Guess I know now what you guys were hoping for! hee. Thanks for all the happy comments! I’m still absorbing. I know it’s going to be back to the drawing board for the baby’s room. Not that it’s going to end up a pink powder puff but this new development definitely opens things up. I’ve got my stacks of books and magazines ready and I’m going to go back through them with new eyes.
Of course, it will have to wait a bit because the weekend is upon us and that’s house hunting time around here. And as more pieces of the puzzle fall into place I’m more and more anxious to find the house to put them all in. I’m starting to think if it has a nice yard, a decent basement, enough space, let’s just flippin move in. So what if it’s a raised ranch or a bland pancake split level, let’s just get in there. Actually Tim and I have this idea that it’d be super fun to totally redo a house, a mod dwell magazine sort of makeover on some cookie cutter house. Of course how practical is it to look at your average house and think, ok we’ll cut out this whole wall and make it windows and we’ll lay bamboo flooring and over here build a conversation pit and knock out this kitchen and put in an ikea kitchen. That sounds cheap right? Or there’s Tim’s favorite line when looking at a house, “we could add a room here.”
unfortunately I do the same thing when I look at houses. I used to live in Mid town tulsa, OK and I would walk through all the old houses and think , wow, this would be wonderful if….. Yeah, my creative remodelling ideas do not seem to be connected to my pocketbook….
Good luck house hunting!!
It is really hard not to think “oh we can add this, change that” when buying a house. Also, it is shocking what you can afford to change when you do things yourself and gradually. I bet you have your cool mod house that will be in all the design mags someday! Good luck!
How wonderful that you know baby’s gender while house-hunting! It’s funny how you KNOW when it is the right house…I guess the subconscious is ticking off requirements as you look. I put an offer down on my house the same morning it went on the market (and my husband was out of town). I would never have thought it would be the house I wanted, but it clicked — two years later, I know it is my (perhaps forever) home.
Personally, I vote for the Pink Power Puff room! I know what you mean about just having your own house….it’s SO much better when it’s yours and you have your own yard/basement and just place to be. Good luck!
you have so many exciting things heading your way! enjoy!
As a member of the “lets add a room here” club, I totally get where your coming from. hehe
The previous commenter is right too, you will just KNOW when its the right house.
Congrats on the bundle of pink coming…girls ARE a lot of fun!
Good luck this weekend on the house hunting!
YAY! GIRLS RULE! But seriously, congrats. Very exciting. Are you using a realator? If so, when you get a chance, can you e-mail me any recommendations you might have for one?
BTW, that dress you got was sooo cute!
Happy Weekend! 🙂
i say go for it on the house re-do. my hubby and i moved into one of the so called cookie cutter houses in an older neighborhood (late 50’s early 60’s) almost two years ago… its a crazy amount of work and takes time and money (we are doing it all oursleves) but it is so gratifying! i think you would love it! so what if its not practical, and people see you as a bit crazy 🙂 do you think the “right house” is really out there all perfect for an individual/creative person like you….(there most likely is if you have a gazillion dollars laying around) you need a special place…
congrats on your girl! im having a girl in 8 weeks and i thought she was a boy at first too… girls make you look at the world in a whole new perspective….
Re-doing a house is super fun.That’s if you like throwing money into a black hole!Seriously though it’s nice to be able to make somewhere really yours.I love that Childrens Room Stockholm book!
I looove househunting for some reason. I’ve been doing it since middle school. And I love dwell-ish design, too.
There’s no reason you’d need to make all those changes all at once if you plan to live in the place a while. Or, you could find a house below your price range and just use the rest of your loan to have someone fix it up before you even move in!
Good luck!
I think it’s good and totally necessary to have the “okay, we can redo this or add on to this” attitude when looking at a house. Most people don’t have that vision, and for those that do, the housing market opens up a bit. We spent 6 whole months searching, every single weekend, usually both days, looking at anywhere from 4 to 7 houses a day, with a just-turned-1 year old in tow. Our criteria kept changing, and even though I swore I’d never even look at a town house, that’s where we are, and quite happy. Is it my dream home? No, but we’re dreaming together in it, and making it as much “us” as possible. And it’s not going to be our last home, so… I guess I can wait. Good luck, you’ll find it.
Hi there,I see you also read ARIADNE AT HOME!!!I love that magazine.If all goes well they are going to place a small article in the issue of april about my sockmonkies!The monkies are also on my weblog along with other things I love to make.
Many dutch greetings Desirée
I agree with Ginny. I think you would love the process of redoing a house. A whole new reason for thrifting! Our home will celebrate its 100th birthday next year, and it has more character than a Jane Austen novel. We’ve owned it for six years, and I now know all about horsehair plaster, lathe, blown-in insulation, stripping woodwork, copper plumbing and a scary sounding process called, “gutting.” Love it, though, it truly is our home. Wishing you all the best!
It is so good that you have a sense of humour throughout the process of house-hunting. We are thinking of starting this year. Those magazine are so nice. What is the exact name of them?
It is so good that you have a sense of humour throughout the process of house-hunting. We are thinking of starting this year. Those magazine are so nice. I love that stockholm room
I can’t wait to see that nursery! And yeah, that’s how we would look at houses too… what could we change about this one????
Congrats on your new girl drummer!! She will be the cutest thing ever I’m sure!!! So much fun!!
Can’t wait to see the nursery, oh man!! I’m guessing it will be to die for!! **drools on self in cuteness anticipation**
Ahhh! Fill me in. OPRF? FP? Berwyn?
Geez- I haven’t been by for a few days and look at all I’ve missed! Good gravy, it’s a GIRL! Congratulations! I am so thrilled for you! She is going to be an absolute doll! xoxo-
Hi, I love your site and what you make – you are so talented!!! Anyway I had to laugh while reading your entry this morning as my hubby and I have just had 5 walls knocked out of the middle of our 12 yr old house and put in new walls in a different configuration (thus giving us more open space and an extra bedroom) and on top of that we are putting in a new Ikea kitchen!!!LOL It has been terrific and I encourage you to think about doing it. Good luck with your house hunting.
what is the isbn for the children’s rooms “Stockholm? book” it looks so cute. thanks!
Dear Hillary 🙂
Congratulations for the baby girl on the way!!!
Wish you all the best!
I think of it this way – sure, your house might not be perfect, and you might have to mortgage your soul to get it livable, but at least you CAN change the harvest gold appliances and paint over the hideous wallpaper. Besides, it’s amazing how much of a difference the “little” things – paint, wood floors, crown moulding – can make in a room.
Best of luck to you! 😀
Remember this important rule of real estate: Buy the least expensive (i.e. fixer-upper) home in the nicest neighborhood you can afford to. You can always fix up the house, you can’t fix the neighborhood. Happy hunting.
We are house-hunting, too – I recognize the dilemma for sure. I am a new reader of your wonderful and inspiring blog. Thanks for sharing.
Good luck to you from the westcoast of Norway!
Coming out of long lurk-dom (I love your entire blog, and am so inspired by your creativity): Congratulations on the addition of a daughter to your family! I have a daughter, and she is the joy of my life. Also good luck with the house-hunting. Wish you were here, there is a gorgeous mid-century architect-designed house on the market, right across the street from me, at a great price. Oh well, I’m sure you will find something right for you, or make it right!
(raising hand) Former hater of ranch homes here. Now, I’ve changed my tune. My sister in law and her husband bought and gutted a ranch home and it’s now the coolest pad I’ve ever seen. The open style also makes raising the kids so much easier. Not running up and down stairs is priceless! Good luck, and it sounds like you are having a girl, congratulations!!!
How do I get a subscription or copies of the Ariadne At Home Kinderen? I went to their website but could not figure it out? Help? Congrats on the girl. After three boys I was absolutely thrilled to have one myself!
ha! Paul used to say that too! “oh we can just put an addition on there.” yeah right!
hang in there, it’s HORRIBLE looking at all those rejects- it’ll happen!
Where did you buy that book,”Children’s Room Stockholm”? I have one very similar to it called “Stockholm’s Kitchens” and it’s an awesome source for inspiration because the scandinavians are so much better than us at mixing real living with beautiful design. I emailed the japanese bookstore where I bought the kitchen one and they emailed me back asking for the japanese title or the ISB number. Thank you so much for sharing this find and I hope I can find one too.