Ok, so life has sent me for the greatest whirlwind. I’ve met my Mr. Wright, got engaged, planned a wedding, and followed through with it! Life has changed for the good and things are only getting better.
So, getting back to my last post…today, I’m sharing my new house tour.
When I started looking for a new home, I had a list of must-haves…you know, my little new-house-wish-list. First and foremost, I wanted the boys to stay in the same school district. I wanted an older house, 1920’s or older, with a garage for all my projects. It had to be affordable, given that I was a single parent. Parker and Mason’s only request was that I find a two-story house in the historic section of town close to their friends. We narrowed it down quickly and found this one, which has the all the character and age I’ve always wanted.
So, let’s get started with the tour!
When I first arrived at the house, I knew it had great potential. It’s a 5 bedroom, 2 bath, 2259 square foot house built in 1915. It has a garden shed located right off the wide front porch, a basement, and a huge 1056 square foot garage out back. The house had gone into foreclosure and then auctioned off. I bought it from a private seller after it had been vacant for about a year.
The garage had already been set up as a workshop with electrical and lighting throughout, including two roll-up doors at one end. Making my way up to the house, I peeked into what would soon be my new crafting area, the basement (lower right Photo).
Walking through the front door into the living room, I instantly fell in love with the 100-year-old yellow pine hardwoods. I later learned that the lower wainscoting and bar top in the living room came from the local textile mill that had been closed down. The floor boards were removed, cut to length and installed during the previous owners remodel. The previous owners had also replaced all the plaster walls with sheetrock, updated all the plumbing and electrical, and refinished all the hardwoods throughout the house. All I have to do is give the house back some of the character it lost during the remodel.
To the right of the living room is the master bedroom. One of the first selling points was the charming window seat and gas fireplace. The doors on either side of the fireplace lead into the dining room which is also accessible from the hallway below the staircase. I can’t wait to show you the transformation we’ve already made to the master bedroom!
The kitchen needs some major updating. First to go is the wallpaper. I really wanted to come back later that night and remove it. 😉 Beyond the kitchen are the dining room, a bathroom, dining room and pantry.
The upstairs has 5 rooms connected by a wide hallway. I’m pretty sure the clawfoot tub in the upstairs bathroom sealed the deal. The two larger bedrooms are for Parker and Mason. In the last house, they shared a bedroom, so they were pretty excited to have their own space. Parker, the 15-year-old, has his own game room (bottom right photo) connected to his bedroom.
The smallest and most private bedroom at the end of the hall would become Taylor’s room, our next posting!
So this is a quick breakdown of what we plan on changing in the house (some projects have already been completed):
Remove the chain link fenceReplace the roof- Replace the windows
- Replace the front porch columns
- Stain the concrete front porch
- Replace the gable siding with cedar shakes and add corbels
Change garden shed into a tinyhouse / guestcottageImprove the landscapingInstall a driveway to the front of the houseAdd a wrap-around deck off the back doorAdd shelving and work tables to the garage- Paint all the wood trim white along with the living room wainscoting
Add french doors and transom to the stairway opening- Add a dining area with banquette seating to the living room
- Update all lighting in the house
Remove all the wallpaperUpdate the fireplace surround in the master bedroom- Add gas logs and a fireplace surround to the living room
- Remove the popcorn ceilings
Turn the existing dining room into the new master bathroom, walk-in closetandpowder room- Turn the existing downstairs bathroom into a pantry
- Replace the cabinetry in the kitchen
- Move the location of the stove and refrigerator
- Build a new kitchen island
- Tile the kitchen, laundry room and new pantry area if the original floors aren’t salvageable
- Add new shelving and much-needed organization to the laundry room and existing pantry closet
- Turn the basement into a craft room
Move the clawfoot tub closer to the wall and add a shower curtain rod- Repurpose a dresser for a vanity for the upstairs bathroom and find a new mirror
Add built-in dressers and bed for Taylor’s room
I’m so excited about getting back into the creative process. It’s been way too long and it seems like I’ve got a hundred different projects going on in my head at one time. One thing’s for sure…this house will have bigger and better projects than the last and still be done on a budget. So, follow along on Instagram and Facebook for updates and sneak peeks. Till next time…
Below are the rooms we’ve completed so far!
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Pat @ Life At Lydias House
14 Nov 2016So glad to see you back at it! I can’t wait to see the transformation of this house into a home!!
Justine
14 Nov 2016Congratulations Tricia, so many fabulous changes! That house! Sooooooooo,much potential! Just one thought, are you SURE about painting that wainscoting? It’s got such character! Either way, look forward to seeing you shining up this gem.
Tricia
14 Nov 2016Thank you, Justine! I keep going back and forth on whether or not the wainscoting should be painted. My gut told me it would brighten the room up painted white. It’s a hard decision, but we’ll see. 🙂
Patty
14 Nov 2016LOVE your house. Best wishes on your wedding and much happiness for your future life together.
Tricia
14 Nov 2016Thank you, Patty! That means so much to us