{chota house-a year on}

{keys!}

A year ago today I got the keys to my house. My parents had told me that I should be prepared for a bit of disappointment. They were right--I was so excited to walk through the door, but when I opened it, the house seemed a bit more shabby than I remembered, the rooms were smaller than I had thought, and I was overwhelmed by a long list of jobs that needed to be done. Where would I start? Every room needed to be painted. All the carpets needed to be taken up and floors refinished. What would I find under the floors? Immediately, I thought "Quick, let me try to get this carpet up in the living room and see what lies beneath." A quick tug on one corner and voilà- wooden floors-phew!
I certainly had grand designs before moving in...& had a whole lots of ideas... but I suppose it's that excitement that gave me the energy to do all the work. Even though I still have a list of things to do (tile the fireplaces, paint the shed, get some grass down in the garden etc...) I have to say I'm pretty proud of all that I've accomplished this year. I'm even more proud to say I didn't hire a single person--of course my parents came to do the floors, the built-ins, and the picture rails, but all the rest has been moi.
So, here are some pictures from the last year, to celebrate Chota House and all that has been accomplished this year:

In the first week, it was a few paint jobs:

{walking into the house for the first time as owner! the paint! the carpet! ahhhh!}

{the first room to be painted was the bedroom--had to get rid of those stripes!}

{walls painted, carpet torn up}

Then came painting the downstairs: 

Then the removal of the carpet (flea-ridden at that) & boards: 

{woohoo!}

Painted out the stripes in the study too: 

{BEFORE}

{AFTER}

Then the removal of the carpet in the hall & the painting of the walls (goodbye lime green):

{before}

{in progress}

and finally with the finished floors: 

Then I attacked the kitchen, painting out the red walls, and finally changing the knobs & painting the cabinets:

{goodbye 90s knobs}

{goodbye fake wood}

{hello lovely blue & gold!}

{& recently I got rid of the red tile!}

Then my parents came and redid the floors for me:

& they built in cupboards & bookshelves:

{Simla helping out!}

Then in the bedroom, my parents made me some lovely wardrobes:

{BEFORE, as previous owners had it}

{in progress}

{after!}

 & then they installed picture rails throughout the house:

 

& then just recently, I've managed to paint the spare bedroom, getting rid of the last of the wallpaper in the house:

{BEFORE}

{AFTER}

& also paint the exterior of the house:


So my Chota House has come A LONG WAY in the last year:

I now feel pretty happy to call this place my home!
xo
L