing because I felt it was too dark. And it WAS dark. The paint colors and curtain fixtures didn't help. After one winter, I knew we'd need those sky lights. They have made ALL the difference, bringing much needed light into this space! And the solar tubes we installed in the bathrooms were great, too. So much brighter! We save on electricity by not having to turn on a light every time we enter those rooms.

2.) The pricy (and cheap) curtain swaps

I tried various combinations of curtains in the living and dining room that first year, but in the end, I knew that I'd have to purchase these buffalo check curtains from Ballard. I had used them in our previous home and loved them. They have the unique feature of blending in and making everything cohesive, while at the same time being showstoppers. I love them.

In the rest of the house, I wanted something light and airy. These IKEA lace curtains gave it just the cottage look I was going for.

3.) Choosing a cottage-inspired paint palette

I wanted to do things differently with this house. This was not a corporate relocation move, and I wasn't planning on flipping this house. I wanted this house to reflect us, not current housing trends. These colors really speak to me. We had Sam's big graduation party last weekend, and lots of family commented on how much they loved the colors of our home. Five years later, and I still love them!

4.) Choosing white appliances in the kitchen

Who knew that finding matching white appliances would be such an ordeal during a pandemic? It took us well over a year to assemble the kitchen, and even though the appliances are not all from the same package, they do match just fine. And I love them! A LOT of design shows are now showcasing white appliances instead of stainless steel. These make my kitchen lighter and brighter, and they give it the vintage cottage look I love.

4.) Painting the tile backsplash

Such an easy solution! But what an impact it had on this formerly dark space. 

5.) Swapping out light fixtures

There were some pretty ugly modern light fixtures on the main floor that had to go. Swapping out the lights was a cheap fix, for sure.

6.) Landscaping ASAP

That first autumn, we did a major re-landscaping that involved cutting down a half-dead evergreen tree and removing all of the poky overgrown barberry bushes in the front yard. This left us with a clean slate. Autumn is a great time to plant bushes and trees, and we were able to get a dogwood tree, magnolia tree, and lots of bushes in the ground. The faster you can get those things planted, the faster they can mature and fill in. And look at those hydrangea today! They are huge!

I continue to plant (and edit) in the garden every year. It really looks so much better than when we moved in!

7.) Painting the deck and pergola

The dark stain on the deck and faded black paint of the pergola were doing the back of the house no favors. They didn't match the house, and it just looked sad. Painting the pergola (which my husband did himself) to match the siding was a great move. And hiring someone to power wash and re-stain the deck? Smartest thing we did! We use this space all the time. In the evening, when the string lights come on, it is magical. It's like being in a tree house. 

8.) Painting the fireplace mantle, bead board, and handrail white

When we moved in, the fireplace, handrail and back bead board/wainscoting were all a natural stain color that matched the floor, but didn't match the trim in the rest of the house. It looked odd and out of place. Painting them all white made everything more cohesive.

And here are just a few things I thought about doing, but today I'm so glad we didn't do!

Leaving the kitchen cabinets unpainted

I often contemplated whether we should paint the cabinets white or some neutral color. In the end, just swapping out the hardware to match the new appliances was all the improvement they needed. Natural wood cabinets are a big trend right now in home decorating, and these are a nice quality cabinet. I often wish I had twice as much storage space, but I make do with what we have.

Leaving the weigela and boxwood bushes in place

I had the option of yanking these out when we were re-landscaping. I decided to leave the sad looking, half dead bushes for another season. I gave them all a good pruning, watered them frequently, and the next year they came back looking healthy and full. So glad I gave them a second chance!

I recently learned that three home bloggers that I sometimes follow were all selling their houses and moving this year. And they had all been in their current houses for about the same amount of time that I'd been here. 2022 must have been the year that the home influencers decided to shake things up and start fresh. One of them was moving because she realized during the pandemic that being far from family was not a good thing. I get that, completely! Another was moving because they'd always dreamed of living on or near the water. And still another was moving for who knows what reasons...boredom? Possibly.

I am SO glad that I do not have to contemplate moving in the near future! That's just one of the blessings of Sam choosing University of Michigan...we have to stay in place for the benefit of in-state tuition! 

In so many ways, this home has been a respite for our family. We have been blessed by our neighbors, our church, our community, our families. For the first time in many years, I feel like I am home.

It's a good feeling!

Next week, I'll share some thoughts on future home projects...nothing big, just a few small changes in store.

Happy Friday, café friend!