In full transparency, we hadn’t planned to renovate our house on the show. Our plan had been to wait until we had finished filming for the year so that we could take our time with our remodel, without the pressure of production schedules and cameras documenting our progress. But, our filming schedule was extended so we made a quick decision to squeeze our remodel in before the end of the year so that we could be settled before Christmas.

So, we jumped right in before I had had time to process all of the changes in store. As we started making plans and then demo’ing spaces, my emotions caught up with me. My babies have been raised in this house and the memories we have made within these walls are deep treasures.

Thank you for being gentle with my tender momma heart. This one was such an emotional and vulnerable episode. I’m immensely grateful this home and, most of all, for these people. We are blessed beyond measure.

In your home…

You should be surrounded by the people and things you love.

Your people should feel welcome and safe.

There should be intentional spaces carved out for the ones you cherish.

And you should display the things that bring you joy.

Don’t overthink it. It really is that simple. 🤍

The pieces that tell your story are meaningful and beautiful and deserve to be seen. Like the rocks we collect on our travels, the antique door knocker we found this summer at the market in Brugge, the painting representing Jesus leaving the ninety-nine for the one, or the vintage paintings we found together in Florence.

SOURCES

Ceiling Fan | Kichler

Lights | Rejuvenation Hardware

Cabinets | Premiere Wood Concepts

Cabinet Knobs & Pulls| House of Antique Hardware

Art | Light Your Home

Rug | Turkish Trunk

Sofa | Howse

Coffee Tables | Dave Marrs

Wall Paint Color | Benjamin Moore White Dove

Built In Paint Color | Farrow & Ball Drop Cloth

The transformation of our new main suite was a big one and the most emotional change for me as a momma. When we moved to the farm, this bedroom was first Charlotte’s nursery, and then when Sylvie came home two months later, it was the room the girls shared for five years. When I was pregnant with Luke, we renovated the playroom upstairs and added a dormer to create two new bedrooms for the girls and their room became Luke’s nursery.

Now, five years later, we moved Luke upstairs and created a new main bedroom out of his old bedroom, a new sitting room out of his old playroom and a new bathroom by combining his closet and our old bathroom. Our old bedroom became our new closet. Whew, it was a lot. 😆

I didn’t realize how emotional this process would be but, as with all things in life, I just had to walk through the grief of what was and embrace the beauty of what is.

I’m immensely grateful for this new space and absolutely love beginning and ending my day surrounded by so much beauty. I’ve waited ten years to remodel our bedroom and bathroom and I specifically chose ALL of my very favorite things for the design. I love, love, love every single thing in here! 

SOURCES

Bedroom Furniture | Dave Marrs

Bedding | Crate & Barrel

Bedroom Rug | DJM Collection 

Wallpaper | Kelly Ventura 

Wall Paint Color | Farrow & Ball Jitney

Sofa | DJM Collection

Rug | Turkish Trunk

Art | Buddy Whitlock

Coffee Table | Dave Marrs

Cabinets | Premiere Wood Concepts

Wall & Cabinet Paint Color | Farrow & Ball Treron

SOURCES

Vanity | Premiere Wood Concepts

Mirrors | Crate & Barrel

Double Sconce | Lulu & Georgia

Single Sconces | Lulu & Georgia

Faucets, Shower Kit & Tub Kit | Atmosphyre 

Vanity Knobs | House of Antique Hardware

Countertops | Verona Marble

Countertop Fabricator | Gunn Granite

Tile | Tiles of Ezra by Jonathan Lambert

Rugs | Turkish Trunk

Tub | Cotto Manetti

Sauna | Finnleo Installed by Robert Cox

Closet Cabinets | Premiere Wood Concepts

Closet Cabinet Knobs | Amazon

Bathroom Wall Paint Color | Benjamin Moore Simply White

Closet Wall & Cabinet Paint Color | Farrow & Ball Drop Cloth

We sat down as a family before we started our remodel to talk through how the spaces within our home were working for each of us. Luke requested a bed with a bridge and a swing. Charlotte declared her room was perfect and she just needed a horse (to which we laughed because we had no plans to actually fulfill that request). Sylvie also loved her room (we had added on upstairs a handful of years ago to give the girls new rooms) but she did ask for an updated bathroom that better fit this preteen season. The twins were content with their shared bedroom and were a little hesitant when we suggested Luke move into their current room. They were on board when they learned of our plan to turn the storage above the garage into individual bedrooms for them.

The kids were all involved heavily in design decisions (I’m sad those moments were cut from the episode). They chose paint colors, tile, bedding and we went on many antique-store shopping trips together for the perfect decor. Creating these new spaces was a joy to do together. Big kids are pretty fun. ☺️

I always say, your home should work for you in the season you’re in. It seems, we have entered into a new season in which my babies have all grown into big kids and teens and my heart and our home are just trying their best to keep up. 🤍

SOURCES

Rug | DJM Collection

Wall Paint Color | Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze

SOURCES

Wall Paint Color | Farrow & Ball DeNimes

SOURCES

Bedding | Crate & Barrel

Bed Frame | Custom by Dave Marrs

Wall Paint Color | Benjamin Moore Dark Olive

SOURCES

Swing | HK Living

Bunk Beds | Dave Marrs

Rug | Turkish Trunk

Cabinet Knobs | Top Knobs

Wall Paint Color | Benjamin Moore White Dove

Cabinet Paint Color | Farrow & Ball Treron

SOURCES

Mirror | Crate & Barrel

Vanity | Premiere Wood Concepts

Countertops | Verona Marble

Countertop Fabricator | Gunn Granite

Faucet & Shower Kit | Gerber

Tile | Tiles of Ezra By Jonathan Lambert

Rug | Turkish Trunk

Towels | Marrs Mercantile

Wall Paint Color | Farrow & Ball Drop Cloth

Cabinet Paint Color | Farrow & Ball Sulking Room Pink

The big kids are heavily involved in sports these days so we turned an unused garage bay into a home gym. Most importantly, I had a friend create a mural to remind my kids of Truth each day when they enter into this space. 

AFTER

SOURCES

Treadmill | Your Total Fitness Shop

Elliptical | goTRG

Wall Equipment | Tonal

Wall Painting | West Oak Watercolor

Wall Paint Color | Benjamin Moore White Dove

Charlotte has asked for a horse for yeeeaarrssss but Dave grew up with horses and knows how much work they are and he wanted to be sure this wasn’t a phase she would grow out of (like the unicorn and pig phases 😊). Meanwhile, for the past six months, I had been conspiring with Joe and Tim to wear Dave down. 😆

When Tim found a horse that needed a new home because her owner could no longer care for her, we asked him to go meet the horse and determine if she would be a good fit. He reported back: she’s gentle, mild-tempered and is used to young riders. Reluctantly, Dave gave in and Mr Tim delivered her to us, effectively turning an ordinary Monday into what Charlotte described as, “the best day of my whole entire life!”

Sadie Buttercup Marrs has brought a lot of joy to our farm and, while the sheep barn worked as a temporary shelter, we knew we needed a real stable. Charlotte and I poured over stable ideas and photos for hours. She helped design this adorable new home for Sadie (including a large stall for the other animals and a tack room) and the twins logged a lot of time with their dad helping with its construction. (Again, this didn’t make the episode because the boys shy away from the camera ☺️).

This new stable was a labor of love by our whole family and makes me smile every time I glance out the kitchen window and see it in the pasture. I was never a horse person, but Sadie has converted me. Watching her and Char together is like watching all the best parts of childhood: pure happiness, sweet innocence and unconditional love. 💕

I’ve heard it said, “Every horse deserves, at least once in its life, to be loved by a little girl” and I could not agree more. 🤍

SOURCES

Windows, Siding & Trim | Plygem

Art | Buddy Whitlock

Landscaping | Christy Lamers Blossom Landscape & Design

Door Paint Color | Farrow & Ball Sulking Room Pink