Our 2022 Home Project Goals and Reader Survey!

Every year, Robert and I love sharing our big dreams for the year with a New Year, New House Goals post and asking what you would like to see.

The past week of this New Year has been filled with a lot of soul searching for me. Not that I’ve felt all that “lost”, per se. But the path where Bless’er House is heading has looked fuzzy to me for a while, so I gave myself some grace to take a breather and reflect for a bit.

Robert and I still have plenty of work to do in our current house, but when we’re finished, I have no intention of us moving for the sake of content. That’s just not real life. We’re real people.

I want to use this blog for good in our community is some way.

More makeovers for friends are happening this year. (Yay!) One day, when our kids are older, I would love to provide decorating services for Habitat for Humanity or design break rooms as an escape for teachers in schools (actually, they deserve way more than that).

Maybe even launch a bonafide Bless’er House Design Service with actual clients or renovate a vacation rental home eventually. Those seem like lofty goals, but then again, this blog seemed like a lofty goal at one point.

So for now, the year 2022 looks something like this for us…

1. Room Makeovers in Our Community

We are planning a couple of room makeovers in the coming weeks!

Here’s a peek of one in the planning phase. These quick 1-3 day spruce-ups are some of our absolute favorites to do for nearby neighbors and friends, and we hope it helps give you guys ideas too.

2. Playroom Storage

Last year, we added doors to our existing built-in IKEA bookshelves for hidden storage and changed the furniture with flexible seating for a quick playroom refresh since our girls are getting a little older.

But the other side of the room still needs help, especially now that we’ve set up a TV in here (seriously, I couldn’t handle one more episode of Peppa Pig). That is getting a reevaluation soon.

3. Staircase Revamp

I’ve always pictured some kind of runner on this staircase (which will make them safer because all of us have slipped on these slippery stairs at one point or another) with more streamlined balusters that are more “us”.

Here’s hoping it’ll be a fairly simple DIY we can conquer without any hiccups.

Nothing too crazy… just something a tad simplified, but I think it will make a big difference. I love these smaller balusters from Marie Flanigan Interiors.

4. Breakfast Nook

The traffic flow and furniture arrangement in our breakfast nook has always driven us craaaaazy. There are four doorways in this tiny space, one being a main entry from our garage.

We have big plans to build an addition by taking some space out of our garage next year for a pool accessible bathroom, laundry room, and mud room, which means we need to move two doors in the breakfast nook. It’s going to be a big job, but it will drastically improve our home’s function.

I keep envisioning a banquette in this space. It will be so quaint when it’s finished!

I love the concept of this dining nook by Jaci Daily. Ours would be on a smaller scale, of course. 😉

5. Garage Makeover

Our garage has always needed some serious help. Even just a coat of paint would do wonders. But we plan to do more than that.

A garage overhaul was on the list of to-dos last year, and then a few unforeseen circumstances completely threw our plans off course. It’s a brand new year, and we’re up for the challenge.

6. Back Porch Fireplace

I still want a fireplace on this back porch. There’s no guarantee it will happen, but I’m putting it out there and just hoping it will come to fruition.

Maybe possibly it could be as simple as adding an electric fireplace insert and framing around it? How hard could it be, right? I have faith we can do it.

7. Powder Room Refresh

Me thinks the powder room is due for a refresh. Not that there’s anything wrong with it; I’m just thinking maybe changing out the vanity for our that is more our style since I just painted the existing vanity as a make-do fix last time.

Maybe a new color on the baseboard? Different wallpaper? Wheels are turning here. I feel a pull in a new direction.

8. Improving Landscaping

Our grass has looked so sad amidst all of the backyard jobs since last year. Now we can start to focus a bit on the trees/grass/plants situation.

9. Concrete Stamp the Pool

This might be more of a 2023 project, but we would love to stamp the concrete around the pool to resemble brick pavers.

10. Kitchen Remodel Planning

You can bet your bottom dollar a kitchen remodel won’t be happening this year, but we are in the planning phase! (And I think we’ve discovered a hidden secret about those shelves beside the stove… it’s actually an old secret doorway. Ideas are swirling now.)

I didn’t get the chance to fully plan our bathroom remodel this past year with our rush job situation, so this time, we will be on top of it in the kitchen. I’m leaving nothing to chance.

Even though our kitchen is small-ish, I think we’re starting to figure out how to pack a lot of punch in it. This one from Park & Oak is a goodie…

I’m sure plenty of other small makeovers and projects will be sprinkled in there too. We definitely have our work cut out for us.

My goal is always to share posts that help you though because you are the reason this blog even exists.

So will you do me the biggest favor ever and tell me what you need help with in your home this year in the 2022 Bless’er House Reader Survey below?

I don’t say it enough – thank you so much for being here. I am always so grateful for you sharing in this home journey, and I hope we give back to you in return. Can’t wait for so many good things ahead!