NewlyWoodwards

an unconventional home

DIY fireplace hearth and stacked stone wall tile

by

Before we install the flooring on the main floor of the house, we wanted to finish the fireplace area – particularly the messy parts (tile and concrete). If you remember, we decided to go with a concrete raised hearth. The process is quite similar to a DIY concrete countertop, so that’s how Ryan approached the process. (Katie […]

Primed and painting

by

When it comes to painting an entire house, the idea can be overwhelming. That is a LOT of walls. And don’t even start thinking about the ceilings or you’ll need a drink. But just like eating an elephant, you can do it one bite at a time. And when the plaster was all ready, we still had to […]

Choosing wood flooring for new construction

by

For every check off the house building list, there are approximately 1,500 unfinished tasks and decisions to make. And floors were a huge decision when it comes to finishing this house. While we were pretty certain we’d go with carpet upstairs for comfort and noise buffering, Ryan and I have had many discussions about the best […]

DIY plaster walls and home progress

by

There have been very few things that Ryan has been adamant about when building this house – plaster was one of those things. While it’s common for new homes to go with drywall, we decided to install plaster board (also known as blue board) and finish the walls with plaster. The biggest reason Ryan chose plaster […]

Inspired: Upstairs bathroom

by

Another week, another bathroom! This time, I’m sharing the ideas and inspiration I’m pulling together for our upstairs bathroom, which is really the main bathroom. For this one, I’m aiming for a classic, timeless look. I really want it to be really warm and neutral. It’s nothing fancy (and everything is 100 percent on a low budget […]

Inspired: Moody downstairs bathroom

by

I believe it should be in the Constitution that a bathroom on every floor in a two-story house is a matter of liberty. This is really about freedom. I’m serious. It’s my platform when I run for President. I will win by a landslide. In our last house, we only had one bathroom and it was upstairs. And […]