I can hardly believe we’re already past the halfway point of the year — and halfway through our first year in this house. At the start of the year I decided to slow down on seasonal decorating and crafts and focus on making this space truly feel like ours: a home that reflects what we love and how we live.
Instead of creating a long list of goals for the whole year, I tried something different: three focused quarterly goals, each one centered on a single room. I planned to review progress each quarter, adjust as needed, and set new targets. That approach has helped me stay focused and actually finish projects instead of always starting new ones.
I’m still finishing details in two rooms, but the living room is completely done, and the office and the girls’ bedroom are nearly finished. A few final touches and those spaces will be complete — then I’ll move on to the next area.
If you want to read where I started or revisit earlier plans, you can look back at my goals from January and April and my original “Our New Home” post for context. Stay tuned below to see the next room I plan to tackle.
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How I Did: January–March and April–June Home Goals
Leftover Home Goals for 2020 (January–March)
1. Light Fixtures
- Hallway light in the stairwell: Completed. I also collected several modern wall sconce options for anyone looking for similar fixtures.
- Entry light: Replaced just a few weeks ago — that update made a big difference in the foyer.
- Overhead light in the office: We plan to wait on this until we have a contractor in the house to gut the master bathroom; the electrician can handle it when they’re here, likely in 2021.
2. The Office
- Blinds for the French doors: I chose bamboo shades and ordered them — they were backordered but are expected in early August. Fingers crossed they arrive on time!
Overall I’m pleased: most items on this list are either complete or well underway. Focusing on a short list has made real progress possible, instead of the “set it and forget it” approach I’ve used in the past.
Home Goals for 2020 (April–June)
1. Girls’ Bedroom & Bathroom Makeover
Click/Tap the images below to shop the girls’ bedroom and bathroom:
- Paint bedroom walls: Done — the room was painted Pink Ground by Farrow & Ball.
- Bathroom paint: Instead of painting, I decided to wallpaper the bathroom — it completely transformed the space and looks perfect.
- Accent wall: The wallpaper in the bathroom acts as a lovely focal accent.
- Bunk/Loft beds: Purchased a full loft-over-full bed and installed it — the girls adore it.
- New bedding: We went with zippered bedding that’s ideal for bunk beds — comfortable, practical, and kid-friendly.
- Dresser situation: The tall dresser I’d planned to use didn’t fit, so we’re making do with the dresser we already had; the girls share it for now.
- Wall decor: I reused items we already had and hung a few pieces; the walls need just a few more finishing touches.
- Hem curtains: Still on the to-do list.
- Ceiling fan: Replaced with a model that doesn’t have exposed blades — it’s a subtle but effective change.
- Bathroom light fixture: Replaced — another completed update.
Grade: I’ll give this room an A-. We accomplished a lot, but a few small items remain. I’ll carry those forward into the July–September goals.
2. Finish the Office Space
- Bamboo blinds for the doors: As noted above, these are on order and should arrive soon. Once installed, I’ll share the full reveal.
3. Finish the Living Room
- Hide TV cords behind the wall: Done.
- Add art or decor to the last wall: Instead of art, we added a faux fiddle-leaf fig that fills the space beautifully.
- Hang TV above the mantel: Done.
- Style the bookshelves: Completed using simple styling formulas.
- Hang curtains: Done — the room feels finished and polished.
- Add a gallery wall: Completed and looks great above the sofa.
Grade: A+. I’m thrilled with how the living room turned out — it may be our favorite room in the house.
Bonus: I ordered a new light fixture for our eat-in kitchen area and can’t wait to install it and share the update.
Home Goals for 2020 (July–September)
Here are the next three goals I’ll focus on over the coming months.
1. Finish the Girls’ Bedroom and Bathroom
A few finishing touches remain to complete this makeover:
- Complete the room’s decorative styling using items we already own.
- Paint the window seat (Simply White is the planned color).
- Hem the curtains.
- Decide on and paint the bathroom/shower room color.
- Replace the old toilet paper holder with the new matching hardware I’ve purchased.
2. Add Personality to the Kitchen
The kitchen is functional but needs color and personality. I’m aiming for a coastal-meets-navy vibe that complements the living room while bringing in seagrass texture, blue-greens, and warm wood tones.
- Create or order a custom window treatment for the sink window using a botanical fabric.
- Install the new light over the eat-in table.
- Replace or refresh all cabinet knobs (42 total) — likely with brass knobs to warm the space.
- Add a pendant over the island and more wall decor.
- Introduce a runner in front of the stove and a rug under the table.
- Add bamboo blinds to the French doors and consider new counter stools.
- Possible extras: curtains, a tile backsplash (a first for me), or painting the pantry door or island a fun color.
A kitchen mood board is coming soon — I’ve had a particular inspiration photo pinned for years and I’m excited to translate that vibe into our home.
3. Share the Office Reveal
Once the bamboo blinds arrive and are installed, I’ll publish the final office reveal. I’m eager to show the full transformation.
So that’s my focused plan for the next two months: finish two rooms I’ve already started and add personality to the kitchen. It may not sound like much, but it’s plenty for my budget and schedule.
Keeping smaller, focused goals has helped me finish projects instead of constantly starting new ones. I’m tempted to begin the master bedroom or garage overhaul, but I’m committed to completing what’s already in progress first.
More posts you might enjoy:
- Our Current House
- Two Years: Before & After Home Tour
- Traditional Dining Room Reveal