Introducing Our Little Big House

This is our home.  Well, this is what our home used to look like back in the early 1900s.  Beautiful, yes?  It was called, "The Mansion on the Hill" and according to historical records was the talk of the county.  Owned by Mr. and Mrs. H. J. Wilson, with its 33 windows, wrap around front porch, leaded and frosted glass windows and ornate interior trim, I imagine it was.  At just over 2400 square feet, 3300 if you count the third floor, I'm sure people came from miles around to watch the progress for the 2 years that it took to build it.  It was quite the house for 1905.

This is our home in 2007 when we bought it.  I know, right?  What was someone thinking to tear off all that beautiful detailing, to tear off the porch, and to install that HIDEOUS slate sliding?!  And then to paint it that revolting color of Carolina Blue!  Talk about adding insult to injury!  However, the house's interior had something to work with.  Instead of telling you why we fell in love with it, let me show you...

Before we moved in:

Back Porch

Screams for love, doesn't it?

Perk:  Perfect for a mudroom with all our kiddos!

Kitchen

 Crappy Cheap paint, cabinets, countertops, 

and fake tile flooring, tacky backsplash...

Perk:  Lots of room! 

Living Room

Be still my heart!

Hardwood floors, original trim and frosted glass...

Perk:  Possibilities!

Parlor

More glorious hardwood floors and original trim!

The front door has got to go though!  Hello 1950's!

Perk:  Who can say they actually have a PARLOR?!

Did you notice the pocket doors?

Dining Room

Okay, so the idiots owners that lived here before us painted the wood floors.  It was my understanding that she actually had a braided rug painted on the floor.  Unfortunately she used cheap-o paint to paint the floors and it immediately came off everytime you scooted back your chair at the table.

Perk:  They can be stripped and refinished.

Guest Bathroom

Good use of space under the stairwell.

The only room I don't want to do anything to.

Stairwell

The people that lived here seriously had a thing for blue.  Blue house, blue walls, blue curtains, blue borders, blue wallpaper...  

See a trend here?

Perk:  Screams for a chandelier, doesn't it?

Bedroom #1

White carpet with six kids?  Not going to be white for long.

Perk:  Huge for a 3rd bedroom, lots of light from 2 windows.

Bedroom #2

Makes you want to gag, right?

Perk: Plenty big enough for 4 boys to share.  

I was standing halfway in the room when I took the pic.  

Love the shape!

Master Bedroom

Don't you love that teeny-tiny closet in the corner?

Perk:  Humongous room with plenty of room for furniture.

Upstairs Bathroom

This was actually a 4th bedroom converted to a bathroom.  See the  disgusting pretty flowered curtain on the closet?  You love?  You're in luck...  It also matches the wall paper on the south wall AND the curtains.  I'll ship them to you for free!

Perk:  Jacuzzi tub and lots of room for improvement!

So, we saw all the potential and bought it for the asking price.  I won't say how much, but on 4.5 acres overlooking wide-open fields, people living on the East and West Coasts would faint at the steal we got.  However, we also had a little lot work to put into it.

So here we are, 4 years later.  Have we accomplished all that we had set out to?  No.  Time, money, kids...  All those little distractions add up and you don't always get the things done that you want to do.

This blog is to get us motivated and keep us on track to do something anything with this house.  And we need your comments and ideas to do it!  Welcome to our chaos!