I recently realized I’d lost my sense of direction with updating our new home. I’d nearly finished the office and living room makeovers, but I didn’t have clear goals beyond those spaces. Then I remembered I hadn’t written new home goals at the start of April — I’d intended to set quarterly goals instead of one big annual list.
Over the weekend I revisited the goals I wrote in January and set a new, focused list for the April–June quarter. Before I share the new quarter’s plan, here’s a concise update on how the January goals turned out.
Progress on January Goals
1. Paint — paint, paint!
- Connected spaces: The kitchen, entry, hallways, butler’s pantry, hall closet alcove, stairwell, loft and upstairs hallway are all painted Edgecomb Gray and I’ve really grown to love it.
- Dining room: Painted Kendall Charcoal and I’m obsessed with the result.
- Office: Painted Shoji White and it brightened the whole space.
- Living room: Painted Hale Navy — the makeover is nearly complete and looks great.
Result: A+
2. Light fixtures
- Hallway sconce: planned but not yet installed.
- Entry light: I have an idea but still need to choose and buy the fixture.
- Office overhead light: postponed until later in the year.
I didn’t get these done this quarter — I focused on other rooms first — so I’m marking this one as incomplete for now.
3. Office makeover
- Organization: finished.
- Walls painted Shoji White: finished.
- French door window treatments: I’ve chosen floral curtains and I’m working with a blinds supplier to add bamboo shades — blinds are the only remaining item delaying the reveal.
- Desk panels, bookshelf styling, art and calendar: all complete. I also repurposed an older sign for wall decor.
Result: A+ — just waiting on the blinds to finalize the reveal.
Bonus: DIY dishwasher panel
- Completed — I’m very pleased with how it turned out.
Result: A+
Home Goals for 2020 (April – June)
With the kids home from school through August, project time will be limited, so I’m keeping this quarter’s list focused and realistic: three main goals to make meaningful progress without overwhelming the household.
1. Makeover the girls’ bedroom and bathroom
The girls settled into the new house quickly, but they miss their decorated rooms from our previous home. My oldest has been asking to repaint the lime green walls for months, so this quarter I’ll give these spaces a fresh, cohesive update.
- Paint the bedroom Pink Ground (Farrow & Ball)
- Paint the bathroom Shoji White (Sherwin-Williams)
- Consider an accent wall using wallpaper or a stencil
- Install bunk beds that work for two kids
- Purchase new bedding and update window treatments (hem curtains as needed)
- Either refinish an existing dresser or buy one and paint it white
- Reuse and rearrange wall decor where possible to keep costs down
It’s mostly paint, beds and styling, but I expect it will take a couple of months to finish everything. Right now the girls are temporarily on a daybed and a floor trundle; finishing this room will make it feel like theirs again.
I’ve moved the daybed and trundle into the playroom to serve as seating and extra sleeping space for guests while the bedroom gets finished.
2. Finish the office and share the reveal — I’ll wrap up the remaining tasks and publish a full before-and-after.
- Install bamboo blinds for the French doors
- Complete any remaining styling and take photos to share the final design
I’m excited to finish this space and post the full tour once the final window treatments are installed.
3. Finish the living room and publish the reveal
- Conceal the TV cord inside the wall for a cleaner look
- Find one final piece of art or decor for an empty wall
- Replace the ceiling fan and consider adding two swivel chairs later
- Finalize shelf styling and small decor edits
Once those items are complete, the living room will feel finished for now. My goal is to bring the most-used rooms to a comfortable, attractive place before investing in more furniture.
Bonus: Replace the kitchen light fixture
One of the panes on the eat-in kitchen light broke recently, so we removed the fixture and decided it’s time for a new, safer option. I’m hunting for the right piece that will work with the eventual kitchen vision.
I find setting quarterly goals helps me stay focused and realistic. Breaking the year into three-month chunks makes the work feel manageable and keeps progress steady — as long as I remember to revisit and update the plan each quarter.
Time to start painting and shopping for a few finishing touches!