• Home
  • About
    • France
  • Published
  • Contact
    • Disclosure Policy
    • Privacy Policy
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

So Much Better With Age

  • Seasonal
    • Valentine’s Day
    • Easter
    • Spring
    • Mother’s Day
    • Outdoor
    • Summer
    • Fall
    • Halloween
    • Christmas
    • Winter
    • Parties
  • Organization
    • Organization
    • Printables
  • DIY
    • Crafts/DIY
    • Home Repair
    • Paint/Wax/Stain
    • Sewing
  • Decorating 101
    • Color
    • Decorating
  • Baking Recipes
  • House Tours
    • My House Source List
    • My Current House
    • My Previous House
    • The Old, Old House
  • Shop
    • Instagram Friends
    • My House Source List

November 30, 2015 · 37 Comments

Sweet Little Bungalow – Before Photos of My New House

House Tours

1shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

I have put together some before photos of my new house! There will be lots of renovations happening.

Today is an exciting day over here.

I know you are waiting for Christmas posts from me but you might have to wait a bit longer.

I recently bought a new house and today I’m sharing with you the before photos!

I know! I’ve been waiting to share these with you for what seems like an eternity.

The renovation is going to be fun and the photos will be plenty!

I’ve named my house the Sweet Little Bungalow so let’s take a peek, shall we?

Sweet Little Bungalow - before photos of my new house with a red door and black couches.

When I bought this house, that song was constantly playing on the radio, Sweet Little Bungalow, and this house is very fitting.

It’s smaller than the house I had previously. Almost exactly half the square footage.

I’ll be heading into new territory with showing you how to decorate and organize a small space.

I still have plenty of room so it’s going to be a lot of fun to decorate.

So as you can see, this is the living room.

Excuse the realtor 😉

A man sitting on a armchair in the living room of the new house.

I bought this house from a very lovely family. They even left behind tools and a lawn mower in the garage for me. So sweet!

There is an extraordinary strong smell of incense in the house (I’ll show you why towards the end of the post) and I’ve tried nearly everything to get rid of the smell so if you have any tips I’d greatly appreciate them!

Here is the dining room that leads into the kitchen.

The dining room in the new house with a wooden table and a light fixture above the table.

The kitchen is a good size and I can’t get over how awesome the windows are. The painted kitchen cupboards have seen better days though.

The kitchen with white cabinets and a stainless steel oven.

There is a wooden floor in the kitchen.

A small breakfast table is off the kitchen with a large window.

It’s just the perfect spot to watch my kids play outside in the backyard.

There are corner windows looking into the backyard off the kitchen area.

The back patio has a table and chairs with a large grassy area.

Sliding glass doors from the family room lead off into the backyard.

A family room with a small fireplace.

Stairs from the family room lead to the basement.

A door to the basement is ajar.

The other half of the basement is unfinished which is perfect to do my DIY projects.

An empty room in the basement painted white.

Back on the main floor, this powder room is off the family room.

A small powder room with a toilet and vanity.

Next to the powder room is the small laundry room and now you’ve come complete circle on the main floor of the house.

There is a washing machine and open shelves in the laundry room.

There are shelves above the washing machine filled with laundry items.

Upstairs, there are four bedrooms and two bathrooms.

A shot of the stairwell leading to the upstairs bedrooms.

The master bedroom has plenty of space for a dresser and king size bed with night stands on either side of the bed.

A wooden floor is in the master bedroom.

And has a walk-in closet.

A walk in closet in the master bedroom.

The master ensuite is much smaller than my previous ensuite (sob) but it will be fine for just me.

A small ensuite.

The kids’ bathroom is the same size.

The kids bathroom.

A bamboo shower curtain in the kids bathroom.

The fourth bedroom is going to be my office with a big bright window and vaulted ceiling.

I’d like the kids to do art in this room with me too.

An office with a bed in it.

Here is a bedroom for one of my kids.

One of the bedrooms for the kids.

And finally the source of the incense, this is the second kid’s bedroom.

There was so much incense burning in this room you can see yellow marks all over the walls.

I’m going to wash them down with TSP and see if that helps.

A second small bedroom for the kids.

Sooo, now that you’ve had a chance to take a tour, you’re going to be seeing lots of posts coming up with mood boards and the renovation process.

I hope you stick around for the ride! It’s going to be a lot of fun.

Sweet Little Bungalow - A Renovation Series poster.

More from my site

  • Crock and Wheat Fall Printable
  • The Best Vintage Laundry Room DecorThe Best Vintage Laundry Room Decor
  • Pony Cake and Party Streamers
  • Best Blueberry Pie Recipe
  • French Christmas Dining Room with Evergreen, Pinecones and BannersFrench Christmas Dining Room with Evergreen, Pinecones and Banners

Subscribe to get the latest

free goodies straight to your inbox

Previous Post: « My Favourite Things List
Next Post: Absolute Favourite Blogger Christmas Tours »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Anne at DesignDreams says

    November 30, 2015 at 4:48 am

    Oh I can’t wait!!! Now you’re talking, I love blogs about small houses – I need all the help I can get for furniture placement, paint colour ideas and such!!

    About the incense, was it an East Indian family who had the house? In that culture putting herbs and spices inside the door frame of the back door wards off evil spirits. If that’s not the case, maybe the scent has been absorbed by any carpeting or drapes? A good steam cleaning/dry cleaning might help!

    xo

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      December 21, 2015 at 9:50 pm

      Thanks for the tips, Anne and yes, I can’t wait to organize and decorate a smaller space!
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply
  2. Shal says

    November 30, 2015 at 5:48 am

    Hey Jamie,
    Congrats on your sweet new home!
    I can see you are going to have a whole lot of fun transforming room by room 🙂
    Enjoy the process!

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      December 21, 2015 at 9:51 pm

      Thanks Shal, yes it’s going to be a lot of fun!
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply
  3. Mari says

    November 30, 2015 at 6:02 am

    I have had grant luck with kitty litter for smells. Close off the room and put lots of chap kitty litter in containers. And I have used shellac painted on interiors to eliminate smells in old furniture and cupboards.

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      December 21, 2015 at 9:51 pm

      Thanks for those tips, Mari 😉
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply
  4. Sandi says

    November 30, 2015 at 7:12 am

    The first thing I noticed was the beautiful hardwood flooring. It looks like it is in great condition. The view of the back yard is lovely. I can’t wait to see what you do with the house. I love renovations. I hope that you will be very happy here.

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      December 21, 2015 at 9:52 pm

      Thanks Sandi, yes it’s going to be fun and I love that backyard too 😉
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply
  5. April says

    November 30, 2015 at 8:55 am

    Congratulations on the house Jamie! Cannot wait to see more as you transform it into something beautiful.

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      December 21, 2015 at 9:53 pm

      Thanks April! It’s going to be fun renovating!
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply
  6. Amber says

    November 30, 2015 at 9:00 am

    Congrats on the new house! I’m sure you’ll transform it into a beautiful space! Looking forward to following along!

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      December 21, 2015 at 10:39 pm

      Thanks so much, Amber
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply
  7. Barbara in CT says

    November 30, 2015 at 9:45 am

    Most non-bloggers live in small houses. They are more economical to run and they keep you from accumulating too much stuff.

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      December 21, 2015 at 10:02 pm

      Yes, I cannot wait to purge and live more organized in a small space, Barbara.
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply
  8. Nancy says

    November 30, 2015 at 9:49 am

    Congratulations on your new home. Did you try open bowls of vinegar to get rid of the incense odor?
    If washing the walls does not help, painting may be the solution.
    Smiles

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      December 21, 2015 at 10:02 pm

      Thanks for the tip, Nancy!
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply
  9. Kim says

    November 30, 2015 at 11:46 am

    Can’t wait to see you put your stamp on the new place! Super cute!
    To get rid of smells, especially anything that is going to permeate wood, like cigarette smoke, you need to clean your surfaces with TSP and water. (Available at Home Depot and places like that). Painting your walls won’t get rid of the smell unless you have tsp in the paint or use a primer like Kilz first. Also, change out filters in your air conditioners if you have a heat pump in that as well. You can wash anything like curtains with the TSP. Also using an activated charcoal in bowls around the house with absorb odors as well.

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      December 21, 2015 at 10:05 pm

      Thanks for the tips, Kim. Yes, I was thinking washing walls with TSP and using something like Kilz or Zinsser. Let the fun begin! lol
      Hugs,
      Jamie

      Reply
  10. Jenna says

    December 1, 2015 at 8:04 am

    Jamie!!! It is truly sweet and has SO much potential!! I’m so happy for you! Can’t wait to see you put your magic on it!

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      December 21, 2015 at 10:06 pm

      Thanks Jenna! I’m excited.
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply
  11. Mary Hall says

    December 1, 2015 at 5:50 pm

    Love the new place Jamie. It looks really sweet. Cozy. And now you will have your own office with a huge window. Love it. And the kitchen is a good size, with a table in there. Perfect.

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      December 21, 2015 at 10:06 pm

      Thanks Mary! I can’t wait.
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply
  12. Kristen P says

    December 4, 2015 at 3:03 am

    Congrats on your new sweet home! I will be going into year 2 in January in my own small home with my sweet girl. Yr 1 has been all about fixing the non fun stuff (air, heat, old trees cut down, and cleaning it up). One room was a ghastly orange faux painted. 3 coats of priming! So hopefully I will focus on more fun this year! Lots of used furniture to be re-done. Have fun and can’t wait to see your process.

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      December 21, 2015 at 10:08 pm

      Congratulations, Kristen! Yes, it’s all about the non-fun stuff right now. Redoing furniture will be so much fun though.
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply
  13. Lauren says

    December 5, 2015 at 7:55 pm

    I am so flippin excited for you, Jamie! I can’t wait to see what you do with this place. No idea how to handle the incense smell though. TSP would be my only suggestion too.

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      December 21, 2015 at 10:08 pm

      Thanks so much, Lauren!
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply
  14. Shauna says

    December 6, 2015 at 6:40 am

    Looks like it has loads of potential. I know you’ll make it so beautiful!

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      December 21, 2015 at 10:09 pm

      Thanks so much, Shauna! Merry Christmas
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply
  15. Gaylin says

    December 24, 2015 at 8:14 am

    Hi Jamie! What fun we all will have while you reno your sweet little bungalow!
    As for the incenses odor,you will need to repaint as much as possible with odor blocking paint,along with steam cleaning rugs and floors. The room with the temple you need to even do closet and don’t forget ceilings!

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      December 29, 2015 at 6:50 pm

      Thanks Gaylin! I’m excited. Yes, everything will be getting repainted and redone!
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply
  16. Krista says

    December 30, 2015 at 9:17 am

    How did I miss this?!?! How fun!! I CAN’T WAIT!! to see the progress. Love it!

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      December 30, 2015 at 10:10 am

      Thanks Krista! It’s going to be fun!
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply
  17. Emily says

    December 31, 2015 at 12:19 pm

    Congratulations on your new home, Jamie! I can’t wait to see how you put your signature French stamp on it!

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      December 31, 2015 at 5:38 pm

      Thanks so much, Emily!
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply
  18. April Hoff says

    January 19, 2016 at 3:25 am

    Jamie! I was so busy in November/December, that I must have missed this post! I love these before pics of your place, and I know it won’t be long before you transform some of these spaces. It’s such a great space to begin with! Love the sweet little bungalow! 😉

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      January 19, 2016 at 11:19 pm

      Awww, thanks so much, April!!
      Big hugs, Jamie

      Reply
  19. Laura says

    November 4, 2016 at 10:14 am

    I would first remove EVERYTHING in the house that was left behind from the previous owners and open the windows. All carpets cleaned, or replaced, and floors washed using a solution of Dawn Dish soap/white vinegar and water…..wipe down every possible surface with straight white vinegar….windows, woodwork, appliances, handrails, bathrooms etc. Vinegar is a very good odor neutrilizer.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




 

Primary Sidebar

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Search

Categories

My YouTube Videos

“somuchbetterwithage”

My Book, French Vintage Decor

“somuchbetterwithage”

Footer

Copyright

All images and text on this site are property of So Much Better With Age. Please contact [email protected] to ask for all photo requests. Please do not take my images without first obtaining written permission from me. All free printables offered are for personal use only. Pinning is always welcome and appreciated.

Copyright 2010-2018

Categories

Archives

Let’s Connect

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Looking for something?

House is clean, sun is shining, life is good. Hope House is clean, sun is shining, life is good. Hope you’re having a good Saturday💚 
.
.
.
.
#somuchbetterwithage #idcoathome #greigestyle #interiordesign #neutralhome #neutraldecor #lonnyliving #sodomino #whitekitchen #kitcheninspo #kitchengoals #mydecorlove #vancouverinfluencer #yvrinfluencer #canadiandesigner
Do you know what all these beautiful rooms have in Do you know what all these beautiful rooms have in common! They are all painted in the same paint color - White Dove OC-17 by @benjaminmoore. 💚 White is one of the hardest colors to pick for your home. It can pick up different surrounding colors which is why you can’t just Google a paint color and paint it on your walls. 💚 For my home, Simply White has worked the best. And White Dove is very similar. Swipe to see  some of these gorgeous rooms. 💚➡️ Check my blog post for tips on the best way to pick any paint colors for your home. Link is in stories and in highlights. 
.
.
.
.
#somuchbetterwithage #whitepaint #whitewallcolor #howidwell #howwedwell #idcoathome #greigestyle #homewithrue #howtopickpaintcolors #whitedovepaint #benjaminmoore #designblogger #diyblogger
Last year I totally organized my kitchen pantry an Last year I totally organized my kitchen pantry and tea/coffee/vitamin station and I’m happy to say it still looks the same! Having a spot for each item that you use regularly is so important. Start by checking out my blog post and reading all the tips I have on how to easily measure your cupboards and buy only the organization items that you need. Happy organizing! 💚➡️ Check stories or my highlights for the direct blog post link. .
.
.
.
#somuchbetterwithage #imsomartha #homeorganizer #homeorganization #homeorganizationtips #konmari #konmarimethod #kitchendesign #kitchenorganization #pantryorganization  #organizedhome #organizationhacks #organizingideas #designblogger #diyblogger #yvrinfluencer #vancouverblogger
I love green! The color and greenery. Although I k I love green! The color and greenery. Although I kill most plants so they don’t last long here. I know spring is far far away but this year is really dragging on so far 😂💚🌿🌱
.
.
.
.
#somuchbetterwithage #jungalowstyle #mydomaine #apartmenttherapy #ruedaily #myplantaesthetic #greigestyle #idcoathome #howidwell #howeedwell #simplystyleyourspace #neutraldecor #instahomedecor #homewithrue #designblogger #diyblogger #vancouverinfluencer #yvrinfluencer
Making your own pillow covers is easier than you t Making your own pillow covers is easier than you think! I love changing out my throw cushions on my couch and just being able to store pillow covers is far easier than the whole pillow. 💚 I can only sew straight lines so if I can sew these, you can! It’s an envelope pillow pattern so no zippers or buttons involved. Swipe to see the back of the pillow (chair photo) ➡️ Check stories for the direct blog link and I’ll save it in highlights in my profile. 
.
.
.
.
#somuchbetterwithage #pillowtutorial #sewingpattern #diyhomeproject #diyhomeprojects #diyhome #showemyourdiy #diysewing #diysewingpattern #diysewingproject #diysewing #envelopepillow #livingroominspo #yvrinfluencer #vancouverinfluencer #diyblogger #designblogger
Did you know how much of a difference trim, basebo Did you know how much of a difference trim, baseboards, doors, doorknobs and stair railings make? Like a huge difference! I’m talking all about it on my blog today. Lots of before and photos and details! 💚➡️ Check stories for the direct blog link and in a highlight in my profile. .
.
.
.
#somuchbetterwithage #baseboards #doortrim #doors #stairrailing #stairrailings #homerenovations #neutraldecor #neutralstyle #neutraldecorating #idcoathome #greigestyle #howidwell #howwedwell #ruedaily #interiordesign #interiordecorating #vancouverdesigner #yvrinfluencer #designblogger
Our basement is the perfect place to store seasona Our basement is the perfect place to store seasonal / holiday / decor items. I’ve had plenty of it over the years (too much!) as I’ve been blogging for 10 years! I went through all my Christmas decor this year before I packed it all away and got rid of so much! It felt so good. 💚 Next, I’ll do the same for the other holidays coming up (like Easter, I have 2 bins just for Easter!). Decluttering is easier when it’s done in stages. I’m also really into minimal seasonal decor lately so I think it will be much easier to say goodbye to the extra ‘stuff’. 💚➡️ What about you? Do you have lots of seasonal / holiday / decor items in your home? ➡️ Check out my blog posts on how to organize these items in IG stories. .
.
.
.
#somuchbetterwithage #organization #homeorganization #homedecluttering #imsomartha #idcoathome #homeorganizer #organizingtips #organizingideas #konmari #knomarimethod #yvrinfluencer #vancouverinfluencer
Sometimes it helps to look at your home in terms o Sometimes it helps to look at your home in terms of square footage not how the builder or the previous owner used it. My dining room was once a family room but with our small main floor already having a living room and a very small dining room, we thought this room would be better suited for a bigger dining room (swipe to see the before with the cabinet, the before before when we first bought it and the reno) 💚 It pays to look at your home differently especially during this pandemic. I think we’re all going to look at how we use our homes differently going forward. 💚➡️ What about you? Do you use a room for a different purpose than what it was intended for? .
.
.
.
#somuchbetterwithage #diningroomdecor #diningroomdesign #diningroomgoals #gooduseofspace #idcoathome #currentdesignsituation #simplystyleyourspace #neutraldecorstyles #neutraldecorating #mydecorlove #fromhousetohaven #vancouverinfluencer #yvrunfluencer #designblogger #diyblogger
Oh man, I am so sentimental. It really makes it ha Oh man, I am so sentimental. It really makes it hard to also be a person that is organized and hates clutter! I’m a sentimental purger! 😂 I feel most happy when everything has its place and I’ve kept a few meaningful things, but not too many. Just the right amount. It’s a very fine balance, isn’t it? Do you have a hard time with letting go of sentimental items? I have lots of tips of in my blog post ➡️ Check stories for the link and I’ll keep it in my organization highlight in my profile. Also, I share how to organize and store kids school memories and artwork with free printables!
.
.
.
.
#somuchbetterwithage #sentimental #declutteryourlife #decluttering #declutteringtips #konmari #konmarimethod #mariekondo #imsomartha #homeorganization #homeorganizationtips #organizationhacks #howtodeclutter
The mini transformation in our dining room is now The mini transformation in our dining room is now complete! I took some black frames from IKEA and using Rub n Buff made them look vintage gold. 💪🏻 I’ve used Rub n Buff many times before but never over black! (Thanks for the tip @jennasuedesign 💚) ➡️ Check stories or my profile for a link to my blog post. 
.
.
.
.
#somuchbetterwithage #diycrafts #howwehaven #howihaven #homewithrue #howwedwell #idcoathome #ssmakelifebeautiful #vintagedecor #showmeyourdiy #showemyourdiy #frenchvintage #cornerofmyhome #cottagehomedecor #frenchvintagestyle #yvrinfluencer #vancouverblogger #diyblogger #canadiandesigner

Copyright © 2021 · captivating theme by Restored 316
· Privacy Policy

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkRead more