When we found our house here in Mt. Lebanon, we felt that we’d found our “diamond in the rough.” I still think so, but it’s a lot more “rough” than I thought to renovate a home with two small kids! Many of our reno plans have been impossibly large, but sometimes it’s the easiest ones that take a back seat in our house.

After taking down the tree on New Years Day, I decided to give the house another fresh start, and tackle the project I’d been planning for a year– painting our living room bookshelves. They were a dark gray, and just sucked up the light. They had also become yet another toy storage area.  My mission was clear: reclaim adult space and brighten the room!

One day, some primer, and some paint, and now they are a bright, cheerful white. The BEST part about this little redo? I discovered another secret of the house–the bookshelves had doors! I found evidence in the form of hinge marks in the trim, and those little knobs at the top that hold doors closed. We are always trying to find ways to enhance the character of our home in a historically accurate way, and I’m very excited to get some glass front doors for them this year. I think the doors will help with my mission to control the toy clutter (i.e. keep toys OUT of my bookshelves!)

 This time of year is a great time to paint, because the air is so dry. The paint should cure faster and (hopefully) nice and hard so you don’t get that gummy feeling. Many paint brands are low/no VOC (volatile organic compounds) now, so it’s safe to paint this time of year, with the windows closed. So the next time you need a fresh start, grab a paint brush and spend a couple of hours on the house–and keep your eyes peeled for your house’s secrets. If you look closely, you’re sure to find something new!