I don’t know that I’ve ever mentioned it before, but one of the reasons I started this blog was to provide myself with some accountability for completing projects. Yep, believe it or not, I often struggle with ‘follow thru’. You’re all probably shaking your heads and thinking to yourselves “but quandie, you get so much done, how is that even possible?!”
You know what that proves? It proves that my strategy worked!
Knowing that I need to get something finished in order to have a post for the coming week is often the motivation that pushes me to complete a project.
Not only does this work incredibly well for my furniture projects, but it has also worked fairly well for my own home decorating projects. So far I have shared home makeovers on the Q Branch …
The dining room …
The living room and piano room …
The master bedroom …
The photo cottage …
The front porch …
and the guest room.
And let’s not forget the pantry …
or the front stairs.
But somehow in 2018 I totally lost my mojo when it comes to redecorating at my house. It all just felt so overwhelming. I have a long list of decorating ideas in my head, but whenever I would think about them I would promptly feel overwhelmed by just how long that list was. I would often say ‘if only I had a magic wand’ that I could wave and have it magically finished overnight (much like it seems to happen on TV).
But this past weekend I came to my senses and realized that I don’t have a magic wand and I’m probably not going to find one anytime soon. If I’m going to re-do anything at my house I need to break it down into smaller chunks that I can handle in a day (or maybe two).
So that’s what I’m going to do with my living room and piano room over the next couple of months and hopefully by spring I’ll have a new look in those rooms. In case you’re curious (and to help keep me accountable), here’s the project list:
- repaint the insides of the bookshelves in the living room
- repaint the living room walls
- replace the living room furniture
- paint the baby grand piano
- replace the ceiling fan over the piano
- repaint the piano room walls
So, six projects that will probably take a week or so each and will also take me away from furniture painting for a bit. But that’s OK, this is definitely the slow season for furniture sales anyway so it makes sense to focus on something else for a bit.
I hope you’ll stick with me on this journey and help keep me accountable. Up first, repainting the living room bookshelves. Be sure to stay tuned!
q is for quandie 
Looking forward to these as I need some motivation to accomplish more around my home too! Also, just wondering…do blog readers who meet you in person call you Quandie?
LikeLike
LOL, yes, they do!
LikeLike
Ah yes, the dreaded household decorating chores. I have so many and yet I do none. We moved into our current home 6 years ago and repainted, re-floored and updated every single room in the first year. Now I want to change the color in several rooms, paint the fireplace mantle and surround and definitely paint the ugly kitchen cabinets. Oh, and get new master bedroom furniture. But I don’t. I am going to use your inspiration to break these down into manageable projects. Here’s to 2019 and making your home a more beautiful space!
LikeLike
That must have been quite the project to update everything in the first year! Clearly I am not alone with the lengthy wish list that I just never get around to 🙂
LikeLike
I am busy painting walls and reorganizing too. My new addiction is reorganizing drawers and closets since watching Tidying Up on Netflix. So any blogs on your home journey would make interesting reading to me !
Oh and painting the baby grand ?- I can hardly wait for that one!
LikeLike
I have been talking about painting that piano for at least a couple of years if not more! I am determined to get it done this time. As for reorganizing, that’s another one that always gets neglected at my house 😉
LikeLike
Clearly, if I am going to make ANY progress on MY list, I too need to start a blog! I look forward to watching all your projects come to fruition…and maybe I can match you project for project! That endless mental collection of great decorating ideas is both a curse and a blessing…
LikeLike
Yep, I highly recommend having a blog as a way to make sure you get things done. There’s nothing like a self-imposed deadline to motivate oneself 😉
LikeLike
I know exactly what you mean, Linda! I am in the same situation: Wanting to change a lot here but know the list is way to long. So I decided to go room by room. Make on perfect, then think about the next one. This helps me see everything as a smaller project – instead of the full list as a huge thing! I am curious about your projects!
LikeLike
You’ve been making lots of progress on your list! I’ve seen it in Instagram 🙂 I’ll use your progress as motivation for keeping at it myself! (Dear readers: if you haven’t seen Daggi’s blog, click on her name above her comment, it’s a link to her blog. Use the translate feature if you can’t read German! You can see some of her progress there too.)
LikeLike
Thank you for your kind words, Linda! I appreciate that! And yes I have made a progress but still there is always too little time. But let´s do it piece by piece! I am curious about your next steps. Have a wonderful day!
LikeLike
Yep, one step at a time and before you know it, we’ll be done 🙂
LikeLike
Looking forward to your house transformations as everything you do turns out beautiful. Your house is lovely but I especially adore your staircase. Simple but pretty.
LikeLike
The staircase is another project that is somewhere on the list. As much as I love how it looks, there are a couple of issues. First and foremost, those black treads are a little scary in the dark. From above the staircase just looks like a big, black hole in space. Since our bathroom is downstairs and our bedroom is upstairs, we have to occasionally make a few trips down those stairs in the middle of the night. Probably not a good combo. And secondly, the vinyl wording isn’t sticking very well anymore. So … somewhere down the road this will be another project that needs to be tackled 🙂
LikeLike
I love the photos and the sentiment! One project at a time…you’ll get there! ❤
LikeLike
For sure!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I CAN’T WAIT FOR THIS 🙂 I didn’t see paint the barnwood on there… 😉
LikeLike
LOL, I’m terrified of painting that barnwood!
LikeLike
You know my vote. It’s a good idea if it’s scary 🙂
LikeLike
Yikes!
LikeLike
But your dining table looks different to me. I don’t remember what the gray part. That’s probably just my memory.
Your home is charming.
LikeLike
I painted the base grey at the same time I white washed the top. I probably just didn’t quite show pictures from that angle.
LikeLike
I will love to see and go with you on your journey! I pick up ideas from you and your blogs frequently. I love before and after makeovers. I am in the middle of the same thing. Seeing someone else accomplish these things helps me to be accountable also. Thank you for the list. Now I will make my own. 😊
LikeLike
It’s always looks so much easier when it’s a ‘before’ and ‘after’ blog post than the reality of taking two months or more to complete a room. But … that’s reality, so I may as well get started. The room will be done before we know it, right?
LikeLike
Saving this email so I can see what you do! Can’t wait to see the piano redo!
LikeLike
Now I really do have to get it done 😉
LikeLike
I can totally relate! Your home is beautiful and I can’t wait to see your future projects. 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks so much Denise!
LikeLike
I find that since I create spaces for others during my day job – my place seems to take forever for me to tackle. When you are painting to sell pieces you kinda have to consider what will move the quickest don’t you? Or since there is not a precise client you kinda wing it? The real beauty of the blog it helps to motivate. As usual I’m looking forward to seeing your lastest creations.
LikeLike
I definitely do have to consider what will sell well when I paint furniture. I’m often walking a line between what will sell well, what will be interesting (and not terribly repetitive) here on the blog, and what I really want to do to a piece. They don’t always go together.
LikeLike
Let me know if you want help. I like painting walls!
LikeLike
Are you free on Saturday??
LikeLike
I am really,really looking forward to this. Betty from you know where. Regards to all.
LikeLike
Be sure to stay tuned Betty, I hope you like how it turns out 🙂
LikeLike
Love seeing what you’ll do next!
LikeLike
Thanks Karen!
LikeLike
Some of your list is similar to my own– I’m SO looking forward to future posts ♥
LikeLike
I’m already digging in and have started painting the shelves, plus I got some sample colors to test out on the walls! It feels good to have made a start 🙂
LikeLike