The Steen Style

Well, it is time for us to unveil some pictures of our new house! We have been working so hard and are getting projects done, just not always as quickly as we want. Patience, right? 🙂 We have been in our house for about 5 weeks now and we have done some really awesome stuff, but this is the first complete project that I can show you. We can’t show you anything that isn’t complete and perfect – come on!

This was our house the day we closed. The thing we love most about our street is that we’re in a cul-de-sac and the thing we love most about our neighborhood is all of the trees! Gorgeous, gorgeous trees are everywhere. Unfortunately, there was a big, invasive Bradford Pear that just had to go. A perfect project for Conner’s dad! 🙂

This is our house now! So pretty and open – you can actually see the house! The tree and old, ugly shrubs are all history. The shutters and front door got a makeover, as well as the garage. I love it!!!

This was the view on closing day from our front porch. Where did the street go? The tree and big, ugly 80’s bushes were covering it all up. That rail that looks metal? Nope, big massive wooden posts that were cemented into the ground. This was NOTHING for my mom! For my birthday, she ripped these all out and I think gave herself more of a workout than she was hoping for. 🙂

This is our gorgeous after! You can see the street!! Lining the steps up to our house now are three different types of Hosta plants for a total of nine Hostas, three Pomegranate plants and three Encore Azaleas! Happy Birthday to me and great job mom!! I love it and love that you don’t feel so enclosed on our front porch.

This was our garage and ugly, ugly plant thingy (I think it was some cedar thing but I didn’t want to learn the name – get out of my life!) before my mom came in and worked her magic. There were actually three massive stumps to that plant on the right – good thing my in-laws brought my brother-in-law’s truck! Conner switched on the four-wheel drive, our neighbors let us borrow a chain and pop! Out came all three stumps with little effort.

This is the after! We planted a double knock-out rose bush in place and it is doing so great. I love my “Rosa de Risa.” My Godmother has a double knock-out bush and hers is amazing! Conner and I fell in love with the plant at her house and had to have one as well. I hope ours does just as great.

We went to our local garage door store and got the hardware to add to our garage. I love the look of carriage doors so we did a 20 minute makeover to add some character. It was so easy to put all of the pieces on and I think gives the door a little something extra – even for a boring garage door! Love it!

This was our front porch view before. Those hedges…ugh…they give me the heeby-jeebies. Who knows what was lurking in there? Once again, mom worked her magic and they were gone before lunch!

This is our after!! You can see the Encore Azaleas (the new kind that bloom twice a year as opposed to just once) really starting to grow and bloom. Conner’s parents got me these Adirondack chairs for my birthday and I love them! The pillows are outdoor orange from Target (of course on both counts, I know – Target and orange…I like to keep a similar pattern in life) and the yellow ‘end table’ is an old pot that I flipped upside down and spray painted. Voila!

This is our cute front porch now! I love it so much!! Of course, no yard of ours would be complete without Pistol Pete. 🙂 Go Pokes!!

So there is a quick preview to our new house! We are really enjoying it and trying to have some fun while we work our butts off every spare moment. 🙂 HUGE thanks to my mom and Conner’s dad for really getting this outdoor transformation going. We wouldn’t have been able to do this without their help so THANK YOU!!! xoxo

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