Our_Restoration_Journey on LTK
Our_Restoration_Journey
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Historic home renovation & decor, gardening, mid life shenanigans, and finds you’ll love. Find us @our restoration journey on socials!
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Anyone else notice how low the handles seem? I guess when the door is 8’ tall 😉 and the house is built in 1860… Quite a few doors had been painted over the years and our goal has been to bring them back to the original wood. We estimate about 4-5 layers of paint over the 100+ years The @dumondinc Smart Strip has been our absolute favorite to use! Works quickly, doesn’t smell like the others and as you can see - makes a dramatic difference! And Dumond if you are listening - we’d love love love to work with you! 😉❤️ We use - Smart Strip, plastic wrap, small copper brushes, and a stiff putty knife for this job. Still have one more go round and lots of additional patience and then we’ll probably just do a clear coat. The wood is very old Douglas Fir and original to the house. So gorgeous! This has been the best combination of paint remover so far! After this will be to finish the bathroom door. Coming soon! Please share - we need to keep these beautiful old homes in the limelight! If you have any questions, let us know! Amazing community that loves old homes like we do ❤️❤️
Don’t Blink This week? Temped our soul. Way too many tears. Worried about the future and what is next. Stress over bank account balances. Praying that someone is okay. Watching a friend do very hard sh*t. Don’t Blink. You could miss something amazing. Hope everyone had a great week in a small town. A big city. With family and friends. Or spending some time on your own. ❤️ Love y’all
We’ve been staring at this window for 2 years. I worked on the old caulk and prepping and Clark got to work on the rotted wood. We had to utilize the old wood from a different project in the house. A 2x4 now is really a 1.75x3.5 and the old wood is a very hard true 2x4. Sooo… to get a good patch we need the old 2x4 size. I hope that makes sense. The wood hardener? Dream product. It helped so many “spongy” pieces around the house. That and Bondo was a huge help. Stay tuned for the next step - but it went well today! Restoration of an old house is always a challenge. We are getting there!
Restoring Tools
This room was a mess when we started. The smell was awful, the plaster was crumbling and the wallpaper was peeling. Now it’s one of my favorites because of the lighting. Plus the mantle from the 1860s
Restoring an old home is sometimes about the little things. A room with a view. The gorgeous moldings. The way the chandelier creates a room. It’s also about the counterbalance windows where the rope is broken. The glazing is coming off. The paint is peeling. And then you bring it all back together. A room with a view. The paint is Sherwin Williams and is called Egret White ❤️
This room was blue peeling plaster and wallpaper. Raccoon 💩 falling through the ceiling and onto the floor. The smell? Oh my. Now everyone that comes here says this is the room to relax. Enjoy. Meditate. Paint. Be an artist. I say it’s a great room for romance and love. What do you think? Thank you again @therealseanhass and @caitlyngoldsmithhair for a wonderful and delightful weekend. Amazing pics of th two of you 💕 #poundhomeandgardens #love #beauty #ourrestorationjourney #LTKHome #LTKOver40
Sitting Room
It’s been sooo hot this week. We live in the middle of farm land so we don’t really worry about neighbors seeing us. But when you live in a home built in 1860 and it’s painfully hot and the electric bill is 💸 you have to do something. This is the east side of the house and the sun is intense until about 2pm. With this woodwork? We needed no drill. Our windows are 37.5” x 90” (yes 90”) so we ended up with 37”x 64” so we could see outside too. And the furballs. They need to see outside too. Obviously. 😉 Did we love these so much we bought two more for the parlor and blackout version for our bedroom? Yes. Yes we did. They will be here Friday 😉 Such a success!
Some of you reached out and asked to see the room with the big staircase. So… challenge accepted. Is it finished? Absolutely not. Is the ceiling new? Yes. Is the chandelier stunning? Also yes. Does anything else match? Not even a little. We’re talking mismatched furniture, random everything, 1975 blinds on 10-foot windows… and then BAM 💥 a chandelier trying to live its best Ralph Lauren life. This room is in its awkward teenager phase, but the vision is classic, moody, timeless, and very Pound Home & Gardens. Stay tuned. She’s going to glow up. Tell me: would you lean traditional or modern in a historic staircase room? #historicrenovation #oldhousecharm #staircasegoals #homeinprogress #fixerupper interiorinspo classicinteriors moodyhome oldhousevibes
🎄Still undecided on the “naked bunny lamp”? You’ve zoomed in. You’ve clicked the link. You’ve pondered your life choices. Maybe it’s time to just… hop to it. 😂 Perfect Christmas gift. A conversation starter. Slightly questionable taste…. but that’s what makes it iconic. #poundhomeandgardens #hotmessandironman #nakedbunnylamp #christmasgiftideas #moodyhome #eclectichomedecor #ltkhome #holidaydecor #funnyhomedecor #LTKHome
Living Room
I don’t think people realize what this actually looks like… We’re restoring an 1860 house. While working full time. While being exhausted. While having 47 projects started and none finished - anyone relate to that one? 🙋🏼‍♀️ Some days it’s beautiful. Most days? It’s dust, chaos, and wondering what we got ourselves into. But we’re still here. Still showing up. Still trying to bring this place back to life. If you’re into the real version of this journey… not just the highlight reel… We’d love to have you along on the ride with us! #ourrestorationjourney #poundhomeandgardens #oldhome #restoration
The before shots don’t even look like the same house… and honestly? That’s the magic of restoring an 1860 home one stubborn inch at a time. It definitely makes it all worth it. ♥️ Swipe to see the glow-up: the chandelier, the moody lighting, that wallpaper (Right?!), the wood floors, and the built-ins finally coming back to life. We still have decorating to do, but WOW, she’s giving historic charm meets modern elegance, and I’m not even done yet. If you’re dreaming up your own old home renovation, engagement-photo-ready spaces, or a full dining room transformation… welcome to Pound Home & Gardens 🖤✨ Hashtags #OldHomeRestoration #HistoricHomeRenovation #DiningRoomMakeover #BeforeAndAfterHome #WallpaperDesign #ChandelierLove #MoodyHomeVibes #RestoredWithLove #PoundHomeAndGardens #HotMessAndIronman #DIYHomeProjects #VintageHomeCharm #RenovationJourney #BuiltIns
✨ Dining Room Lessons ✨ The first photo? Yep… that’s what we walked into. Scary gross, peeling plaster, wallpaper hanging on for dear life, and yes, we actually lived in it like that. 🫠 The later photos? That’s the gift. Golden light spilling through 160-year-old windows, reminding me to pause and notice the little bright spots this old house gives us. And if you look closely… a rainbow sparkle showed up. A little bridge reminder of our sweet boy, Tiki 🐾🌈, who filled this home with love and was my companion for 18.5 years. What I’ve learned? Restoration is messy, exhausting, and sometimes overwhelming. But, there’s always light if you stop long enough to see it. 💛 ✨ #OldHouseRestoration #HistoricHomeLove #RenovationJourney #RainbowBridge #HotMessAndIronman #LTKHome
Dining Roon
I had a good friend ask me about the house. I don’t talk about it constantly like I used to. They asked why? I’m working too much. There is so much to do. #75hard . Nothing is finished. I’m sad. My stupid health. They said go home. Spend some time with her. Talk about things. They were right. I took a couple of videos. They aren’t perfect. I have a messy desk. But you know what? It’s gorgeous. It just feels good. This is your sign. Take a breath. Love your animals. Love your spouse. Remember to enjoy the moments like this. #love
Sometimes it’s best when you don’t know the whole story of a historic home. The fires. The very old pipes. How in the world was there a tub, sink, and toilet in this room?! I had the vision. Clark had the trust. We had a lot of no spend months to help pay for this. But, when we see this bathroom? Wow. Thank you for following along on this journey. We can’t wait to bring you with us on the next adventures. ♥️ #youmustbelieve #poundhomeandgardens #oldhome #LTKHome
If restoring an old home was easy… But here’s the truth: There were tears. There was blood. There was Raccoon 💩 (so much). There was… a chimney we did NOT ask for. There was hard labor, bruises, and a few “why do we live like this?” moments. And still, I wouldn’t give a second back. Restoring an 1860 home is messy, magical, exhausting, and the most rewarding experience of our lives. Welcome to #PoundHomeAndGardens, where we make old things beautiful again. 🖤✨ Even an upstairs bathroom renovation 😉
Bright Bathroom
Pet hair If you are like us and have pets, this new to us washer has been a game changer. All that hair is from one blanket that I must admit, I hadn’t washed for a while. Yuck. So impressed with how much hair it pulled versus the inside of the drum or down the water line. Love #LTKhome #LTKdayinmylife
Restoring an old house can be fun. Clark worked so hard with his aunt and uncle on the cabinets! They made them all by hand. Such a beautiful job. The color is Jasper Green by @sherwinwilliams 💚 It makes doing laundry a pleasure most days. Loving the gold hints of the hangers and the pulls throughout the room. The washer is a new pet hair “catcher” and it does miracles with grabbing the hair. #ltkdiy #ltkhome
This laundry room used to be a yellow nightmare. Trees literally growing through the walls, indoor/outdoor carpet on the floor, plaster and lath falling apart, and just… filthy. Clark tore everything down to the studs, installed new drywall, painted, and hand-built custom cabinets for 13-foot ceilings with his uncle. And @sherwinwilliams ? Gorgeous paint color - Jasper ❤️ Now it’s a historic home laundry room glow-up that actually makes doing laundry feel luxurious. Old house renovation is not for the weak, but wow, it’s worth it. Stay till the end to see the before. #ourrestorationjourney #poundhomeandgardens #laundryroommakeover #LTKdayinmylife #LTKHome
Laundry Room
It’s the little things. I recently had surgery and so thankful we had planned ahead when renovating this bathroom! - Zero threshold shower - Tile running the length of the bathroom - A wand for your shower (not just the shower head) - towels down low - niche holds shampoo and such at a lower space This has helped me so much! #aftersurgery #LTKrenovation
Everything takes time. But the mood is there. #ourrestorationjourney #poundhomeandgardens #darkandmoody #oldhouselove #restoration
This had the screen to nothing for the last 8 months or so. It used to be a creepy window held together with a chain 😳 if you remember the 1960 murder gas station look. It was the side entrance to the house in 1860. Assuming when indoor plumbing came about, they made the hallway and moved the door. Now, the screen is down! It did offer privacy so the reeded glass firm is on the way! Stay tuned for the cleaning and paint. Until then, don’t look when we are showering! 😂
Moody Bathroom
Windows updated with no drill blinds. We love them 🖤 they are sheer(ish) and take about 5 minutes to put in. We love them! The trim and the inside trim are all painted Iron Ore by @sherwinwilliams - love it! These sconces? They are rechargeable! They can be changed to multiple colors and easy to install. Perfect for the brick wall 🖤 Such a pretty look with a view! This medallion was white and urethane so it was a better price and much cheaper. We got it from @homedepot and painted it in the Iron Ore with gold paint brushed. The chandelier?! #capitallighting love love love 🖤 What a difference than her original purple wallpaper. A few more things to do and refinish the floors.
We installed one light in the parlor… and suddenly I’m like… ✨ THIS IS A WHOLE VIBE ✨ Meanwhile… the toilet needs a tablet, the house is still half torn apart, and I’m over here arranging books like I’m in a magazine. This is what restoring an 1860 home looks like: A little progress A little chaos A lot of “wait… I love this so much” And honestly? I wouldn’t trade it for anything. (Okay maybe for running water on demand… but still 😅) #oldhouse #homerenovation #historicHome #cozyhome #midliferenovation #realhomes #beforeandduring #parlormakeover #LTKOver40 #LTKHome
This room was purple. The plaster ceilings were crumbling. The smell? OHMYGOSH bad 🤢 Now? Beautiful windows and view. Cozy. Dark and moody. We have more to do, but it’s perfect for now 🖤
Parlor
It’s been hot hot hot here in Central Illinois. We are in zone 6a, so we get snow in winter and heat and humidity in the summer. We have rain barrels to collect water, and we also use the dehumidifier in the basement and front hallway for additional water! Gotta use all our options 😂 All the plants are from seeds that I started and I absolutely love the setup. Easy to pick and these keep the weeds at bay. Our other garden? Sooo many weeds. More on that soon. Enjoy! #LTKHome #LTKSeasonal
We live in an old house and have had a lot of rain lately. I go around the edges of the house every week and the inside every 2 weeks. Helps with those little beatles mosquitoes. Be sure to get around the windows too! #ltkoutdoor
This hummingbird feeder is a game changer! Last year we had one or two and once we got this new feeder? We had FIVE at one time! The box includes instructions on making your own syrup. #ltkoutdoor I’m thinking I need two more. 😉
Outdoor
Midlife hair is… a journey. Curly in spots. Straight in others. Frizz everywhere. Hormones fully in charge. You’ve heard of Irish curls? That’s me. I went to bed with my hair wet, but I always put the InCommon Magic Myst in my hair before I go to sleep. Some volume stuff too - ‘cause this 80s girl loves her big hair. Then when I get up in the AM before I do a quick dryer brush…. I use the Good Behavior. Really the three combined is what makes it easy. It’s definitely not my talents! If you’re in your 50s, dealing with menopause, and wondering why your hair suddenly has opinions, we are sisters. Sharing what actually works for me, and let me know if this interests you or Kat, stick with renovation 😉 #postmenopause #lifeafter50 #irishcurls #hairchallenge #menopausehair #LTKMidsize #LTKselfcare #LTKOver40
Sometimes the messy middle needs some love! This 1860s home has been under restoration for a couple of years now and this room has been on hold. Until I was totally embarrassed because someone asked to see it! 😂 so here we go. Enjoy and let me know your ideas and thoughts! #LTKOver40 #LTKHome
No makeup. Natural light. 58 years old. And honestly? My dry, sensitive skin has been STRUGGLING. We live in the Midwest and it’s been very cold and dry. This isn’t our usual post, but I started following a new dry-skin routine and I’m already seeing a difference! Less peeling, more glow, and my skin finally feels calm instead of tight. If you’re over 50, dealing with dry skin, sensitive skin, or texture that just showed up one day… you’re not alone. I’m trying this in real time and sharing what’s actually helping. Would you want to see more real-life skin content like this? I’d love to share, we can try it out together ❤️. Happy New Year! (Products linked here — no filters, no magic, just skincare.) #LTKOver40 #LTKHome #LTKBeauty
Over 50 Skin

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