Well, this is exciting! I know, I know, it's been a minute but really, that's no fun to write about or read so let's just skip ahead.

Four years ago we bought a house with my parents. It was always a temporary situation, helping them save money in the gap between work and retirement and us save for a deposit on our own home.

It hasn't been without its challenges (that's a post for another time, once I have some distance and perspective) but as we prepare to part ways, after a year of lockdown madness I can definitely see the benefits.

We put out house on the market in the summer and I soon realised how much more stressful navigating a sale and a move would be with more than one family involved. I was ready for a full on breakdown by the time we got a buyer and after a run of shoddy luck I wasn't at all surprised when they pulled out days later and we had to pull our offer on the house we had found.

It just felt like a great way to round out 2020.. but Mum and Dad had also found a house and so we decided to revisit an earlier plan, to buy them out.

It's a question I've had a lot, they bought a quarter of the house we currently live in and so when we sold they would take their quarter back out. Instead, we are buying their share and so in the New Year they will (all being well) move in to their new home and we will move in to the rooms that were theirs.

It's a larger house than we had intended to buy for just the four of us but since we made the decision my mind has been on interior overdrive. There is so much space and so much potential and I just can't wait to get started.

Having shared common spaces for 4 years we will all be incredibly grateful for things we would have otherwise taken for granted so just playing music in the kitchen while I cook or sitting alone in the garden will feel like a privelege but I can't tell you how excited I am to put my own stamp on the place and BUY A DINING TABLE!!!

I'm going to share the progress as we go but since we're still a couple of months away from the finish line, I thought some mood boards for each of the rooms might be interesting for you and help me keep track of the ideas that are swirling.

Today I have been all about the garden (and the pipe dream of an all American back porch) but we've already had the kitchen measure up for new counter tops and I have so many plans for what will be my office. ARG!!! SO MANY PLANS!!!

Thanks for sticking with me over here, as inconsistent as I have been. I love my little blog, after 10 years I can't imagine letting it go completely but I am a fairweather poster these days so your continued check-ins are appreciated. Hopefully this next 12 months will be a fun ride and it will serve as a great record of what will feel like a total rebirth, personally.