We’ve found a new nest!
The Moulden flock has migrated four miles south-east and we can’t stop raven about it. If you’re ever in the area and need a place to perch, give us a caw.
The backstory
For the record: We weren’t seriously or actively looking to move. We were happy in Bixby Knolls, loved the neighborhood, and Olivia was just getting into the swing of things at daycare. But like most homeowners, we had this little list of “things you wish your house could be.” On our wishlist was a guest bedroom and big tree in our backyard. Another bathroom is always nice to have. And since 2020 remote work became a permanent thing, we each wanted an office space we could call our own.
After our next door neighbors decided to sell and move, we couldn’t help but snoop around on Redfin. On June 1st, we stumbled upon a house that piqued our interest. It was only 4 miles from our old house so we got to stay in the area. Olivia would get a school upgrade. AND it crossed off all our wishlist buckets. So for the fun of it, we put an offer in. A few days later, we were in escrow!
The move
If you’ve ever moved homes, you know what a challenge it can be. Moving with a toddler and two pups cranked up the difficulty of that challenge. Olivia was the queen of unpacking the items we just neatly wrapped and placed into boxes. Peanut and Praline were two nervous nellies as all their toys and blankets slowly disappeared. But after two weeks, lots of packing tape, poorly labeled boxes, and two very unhappy fish in ziplock bags, we made the move.
The transformation
At our other homes in Carson and Bixby Knolls, we painted giant wall murals. We decided to try something new and different in this house. In three different rooms, we hung wallpaper on one wall as an accent wall. Use the arrow sliders below to see the before and after:
All our wallpapers came from Spoonflower. It was surprisingly easier than anticipated to apply. Just add water! You get a little pasty and you definitely need a plastic drop cloth for the floor. Each wall took about 1-1.5 hours to do.
HELPFUL TIPS:
- Wait the full 5 minutes for the paste to activate.
- Cut away the excess wallpaper at the bottom after applying, so it doesn’t stick to the drop cloth or floor, but leave a little to make the final trim above the baseboard once the wallpaper is fully dry (24 hours after applying).
- Wallpaper glue works like a charm for any stubborn corners.
- When doing the final trim around baseboards and windows, change your utility blade often.
Another room that went through a big transformation was our backyard workshop. Here’s what we started with when we bought the place…
We decided we wanted this room to be our art studio, but it needed a little love first. After all the old cabinetry was gutted and the electrical wires cleaned up, we started the transformation:
The next chapter…
We spent four wonderful years at our Bixby Knolls home. And a lot happened in that short time: our family grew big time with the addition of Peanut, Hans, Zimmer, Praline, and of course, Olivia!
We had to say goodbye to our Hopscotch Drive and Central Park wall murals, our tropical oasis of a backyard, and our giant art studio, but we’re excited to plant new roots at our new home.
