OUR FIRST HOUSE

Last week was a great week – I booked a sweetheart of a bride for her August 2012 wedding AND I found out that a conference I was dying to attend but couldn’t because it was scheduled for 3 days after I’m supposed to be giving birth is being rescheduled! Good things are happening in 2012, people – I’m liking this year already.

Which brings me to the house that hubby and I are buying and renovating – you can see more about this story here.

I wanted to share some of the initial pictures I took of the house last summer when we decided to really go for it. The house is 90 years old, has never been renovated, and is oozing with potential. Check it out.

 Front of house from street

Closed-in front porch and future office of Ruffles & Tweed

 Living room fireplace 

 View of dining room from living room (too many walls!)

 Kitchen

 Kitchen

 Kitchen

 Stairs up to second floor

 Second floor bathroom (only bathroom in the house - we'll be adding 2 1/2 more)

Second floor hallway

Second floor bedroom #1

 Second floor bedroom #2

 Second floor bedroom #3 (converting 3 small bedrooms and bathroom on second floor into 2 larger bedrooms with bigger closets, bigger bathroom, laundry room and reading nook)

 Attic (turning it into a master suite)

 Basement

 Basement

You might be thinking what I was thinking when I first set eyes on the house – are you out of your mind? My husband and I both wanted nothing to do with this house initially, but the more we thought about it, the more we knew we’d be crazy to pass it up. As I mentioned in my previous post, the only thing being salvaged is the foundation and the hard wood floors. We’re redoing all of the plumbing, electrical, sheetrock, windows, and siding – as well as creating a new kitchen (with newly added extension), new bathrooms, new laundry room, and new master suite in the attic. 

We’re knocking down walls like it’s our job and we’re even rebuilding the fireplace. I say “we” like I have anything to do with the reconstruction – I wish I could help, but at 7 months pregnant, I can hardly even step foot in the house since it’s been under construction. My husband, on the other hand, along with his dad and multiple other helpers, have been working away and making great progress.

We got off to a slow start when a “stop work order” was placed on the house after the attic roof was raised without a permit. After months of back-and-forths with the city to develop actual plans, have them approved, and have the appropriate permits in place, we are now full steam ahead. Can you see the difference? There’s still a ton of work to get done, but it’s exciting to start seeing the changes. 

Front of house from street (with new roof and old windows being ripped out)

 Closed-in front porch and future office of Ruffles & Tweed (now with electricity!)

 Living room fireplace (actually looks works than before because of the fires being burned before it's been cleaned) 

 View of dining room into kitchen from living room (new open concept!)

 Kitchen with extension, 1/2 bathroom, and cathedral ceilings

Closer shot of cathedral ceiling in kitchen

Stairs up to second floor (no longer closed in)

Second floor bathroom

New second floor laundry room 

 Second floor hallway

 Second floor bedroom #1

Second floor bedroom #2

 Attic (with raised roof in middle and view of soon-to-be walk-in closet)

Attic with new skylights

I am now in full on design mode and can’t wait to share my design ideas and findings with you. Um, I went to SIX different HomeGoods last Saturday – who does that? The best part about completely renovating an old house is that everything will be brand new and everything will be 100% us because we get to pick it all out. 

Check back soon for more updates on the progress, and hopefully, I can provide some inspiration and hope for anyone else thinking of taking on a similar project.