Does a Home Renovation Mean Total Chaos?

How to live beautifully among dust and debris.

By Keri Foy

If to you a home renovation conjures up images of wreckage and constant stress, you’re not alone. Through the growing pains of your house morphing into something you love, Paige Rhodes proves you can keep your sanity and enjoy the space. This food blogger, who is currently in the churn of a home renovation, shares her tips for surviving with grace.



About Paige and her home transformation
Paige and her husband Matt purchased a home in downtown Louisville within the last year. While its 1800s charm drew in the couple, they had to look past the floor-to-ceiling orange paint, the out-of-date kitchen, and the weird array of updates gone sideways.

The couple began charting their home renovation course as soon as they moved in, tackling much of the work themselves. “It’s fun to customize it exactly the way you want it,” says Paige, whose main goal is to modernize the home. From painting to replacing light fixtures and taking out a row of cabinets to installing a Wi-Fi-connected thermostat, their journey of home renovations is still in process.

Paige says she and her husband learned more about electricity and plumbing during the renovation.
 Photos by Melissa Donald 

“It can be frustrating, because I’m the type of person who wants everything done perfectly and right now,” Paige says. A renovation, at times, can seem overwhelming and almost out of reach — you can’t do everything at once — but Paige offers ways you can Zen out among the rubble.

1. Have at least one room that is completely done. Even if it means delaying another project so you can feel completely at ease in that room. “We spent a lot of time in the living room because that’s the first room we did,” Paige says. “We decorated it how we wanted, and it feels peaceful. I would go upstairs to the bathroom and think ‘get me out of here.’” A finished room serves as your retreat if other rooms in your home are overwhelming.

Paige and her husband spent most of their time in the living room where they
could enjoy the beauty of a finished space.

2. Entertain without the guilt. “We’ve had so many people over, and I wanted everything to be done at one time,” Paige says. When showing her friends the house, she found herself listing everything on the to-do list. “People understand that you’re going through a renovation, so don’t put as much pressure on yourself,” Paige says. “No one cares as much as you do.”

The couple of added a contemporary lighting fixture in their dining area which complemented their wooden furniture and floors. 

3. Get good juju in your frequented spaces. “In my office, there are a ton of things I would like to do, but I have to be in there working every day,” Paige says. Even if it’s not exactly how she envisions, she’s purchased some items that make her feel good, like candles and an inspirational print. “You can focus on that and draw inspiration for what you want your space to be like,” she says. With a couple of lovelies in play, it distracts you from the entire room and what it’s lacking.

Paige says the bathroom was the most challenging renovation in the home. 

4. Buy houseplants. “A home renovation can be so industrial, plants bring life to the room,” Paige says. A couple of standouts in the couple’s abode include a fiddle leaf fig she purchased from Forage on Frankfort Avenue and a string of bananas.

If you’re considering a home renovation project, let Paige’s tips be a guide to keep you less stressed. To quote Miley Cyrus, “It ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side...It’s the climb.” Here’s to enjoying the process while anticipating the result.