Valley House Tour: The Girls' Rooms

My girls have always shared a bedroom. I was a little worried about finding a new house that we could grow into, but one where the girls still felt close to one another. I remember when I was a kid, I wanted my own bedroom so bad. And then I was about Gracie's age I did get my own room after a move to a new house. I was so excited that first day - until it got dark. And by bedtime I was terrified of the idea of sleeping alone in a dark room and begged my little sister to sleep with me. :)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0359.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0359.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0422.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0422.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />When we found this house, I was so excited about the layout. There are three small bedrooms at the top of the stairs. Just a landing, a bathroom and the girls bedrooms. No dark hallways or connections to other parts of the house. I think it will be a perfect situation for their first ventures into private bedrooms. :)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0440.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0440.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0455.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0455.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />(Here are the photos of their rooms. Apologies in advance for the photo overload. Trying to get this house tour over with!)...<br /><a name="more"></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0423.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0423.jpg" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0424.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0424.jpg" /></div><br />Grace's room is the smallest and most awkward. That little window (which can't be changed because of the roof line) is going to present a little bit of a challenge, but we'll figure it out. She wants pale blue walls in here.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0426.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0426.jpg" /></div><br /><center></center><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0429.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0429.jpg" /></div><br />Next door is Claire's room:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0434.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0434.jpg" /></div><br />If you ask Claire what her favorite colors are she'll say mint green, hot pink, indigo and violet. Music to my ears every time. :)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0436.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0436.jpg" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0438.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0438.jpg" /></div><br />She requested mint on the walls and a neon pink bed. The combo reminded me of this room, which she loved when I showed her:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo InsideOut-neon-bed.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/InsideOut-neon-bed.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">via Inside Out Mag</div><br />The next door down is a small bathroom at the top of the stairs. Boring and needs some sprucing up, stat. How perfect would <a href="http://www.us.kohler.com/us/Brockway%E2%84%A2-5'-wall-mounted-wash-sink-with-3-faucet-holes/productDetail/Service-Sinks/418118.htm?brandId=432098&skuId=345602&categoryId=788714&hash=id%3Dfilters%26startIndex%3D20%26scrollTop%3D0" target="_blank">this sink</a> be in here?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0444.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0444.jpg" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0445.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0445.jpg" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0448.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0448.jpg" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0452.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0452.jpg" /></div><br />Evie's room is going to be a little on the tricky side.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0456.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0456.jpg" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0463.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0463.jpg" /></div><br />Wallpaper is on the pitched ceiling. Scalloped trim everywhere.<br /><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0476.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0476.jpg" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0474.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0474.jpg" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0459.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0459.jpg" /></div><br />I don't love the outdated paper, but it's not <i>completely</i> offensive because it's so simple... unlike that bed.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0461.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0461.jpg" /></div><br />Evie was actually with Michael and I when we saw this house for the first time and she completely freaked out over the princess bed. (of course, ugh) The seller was so, so generous and nice with leaving things she thought my girls would love and use. She left some seriously amazing toys and play structure type things in the backyard that I really love. She knew Evie was obsessed with the bed and decided to leave it for her, which was so sweet.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0458.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0458.jpg" /></div><br />The bed has this sort of fort thing in the back and a slide on the side that Evie (and every other kid that's been over to the house) absolutely loves. It makes my head spin to think about keeping this thing in my house. But, then I think about how much she loves it and I feel like I should at least try to make it work for like a year or two? A paint job would go far here, right? I feel like a glossy white would be best. Also a little trim moulding on the edges would help it look less homemade I think.<br /><br />SO MUCH TO DO EVERYWHERE!! :)

Valley House Tour: The Girls' Rooms

My girls have always shared a bedroom. I was a little worried about finding a new house that we could grow into, but one where the girls sti...

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Valley House Tour: Guest Suite

At the top of the spiral staircase, before you get to the play room, is a little guest suite. My parents live about three hours away from us, but they come to Phoenix often (at least twice a month), so we are excited to have space for them in our new house.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0634.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0634.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />Some of you asked about Heather's plans. She moved with us to Arizona and is busy planning the next phase of her life. She recently graduated from college so I think she's ready to start a career after her adventure in New York with us last year. We'll beg her to stay with us occasionally, but I think she might be ready to have her own place now. :)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0666.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0666.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">(More after the jump)...</div><a name="more"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0663.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0663.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />The guest room isn't huge. Without the closets and the little balcony, the room is about 13x13. Just enough space for a queen and a pair of small night stands and a dresser maybe in this corner.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo dDSC_0665.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/dDSC_0665.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2013/04/tiger-chest.html" target="_blank">This dresser</a> would be so pretty there! If it won't fit, I have an <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2012/11/coral-velvet-bed.html" target="_blank">old Draper style</a> that might be just right.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><center></center></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0237.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album4/DSC_0237.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>I forgot to take photos of the balcony, but it's teeny - just enough space for a small chair. There is a little closet out there though that was used for Christmas decorations it looks like and to store the vacuum cleaner? Sort of random. :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo dDSC_0669.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/dDSC_0669.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>This is the room Michael and I have been sleeping in the past week while the floors on the other side of the house are getting ripped out. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0667.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0667.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The kids have been sleeping in the play room next to us and we've all been sharing this small bathroom with the world's most poorly designed pedestal sink. It's one of those shell-shapes and there are about two square inches of flat surface on the whole thing (it's all sloping). My toothbrush has fallen on the floor more times this week than I care to admit. :(</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo dDSC_0635.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/dDSC_0635.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>It's okay though - it just makes me all the more excited to tackle this bathroom! This room is calling out for something fun, don't you think? Maybe encaustic tiles?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo dDSC_0638.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/dDSC_0638.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0637.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0637.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0641.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0641.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>A little update: On the renovations front, things are slow-going. Like with pretty much every reno I've ever been a part of, there have been some delays and hiccups. Not fun. Thanks for your patience with me while we are trying to get settled and work out all the logistical nightmares of moving a family and business cross-country. I promise I'll zip through the rest of this home tour quickly and I'll start sharing the projects that I'm beginning to tackle this week. xo</div>

Valley House Tour: Guest Suite

At the top of the spiral staircase, before you get to the play room, is a little guest suite. My parents live about three hours away from us...

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Valley House Tour: The Play Room

Yesterday <a href="http://instagram.com/p/bRWmmeQW8V/" target="_blank">we started the reno work</a> on the house! Yay, progress! We tore into the drywall and pulled up baseboards. Today the flooring guys are coming over to work on getting up the old tile and engineered wood. I'm excited to share the progress photos once I have a minute to catch my breath. In the meantime, I'm hoping we have a productive couple of days before the holiday weekend. We really need to get these floors finished before the moving truck arrives in a couple weeks and there's so, so much to do.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo dDSC_0645.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/dDSC_0645.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Early this morning the doors going into the kitchen from the music room and the family room were closed off with plastic sheeting to help manage the dust and to keep Linus and the girls out while the work on the floors is getting done. We'll probably take them up to my parents house for a big chunk of the time to keep them safe and out of the way. Plus, my parents' town is always about twenty or thirty degrees cooler than Phoenix, so it will be nice to escape the heatwave here.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0644.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0644.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">(More after the jump)...</div><a name="more"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">While the floors are getting done (and while we're waiting for all our stuff to arrive on the moving truck), we're living in mostly the guest room/play room area of the house. We can also use the kitchen/pantry/mudroom, but pretty soon the dining area of the kitchen will be overrun with boxes of wood that need to acclimate and sit in the air conditioned house for about a week before they can be laid down. So mostly, we're going to be hanging out in the play room when we're home.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo dDSC_0661.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/dDSC_0661.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It's a pretty big room and I think the plan after moving in is to leave it mostly open, so the kids can really run around in the space. Last night we had a cartwheel competition with cousins in here, and pretty much my life was complete. :) We're thinking of putting the smaller of our two tv's in this room. The girls haven't been interested in movies or shows this week (which is also usually the case when we visit - so much space to run around! so many people to play with!), but it is nice to turn on a movie and let the kids chill out while I'm making dinner. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0647.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0647.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm not a big fan of the carpet choice on this side of the house. It looks a little pink here, and while it's not that bad in real life, I'd love to find another wall to wall to replace this shag eventually. I've thought about doing the wood in here too, probably when we do the big kitchen/pantry/mud room reno, but I'm not sold on the idea. The soft, thick carpet is so nice for little knees, I feel like it wouldn't be the same for the kids with rugs on wood floors.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo dDSC_0653.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/dDSC_0653.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0650-1.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0650-1.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I've been thinking it would be so fun to install a hanging chair from the center beam, but it might be just asking for trouble.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0651-1.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0651-1.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The two closets flanking the bay window have shelves for toy storage. The previous owner, who is a sports marketer (can you tell from the jerseys?), had only one daughter. Both of them were so sweet. The daughter is almost nine now and decided to leave a lot of her toys for my girls. We don't have much of anything for the next few weeks other than suitcases with clothes, so it's been nice to have a few toys (and even some bikes!) around the house. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo dDSC_0642.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/dDSC_0642.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0660-1.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0660-1.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On the back wall of the room is a smallish porch that connects the play room/guest area of the house with the backyard (there's no interior hallway upstairs - the only other connection is <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2013/06/valley-house-tour-mud-room.html" target="_blank">the spiral staircase in the mudroom</a>).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0648-1.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0648-1.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0655-1.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0655-1.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Like pretty much every part of the exterior, the playroom porch needs a power wash and a paint job in the worst way.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0672-1.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0672-1.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0675.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0675.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0676.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/DSC_0676.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This shots shows where I want to do the kitchen bump out. We'll have to take out that big ficus tree to do it, which the home inspector recommended we do anyway to prevent any root damage to the foundation of the house or the plumbing. When we close in that patio area below though, our contractor says it would be pretty easy to modify the porch and stairs area here to make a regular size stairway to the upstairs here. We've been dreaming of then turning the spiral stairs in the mud room into a slide. Wouldn't that be crazy cool? That would be so far down the road, but it's a fun part of my "in-my-dreams house to do's" list :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo dDSC_0678.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/dDSC_0678.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />Here are the "more realistic to do's" for the play room:<br /><br />- Paint the walls a light but bright color<br />- Replace florescent lighting<br />- Replace the old ceiling fan<br />- Eventually replace the carpet with something less taupe and shaggy, but equally kid-friendly<br />- Daybed in the bay windows for now, eventually built-in window seats with storage<br />- Sofa and a pair of chairs floating<br />- Hanging chairs?<br />- Small TV and console on east wall (the wall without the windows)<br />- Curtains and shades for privacy/sun protection<br />- Bright, fun art (maybe also a gallery wall of my kid's art?)

Valley House Tour: The Play Room

Yesterday we started the reno work on the house! Yay, progress! We tore into the drywall and pulled up baseboards. Today the flooring guys ...

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Hello, Phoenix!

Whew - what a weekend! We made it to Arizona, exhausted and so happy. The brownstone was packed and our boxes were loaded with about five minutes left to say our goodbyes to the house and take a breath before we had to leave for the airport. We're about 48 hours in and so far, I'm feeling great. Maybe it's easier to close big life chapters without those lingering goodbyes?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_4592copy.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/Album%205/Album%207/IMG_4592copy.jpg" /></div><br />We officially closed on <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/search/label/Valley%20House" target="_blank">the Valley house</a> about 15 minutes ago (HOORAY), so the renovating adventures begin bright and early tomorrow morning! Can't wait.

Hello, Phoenix!

Whew - what a weekend! We made it to Arizona, exhausted and so happy. The brownstone was packed and our boxes were loaded with about five mi...

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