This Entire Remodeled House Is Lovely, But the Bathroom Plant Situation Is Really Strong

Name: Andrea Mous, my husband, two daughters (3 and 5), and our pug Layla
Location: Grimsby, Ontario, Canada
Type of home: House
Size: 2000 square feet
Years lived in: 6 years, owned

Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: My husband Ryan and I weren’t actually looking to move or sell the current home we lived in at the time; I just happened to see a ‘for sale’ sign on a street that I liked while out shopping one day so called the realtor and scheduled a showing. That home ended up not being right for us at the time as we were looking for something to raise kids in eventually, so we went back to our regular lives in our current home.

Well, some two weeks later that same realtor emailed me and said the home next door was going up for sale as an estate sale and she let us have first dibs to view it before it was being listed. We viewed it the next day and put in an offer. It had everything we wanted: more space, a large private backyard, and room to grow in for future kids.

It was, however, in bad need of a total update—the whole house needed to be renovated and it was a big job. Luckily my husband and our families are quite handy and were able to help us with many of the projects to save on expense—the house is almost entirely rebuilt by our families (with the exception of the attic en suite addition). We have been working pretty much non-stop since we purchased the house six years ago and through two pregnancies and two little girls! We are so happy with how everything has turned out and are so lucky we get to raise our children here—the added bonus is just how amazing our neighborhood is, which we weren’t at all expecting.

Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Eclectic, whimsical, youthful, and fun.

What is your favorite room and why? Right now my favorite room is the master bedroom/en suite. This was an addition we did to the third floor attic space, which was previously unusable and had no access to. After having to share a tiny bathroom with our two girls for the past five years, it’s nice to have a space of our own to get ready in the mornings and relax in before bed.

What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? The last thing I acquired was a vintage-inspired afghan that my friend crocheted me for our master bedroom. It is an ombre coloring of pinks and browns with tassels on the ends—I can’t get enough of afghans at the moment!

Any advice for creating a home you love? Decorate and buy things you love—not stuff that is trendy, although trends can of course be fun, too. And if you love something, use it! Don’t have it sitting in dusty old cupboard; bring it out and enjoy whatever item that may be.

This submission’s responses were edited for length and clarity.