“As we started looking in Hamilton with our realtor (who helped us get into our previous rental), we weren’t finding what we were looking for, which was a big backyard, natural light, bay windows, and a fireplace,” Porter continues.

“While house hunting, we came across our current home, but when it was listed the bathroom was gutted so we overlooked it thinking we weren’t ready for a massive renovation. The more we continued to search, the more we weren’t finding the house we were looking, for so I showed my partner, Alex, our now-home one more time and he said, ‘Let’s go see it,'” she writes.

“The home was built in 1953 and has exchanged hands of five previous owners. We are hoping to make this our forever home,” Porter explains of the house they ended up putting an offer on the same day they viewed it. “We absolutely love the bay windows (something I always wanted in a home rental or ownership), the fireplace, and the open concept living and dining room. We also now love the backyard and how it ended up coming together.” 

But although they fell in love with certain elements of the home, plenty others needed work. “We renovated pretty much the entire main floor of our home (from the outside of the home to the inside),” she writes.

Inside, they renovated the kitchen (replacing the backsplash, counter, and appliances) and they updated the main bathroom (adding new tiles, a new-to-them sink and vanity, and a heated floor). The old front door was “peeling everywhere it was so old,” so they replaced it. The second bedroom had no closet in it when they purchased the house, so they added one, and also added a clothing unit to the primary bedroom. They also added TONS of color and personality with paint and vintage finds.

• Behr “Pink Wink”
• Couch — HomeSense
• Hand Chair — Facebook Marketplace
• Crayons — Facebook Marketplace
• Disco Balls — Facebook Marketplace
• Brass Shelf — Facebook Marketplace 
• Plastic Wall Art — IKEA
• Green Ball Chair — Facebook Marketplace
• Tooth Stool — Facebook Marketplace 
• Carpet — Amazon 
• Cloud Shelf — Facebook Marketplace 
• Giant Pencil — Aberfoyle Antique Market
• Arc Lamp — Facebook Marketplace 
• Mushroom Stool — Urban Outfitters

• Paint — Behr “Yellow Jubilee”
• Paint — Behr “Sugar Poppy”
• Paint — Behr “Taffy Twist”
• Coffee Maker — Smeg
• Kettle — Smeg
• Stove — General Electric, Facebook Marketplace
• Fridge — IIO, Habitat for Humanity

• Paint — Behr “Pink Wink”
• Paint — Behr “Taffy Twist”
• Paint — Behr “Florida Sunrise”
• Paint — Behr “Yellow Jubilee”
• Paint — Behr “Tart Orange”
• Dining Table — Facebook Marketplace
• Dining Chairs — Facebook Marketplace
• Car Mirror — Aberfoyle Antique Market
• Chandelier — Lightolier, Harris Furniture & Antiques
• Parrot — Hamilton Antique Mall
• Corn Stool — Amazon

• Paint — Behr “Yellow Jubilee”
• Paint — Behr “Sugar Poppy”
• Light — IKEA

• Paint — Behr “Yellow Jubilee”
• Paint — Behr “Taffy Twist”
• Paint — Behr “Florida Sunrise”
• Paint — Behr “Tart Orange”
• Vanity Desk — Home Sense
• Mirror — Hamilton Antique Mall
• Lips Chair — Facebook Marketplace
• Closet — IKEA 
• Duvet Cover — Society 6
• Trecco Nightstands — Facebook Marketplace
• Rug — IKEA
• Fan — Home Depot
• Curtains — Value Village
  

• Paint — Behr “Florida Sunrise”
• Paint — Behr “Tart Orange”
• Paint — Behr “No More Drama”
• Paint — Behr “Glitterazzi”
• Paint — Behr “Pimento” 
• Shelf — Facebook Marketplace 
• Trecco Dresser — Facebook Marketplace
• Trecco Nightstands — Facebook Marketplace 
• Table Lamps — Facebook Marketplace 
• Rug — Value Village

• Paint — Behr “Yellow Jubilee”

Thanks, Marina and Alexander!

This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.

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