House Tour: Michelle Schiebe, of 'Decor And The Dog' blog, Builds A New Home On A Budget

Yes, You Can Build A New Home On A Budget

Once Michelle Scheibe realized her husband Nate was pretty handy around the home, the couple set off on hundreds of DIY adventures together, inspiring her to launch her blog, "Decor And The Dog." Since many current blogs are geared toward renovating existing homes and the Scheibes have alternatively built two homes from scratch (on a budget!), Scheibe felt she had something fresh to contribute to the world of design blogs, beyond the typical house tour.

When looking for a home together, the young couple couldn't find everything on their wish list at a price they could afford. So, utilizing Nate's father's construction know-how and their DIY talents, the Scheibes designed a dream home for themselves and their adorable wire fox terrier, Ike, in Eldridge, Iowa. They were able to devise the exact floor plan they wanted and built the home simply, and are now slowly making improvments and upgrades at their leisure themselves, documenting their accomplishments on Scheibe's blog. Now, she told us proudly, their home is valued at over $100,000 more than their mortgage.

Are there any DIYs that they won't do themselves? Yes, although the Scheibes were their own general contractors, they left most of the plumbing, electrical, drywall and also flooring installation to professionals. They DID impressively install their entire kitchen and did all of the finish work in the home including trim, paint, and tile. Of course not every project comes out exactly like they imagined. Scheibe admits she attempted a project she saw on a fellow design blogger's site, painting an upholstered chair with fabric paint, but the seat came out less than stellar and remains in her basement.

Scheibe says their wish list for their home is never-ending, and her current obsession is designing built-ins for their living room. She is also hoping to add a decorative backsplash to their kitchen in the near future. She admits that now when she wants something new for the home, all she has to do is mention that she may go out and buy it and her husband happily gets to work planning the DIY!

To see some of the amazing home projects this talented couple has completed, click through the slideshow below, and make sure to visit Scheibe's blog, "Decor And The Dog."

Eat-In Kitchen

Decor And The Dog

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