Neutrals get a bad reputation for being “boring,” but the truth is they’re the quiet heroes of good design. They create calm, let your home breathe, and give your life room to change. A neutral foundation — floors, cabinetry, countertops — is what allows a home to feel timeless instead of trendy. Bold is what makes a house feel like your house. It’s the vintage rug that doesn’t match anything but somehow matches everything. The patterned curtains you keep thinking about and can’t get out of your head. Or the vintage oil paintings you sourced from an estate sale. The quirky dining chairs from your grandma’s basement that you reupholstered. Bold moments tell your story. If everything is bold, nothing stands out. If everything is neutral, nothing feels personal. So if you’re stuck, start neutral where it’s expensive and permanent… and go bold where it’s easy to change or deeply meaningful to you. IDK about you guys but I don’t have the budget to make expensive mistakes🤪 Where have you gone bold? Have you gotten tired of it or regretted it?

Planning for a fun kids bathroom…my thoughts for this was to keep it timeless and thoughtful for when they get older but also adding some fun elements that can easily be changed out if needed. Coming up with an itemized list has helped me review costs, purchase ahead of time if I see something is on sale, and have all the materials stored in the garage before we get started. How do you plan before tackling a room? Do you wing it or are you a planner?

Hi, I’m Allie 🤍 I’m a wife, mom, designer, and engineer-minded renovator who believes homes are more than projects—they’re long-term investments in the way we live. My husband and I started with very little, renovated our first home ourselves, and learned firsthand how thoughtful design and smart upgrades can completely change a family’s future. That experience shaped everything we do now—from the homes we renovate to the way we think about value, function, and longevity. This group exists for real people renovating real homes. Not highlight-reel perfection. Not trend-chasing. But intentional decisions, lived-in spaces, and progress over perfection. Here we talk about: • Renovations that make sense • Design choices that age well • Budgets, mistakes, and lessons learned • Projects that improve daily life and build equity • Creating homes that support your current season—and the long game Whether you’re DIY-ing one room at a time, renovating a forever home, or learning how to make smarter upgrades, you’re welcome here. This is a place to ask questions, share progress, and learn together. Thanks for being here—I’m so glad you found your way in. Let’s build something meaningful 🤍

If you walked through our house right now, you’d see a lot of things that aren’t “done.” We still have a gutted bathroom. An outdated kitchen we haven’t touched yet. Projects paused mid-way because life, kids, work, and timing all matter. And honestly? That’s exactly how this season is supposed to look. We’ve learned that renovating well doesn’t mean doing everything at once. It means knowing when to wait. Knowing what not to rush. And choosing long-term decisions over quick fixes that don’t serve us later. This house isn’t unfinished because we don’t have a plan—it’s unfinished because we do. We’re living in it. Learning it. Letting the house tell us what it needs before we make permanent choices. Every project is intentional, phased, and built around our real life—not a highlight reel. This is what sustainable renovation looks like: • Some rooms finished, some untouched • Temporary solutions that make sense • Big visions broken into smart, manageable steps And we’re okay with that. Homes don’t have to be perfect to be meaningful. They just have to be built thoughtfully, one decision at a time. If your house feels like a mix of “before” and “after,” you’re not behind—you’re building.

We had a 3%—$9,600 downpayment. Almost every paycheck went straight back into that house. Nights, weekends, learning as we went. We did most of the work ourselves—not because it was easy, but because it was the only way we could afford to make it work. At the time, it didn’t feel glamorous. It felt slow. It felt risky. But what we didn’t realize was that house was teaching us far more than how to renovate. It taught us how small, intentional decisions compound over time. How thoughtful upgrades matter more than trendy ones. How sweat equity can turn very little into something meaningful. When we eventually sold, we had more than doubled the value of that home. But the bigger return wasn’t financial—it was confidence. Confidence that we could learn, build, problem-solve, and create value with our own hands. That first renovation changed the way we see homes forever. Not just as places to live—but as opportunities to build stability, equity, and a future for our family. Currently, we're renovating our second home AND also my Dad's home down the street! This is why this community exists. For real homes, real budgets, and the long game. If you’re in the middle of your first renovation—or dreaming about starting one—you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be 🤍