When we first walked through the farmhouse, before we decided to buy it, we knew it would need updating. The house was dim and muted, covered in floral wallpaper and wall to wall brown carpets. There were cracked pull-down shades in every window, and more linoleum than I’d seen since my childhood home.

But as we rolled up the carpets and ripped down the shades, we realized that the house had beautiful bones–big windows, perfectly preserved wooden floors and elaborate trim. The only parts of the house that really needed updating were parts that had already been updated–the bathrooms, the kitchen and the laundry room. The rest of the house was perfect, if still covered in flowers and beige trim paint.

The brave architect mother of a good friend helped us work through many of our dreams and questions. We found, through all stages of the renovation (planning, hiring, and execution), it was neither has hard nor as easy as we thought. I know, it makes no sense–but you’ll see what I mean.