Our New-To-Us, 65-Year-Old House! (Complete House Tour)

Happy Monday, everyone!  It’s especially a happy Monday for us because, in case you didn’t hear, we closed on the house on Friday!  It’s officially ours!

So are you ready for the full tour?  I’m gonna warn you, there are a ton of pictures in this post!!  I apologize in advance if you’re on a slower internet connection, but I really wanted to get the whole tour done in one post rather than dragging it out into several posts.

First, some details:

  • It was built in 1952 (61 years old),
    • Edit:  I found out the house was actually built in 1948, so it’s 65 years old,
  • I’m almost certain we’re the third owners (the original owners, then Vicki’s family who owned the house for over 40 years, and now us),
  • It has 2,317 square feet (that’s living space, not including the garage)(that’s almost three times the size of our condo!!!  😀 ),
  • There are 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms,
  • The lot is exactly one acre (43,560 square feet — that’s three to six times the size of a typical city lot in Waco),
  • We bought the house for $83,000, and then received a $7500 allowance from the sellers for a new roof and other needed repairs.

Now let’s get to the pictures!!  This is our house in its complete “before” state.  I had to use every ounce of self control to keep myself from ripping up carpet and knocking down not-so-original additions to the house until I got all of these before pictures!!  So here goes…

The left half of the house is white Austin Stone (limestone), and the right half is vinyl siding.  I’m not a big fan of vinyl siding, so I have future plans to remove all of the vinyl siding and use a combination of Austin Stone and shingle siding on the whole thing.  I’ll share more details about that later.

Exterior - Front 02 - resized

In our front yard, we have a massive tree (I have no idea what kind) on the left, and a pecan tree on the right.  I know absolutely nothing about trees, plants, landscaping, etc., so this will be a real learning experience for me.  Y’all feel free to share your knowledge with me, because I’ll certainly need the guidance!!

Exterior - Front 03 - resized

Our mailbox is someone’s masterpiece.  It was signed and dated by the artist.  I almost feel guilty about replacing something that someone clearly put a lot of time and love into, but it’s just not quite my style.  🙂

Exterior - Mailbox 02 - resized

The hedges definitely need some attention.  My immediate thought was to get rid of them completely, but I’ve also seen people cut overgrown boxwoods into little topiary-like trees, so I might give that a shot first.  (The white paper tacked up on the porch is the building permit for the new roof that was put on last Friday.)

Exterior - Front 04 - resized

From the other side, you can see that we have two doors leading out to the front porch.  I’m not a fan of the whole double door thing, so the one on the left will eventually be a window instead of a door.  We are very fortunate that this house already has a wheelchair ramp, although it needs some sprucing up.  That handrail could definitely be improved upon.

Exterior - front of house 05 - resized

Hopefully in the not-so-distant future, we can have the entire ceiling/roof of the front porch raised up to give it more height so that it’s not sitting right on top of the door and window.  I also want another gable added right above the front door, and the whole front porch extended out quite a bit.  As it is now, if Matt were to come out the front door (rather than that side door), it would be dangerous for him.  He could easily lose control, and go tumbling down the front steps.  The side door is a straight shot to the wheelchair ramp, so until we can get the front porch extended, the side door has to stay.

Exterior - front of house 02 - resized

As you can see, the whole exterior needs a good once-over with a power washer.  🙂

Now for the inside!

Just inside the front door is the entryway (of course), and straight ahead is what the builder intended to be the dining room, although we’re not going to use it as the dining room.  You can also see the first sliding glass door.  That was originally the back of the house, but the previous owners added a sunroom, so the original glass door now goes out to the sunroom.  The doorway on the wall to the left goes to the bedrooms, and the doorway on the wall to the right goes to the kitchen.

Entryway 02 - resized

Standing in the entryway and looking to the right, you see the living room.

Living room 03 - resized

And yes, that’s window air conditioner.  🙂  I’ve never in my life lived in a house with window units, so it’s definitely different.  Hopefully by next summer we’ll be able to install central air conditioning (the house already has central heating), but it’ll have to wait until then because we have some other big expenses that are more urgent.  And truth be told, these window units do a fantastic job of cooling, even in the hot Texas summer!

If you stand in front of the doorway that leads to the bedrooms, and look back at the living room, it looks like this…

Living room 05 - resized

And then standing in what’s supposed to be the dining room, looking back at the living room and front door…

Living room 06 - resized

(The piano isn’t mine.  Vicki’s daughter is going to take it, so she’ll be picking it up soon.)

Please don’t be jealous of my green patterned carpet.  🙂  It has been protecting the original hardwood floors for the last three decades!!

Living room 07 - resized

Okay, so here is the doorway that leads to the bedrooms and hallway bathroom…

Hallway 01 - resized

Stepping just inside that doorway, you’ll see a closet on either side.  The closet on the right is original to the house, and holds part of the heating system.  The closet on the left with the bi-fold doors isn’t original to the house, and I’ll be tearing that out very soon.

Hallway 05 - resized

The two doorways straight ahead lead to my office (on the left) and the master bedroom (on the right).  Notice that this area has different, but coordinating, green carpet.  🙂  The room on the left (my office) is the only room in the house that has the original hardwood flooring exposed.

Hallway 06 - resized

This is the master bedroom.  Nothing too exciting…yet. 🙂

Master bedroom 02 - resized

It does have a bathroom attached, but the bathroom isn’t original to the house.

Master bedroom 04 - resized

And looking back the other way, you see the bathroom on the left, the closet in the middle, and the doorway on the right leading back out into the hallway.

Master bedroom 08 - resized

This is the only long windowless wall, so I’m thinking this is where the bed will have to go.  It’s not ideal (I don’t like walking into a room and not getting the full view of the feature wall, which in a bedroom, is always the headboard wall), but I have to work with what I’ve got.  In the future (when we have the shingle siding added), I’d love to have the single window on the wall opposite the bedroom door replaced with two windows spaced so that a headboard can fit in between.  That way when you walk in the room, the first thing you’ll see is the feature wall (i.e., the headboard wall), as it should be.

Master bedroom 10 - resized

The master bathroom obviously has some issues.  🙂  I’m honestly not even sure how much I’ll do in here.  I might just close the door and ignore it until we have the money saved up to do a complete master bathroom addition, which will include gutting this completely and expanding it out towards the back and to the left.

Master bath 01 - resized

The room to the left of the master bedroom will be my office.  Right now, all of the walls and even the ceiling are paneled.  They’re really thick, solid wood tongue-and-groove panels.  I’m not quite sure what I want to do with it.  I might just start out by priming and painting the ceiling and walls to see if I like it.

Office 01 - resized

And I can’t even tell you how ecstatic I am that my office has three…THREE…windows!!!  Our entire condo has a total of four windows in the whole place, so three windows just in my office alone is so exciting to me.

Office 03 - resized

It also has a little closet, which you can see on the left.

Office 05 - resized

Right now the walls just make the room seem so dark and dreary to me, but I think if the paneling was painted white, it would really be bright and cheery in here.

Office 10 - resized

But as it is, the crackled finish on the walls…

Office 13 - resized

…and on the ceiling is a bit much for me.

Office 14 - resized

There is a really awesome mid-century modern light fixture in here.  If I were going for a mid-century modern look in this house, I’d definitely be hanging on to this light fixture.  But I’m not.  So I won’t.

Office 16 - resized

Standing in the master bedroom doorway, and looking back into the hallway, you get a good view of the closet that isn’t original to the house.  While extra storage is great, I’m not crazy about the fact that it doesn’t match the original features of the house.  It definitely looks like a 1970s addition to me.

The door to the right of the closet is the third bedroom, which will be Matt’s room to do with as he pleases.

Hallway 12 - resized

He’s always liked the idea of having an arcade room, so perhaps he can do that here.  I’ll definitely be hooking up the video game systems that he already has in here, because I can’t stand having those controllers and cords lying around everywhere.  So we’ll both be happy that he has his very own room to be used for that purpose.  🙂

This is the room with the door that leads out to the front porch (the second door on the porch that I eventually want to be a window instead of a door), so that’s another reason this will be great as his room.  If he needs to go outside, he’ll need to use this door for now, until we can extend the front porch out more and make it safe for him to exit through the front door.

Matt's room 1 - resized

And looking back the other way, you can see the little closet on the left.  Out in the hallway, you can see the hallway bathroom straight across from this room.

Matt's room 4 - resized

And here’s the hallway bathroom in all it’s glory.  🙂  That window used to look outside, but now it looks into the sunroom, so I’ll eventually be removing it completely.  I plan on adding a solar tube in here for some natural light.

Hallway Bath 01 - resized

I’m pretty sure that the light and the medicine cabinet are original to the house, but I’m quite sure the vanity was a later addition.  You can see the original gas wall heater in the bottom left of the picture.  I love those old heaters, but the inspector recommended that we remove those.  🙁

Hallway bath 03 - resized

At some point, someone got clever and decided to add storage above the tub.  It kind of matches the closet in the hallway.  I’ll be removing this as well.  🙂  I’m all for extra storage, but it’s clearly not original, and I don’t want to feel like I’m showering in a cave.

Hallway bath 09 - resized

I’m pretty sure that the faucet, handles, drain, and bathtub are original.  I’d love to keep them if they’re all in working condition and I can get them cleaned up so they all look nice.  (Barkeepers Friend, perhaps?  I’ve never used that stuff, but I keep hearing people rave about it.)

Hallway bath 13 - resized

And behind the door, to the right of the tub, is a closet.  That will be plenty of bathroom storage for me.

Hallway bath 10 - resized

And you can even get a peek of the original hardwood floors inside.

Hallway bath 19 - resized

Truth be told, I love the style of the tile on the bathroom floor.  However, I’m not a fan of the fleshy pink colored tiles.  If those were black, I’d be keeping this floor without question.  (It’s really in great condition.)  So at this point, I’m not exactly sure what I want to do.  Try to replace just those pink tiles?  Try to paint them?  Replace the entire floor?  Not sure.

Hallway bath 18 - resized

I also really love these original doorknobs.  Sadly, some of the doorknobs in the house have been replaced with newer ones (shiny brass from the 80’s, for example), so I’m going to see if I can find replacements that match these.

Hallway bath 20 - resized

Okay, now lets move on to the kitchen.  Remember that the kitchen is through the door on the wall to the right of the sliding door in what’s supposed to be the dining room.

Living room 16 - resized

If you stand in that doorway and look straight ahead, this is what you see.  The doorway straight ahead (that leads into the other room) was originally the doorway leading outside onto a dogrun.  The doorway on the right was originally a window that looked out onto the dogrun.  (For those of you who aren’t familiar with the term “dogrun,” it’s simply a roofed outdoor passageway that connects two parts of a house or building — in this case, it connected the house to the garage.)  The previous owners enclosed the dogrun to create a den.

Kitchen 01 - resized

Looking to the right, there is a wall of cabinets.  These cabinets are not original to the house.

Kitchen 04 - resized

Here’s a full view of that wall.  Notice the groovy 1970’s update to the left of the cabinets.  🙂

Kitchen 07 - resized

And continuing to the right.  This wall is where the previous owner had a refrigerator and free-standing dishwasher, as well as another groovy 1970’s addition.  The doorway to the right is the one that leads back out to the living room area.

Kitchen 08 - resized

And opposite the wall of cabinets above is this wall of cabinets.  These are the ones that are original to the house.  The door on the left goes to the living room area, the window looks out onto the sunroom, and the door on the right goes to the dogrun-turned-den.

Kitchen 15 - resized

If you stand in that doorway and look straight ahead into the den, you see the door that goes into the garage.

Den 02 - resized

To the right is this big window that looks out towards the front of the house.  If you look at this section of the house from outside, you can see the original concrete step that was used to step up onto the dogrun before it was enclosed.  To put this room into perspective, it’s 12 feet wide, which is the same width of our condo living room, and it’s about 20 feet long, which is almost twice the length of our condo living room.

Den 04 - resized

And on the other end are these two windows.  The door on the left goes into the sunroom.  And yes, the ceiling is curved down on this end.  🙂  Whoever enclosed this room didn’t want to create a new roofline, so they just worked with the existing roof.  That forced them to curve the ceiling down on this end of the room.  This is something we will remedy when we tackle our remodel of the sunroom in a few years.  For now, we’ll live with a curved ceiling.

Den 08 - resized

Again, because they wanted to tie in with the existing roof, the ceiling in this room is lower than the rest of the house (it’s about 7 1/2 feet high, and even lower on the end that curves down).  And the fact that it’s stained this dark color doesn’t help matters any.  A coat (or three) of white paint will do wonders in here as a temporary fix to brighten things up until we can afford to raise the roof/ceiling to the proper height.

Den 06 - resized

Remember the picture of the den above with the two windows and the door on the left (two pictures up)?  If you walk through that door, it leads to the sunroom.  You can also get to the sunroom through the sliding glass door in the room that’s intended to be the dining room that’s straight ahead from the front door. (You can kind of see the sliding glass door in this picture on the left.)

Sunroom 01 - resized

This room has an entire wall of windows and another sliding glass door that leads to the back yard.

Sunroom 04 - resized

Here, I’m standing on the step in front of the original sliding glass door, looking slightly to the right.

Sunroom 05 - resized

And here’s the view from the other end of the room, looking back towards the door that goes to the den.  The original sliding glass door is on the right.

Sunroom 06 - resized

This room will eventually be getting a MAJOR overhaul.  We want to raise the entire thing up so that it’s level with the rest of the house, raise the roof so that it’s normal height (and regular sheetrock instead of those panels), remove the original sliding glass door, and then reconfigure some other things (which I’m still working out in my head 🙂 ) and turn this into the main family room, and perhaps dining room.  This will be a few years down the road, and will by far be our biggest expense in remodeling this house.

Okay, remember back in the den where I said the door lead out to the garage?  Well, here’s my garage!!!  Oh my gosh, I’m so excited about this garage!!  I finally have a place to put my tools, to use my tools, to store projects that I’m working on, and so much more.  And I might even park my car in here.  😉  You can see that I’ve already got two projects-in-waiting in here.

Garage 03 - resized

I love, love, LOVE the exposed rafters in here.  I’d eventually like to sheetrock and paint the whole thing so that it looks and feels light and bright in here.  Right now, the dark wood and black tar paper stuff on the walls just sucks the light out.

Garage 02 - resized

If you stand outside the garage doors and look towards the back of the garage, you see a separate storage area back there.  It’s actually a good size, and I considered using it as my actual workroom, but I think I’d rather be in the big open garage instead.  The storage room has a door that leads to the back yard, but it doesn’t have any windows, so it’s quite dark in there.  I like the idea of being able to open the garage doors and let the breeze and sunlight in while I work.

Garage 01 - resized

Okay, are you still with me?  We’re on the home stretch now!

If you walk around the side of the garage (where you can see that the siding is in desperate need of a good once-over with a power washer), there’s a wide gate that leads to the back yard.

Exterior - side yard - resized

If you stand just inside that gate and look straight ahead, this is what you see.  See that thick row of trees (and dead brush) straight ahead?  That marks the not-quite-halfway point of our back yard.

Exterior - back yard 14 - resized

And here’s the view looking over towards the other side of the yard.

Exterior - back yard 13 - resized

If you stand at that row of thick trees (and dead brush) and look back towards this house, this is what you see.

Exterior - back yard 08 - resized

And if you peek through that thick row of trees, you can see the rest of our back yard.

Exterior - back yard 09 - resized

This image from Google maps will give you a better view of our property.  You can see the row of thick row of trees that marks the not-quite-halfway point of our back yard.  And to the left of that row of trees, sitting almost right on the property line, is a storage building (looks white from the aerial view).

arial view

We eventually want to put up a privacy fence around the entire back yard, but it’ll cost a small fortune (at least $10,000, I’m sure), and digging that many post holes is something I’m NOT willing to DIY.  So we might have to fence the front half first, and then the back half as finances allow.

Here’s that storage building that I pointed out in the Google maps image above.  It definitely needs some love (a good cleaning, a treatment with something that will stop rust, and a new coat of paint will do wonders), but I’m glad to have the outside storage.

Exterior - back yard 06 - resized

And here’s a peek of the back half of our yard from this side.

Exterior - back yard 05 - resized

And here’s the back of the house from this side of the yard.  The window with the awning is the master bedroom, and the section of the house just to the left of that, obscured by that tree, is the master bathroom.

Exterior - back yard 04 - resized

On the back patio is this combination outdoor fireplace and planters made of bricks.  I’ll be removing this eventually, but I’ll probably hold onto the bricks for…something…since they match the color of the Austin stone on the house so well.  Any ideas what I can use them for?

Exterior - back yard 03 - resized

And that’s it!  That’s the full tour of our new-to-us, 61-year-old house.

What do you think?  Can you see the potential?  Do you think it’s just right for this DIY fanatic, or do you think I’m crazy and I’ve bitten off way more than I can handle?  🙂  Time will tell, I suppose!

 

 

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144 Comments

  1. Congratulations, Kristi. I can’t wait to see you work your magic on your new home. So many possibilities. Did you decide to sell the condo, or are you going to rent it out?

    1. We’re definitely going to be selling it. I’m trying to get the floors done in the house so that we can move in (I figured hardwood flooring would be easier for Matt to maneuver around on rather than the lumpy old carpet), and once we’ve moved in, I’ll turn my attention back to the condo and finish up some unfinished projects here. Then we’ll put it on the market, and I can focus all of my attention on the house. 🙂 So we’ll see how that plan goes! Ha!

  2. Kristi!! This is so awesome for you guys!! I’m sure it will look as adorable as your condo in no time! You have incredible energy! Blessings to you and your husband! Congratulations on the new house!!

    Lori

  3. LOVE it!! And congrats! My 2 cents: You can TOTALLY paint the tile in that bathroom (please keep it in some fashion – its super cool!) and I would absolutely keep the outdoor fireplace as is! We just priced having one put in at our house (outside of Austin) and its over 10K! Totally worth it to keep! Or just reuse the materials to move it… Can’t wait to see what you do with this little(big!) gem!
    Amy

    1. Oh wow! I had no idea those were so expensive!!!

      I definitely want an outdoor fireplace, so I might just disassemble the current one and rebuild it. The problem is that once we raise the sunroom up to be the same level as the rest of the house, then we plan on building a deck off the back. So that will make the current fireplace unusable since the fire box is right at ground level. But I’m sure I could just reuse all of the bricks to build one that will work with the new deck.

      Of course, I’m getting WAY ahead of myself!! We won’t be tackling those projects for a few years. So in the meantime, I’ll just enjoy the fireplace right where it is.

  4. Congrats, Lots of hard work, fun and making memories to come! I have been finding matching brick all over my ward (used for flower beds?) and I have been saving them to make a nice mailbox to replace my plastic one.

  5. It will be so fun to watch the house transform! Congratulations … even the way it looks now, it has a homey feeling.

  6. OH Kristi!!!! Congratulations! Your new home is lovely and is PERFECT for DIY! Love your office area and yes…you’d be surprised what a few coats of paint will do for the dark paneling. Also…I’m pretty sure you can paint the bathroom floor tiles…hunt around on Pinterest for a tutorial. I too love the pattern of the tiles and agree it should probably be black! Ha!

    You mentioned in your post that you’re not going with mid-century decorating style…can’t wait to see what style you choose. Look forward to seeing your progress and how you decide what to tackle first! 🙂

  7. I have been so excited to see the pictures you promised us, today! You certainly did not disappoint! Your new house is charming and beautiful, Kristi! Like the others, I cannot wait to see all the creative, wonderful things you are going to do to bring it back to life. As a native Texan, I can agree that those dang window units really DO keep the house cool! We’ve always had central air and ended up, after horrendous light bills and continually being “too warm”, adding two window units. What a difference it made!

    I feel rather dumb asking this question and maybe you or one of your “listeners” could answer, but what is a “solar tube”? You mention putting one in when you close up the window in your master bath. We have a small lake house with no window in sight in our kitchen and it is so dark in there. I’ve been stumped as to what I can do to duplicate some “natural light” into the space.

    I’ve read many other blogs and I can tell you that yours is the only one bookmarked on my computer. I so enjoy seeing and reading about all your projects. Your write beautifully and we all feel like we know you and are right there with you on your journey.

    Susan

    1. Susan,
      We have a solar tube (sun tunnel) that we had installed in our windowless bathroom and love it. It is one of the best upgrades we made when we moved into our house. As far as I am concerned it is better than a window because it provides a lot of light and there are no condensation issues, and is guaranteed not to leak. We have had it for about three years with no problems. The brand we had installed is Solatube. You can view their website at http://www.solatube.com. We are in Houston, but I think they are a national company.

    2. Oops, looks like Diane beat me to it! Yep, solar tubes are amazing. For being so little, it’s really astounding how much natural light they let into a room. And I’ve watched a few videos on YouTube, and they actually look quite easy to install. Of course, you have to cut a hole in the roof, so it’s a little scary. But if you can get past that, the actual installation looks very straightforward and pretty simple.

  8. So, you have an official new fan in Michigan. I have sporadically kept up with the redo of the condo….marveling at your vision and carry through. I am “all in” now.. I really want to keep up with this transformation. It is good you can go home to your orderly condo at night. Living through construction, as you well know, is stressful. I am uber excited to see the transformation, no matter how slow it goes. Just my initial two cents….I would also keep that tile in the bath and work around the fireplace…somehow. Paint, paint and more paint will do initial wonders….and letting the sunshine in. In reference to the question on the solar tube: It is a cheap way to have a sky light. It brings the light in through a tube (usually a 12″ diameter) that goes through the ceiling to the roof. It uses reflective surfaces to magnify the light. Not sure of the mechanics, but it sure does the job of brightness. I think I have this right. I am sure Kristi will correct me if wrong. Best wishes, Kristi! If I was in Texas, I would offer my elbow grease!

  9. Thank you for sharing! I can’t wait to follow you on your journey of fixing your new place up….I know it’s going to be incredible! Just my humble opinion but I would keep that outdoor fireplace…but that’s just me. Good Luck! 🙂

    1. I’ll definitely be keeping the fireplace for a few years, but down the road it won’t work with our plans for that outdoor space. I explained here: https://www.addicted2decorating.com/our-new-to-us-old-house-complete-house-tour.html#comment-97773

      But I definitely might consider just disassembling the current fireplace / planter beds and then reassembling a fireplace so that it’ll work once we build the deck. But that’s several years away. 🙂

  10. I have to say, that is a lot of work, but I’m sure it will be lots of fun turning that house into exactly what you want it to be. I bet just getting the carpet up will make a huge difference. What room are you going to do first? When will you all move in? Are you going to wait until you’ve updated the house a bit?

    1. This might sound strange, but I think I’ll actually decorate the hallway first. 😀 I do actually have a few reasons for that decision. I’ll share soon.

      We’re hoping to move in by September 1st just so we can get the condo on the market as soon as possible. I’m not too concerned about getting the house updated before we move in. The only thing I definitely want to do before then is get the original hardwood floors refinished. If I can just get that done, and then purchase a fridge and stove, I’ll be ready to move in.

  11. This place is going to be fabulous when you get in there and start your “magic”. I read your blog everyday and am always so amazed at what you do with so little. You are a true artisan and this home will reflect that. Can’t wait to see what you do!

  12. what an exciting adventure you have ahead of you, but what potential! When you have the vision to see what it can be, what it likes now doesn’t matter. I, too, bought a 50 year old house that hadn’t seen much love in a long time. Unfortunately, I’m not disciplined enough to finish one project before starting another, so after a year, am living in what feels like a construction zone and my family think I’m nuts, but then they don’t live there and so far, I’m OK with it! I’m looking forward to seeing the wonders you will work here!

    1. I am from Ft Wayne Indiana and use to know a Sue DeChant that was very handy with DIY projects. I am wondering if this is you? I am Kathy Branam and we met each other at St Vincent de Paul Church about 20 years ago. Are you the same one?????

      1. Yes Kathy, it’s me!!! Oh my gosh, what a small world! Lets connect off this post, are you on Facebook? I am….Sue May DeChant. I would love to catch up!

  13. Congratulations on your new home! I am looking forward to this journey with you. I don’t think it’s more than you can handle. I too bought an older home in need of some attention and it gives me great joy to work on it. May this house become a home full of joy for you Kristi!

  14. Thanx for sharing, how exciting! Definitely a huge undertaking, but I have total faith that when you are done, it will be magnificent. Here’s hoping, however, you can get some help from friends and family along the way with all of the initial painting, etc. Can’t wait to see each transformation! You are so talented and have such vision.

  15. My oh my! You’re gonna have some FUN with that house! What a blank canvas! It reminds me of my first house built in 1955 with only one previous owner. I can’t wait to see what you do with it!

  16. I am so excited for you and Matt! I am redoing almost every room in my house (due to years of poor maintenance) and am anxious to see what you decide to do first (after taking up all that carpet of course)! You really inspire me with your energy and ideas – you have taken me from feeling overwhelmed with what I need to do … to enjoying every minute of what I am working on at the time! God bless you Kristi !!

    1. Also an idea for your mail box when replaced – install the flowered one in your backyard to keep garden tools handy.

      1. I so agree about the mailbox being repositioned. I have two, at strategic places in my back yard. ( I have a large yard) I always keep trimmers, scissors and small spade in each one. I can not tell you how many steps that they have saved me.

      2. I was also going to say keep the mailbox, it’s beautiful! It would look great stuck in a flowerbed in your backyard plus you could still keep your gardening tools in it.

  17. Congratulations!!! The house has great bones and with you being so talented it will be a model home in no time. Can’t wait for the pictures as you start in this new journey.

  18. In New Orleans where I live there are a lot of old homes with closets that were added later like yours. We had the ugly cabinets above the closets in our house, but could not part with the extra storage so I took the doors off, framed it with some molding and painted it to match the trim. Now I use picture boxes and wicker baskets to store items we don’t use every day. These little changes made a world of difference and I’m so glad to have the storage.

  19. It’s FULL of potential!!!! (albeit a bit overwhelming at this point, I’m sure) But just remember “slow n steady” wins the race, er, the renovation. One. project. at. a. time. Happy for you Kristi…you are gonna just ROCK that place to bits!!!! Can’t wait to see how you work your magic!

    1. After the inspection, I was so overwhelmed that I almost backed out of the deal. In fact, I went home and spent a few hours on Realtor.com to see if there were any other houses in the area, and in our price range, that I would rather have. But then I calmed down, realized that this house was the perfect fit for me, and decided to enjoy the process, one project at a time. 🙂

      1. Perfectly understandable melt down. And, yes, that house IS perfect for you. That lot is to die for. You must get goosebumps thinking about how you are going to be able to drill and saw and sand whenever the heck you feel like it!! Just take some **deep breaths**…lots of them. I always get myself in trouble by looking at the big picture and becoming discouraged with how much I have left to do. So, I have to remind myself of the “one at a time” rule constantly. It’s the only way I can stay sane as I work on this fixer upper I live in. (and I’m a 53 yr old woman who lives alone — so it’s all me, baby!!) Also, just want to tell you what an inspiration you are, Kristi. In so many ways.

  20. Yay!! Excited for you and can’t wait to see the transformation!! I love turning something old into new again! 🙂

  21. You have a lot of good times ahead! Can’t wait to see where you start. If you don’t want the mailbox for garden tools in the back yard (great idea!) do the previous owners want it? I know you’ll find a good home for it.

  22. Kristi, I think it is great for you guys! Lots of work BUT it doesn’t have to be done tomorrow. People thought I was crazy when they saw what I bought too Kristi but so what? Maybe I am a little crazy. But it’s mine and I get to make it look the way I want to and so do you!! Are those drop ceilings in the living room? I absolutely love the Austin Limestone. Is that a live oak tree? Can’t wait to see what all you do.

    1. Ahhhh, you noticed my ceilings, did you? 😀 They’re not drop ceilings. The 8-foot ceilings are just covered with these 12 x 12 tiles. I think they’re some kind of acoustic tiles. I’m not sure if I’ll be removing them (I’m a little afraid of what I’d find behind them) or covering them up, but I definitely won’t be keeping them.

      Yeah, I have no idea about the tree. I hope to learn, though!

    1. Where to start? I’ve been wrestling with this question for several months now, as I perused the pictures and dreamed of what I wanted to do in each room! And you now what? I still have no clue. 😀 I actually think after I complete the refinishing of the hardwood floors, the first area I’ll decorate will be the hallway. I know. That’s strange. I promise, I have reasons. 🙂

      I don’t drink coffee, but I do foresee gallons and gallons of iced tea in my future!! 🙂

  23. Congratulations on your new home! I can’t wait to see what you do with your new place! I wish I had your energy!

  24. Oh my gosh Kristi, I am sooo excited for you!!! Congratulations on the new house!! It does certainly look like a lot of work, but what better than having such a fresh new palette for you to work on!! I can’t wait to see what you decide to do and how it all turns out!! You’re totally going to be quenching my thirst for new home reno as we’re hopefully buying a home next year ourselves but can’t do anything on the house we’re currently living in, so I’ll probably be stalking what you do on your house!!

  25. Kristi, Congratulations on your new house! I am very happy for you & your husband and look forward to following each improvement you do to make it your home. I admire your insight and hard work. You’ve inspired me to want to learn how to use power tools and tackle projects I never would have considered before. Remember to take your time and enjoy the journey : )

  26. How exciting!! If I lived by you, I’d come help tear out that carpet!!!!!!!
    (I’m sure it looked nice when they put it in though.)

  27. Reminds me of my madness when I bought a 100-year old Victorian in Marble Falls, Texas. I was newly single, and that was my style back then. Fixed it up one room at a time, and it turned out wonderful. Wish I still had it. You are going to have a blast with this house, Kristi, and to know you won’t be “disturbing” your neighbors will be a humongus relief! On your mark….get set….ohhhh

  28. Wow, can’t wait to see your transformations. Bar keepers Friend is amazing on showers and glass. Just don’t ever use anything that isn’t smooth to clean with I. It scratches. And always spot test first! (From experience)

  29. Oh what potential this place has and that back yard is to die for….I can’t wait to see what you do here. I am plugged in for a play by play of everything. I absolutely love your ideas and they always look magnificent. You and your husband knew what house to pick….you will enjoy this for sure. So glad it works for him as well…ya’ll are blessed to have found this at such an amazing price. And we are blessed to tag along and watch what you do here…thank you for sharing with us all.

  30. Congratulations to you & your husband & all your devoted followers! Can’t wait to come along for the ride. I’m excited & grateful you share!

  31. I do admit that it seems like it needs a lot of work but that house is amazing. What a score!! I can’t wait to follow along on all of your updates and renos. Congratulations again!!

    1. The only thing I really want to do…and finish…before we move in is the refinishing of the original hardwood floors. Once that’s done, and we get a stove and fridge, I’ll be ready to move in!

  32. I think I am as excited as you! Can’t wait till you work your magic! The house is adorable. The size of the yard! Oh my! I am working on a fixer upper too, and when I get discouraged I come over to your blog & get excited once again. <3

  33. My mother-in-law and I recently finshed a book my Mary Kay Andrews, Ladies’ Night, where the main character was a DIY home blogger who updated a run-down cottage with lots of potential. We are both elated to find someone like her in real life! We look forward to follwing along with your transformation and congratulations on your new home.

  34. If you want to email me a close up or two of the leaves on that big tree in the front, I can take a look at it and let you know what it is. On the boxwoods, before you try to make them into topiaries, reach inside and spread the branches so you can see down inside. If you see a lot of brown leaves and dry, dead branches, then you would be better off to cut them down and start new. If there is only a little then you can use a product called Superthrive on them this fall and it will help perk them up quite a bit. You will want to gradually shape them a little at a time to get them to look how you want without exposing too much bare interior. Feel free to pick my brain anytime you need any outdoor help! I’m a Master Gardener and a Landscape Designer so I’d be happy to help. Too bad I’m in Nebraska or I would come give you a hand when you get to that big beautiful yard!

  35. Congratulations…..I am so excited for you! And cannot wait to see you work your magic!! I had a great chuckle in the kitchen photos…that “70’s groove thing was definately going on!”. You are going to have a blast making this your home….enjoy every minute!

  36. Wowza! I love it and it definately has a LOT of potential. I’ll bet you can sell some of those 50’s and 70’s items you don’t want, on e-bay. Midcentury style is huge right now. As for the bathroom floor, I know I’ve seen tutorials on painting tile and then sealing it. It’s really a cute pattern and if you only want to change one color, how hard can it be? (Famous last words. LOL) It’s a great looking house (almost to be home) and with your talent and money saving ideas, you’ll have it whipped into shape before you know it! Can’t wait to see your room-by-room improvements.

  37. Oops! forgot to tell you that my sister moved into a home that had almost all paneled rooms and a couple of them were paneled on the ceiling. She sanded them down, painted the ceiling white and in 2 rooms she chose a light color to go with her decor. In a third room she did a white wash treatment that brightened the room and let the wood grain still show through. Just a thought…

  38. It looks great especially the lot size and you have lots of area to showcase your talent. I love this blog as I am a reasonably new home owner and your projects are reasonable and practical while still looking great. Good luck to you and your husband on your new adventure.

  39. Please, do NOT get rid of the out door fire place and BBQ pit. People pay a lot of money to be able to sit out with a nice out door fire place and enjoy the out door season a little longer. I think it adds value to your property.

    1. The problem is that once we basically rebuild the sunroom (making it the main family room) so that it’s raised up to the level of the rest of the house, we’ll be building a deck out back, so the fire box on the fireplace will be too low. I think I’ll definitely try to salvage all of the bricks and try to rebuild it in a way that will work with the deck. But that’s a few years down the road. 🙂

  40. Congrats!
    Looks like there is lots for you to do and play around with. =)
    Can’t wait to see what you have in store for everything.
    I’d love to see a layout of the house to go along with the pictures.

  41. LOVE all the photo’s and the house tour! I know you said the wall units work well for cooling, but keep in mind they are terrible for your energy bill (I used to work for a major electric company here in TX!). I don’t want you in sticker shock when you get your first summer bill in your new home 🙂 Just something to store away in the back of your head. Lovely, lovely home, congratulations!

  42. Love it! Love the size of your yard especially and the fact you have some hardwood floors in place already that just need some tlc. You will do wonders with your new home and it will be fun to watch the progress. i would look into the whole brick fireplace thing on your patio before tearing it down. Those are sooo expensive and if you could just add your own touches it may be worth keeping. ?

  43. Soo excited for you! Looking forward to seeing all your changes! I am a huge fan of yours. FYI- the tiles in the kitchen floor look like they could be Esbestos tiles. We had it in our “older” home. You need to “Encapsulate” (spelling?) them… DO NOT take them up. Place concrete board down and tile over top of it… worked for us.

  44. I am really looking forward to seeing you re-do this house. I know you are thrilled to have all that room so you can spread out.

  45. Ditto on all the comments made above! Buying a home is so exciting and while you have a lot of work to do in there, it’s just going to be fun seeing what you do because you are so talented and creative!! Looking forward to your future..lol
    Beth

  46. If anyone can do it you can and make it look wonderful! I look at it and I say OMG if I had to do it. Best wishes, looking forward to your progress pictures!

  47. You brave woman, you. I am living vicariously through you and I am excited to see your vision unfold. Recently found your blog and looks like the timing is perfect. Blessings to you both in your new home.

  48. Just lovely! I am so happy for you. Please take a little time and rest and enjoy before you start killing yourself remodeling again. You deserve a rest.

  49. You are my heroine! What vision you have, and what chutzpah! I am almost as excited as you to follow your journey. And blog material for YEARS to come! Congrats and Blessings.

  50. I’ve never heard the term “dogrun”. Here on the east coast we call it a “breezeway”. (Mid-Atlantic, New England) I guess both are pretty descriptive. A lot of them have been enclosed thru the years around here too. Congratulations!

  51. Kristi, I have complete faith in you and know your new home will be absolutely stunning! Thanks so much for sharing the journey with your readers. I’m very happy for you and your husband!

  52. I just found your blog 3 weeks ago and have read every word on every project, some of them twice. I cannot wait to see what you do with this house! The floors are beautiful, I personally like the fireplace and I agree with everyone elsle, the bathroom tile is a keeper. I am sure something can be done with those peach tiles. The rooms are a great size and I love all the windows, all that light is going to be fabulous! The yard is huge, you will have fun learning what to do with it. You have such great ideas and the bottom line is always reasonable. What fun we are going to have watching remake your home. Thanks to you I am now in the middle of a bathroom redo with plans for the second. My husband wonders what has happened to me (grin)……Keep up the great work.

  53. I’m so happy for you that you finally closed on your house! I can definitely see the potential and I look forward to coming along for the ride as you turn it into your dream home. 🙂

  54. Congratulations to you and Matt on your new home! It is a HUGE canvas awaiting your creative touches inside and out. Just from your descriptions I can already see it filled with light and great color and your design style. So exciting, thank you for sharing this journey!

  55. Kristi,
    How exciting! I marvel at your vision and ability and color sense…so often I can’t see the potential of something, but then, voila! You bring it to fabulous life. All your followers are going to learn so much as you transform your house into a home.Can’t wait to see the colors you choose!

  56. You are much braver than I am! What a mountain of work – but what great potential, too.

    I foresee many more years of blogging in your future. 🙂 Enjoy your new home, the planning stage is such an exciting one!!!

    xox

  57. *rubs hands together greedily* I canNOT wait to see what you do with this place, Kristi! I look around it and am instantly overwhelmed and wouldn’t know where to begin, but I can say it’d take every ounce of restraint for me not to be pulling up carpet and ripping out cabinets. But I also realize this place is perfect for someone like you, someone with a ton of energy and ambition and more importantly, IDEAS. And good ones at that.

    This is going to take years to complete, but I’ve got patience and know that I will marvel at each and everything you do to improve your new space. I imagine that when you are done, we won’t recognize it as the same place. It’ll be like Cinderella the night of the big ball when it is finished — transforming from a girl with potential but a dirty face and torn rags, to the belle of the ball.

    If it ever gets to be too much, remember this: THIS HOUSE NEEDS YOU. I’m sure if it had emotions, it’d be SO HAPPY to have you there to update it and make it beautiful. This place has the potential to be a showstopper. Good luck and may the decorating and remodeling force be with you!

    Best,

    Kimberly

  58. Congratulations on your new home. I marvel at your abilities, your vision and your skills. I think of you as a Super Hero. 🙂 I look forward to watching you transform this house and land into a showplace. I’ve been anxious to see the pictures of your new home all day. Start saving your pennies for the privacy fence. I live in Longview and we need to replace about 50′ of fencing and the best price I’ve gotten so far is $1,600. That’s only 50′, so I can only imagine what the cost would be for your lot. You might have to get some of your readers to come and dig post holes for you and DIY. God bless you and Matt and your new home.

  59. Congrats…how exciting! I’ve been following you for quite some time now & was thrilled at what you did with the condo! My 2 cents: bathroom tile…clean the grout & paint the pink tiles black. Keep the outdoor fireplace/pit/grill & build a fabulous outdoor kitchen around it! Take down the row of trees & dead brush in the back yard & put in a swimming pool, since there appear to be no trees in that big open space. And on the trees in front, if the massive on is oak, it can be beautiful & allows the house some shade. But, because of it’s shade, nothing will grow around that tree, since alot of it’s roots are exposed, so unless something at the nursery that will grow there…some kind of ground cover, it will always stay bare. My sons have that problem in their front yard but don’t want to lose the oak tree & the shade it provides. They did have it pruned nicely which eliminated the lower limbs bombing acorns onto their new vehicles, They’re gonna have a garage built. We have loads of pecan trees here in Alabama & although we enjoy the nuts, the limbs can be hazardous when full of nuts. Whole limbs will break off during a good windstorm or when they’re loaded with pecans. So you don’t want that tree close to you roof or car!
    Can’t wait to follow along on this journey with you!
    Regards,
    Debbie

  60. Congrats! How exciting for you! And for us as we get to read and watch! I am so glad you post so many pics and go into such detail! Many hugs for sharing with all of us!
    Thanks, Tif

  61. Congratulations, Kristi! You are going to make this home fabulous and I am thrilled to be able to go on a visual journey as you make it your own. =D

  62. All I can say at this point in time is WOW!!!! Very happy for you and Matt! You certainly do have your work cut out for you though – and I know you will relish every minute of it!

    May I suggest trying some Norwex products on a lot of the cleaning issues? They make a couple of products that will shine up the old faucets, even the door handles, along with any tile, etc. Contact me if you’d like more info – or go to my website.

    Love, love, love your new property! Can’t wait to see what your first cosmetic project will be!

  63. It looks great and you have so mu talent, I can see what all you can do to fix it up, make it beautiful and your own. I wouldn’t be able to make it nearly as awesome. Im excited to see all the changes. chris in MN

  64. That large tree in the front and several of the large ones in the back appear to be live oaks. You can have them thinned, but please do not have them removed, as they provide needed shade and incredible beauty to the yard and add value to your property. I live in Austin on a street full of live oaks, and it is a beautiful neighborhood that would look like nothing if it weren’t for the trees. During that terrible hot summer of 2011, the trees helped keep the electric bill down and kept the grass alive. Before you plant anything under the trees, talk to your local extension agent or A&M about their care and the prevention of oak wilt.

  65. When I sign in to my blog reader every day, the FIRST thing I do is check to see if Kristi has updated. Wow! What a great update today! You have great courage to tackle this project, but you also bring talent, skill, and ingenuity to the table. Can’t wait to watch the progress! It’s gonna be so exciting, even if I only get to enjoy it vicariously.

  66. Kristi, congratulations on your new home and I cannot wait to watch you create your magic on it! I absolutely adore the outdoor fireplace and would love to have one like it! I can imagine sitting out there on fall evenings by the fire. And it would make the perfect place to roast oysters!

  67. Can’t wait! When do we get started! Oops! I see the carpet came up already! That would have been my first choice! General cleanup and bathrooms next? I loved what you did with the condo and now a clean slate to start over!

  68. Kristi,
    Congrats on your new home. I echo everyone else in that I’m excited to watch this transformation. Good luck with all your projects, I can’t wait!!!!!

  69. Congrats Kristi! Amazing tour.
    In the middle of the article I lost the orientation, frustrating… and then I decided to sketch the plan of your house. Wow, it’s a huge building- a lot of work, gold mine for DIY designer.
    Those white bricks are excellent, in good condition, can be used in the interior as a part of wall or column covering (probably in the dining room or kitchen). Existing kitchen can be dismantled and moved to the sunroom. So, ex-kitchen with the ex-dining room can be attached to the living room. Maybe there is need to create an entrance space, before you enter the living room.
    Good luck! Love your new-old house

    1. For the last three days when I’ve gone over to the house, I’ve meant to take measurements of each room so that I can do a floor plan. For weeks now, as I imagine how I want to reconfigure rooms, I’ve thought of expanding the kitchen into what’s now the sunroom. But as I was talking to Vicki (the woman I bought the house from) about it, she suggested bumping the kitchen out into the den to take advantage of that big window, like perhaps putting the kitchen sink area right along that window. Of course, the window would have to be shorter and placed high enough so that a row of cabinets could fit underneath. So now I’ve been considering that. I’m just not sure if I’d rather have the kitchen window look out the front of the house, or out towards the back yard. I guess I have lots of time to make that decision. 🙂 But I’m anxious to get some plans finalized so that I know exactly what I have to look forward to!!

      Oh, and I definitely LOVE the idea of adding an official entryway. I’ve never been a fan of the front doors that open right up into the living room. There’s certainly plenty of space to add an entryway (a wall, perhaps a coat closet), so that’s on the “Phase 2” plan — also known as the Final Phase. 🙂 For now, I just want to get the floor refinished, baseboards and other trim replaced, walls painted, etc. That’ll keep me busy for a while. 🙂 But it’s so fun to dream!

  70. Congratulations on your new home. I know you will do great things with it! That bathtub and tile in the bathroom, *exactly* like my parents, except they had the black and white version. Don’t know what to tell you about that tile, I feel the same about that pink/salmon color. I think the brick in the backyard would be great for future flower beds!

  71. Wow Kristi what a house & with your skilful touch it’ll be a wonderful home. You paid approximately £53000 (British Pounds) & I can say hand on heart your land alone would be triple that over here. You have a real bargain Kristi & when you get to work on it it’s value will soar. I’m so looking forward to following your journey. Kindest regards to you & Matt x

  72. So happy for you. You clearly have some work to do and I know you will do a spectacular job. Can’t wait to see the transformation!

  73. Well . . . as you started showing us the rooms . . . I thought, “Oh . . . My . . . GAWD . . . this woman has surely lost her ever lovin’ mind !” . . . but then I had to back up and say, “Wait Wait . . . we are talkin’ about Kristi here . . . that woman is a dynamo ! . . . ”

    I’ve see what you have done with that tiny condo . . . and I stand in amazement. Can’t wait to go along on this journey with you, darlin’ . . . GO FOR IT !

    1. Haha! When the inspector was there, and he kept telling me everything that was wrong with the house, I definitely had an “I’m out of my mind!!” moment. 😀 In fact, that turned into a full blown panic that lasted about two days and had me scouring Realtor.com for a different house for us to buy. I kid you not. But after the panic and shock wore off, and when I saw what else was available out there, I realized that this house was the one for me. 🙂 I’m hoping that all of the panicking is behind me, but I won’t make any promises. Ha!

  74. Looking at the front of the house, I believe the tree on the right is a Shumard red oak tree (also the one in the back yard). My sister and I remember running around on the wood floors before the carpet was installed (I believe that green carpet in the living room/dining room is the 2nd carpet put down). You are doing a GREAT job, and it is terrific to see those wood floors again!

  75. Well the house is ugly……and I love it. It is no fun to turn pretty stuff into pretty stuff. I am super jealous. I have tested my hubbys decorating patience to the max, so now I decorate other peoples houses….for free. (But they hafta buy the stuff.) There is an epoxy paint you can use on the tiles. If you don’t intend to use the gas, I recommend getting a professional to remove it because it can still have flammable residue in the old pipes. I really like the cabinets and they probably are original. I shall await your journey as you dig out the jewel of a home that is hidden in this sows ear of a house. What a glorious find.

    1. Oh, by the way, a friend of mine has the pink tile. HE is a retired Senior Chief in the Navy, raised 3 wonderful children in the pink bathroom. He recently redid the bathroom…and kept the pink tile. (Yes, I almost fainted). The black trim looks great with the gray stuff I put in it.

    2. Ha! Beth, I read the first part of your comment to Matt, and then I said, “She gets me! She really gets me!” I couldn’t agree more with you. If I had purchased a home that was “finished” and had all new everything, I would feel so guilty tearing things out, even if they weren’t my style. It would feel so wasteful. But with a house like this, and especially considering what we paid for it, I won’t feel the least bit guilty tearing stuff out and replacing it with things that are exactly my style! 🙂

  76. What do I think? I think it’s perfect for a diy wizard like you! I see so much potential and could hear the excitement in your voice as I read this post! You mentioned using some shingles on the front – were fishtail shingles from that era? They’d look so cute on the gable! Smart to make as many safety precautions on the porch as you mentioned. Widening it is a great idea and I think a spindled railing along the front and all the way down the ramp would be safer and more attractive. You can then plant shrubs in front of it to disguise it a little bit. I was laughing at the two little squares of 70’s wall paper I the kitchen (huh?). I think you should keep a little sample of it in the home’s scrapbook lol! Great to have all those cabinets! One thing I was thinking about (well you can tell there’s more than one thing) 😉 anything vintage/original to the house that you don’t want, like the medicine cabinet and light fixtures, bathroom fixtures, even drapes, try to sell these items online or o Craig’s List or something. Even that long row of kitchen cabinets that aren’t original – if you’re planning on taking them down. It’s a great way to help finance you projects! Hope I haven’t bothered you with all my suggestions I just find this very exciting and I love looking at a space and redoing it in my head. Have fun! hugs, Leena

  77. So happy for you and your husband! The house is awesome –believe it or not my mom had the same bathroom floor and Joe and I had the same cabinets in our very first place (with the round knobs). I cannot wait to see what you do with the place! Based on what I saw in your condo, this is going to be magnificent!

    I wish you many years of love, happiness, health and prosperity in you new home. Hope all of your dreams come true sweetie!

    Karen

  78. Congratulations Kristi and Matt on the purchase of your new old home!

    I love the 50’s and all the storage, and Harwood floors too. Our first home we owned in Newburg in the 80’s it was a 1950’s home two bedroom one bath, all hardwood floors, with one car garage. Since then we have owned a 1940’s on almost ½ acre with roses grapes, etc (wishing we still had thisone, to retire in since it would be paid in full and payments were reasonable), two 1960’s home we have purchased for primary homes. Now we live in a larger 1702 sq feet new home since just before the economy housing crash, So we over paid of course just three years before losing our 20 year jobs at HP.

    Since Matt got off FB, I have lost track of you two. I have been recently wondering how you are doing. All I can say is wow you are doing what in my 20’s early 30’s I wanted to do with the rest of my life, to be a Interior designer! I took a correspondence program course through LaSalle University Interior Decorating I got straight A’s and loved it. When I lived in Portland, I checked out Bassist College of Interior Design and Architecture and the University of Oregon for their Interior of Architecture degrees. You have way more energy and creative ideas, you are a natural born designer and I can enjoy the fruits of your labors and savor your accomplishments by following your blog. You are a talented and gifted Designer I am so proud of you owning and running your own business too!
    Tell Matt hello, Hugs to you both!

  79. So happy for you Kristi. I been waiting for the photos & I think it’s fabulous ! I look forward to following your journey as you make this old girl your own, best wishes.

  80. Congrats on the new house. Great space and it has a lot of potential. You have a lot of work to do though! Awesome land plot. 🙂

  81. hi! from sunny Puerto Rico, this house has a lot of charm! you will be very busy, use all the r’s, (re use, cycle, purpose …and the best one remember you have to destroy to see the good at the end. I am a tree lover, but those in front of your house are to big, trim and voilà, another view and perspective. I will be following your progress. enjoy the ride!

  82. I followed your condo redo and LOVED it. I am so going to be watching what you do here too — I love old houses — mine is a 79 years young bungalow. Gradually, I am making it wheelchair friendly — because that’s the way I roll (Ms Wheelchair America 1989, so am almost…but not quite…as old as my house). Decorating is one of my favorite things to do — along with gardening — was a certified Georgia Master Gardener before moving back to Tennessee 3 years ago!

  83. Congrats on the house! My wife and I enjoy having an older home, ours was built around 1902. 112 years old. Was small when built, not a lot bigger now. A second floor and back addition was added around 1999 or 2000. The one thing I enjoy the most about having an older home are all the secrets behind the various remodels and just thinking about all the history it’s been through

  84. I think you made a great purchase. The lot is amazing with so many beautiful trees and so private. You are making the house beautiful as well one project at a time and you are very fast. I think the bricks would be nice to have built up flower gardens in the front and the back. You could also do a small veggie garden if you wanted. Do you have any fruit trees on your property? It’s great that you have a pecan tree. The huge front tree looks a little like an oak or an elm but not sure, it’s beautiful none the less.

  85. Ok Kristi after looking at this I would have been totally overwhelmed at the amount of work this would take, but not you!!! Oh no, you charged right in and you’re making it a home!! I’m so admiring you right now and your stick-to-it attitude. I’m sure I’d be huddled in a corner crying by now. I honestly wish I could work with you because I know I’d learn so much!!! So happy to be seeing what you do on a daily basis. Hugs