“A good home must be made, not bought.” –Joyce Maynard

We finally closed on our new house about a week ago. Now the real fun begins — renovations! Nathan’s been working over there virtually non-stop, and Eli and I have even put in some quality time ripping down wallpaper. Zulu seems to approve of the house as well, judging by the fact that he’s marked upstairs, downstairs, AND the basement as his own. Lucky for us (and him) we’re taking out the carpet anyway.

Nathan’s family came into town last weekend for a whirlwind Saturday of electrical work at the house — they were troopers, working from early in the morning until midnight, and then driving home the next day. Thanks to them, and of course Nathan’s tireless labor, the electrical wiring in the entire house has now been updated and is up to “code.” There are some silly laws out about how your electricity has to be safe or whatnot, and now our house complies.

Here’s a little photo tour to give you a feel for the place. Don’t get too attached, though — as cute as it is, it’s going to change drastically over the next couple of months.

The entryway:

Downstairs rooms:

Bathrooms (one upstairs, one down):

(We are so lucky that the seller was willing to include the pink fuzzy toilet cover + all window dressings with the house!)

Upstairs bedrooms:

My favorite room in the house — a light-filled sunroom upstairs:

And a couple of pictures of the “grounds”:

I know, I know — the blue carpet, the peeling paint + cracked plaster, small bedrooms + utter lack of light fixtures (several rooms have only a single bulb hanging from the ceiling), 70s appliances and dated bathrooms — for you, it may not be love at first sight. For us, it was. We love so much about it — it’s right downtown, just a couple of blocks from shops, restaurants, and parks. It has high ceilings and original 1920s detailing throughout, including all the original hardwood floors (just waiting to be unearthed from underneath that horrible carpet!). It has a big yard, full basement, and two outdoor buildings that Nathan can’t wait to fill up with tools + projects.

It may not look like a dream home, but just wait until we’re done with it! We’re feeling a little crazy right now for taking this on, but I think when it’s time to move in, it’ll be perfect for our family.