Home Sweet Home

Cute ideal!  Using Ceramic tiles for house number placard.

I suppose I should offer up a little more information about my house. As you know my house was built in 1881. The architecture is pretty much none existent at this time due to a remodel remuddle in the 1960's by the former long term owner.  Here's a bit of history on the house...

The prior owners lived in this house for 51 years. When we purchased our home in 2000 we were the first "outsiders" to live in this home for 85 years. Prior to that the home was strictly generational. When the house was originally constructed the home was 1 of 3 tenant farmers residence, all which belonged to the gentleman farmer (whose very large Queen Anne Victorian, which sits atop a hill overlooking my property). The original owner actually owned over 2000 acres.  Can you imagine?

The three tenant farm homes were very modest in construction--clapboard siding and wood shingled roofs. The original layout consisted of pseudo great room and a loft. The great room was divided  by fireplace into a modest kitchen (of sorts) and a sitting parlor.  The loft was accessed by a ladder.

There was a a common cookhouse used by the tenant families in the summertime. A summer cookhouse was used for multiple reasons. 1) It could serve great number of people at once 2) Due to the elevated temperatures in the summer and 3) The biggest concern was fire since the houses are of timber construction. I am told there was an outhouse but I am still not sure where on the property it was located.

Indoor plumbing and electric was installed some time 1910-1920. I still have tube and knob wiring for 3 rooms of my house (which scares the bejeezus outta me!) but we haven't been able to (afford) rewire the house yet. We are hoping next year! Our housed passed inspection when we purchased it. The electrician said the wiring is still tightly wrapped and doesn't show any signs of oxidation--which is good. It apparently was a quality job.

Street side view

Over the years the rooms were divided and rooms added on. The former lean-to porch is now the kitchen. A partial second story was added in the 1950's, which resulted in a bathroom and bedroom addition. A carport and garage were constructed in the 1970's.  The well was slabbed over and a block shed was installed over the slab in the 1940's-1950's. The patio which is located between the back of the house and front of the garage sits  over what was once the cistern.

We have a dungeon cellar and stone foundation.  This was HAND dug by the prior owner in the 1950's and all of the dirt and debris was carried up in buckets via a ladder  because no stairs were installed.  He then poured his own concrete slabs by mixing in a wheelbarrow and transferred via buckets to the cellar.  Such amazing stories!

The largest of the rooms is no more than 12x12 and the smallest  is the spare room closet (aka my craft room) which measures a diminutive 3 x 6 feet. When our daughter was living at home that bedroom was the master which means that was the master closet AND the only true closet in the entire house! We had to shimmy in sideways because it was a "walk-in". Good times, not!

The final dimensions are Living Room (12x12), Dining Room (8x10), kitchen (12X10), 1st floor 1/2 bath (4X6), laundry room (5x6),  up 10 stairs for the 2nd floor which consists of  the Master bedroom (12x12), dressing room  (6x14),  full bathroom (6x7) and the L shaped spare bedroom room (10x13, 8x6). If you count all of my hallways and unusual nooks, I have a grand total of ~ 985 square feet of living space!  Rather small by today's standards.

Former side porch is now the main entrance.

Our house has standing seam metal roof -with the exception of the "addition" and that has normal shingles. Most metal roofs (if maintained) will last upwards of 100 years! Based on inspection we were informed ours is now pushing 90-95 yrs.  An interesting fact--visible in the attic is the ORIGINAL wood shingles under the metal roof. Pretty cool, huh?

My house actually has 4 doors. This picture was once used as a side porch but  is now our main entrance.  We have a 2nd door from our kitchen to the carport, the 3rd is located smack dab in the middle of my living room facing street-side-(we don't use it and have plans to convert it a window) and the 4th and final door is located at the bottom of my stairs from the carport. That is weird because it appears to float several feet from the ground. Unfortunately if you want to get any furniture to the second story that is the only way to move stuff upstairs.

And speaking of stairs, while mine aren't so creaky since they are relatively new (installed in the 1950's) since the addition was put on. They are incredibly steep and narrow! More than 1 person has in this house has rode the stairs on their bum. OUCH!

View of the garage and house from back field.

The original clapboard has long been covered with aluminum siding. You can hear it contract and expand as the weather changes (it makes a popping noise). We don't have any plans yet to remove it, however we have located several contractors who will paint it.

As for the property, we have about 0.65 acre. The lot is narrow (~65 ft.) but long (365 ft).  Can you say football field?  It is great for running my dogs though! We have a creek that runs the back edge of our property which is great until the torrential rains happen. It changes from a sleepy trickle to a roaring river. It is especially scary when it floods, although (knock on wood) my house hasn't flooded in over a hundred years.

Well that is pretty much all I can tell you on the history of the house. With one exception. When were house hunting I saw the pictures of this house (and they looked horrible), so I refused to come look at it. The realtor showed us 12 other houses which had great pictures--but were horrible in reality. Finally in desperation we agreed to come view this house.

Immediately upon pulling in the driveway, I was struck by the resemblance to my Nanny and Pawpaw's house. Yup it was sooooo totally a grandma and grandpa house. We walked in and it felt warm and inviting (just like someone had hugged you). Never mind the dated ugly stuff--it just felt right. The hubbs and I grinned at each other. This was the ONE! It was home.

That is the great thing about older homes. They have a soul. So many people have passed though those doors. Loved and lived their lives. You can not but feel that energy! So despite all of the quirks and inconveniences of this old house- and that it is a bit dated and worn- we are very happy with our home.

"Home, the spot of earth supremely blest, A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest"  Robert Montgomery

My dream creative space

I was trolling the web for inspiration and came across The Inspired Room blog and she posed the question of what would you want in your dream creative space. Well I immediately began daydreaming.....

My dream creative space would be more than the 3X 6 ft. windowless closet I currently occupy. If money were no option, I would be to finish the attic space above my garage. Pop the roof for more head room (or install dormers at the least), install salvaged barn wood floors with all of their lovely patina (sealed with a satin urethane for easy clean up), have windows facing south and skylights for maximum light.  Install french doors on the east exposure opening out to diminutive balcony that overlooks my yard, gardens and creek-- with room enough for a chair and small table to enjoy a cup of tea while resting from all the creative hard work!

As for color–I envision zones traveling through the room. Cooler colors gradiating to warmer colors as the orientation of room changes from a west to east exposure. Shades water, earth and sky–after all mother nature is a prolific artist.

These photos are NOT my space but is similar to what I envision...

Organization is a must! Lots of bookcases to hold my many books and reference materials. Cubbies for bins. Shelves for storage boxes. Also some peg, bulletin and magnetic boards. A must for inspirations boards. From the center beam I would install 3 fabulous and funky chandeliers salvaged from local thrift stores. After all what girl doesn't want a chandelier?!




A super comfy chair  and ottoman with a good reading light, when I need to research and find inspiration. Several large work tables (1 standard height and 1 bar height). Of course it would be outfitted with AC for the sweltering humid summer days and a nice little pot-belly would stove for those frigid winter days. And a mini fridge because a girl can’t be bothered to schlep ALLLL the way down the stairs and in the house when she is on a creative roll. Light, bright and beautiful…Can’t you just picture it?

Frugalistic with a muffled thud....

I haven't posted much lately between the demands of my job and ongoing house remodel.  After 11 looooonnng years we have finally reached the point where we could begin the house remodel.  We began by doing some insulation work and installing carpet in the living room and both bedrooms.  I can't begin to tell you nice it is to have this carpet in a drafty old house...in the winter.

The house isn't being remodeled in the manner I had first envisioned.  Due to unforseen circumstances (impending job loss and re-evaluating our finances) the projects have been scaled back to frugalistic (frugal+realistic).    Cue the "wah-wah-wah" sound here.  Nothing like have your dreams hitting the ground with a muffled thud.

After feeling sorry for myself (and drowning my sorrow in booze food),  I decided everything will be ok. Instead of running to a big box store everytime I need something for a project , I am going to put on my creative thinking cap and find a less pricey alternative.  Anytime you can re-use, reduce, recycle, and repurpose is a good day for your pocketbook and mother earth. This is also an opportunity to see exactly how creative I can be. (No pressure!)

Drawing inspiration for the color pallette from my favorite piece of art and focal point of the living room.



I had hoped to gut the room to the studs but reality reared it's ugly head.  So we worked with what we have. Painting the panelling a creamy, dreamy pale yellow (like cool glass of buttermilk, mmm) and added crisp white crown molding has done wonders to amp up the the charm factor.  Splashes of color in the pillows, artwork and the quilts covering the couch keep the room from feeling bland.  Bamboo shades bring texture and much needed privacy.  The living room is approximately 90% complete.  I still need to install the new chunky 4 inch cottage style baseboards also painted a crisp white to match the mouldings.



The "someday" dream would be coffered ceiling and non-panelled walls but for now I will enjoy the plushy carpet and seek cozy refuge from the chaos elsewhere in the house.  So come on in sit for a spell and let's get acquainted....