Well 2015, what a year you’ve been. I remember thinking on New Year’s Eve 2014 that 2015 seemed like it was going to be a big year.
Like any year, it had highs and lows, but I have to admit 2015 had some really tough bits. I was pregnant for the first half, and I hated being pregnant like you cannot believe. I know a lot of people can’t stand it when other people complain about being pregnant, and are probably thinking I shouldn’t be ungrateful and all that when there are so many people struggling to fall pregnant; but that was maybe the hardest ten months of my life.
Being sick made me feel sad and most of that time, being pregnant, I didn’t feel truly like myself. I couldn’t work as efficiently as I once did and my income as a freelancer took a temporary dive. (Which is SO annoying when you are pregnant, you are going crazy in your baby bubble, you have absolutely NO firsthand experience with babies whatsoever and you’ve spent too much time researching dumb stuff on Google and discovered you simply MUST BUY the latest baby thingamajig, the kind of thing you show your mum and she bursts out laughing because a thing like that would never have existed 20 years ago. The most stupid thing I bought was like this weird, tight tube sock thing that you prise over the screaming baby’s head and over their body so it’s like a swaddle and they don’t flail their arms around and the baby looks like a hapless glow-worm. It cost about $49 and I used it about 0 times. Ah, materialism, you sly fox).
There were great moments though. I was lucky to have what I consider a great birth, Little Nerd is a wonderful, happy baby and every day now I think how lucky we are to have him. But I still found adjusting to a newborn super-tough – especially getting stuck back into work. (It’s still an adjustment, but it’s easier now that he’s almost seven months old). Mr Nerd and I took a trip to Langkawi to celebrate our second wedding anniversary; with a little baby and in-laws aka the baby whisperers in tow. Renovations-wise, we completely renovated our kitchen, gave our hallway a little revamp, turned our ugly 1970s bar into a pantry, knocked out the 70s arches in our home and had the house repainted.
I also took on a new writing role for Domain, started writing a House Nerd column for The West Australian’s New Homes section and hit my long-term goal of making House Nerd my job (it still sounds funny to say it and I feel like I’m going to jinx myself any second, but I can say it now, can’t I?) None of that would have happened without all you wonderful guys coming by to read it so often; so thank you. I really appreciate it.
To celebrate this year, I thought I would share, in no particular order, my top posts of 2015 – not necessarily the ones with the most views or the most shares, but my favourites. Enjoy and Happy New Year guys – I hope 2016 is one of your most wonderful years yet. Maya x
1. This Beautiful Home Renovation in West Leederville
This stunning home renovation by Studio Atelier that turned a 100-year-old worker’s cottage into a cool, contemporary home chocked up the likes and I have to admit I wasn’t surprised. They had amazing vision to turn the house in the ‘before’ pics into the stunning ‘after’ – completely transformed.
After deliberating for ages whether I should share the gory details or not, I decided to share Little Nerd’s birth story and was really happy I did.
3. Turning our Ugly 70s Bar into a Larder
We turned the ‘dead space’ of our house into a much more functional walk-in pantry with timber shelves, white walls and my hipster stash of Mason jars (stashed away nonchalantly, of course). All it needs now is Harriet from The Children of Willow Tree churning butter in the corner. I love our new walk-in pantry so much.
4. Our Gender Reveal Baby Shower
We decided to find out the gender of our baby by smashing a cake at a massive gender reveal baby shower, on what turned out to be one of the hottest days in the summer. I don’t think I have ever seen so many people crammed into our back yard.
5. This 70s Italian Mansion in Fremantle that Now Looks Like a Different House
An all-time favourite home tour with scary before photos, just the way I like ‘em.
6. This Amazing Suburban Garden Where You Can Eat Everything
A busy Perth mum of three little girls turned her average suburban block (including the verge) into a verdant paradise where almost every single thing in it is edible and productive. I remember I was in the first trimester when I went to do this interview and was so sick that day I felt like I was going to pass out/throw up/both – WORTH IT.
7. I Featured This Weatherboard Cottage
This cottage tour made me all sentimental, being in the suburb I grew up in. It reminded me so much of the old, quaint homes of my childhood friends.
8. I Do Love a Good Warehouse Conversion…
And so do you guys - and this one, owned by former Chicago Bulls player Luc Longley and his wife celebrity chef Anna Gare, is unbelievable.
9. I Hate Roe 8
It wasn't directly house-y, but I was blown away by how much support I got for writing this one. Thanks guys.
Turns out other house nerds love the transformative power of black paint just as much as I do! I painted part of our hallway black and it turned out better than I thought it would.
