After months of searching we finally made a decision, bit the bullet and decided to put yet another contract on a house.
The builder refused our contract. We were good with that, as the street has no internet or cable services. We work from home and must have high-speed internet service. After debating about it for a few days and trying to figure out some "work-arounds" with the internet issue, we decided to go back to negotiate a contract on the house. Bad news, it had a contract on it. Our realtor encouraged us to go ahead and submit our offer as the other contract was a "contingency". The other couple would need to sell their house before they could buy this house. We submitted our offer. The other couple had 24 hours to show that they could finance the house without selling their house first. They had to withdraw their contract and ours was accepted....the first step to our new home.
When our realtor first took us to this house, we were skeptical about the area, but very interested in the house. It is a small house, but had features that gave it a custom-built appearance to make it look a little different....like the trim above the windows...
....and the wainscoting in the dining area. Granite countertops also make a difference...
...as does the open floor plan. Since there is no stove or refrigerator, I've been relieved of my cooking duties! ;-)
It has the fireplace I requested....
....but I don't know where I will put my new sticks (you can read about my new sticks here). As you can see, the area above the fireplace is wired for a TV. The builder even made a nice picture frame for the TV.
The master bedroom is small...
..as is the master bath.
These things do not matter to us...we wanted a smaller home.
Our sofa will not fit in the main floor living space...
....but that's okay also...because this house has a real bonus room, not a BOGUS room!
...and threw my back out. I was cool with it.
I cannot tell you how glad we are that the search is over! We will close around the middle of August. We have until the end of September to be out of this house, which gives us plenty of time to get over there and start personalizing a few things. I've got a running list started and my Pinterest boards will hopefully come to life.
I've picked out some new paint colors for the rooms in the house. The hubster wanted to know why I wanted to paint a brand new house that had been freshly painted. I explained that I wanted to have parts of me intermingled with all the new finishes. He told me to roll across the floors and there would be parts of me all over the place, along with all the food scraps the construction workers left behind. Pfft. I'll bribe him with some power tools and he will be following me around begging for a new project.
So there you have it...our home search journey of the good, the bad and the ugly. Now, I have to ask for your help. You see that ugly return cover on the left side in the photo above? We have to find a creative way to cover that eyesore. It is the first thing you see when you walk in the door. I'm open to suggestions. I might even have to hold a "Decorate My Entry" contest!
*photos courtesy of realtor
i am glad that you found what will work for you but it doesn't look small in these pictures! Probably because they are empty and the photos may have been taken with a wide angle lens...not sure but they look spacious! :) Love the wainscotting and trim, fireplace, all those sweet touches!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! The rooms are small and you are right...it is because they shoot with a wide angle lens to make it look larger. We wanted a smaller home, so we are glad that it is small. Less to clean and when it comes to projects, those should be easier also. Those little touches are why we chose this house...it looks like all the rest of them on the outside, but much different on the inside. :-)
DeleteYour new home looks very elegant and cozy at the same time. How exciting! I don't see a return cover???
ReplyDeleteThank you so much AnnMarie. When you open the front door, you are staring at the return cover. It is hard to see in the photo, but it is on the left side of the photo, on the wall under the staircase. Gotta figure out how to fix it.
DeleteMy entire house could fit in your bonus room! What a great space. I can't wait to see what you do with it ...and your sticks!!! ;-) Congrats!
ReplyDeleteYou are too funny! Thank you so much, we are ready to move and get working...LOL. I'm glad the bonus room space is usuable and the wide angle lens makes it look much larger than what it actually is. The sofa and 2 chairs will fit, along with our TV....unlike the space now. Yeah, those sticks are going to be an issue...LOL
DeleteCongratulations on finding a home...it comes with a lot of built-in charm! It may be small, but looks quite spacious with the open floor plan. All that wonderful woodwork and molding would definitely be a selling point for us...you can never have too much!
ReplyDeleteMary Alice
Thank you so much Mary Alice. We are excited to get moved into our own place. That molding was a big selling point...I loved it! We will put some over the kitchen window so that it matches the rest of the living area. The open floor plan does make it look larger, but there will only be room for 2 chairs in front of the fireplace. We don't care though...we like the coziness of the house and the size is what we were looking for.
DeleteOh, no, the dreaded return! Why in the world in that gorgeous home would the HVAC people put a return in front of the front door!?! Good luck with that - I have yet to find a stylish cover for mine. Everything looks so big and beautiful. How will you solve the computer problem? New furniture? Of course new paint. I spied several places for your new stick. A kitchen without a stove sounds nice, but I would have to have a fridge for my ice addiction.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean...it makes no sense as to why it had to be right in the front door! UGH!! That will be the toughest issue. We found office space to resolve the internet issue. The office space was the perfect size and space and is 10 minutes away from the house. Everything just fell into place. The hubster said there would be a stove and cooking...LOL I told him I hoped he enjoyed it that I would be busy doing more important things! -)
DeleteBenita, I am so excited for you and the hubster! It is so pretty! I love the outside, very classy. The house seems to have a traditional feel but with a young look to it. All those windows that go to the floor--love them, love the light that will be in the rooms! Oh, I know your mind must be at work 14/7 with ideas, isn't that fun? And your Pinterest boards, I must follow them.
ReplyDeleteAnd you're going to be moving in at the best time of the year, in time for autumn and with plenty of time to get the house ready for the holidays.
No more cartwheels though, ya hear?
Dewena
P.S. Does the kitchen have a place for the pot hanger that's been stuck in a closet? I hope so.
Dewena, thank you so much! We are ready to be settled and I'm ready to start making changes. I know that's crazy in a new house, but there are just some things I want to do! :-) The molding, amount of light, windows.....all of those things were part of our decision to put an offer on this house. Also, it already has a hydrangea bush planted...LOL My mind is reeling and I keep a notepad with me for writing down ideas! And the fall is the perfect time to get this house decorated...I cannot wait. You and the hubby will have to come over for dinner!!
DeleteI'm over the cartwheels...those things are killers...LOL. Sadly, no! I don't know what I'm going to do with it...I was so disappointed. But I'm moving it with me and maybe the next house will find my pot hanger up again! :-) Hugs!!
This is really a nice house, and you'll work magic, I'm sure. I love the open floor concept and those trims, wainscoting, and the cover for the tv. Whenever I see finishes like that return vent, I always make the comment, "you can tell a man engineered this design". I know, totally judgmental, but it's true. Maybe a nice, slim entry table with baskets beneath - you'll need to let the air circulate, so it can't be anything flush against it. Congratulations on your new home!
ReplyDeleteRita, thank you so much! And I usually think the same thing. A woman would NEVER do something like that!! A woman would have that thing stuck in a closet so we wouldn’t have to decorate around it! ;-) That’s pretty much what I was thinking…something slim and then some baskets. It is crazy to have it right in the door!
DeletePhew, so glad you finally did this post to put me out of my misery ;) I'm not good at waiting for Christmas either!
ReplyDeleteLove your new home, so pretty...the details are just amazing in this house and you can tell it is a quality builder with all that attention to detail! Ha ha about the sticks, although that tv frame looks kinda small for a 'Man TV' ;)
You could put furniture in front of your air grate like I try to do, until husband keeps moving furniture away from in front of grate and telling me that those grates have a purpose and can't be covered...can you imagine? Seriously though there are lots of tutorials on how to make fancy smancy grate covers like this one http://www.simplicityinthesouth.com/2013/04/how-to-make-a-decorative-air-returnvent-cover.html
Looking forward to seeing your painting and decorating! Congrats on your new home, it's lovely! :)
Kimberley, I am exactly the same way! I usually give out all the gifts before Christmas and encourage everyone to open them. I know I want to open mine...LOL You are too funny!!! And I agree, the spot is for a much smaller TV. Our “man TV” goes up in the bonus room. I get the small TV for the Hallmark Channel…LOL I have a big wooden door in front of the one at the house we have now. The hubster had to build a special stand so that it wouldn’t totally block the return. Here’s my thing, if they don’t want us blocking them then they shouldn’t be on a wall that we want to decorate! Thanks so much for the link, I will be checking that out for help! Thank you so much again…have a great evening! :-)
DeleteVery quaint, Benita! ;) Love it; The open floor plan, the bonus room, the mantle! Absolutely beautiful! This one does suit you and hubby perfectly! Why in heaven's name would they put it there, instead of up overhead, or even on the floor?? All of ours are overhead....Hmmmm...curious to see what pinterest has to fix that??!! Looking forward to seeing your decorating plans!! Congrats!
ReplyDeletehugs, Christine
That was the word I thought was appropriate for this house...quaint! I agree, it was bizarre to have it right as you walked in the front door. Kimberley sent me a link and I'm going to keep checking out some other options. Thank you so much! I'm looking forward to fixing up the house and getting it to our taste. We love all the molding and trim...it made such a difference...it almost make up for the placement of the return...almost! Thanks girl! Have a great evening! HUGS!
DeleteOh Benita the trim and extra touches to this house are gorgeous. It is so cozy and I know with all your decor touches it will be so beautiful. I love the open concept of the home too. Beautiful congrats. So excited for you. Love that you can go over and work on the house and get it all ready before you have to move in boxes and furniture. That is a real bonus.
ReplyDeleteKris
Kris, thank you so much! We are excited and cannot wait to get closed and started on the house. It fit us with size and location and we like that it will be nice and cozy once we get furniture in. That trim package is one of the biggest perks in this house. And yes, it is awesome that we can do work before we move in. I’m really looking forward to that part of this move! Have a wonderful evening sweet friend!
DeleteBenita your new home is beautiful with lots of great details. I must tell you that the saga of your house hunting has had me in stitches! You have a droll and amusing writing style which is such fun to read. Congratulations on your new home and enjoy making it "yours"!
ReplyDeletePS For the return would it be possible to put some type of wainscoting along that wall with a normal size return at the bottom?
Jann, thank you so much! Those details were head turners for us and we thought they just added a bit of "umph" to the house. I'm so glad you are enjoying the blog...I'm a bit strange, but as they say, it takes all kinds...LOL Thank you for the suggestion, that might be a workable idea....I appreciate it! :-) Have a great evening!!
DeleteI work from home too and live on a farm with no wireless internet or cable but instead have a wireless internet hub from my cell service provider. You pay dearly for your usage in my area in Canada so it is not affordable to do much streaming video or Skype via your computer, but is a business expense write off. I also can connect setting my android phone to become it’s own hotspot – you likely already found these options or satellite service for your new house too. My decorating style is more farmhouse/vintage and if I had that central air vent issue I would replace the grate with an antique floor vent many of them are really gorgeous in design I have considered decorating my walls with them too! https://www.google.ca/search?q=antique+floor+grate&rls=com.microsoft:en-US:IE-Address&rlz=1I7ACGW_enCA408CA408&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CDYQ7AlqFQoTCNT34O3S-8YCFcZciAodXAUC0A&biw=1366&bih=597
ReplyDeleteKari, that is a great idea also...going vintage! I've been trying to decide how I want to decorate this house...in a traditional manner or with rustic elegance. I decided I would let the house tell me after I spent some time there. Those options you talked about are ones that have available. The satellite internet is crazy expensive, but it is what we are going to have to do until a major company moves in. We also have a jet pack we can use and we leased office space at a very reasonable price, so that alleviated a lot of our stress. -) Thank you so much for your suggestions...I appreciate them all!!
DeleteOh yay!! It's so pretty! We would love to find a house just like that. I love all the molding!!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Stacey! We love the size and that molding was definitely a tipping point in buying this house!
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI love the open concept and that is just what I want in our next home.
It looks great and I am looking forward to all your projects. :-))
Carla
Thank you Carla…the open concept was a biggie on our list. I don’t like to be closed off in the kitchen when we have guests. I will probably be asking for help from you ladies, so be prepared…LOL
DeleteIt's nice to finally find where you know you'll call home and then start decorating it in your head.
ReplyDeleteBrenda
Most definitely! I’m looking forward to this project of decorating this house and getting the input of all of my new friends! It will be a fun journey!
Deletelooks lovely, but how to live without a proper kitchen is beyond me ;) xoxo
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Petra! LOL...I told the hubby he could make do...it does have a microwave. ;-)
DeleteGreat house! I'll bet you're glad the search is over.
ReplyDeleteYou could put a hall table there with a fern underneath it. That way it would cover it, but not obstruct it. Or get a really fancy one like this: http://www.craftsmanventcovers.com/turn-of-the-century/air-return-filter-frame.html
xo
Yes ma'am we are and thank you so much Rue! Those covers are gorgeous! Thank you for sharing the link. I will do some additional searching to see if there is a less expensive price for the hubster's heart...LOL. I like the idea of the table with the fern though...perfect for airflow. And the fern would get plenty of light and I might not kill it. :-) Hugs!!!
DeleteCongratulation's Benita and Edward aka hubster. Your home is beautiful :)) It will look so cozy with all your furnishing's and picture's you've taken. Ummmm, don't jump the gun with any craft project's unless it include's a camera , a printer or a branch. ( oh wait, you bought that spray painted white, lol) Big Hug's,TT
ReplyDeleteTammy, thank you so much! And don't worry, there will be no craft projects any time soon! I don't want to ruin the look of the house from the get go....LOL Hugs!!
DeleteCongratulations on your new home!! It's really beautiful!!
ReplyDeleteThank you Keri! We are looking forward to moving and getting settled!
DeleteBenita,
ReplyDeleteExquisite!!!
Your new home is absolutely elegant, dear friend!!!
Enjoy the process of personalization!!!
Fondly,
Pat
Pat, thank you so much! I hope I can get through the closing process without going nuts so that we can get in this house and get it decorated...LOL Have a wonderful evening!
DeleteYour new home looks fabulous! Adding your touches will surly be fun!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for partying with us on the #OMHGWW this week!
Karren
@Oh My Heartsie Girl
Thank you Karren! We are definitely looking forward to getting started! Have a great day!
DeleteCongratulations on finding your new home. It looks lovely, beautiful floors and trim. I think it looks really spacious! Sorry I'm a bit behind on my blog reading. Looking forward to following along as you put your personal touches to it. Jx
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! We hope to get closed, but you know how that goes….on pins and needles right up until the last minute! I’m currently playing catch up myself! :-)
DeleteNicely done Benita, such a comfort to know the search is over and you now have your own house to make into your own home. Just lovely.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Jemma
Most definitely! We are looking forward to getting things decorated and getting settled! Thanks so much! Hugs!!
DeleteCongratulations on finding your new home, I can't wait to see what you do to the place. Thanks Benita for linking up to Pin Worthy Wednesday, I have pinned your post to the Pin Worthy Wednesday Pinterest Board.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Amber! We are so looking forward to getting settled and start decorating! Thanks so much for the link party! :-)
DeleteCongratulations on your beautiful new home! I look forward to seeing it again once you move in! Thank you for sharing with Friday Favorites. We hope you will visit us again! Michelle OurCraftyMom
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Michelle! We are looking forward to getting settled and decorated! Thank you and have a great day!
DeleteWhat a space!
ReplyDeleteYour house tour was featured this week at Idea Box:
http://milaslittlethings.com/2015/08/idea-box-thursday-link-party-23.html
xx
Mila
Thank you so much Mila! I really appreciate it! Have a great evening!
Delete