“Time is round, and it rolls quickly.”
― Nikos Kazantzakis
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I’m sitting here watching The Home Edit (have you seen it?) and developing a pretty intense labeling and acrylic container obsession. Ha! On this particular episode, the hosts are helping Reese Witherspoon organize her “movie clothes” closet and I was tickled to see she used so much blue and white in her new/historic home! From the looks of it, it was quite the fixer upper and it looks like she really had fun putting her personal stamp on it. Here’s a before photo from the listing and an after screenshot from the show…
Looks like the window got a bit of an upgrade, but the chair rail molding and staircase spindles & banister look the same. I love that she didn’t just rip everything out and start from scratch. Hope she allows someone to come photograph everything for a magazine!
I’m in renovation heaven over here at our place too. I showed you this photo the other day…
…and I’m stoked to share this one with you now too:
We’ll be finished caulking, priming, and painting tomorrow, so I look forward to sharing the next step soon. Here’s a peek at the top of each bookcase so you can see how we made them taller:
I thought I’d include a photo of the tongue-and-groove clear pine planks we used too:
It’s the same stuff we used on the walls in other parts of the room, so this wall ties together with the others now. There will be four cubbies up above these bookcases and Kevin had the great idea to have them wired with electricity while the wall is still open, so I’m having someone come over to take a look next week.
Would you believe we’ve been in this (14-year-old) house for 8 years? Yep. We bought it in October of 2012. It’s come a long way, but there’s still plenty of work left to do. We’ve never fixed up either of our bathrooms upstairs and they could both reeeeally use various kinds of cosmetic and repair work at this point. Built-in bookcases are so much more fun though, ya know? 😉 And these “book”cases are actually going to have doors and hide a lot of stuff that currently lives inside a walk-in closet just around the corner which will become a home office space for Kevin, so crossing this off our to-do list is sort of like adding a brand new room onto our house at the same time, too! 😀
Time rolls quickly…be back soon!
Layla
Can’t wait for more progress pics!
I saw that Home Edit episode too! Yay! More remodeling posts from Layla!
Love to see the progress Layla! You always come up with such great solutions for your home. Thank you for taking us along with you. 😊
Aw, thank you Kathy! I appreciate your kind comment so much!
Yay! Love to see you back on the blog. 🙂
Thank you, Kristen! It’s good to be back!
I’m so glad your blogging again! Missed you bad
I guess I’ll have to Google The Home Edit… I’ve not heard of it
Hi Cristie! Warning about the show: between the hosts, their team, and the homeowner there is a LOT of…squealing (ha!), but their ideas are fantastic and so fun to see! 🙂
My first true love….the blog! I love that this intentional and avoids mindless scrolling. Plus, more words! That said, I always love your “stories” on Instagram.
Thank you, Julianna! Feels good to create, share, and connect this way right now and I’m so glad you’re a blog lover too! 🙂
Looking forward to more of the remodeling! Also, I hadn’t heard of Home Edit, and will be checking it out.
Thanks, Ann! Hope you’re having a sweet week!
I’ve been missing your stories on Facebook. Happy to see exciting changes with the bookcases.
Love how you added height to the shelving and how fun is it going to be to fill it up! Looking good, can’t wait to see the cubby’s on top, what a creative use of space! 👍🏼 You have always been good at that.., like your beloved little reading nook in your first home! 👍🏼👊🏼👏🏼
You’re the first blog I followed back in “the day”- I’d start at yours & then go to your blog friends page to make the rounds through others. My husband would hear me say all too often “so I saw on Lettered Cottage” and he knew a project was coming for him! 😂 So glad to have a post again like this- how fun!!
It really is nice to see you blogging again. You’ve been missed!
It’s so fun to have you back blogging! I watched Far from the Madding Crowd (per your recommendation) and it was SO good. Thank you. Also, would you be willing to share the source of your rug (in the book case room)? I can’t wait to see things come together. Your blog is such a point of sunshine and joy!
I love the shelves and I feel like I’ve stepped back in time commenting on a blog post. Have we ever seen picture of the walk in closet for Kevin. Would love to see a b4.
Omg, yes. I binge watched the home edit in like 2 days. Its addicting.
This looks amazing already and I love everything about your cute house/family.
I’m considering purchasing the billy bookcases, too.
Can’t wait to see the finished results.
Have an amazing day, Layla
Love, Denise
Love your blog posts so much
Wow! I can’t believe you have already been in this house for 8 years…it seems like just yesterday! I have been following you and Beneath my Heart since you were in your old house. I love watching your family and the projects and decor are so inspiring. This is not I gift I have but you break it down and make it possible for me. Thank you for being a bright light!
I have Reese Witherspoon’s book “Whisky (?) in a Teacup”…she shows her “old“ definitely, historic home in the book…can’t believe she’s going to be moving from that one to another? (Tax breaks)… The pictures in the book show a really traditional (wallpaper), collections…antique-filled home…beautiful! As I’m sure this one will be also. I’ll have to find the program. Glad you are back, Layla! So enjoy you and Stephenson and your cooking, baking sweetness, lovely home too. Those bookcases are going to look amazing❤️
Layla,
Can I ask, do you have a link to the rug in your bookcase photos? I am looking for a blue and neutral rug. Your home is beautiful and I love built-ins. We used 2 31 1/2″ wide billy bookcases in our playroom on each end of a 15 3/4″ billy laid on it’s side to make a window seat.
Hi Valerie!
The rug is no longer available on PotteryBarn.com, but if you want to search for one on eBay, it’s called: Gwyn Hand-Knotted Rug
Hope that helps!
Layla
What a great addition! And then the closet turned office, yes! The value you guys have added to your home is amazing. Should you all sell, it’ll get snapped up quick!!
~ Jillfromahill
Aw, thank you Jill! We don’t plan on being here forever, but we’d like to hang on to the house as a rental in the future in case Steevenson ever wants it as his own. I appreciate your kind comment about the work we’re doing on it! 🙂
I keep trying to find the walk-in closet in the floor plan in my mind. Ha!
Is it to the left of to the refrigerator in the first picture? Also where is your front door in relation to the dining table?
Hi Catherine!
The walk-in closet is in the “sunroom” (where the daybed is) and it shares a wall with our guest bathroom.
Our dining table is about 4 feet away from the front door. It’s one of my least favorite parts about this house! :-/
Hi Layla!!
You’ve done an amazing job of renovating your house into a warm welcoming home. The bookcases look really great and with the added electrical wiring you can go in so many directions.
Can’t wait to see more great ideas!!
Pam
xox
Looks amazing so far! Will you be adding the stikwood to these as well?
I’m hoping that you’ll consider a post about details; to be specific, I am working on pulling my bedroom together. Its always the last room in the house (for me) yet it’s the first room you see in a day. I am tired of it not being …well, nice. I have a small budget (think $1,000 or less) so I have been reading and re-reading and searching through some of your old blog posts (cause they were so helpful) for ideas, tips, tricks. The bed I managed to purchase a year ago. I am in the process of acquiring Ikea Hemnes dresser and nightside tables, (and I really want the Hemnes mirror but it seems they’ve discontinued it – Grr!!!!!) so now I’m looking at nightside lamps, curtains, curtain rods (and finials!), artwork etc. Its super fun but it’s also kind of overwhelming. I seem to be drawn to Farmhouse Chic/Cottage style, so I wish you could do a post -like photo idea boards- with examples of how details can lend themselves to certain decor styles; ex. these lamps with these finials and a lamp like this could create a cottage style, but this group creates a modern look. You have some really awesome ideas. I hope you’re well. I’ve noticed a slow down in blog posts to read.