Furnishing A Second Home

Hello, Friends, 

How are you doing today?

I hope this finds you encouraged and healthy. 

If you have been following for a while, you will know that we are trying to get a little piece of property in the country. We have looked on and off for about five years. Last year, we diverted from that plan. Sometimes to figure out what God wants you to do, you have to explore other paths. We did that by trying to get a house in town with a bigger lot. When that fell through, we re-did our floors and decided to stay in this house for the time being. 

We were supposed to be traveling during this season of life, but with the virus, that is on hold for now. Since we are staying close to home, Bill decided to go for it and find us a weekend house in East Texas. 

We found the 1932 farmhouse but we pulled out of that because it needed so much work. 

We have our inspection tomorrow on a little ranch style house in the woods. I'll share more pictures and details after we get the inspection report. 

In the meantime, I'm planning and pinning styles and furnishings. This house isn't crying out for Farmhouse decor like the 1932 farmhouse. It doesn't seem Midcentury, Boho, or a mix of the two. It isn't Modern Lodge either. I sort of feel like European Cottage Style might suit it best but it's hard to tell because there is a lot currently on display. I can usually visualize but I've struggled with this house. 

A cozy English cottage look seems appropriate but it's hard to tell until it is empty. 

I went on a streak painting most of our furniture after I started blogging. 

If you are a long time reader, you may remember that my husband was very sick for a few years up until he was properly diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes instead of Type 2. It was awful because I felt that he was dying right before my eyes. He was doing everything that he could to just get through the day. He either didn't notice or he didn't care that I was painting all of our furniture. Now that he is on insulin and his medication is regulating his blood sugar, he's let it be known that he doesn't really like white furniture. 

Oops. 

We are slowly adding in more wood tones. 

I inherited three pieces of furniture from my parents last year when my step mother died. 

The corner cupboard pictured above, a wash stand which was in my childhood bedroom,  

and a commode that belonged to my great grandparents when they got married in the late 1800s. 

I almost left the commode at my stepmother's house. However, my grandmother wrote on the back that it came from her parents. I told Bill to load that up with the rest of the stuff. 

It didn't match the rest of our furniture but I love it anyway. 

When the farmhouse fell through, I realized that I wanted to upgrade some of our furniture to be more in keeping with the pieces we inherited. We picked up the new hutch and a French commode. 

(It doesn't go with anything either but I just adore it.) Eventually, it will probably end up in a guest room. 

Rather than purge anything, I've been cramming stuff in closets, the laundry room and even the shed. 

I've been keeping some headboards, end tables, lamps, and art. The lamps and art are rotated on display to fit the season or my mood. The headboards are in the attic.

Here are a few pieces that are going to the new house.

The dish shelf will go on the dining room wall or in the kitchen after we take down a bank of upper cabinets. 

The secretary will probably go in the she shed or in a guest room. The glass doors are already off and it's in the garage ready to move. 

The little dresser below was my first piece of furniture. 

I paid $45.00 for it at a flea market. I squeezed it into my Volkswagen Beetle. I'm very sentimental about it. It's been all over this house. 

We have two "make do" cabinets. 

I have a few mix matched chairs to fit around a dining table but we need the table. 

I've heard that there is a furniture shortage due to supply chain issues as a result of Covid 19. 

Typically, we like new upholstered seating but if we can't find new, I'll get gently used and slipcover it. 

The pieces I've pictured above are a good start but there is a lot to get. 

I want to take our time, enjoy the process and create a peaceful retreat for family and friends. 

I'll have more once we hear about the inspection but we don't anticipate any deal breakers this time. 

Thanks for following along. 

I think there will be a lot of projects! 

Katie 

Linking with, 

Common Ground

Farmhouse Update/ It's Not The One

Hi, Friends, 

How are you? 

I thought I'd give you an update on the farm. 

I was going to call this post, Lipstick On A Pig but I changed my mind. 

We had the inspection on Monday morning. We got the report by that evening. 

The inspection revealed some serious issues. The inspector's demeanor was very neutral. That is probably normal but we haven't bought a home in 27 years, so it threw me off.  Bill and I noticed some flaws that were not in the report. They were non-code type of things but problems, just the same. It took us about 24 hours to come to terms with what we would require from the seller. 

We did not feel like we will get any of those things because the house is kind of "as is". 

Bill and I both have had moments of great excitement. I left the house on Monday with a feeling of dread.  I couldn't shake it all afternoon and evening. 

If you follow me on Instagram, I woke up yesterday ready to tackle the renovation. However, sitting together at lunch and talking through the issues, I knew that we would be making a costly mistake.

The original shake roof and at least five layers of asphalt are under the new metal roof on the old part of the house. That is so much weight. Think about the stress on the piers under the house. Bill thinks that the roof over the porch has to come off in order to remove all of the layers, replace the decking, and repair any rafters before the house can be re-roofed. The cute metal roof and the front porch were one of the selling features. We were losing that from the get go. 

More than a quarter of the house needs new siding. Some of the new siding is on crooked. 

There are replacement issues with the eaves on the back and North side. 

The cute corbels would be gone. 

As we walked around on Monday, I was trying to get a feel for why there were window shaped niches in two out of three rooms.  One bedroom had a window still exposed but it had been boarded up from one side.  Additionally, the kitchen stove sat in front of a weird bump out.  It was not dawning on me why any of this was so. 

On the living room side of the same wall, there was the old hole from a wood burning stove. My grandparents had one in their kitchen which they covered with a metal decorative plate. As we were leaving, I commented on the kitchen stove placement. The inspector got down and looked into an ugly cabinet next to the stove. He saw exterior siding. By this point, I'd already decided that the kitchen needed to be gutted. As much as I'd hoped that the original cabinets could be saved, they had decades worth of paint layers and they were not built well to begin with. In an aha moment we came to the conclusion that the kitchen was an addition onto the house.

While the inspector was finishing up, I had a chance to walk around to see the stuff that I couldn't remember from the initial walk through and that wasn't pictured in the listing photos. 

I was cataloguing what needed to be done to the interior. 60's paneling had to be removed but some of the paneling in a hall by the bathroom was already gone. I saw more exterior siding. The little hall and bathroom were part of addition number two. 

If you saw my original post about this property, there is a big addition (the third) that is not complete. It needs a bathroom and a finish out. We had plans to make that room our great room but in looking at it for a second time, I don't care for it. I think we could make it cute but I just don't like it and I don't think I ever would. It was smaller than Bill remembered.

Bill's rose colored glasses had started to come off at this point. He had concerns about the septic, well, foundation in addition to all the other issues. To be honest, the interior really didn't scare him.

I went through and we made a list of everything that needs to be done to the house. 

I listed 99 punch list items. That is without the new kitchen and the finish out of the great room, which needs a bathroom. That doesn't include anything done to the barns, land or any equipment we would need to care for the land or the barns. 

  Bill kindly burst my bubble about the floors. 

He told me that they were not the original hardwood floors. They were subfloor. Under the subfloor was dirt.  

It needed new floors in the oldest section of the house.

Let's talk about the wood plank ceilings. In looking at a popular Instagramer, I noted something her contractor said. He told her that she wouldn't want the original planked ceiling in her bedroom because dust filters down from the attic. Umm no. I would have to cover those up. 

It needed new ceilings. 

So what does that leave of the original character of the home? 

I've lost the kitchen, floors, and ceilings. The trim was already removed. 

All I've got is doors, some hardware, and a cute ironing board cupboard. 

What about the shiplap? Let me tell you what I noticed about that on the second walkthrough. 

It is rough! 

There are staples, wall paper fibers, nail holes, gaps, seams. There would be patches galore. 

I walked into our painted shed yesterday and thought about what paint did for that space. It would do the shiplap a world of good but it would still have more flaws than I feel comfortable with. I could do faux shiplap in our current suburban house but I have chosen not to. It's not something that I've had to have even though I love farmhouse decor. However, I would have embraced it and made it cute. 

Bill and I enclosed our back porch. We occasionally have roofing issues pop up on it and we know we did things correctly. 

Three additions? Nope. Who knows what is lurking in those walls? If we tear out the kitchen, I can only imagine what we would find. 

Ultimately, we decided to terminate the contract even though we still had a few days left on our option.  We could have had a roofer go out to make an assessment but we really didn't need that to help make the decision. 

Even if the seller agreed to a new roof, there are way too many issues. 

 Finally, I don't want you to feel like I click baited you on this whole deal.

 We really thought that this was the one. It had a lot of what we were looking for. 

As God has directed our steps, we trust that He is keeping us from making a huge misstep. 

I got caught up in the antique details and the romance of a Texas farmhouse. 

That is not what this was. 

I think that the original house was only a three room house which explains the windows in the bedrooms and living room. I bet it had no bathroom and no kitchen originally.  

Who knows? It could have been a bunkhouse for the ranch. 

I'm so thankful that Bill and I know enough about houses to see past the new and discern what is really going on. 

On each step of this journey, we learn new things. 

We narrow down what we want.

We keep looking and hope that the right property is out there. If the Lord wants us to do this, the right place will come along.

Thank you all for your kind wishes and for sticking with me. 

I am really okay with this.  

 That barn sure was adorable! 

Blessings, 

Katie 

Our Exciting News About An Antique Farmhouse

Hi, Friends, 

How are you? 

I'm on pins and needles over here. 

If you have been following for a while, you may remember that there have been a few houses that have intrigued and tempted us. 

There have been a couple that we can't seem to forget and I've enjoyed taking you along on our house journey. 

There was the less than perfect Little Lake Property.

There was the Sinking Bungalow and the sweet Sunset house. 

There was the Faux French Chateau. 

I'm a big believer that everything happens for a reason. When we lost Sunset last summer, it took a little while to understand that loss. Now with the lockdown and Covid, I think our staying here has been a blessing. We know our neighbors and our neighborhood. They have been our only companionship for the last five months. (From across the street, of course.) 

Bill and I have always wanted a place in the country. We have talked about that dream for the last 37 years. 

We wanted a manageable amount of acreage. 

I've had a longing for chickens and for growing food. Bill needs to tinker with things. He wants geese. 

But why? Why, when we have been blessed with a lovely home? 

Why would God want us to have a second home? We are blessed enough with this one. I've spent a lot of time in prayer about it. 

During the last third of our life, we thought we would travel. When will we be able to do that again? 

We thought we would have little feet visiting us. That's not on the horizon and now with the pandemic, I doubt our children will want to bring little feet into this scenario. I could be wrong but I doubt it. 

  There have been times when we have been discouraged and the dream seemed out of reach. 

One of things that has hit me during this virus situation is to have peace in the things that I cannot control. I've always had a feeling that if the right house or property was out there, we would know it and that it wouldn't be that hard to find. I've seen God work in my life enough that I know this to be true. 

 Our realtor has had us in a couple of search matrixes. We get emails everyday about a downsized suburban home and country properties. 

It's a lot of emails but there was nothing for sale that looked interesting. 

Bill would get the emails and he would look at the links. He forwarded those to me that intrigued him. 

Most of the time, I've been "Nope, I'm not living there with you." 

Last week, he got an email which led him to another link. It was a house that had just been put on the market. When he clicked through the pictures of the property and the house, he wanted to see it. We were already going to be out in that direction, so he set up a showing. 

I hadn't seen the pictures or the listing. I didn't even know that we were house hunting. I didn't even really want to house hunt. We were supposed to be relaxing.

 

We pulled up to the house. 

I didn't even notice the picket fence. (I have always wanted a picket fence.) 

The acreage had vista and interest. "Okay..." 

I walked up to through the front yard and stepped up onto the porch. I got a warm and tingly feeling. 

That tingly feeling means nothing if Bill sees something he doesn't like ~ just FYI. 

We opened the front door. 

"This is original shiplap!" 

The realtor and I began to talk about the original doors, beadboard ceilings, the original kitchen cabinets. 

There are original door knobs.

"How old is this house?" 

The realtor said the house was built in 1932 but it's had some recent work and a hodgepodge of floors.

There is a big unfinished addition which caused me to think that Bill would never go for this property. 

 

We walked through the house and the yard. We walked out to the barns. 

There is a big one that is falling down and a little old chicken barn. 

We got in the truck and drove to two other houses. They were "No."  

Bill and I chatted in the car. 

The work was not too daunting for Bill. 

Yes, there are things that the inspector needs to check and we have concerns. 

Bill was not deterred by the addition. If fact, he thought it was a good thing that it was unfinished because we can finish it the way we want. 

The more we talked, the more we became sure that we needed to make an offer. 

We saw the house on Friday. We put our offer in on Saturday.

We didn't think that we would hear on Sunday. It's the country and there is "country time".  

As Monday stretched on, we started to feel like the owner had gone with another offer. 

It was the Sunset house all over again. 

I prayed and told that Lord that whatever happened was okay. I'd be disappointed but it was okay. 

At almost that moment, Bill walked out of his office and said, "He accepted our offer." 

I got goose bumps all over again. 

There is work to be done but a lot of stuff has already been done. 

This project may take five years to get it exactly how we would like it.  

This house has details that I'd never dreamed we find. 

We still have to get it inspected and we still have to close but we hope to have a little weekend farm by Thanksgiving. 

It almost doesn't seem real. 

I'll be back to talk through some plans, room ideas and show you some family heirlooms that have been hoarded for such a house as this. 

Thanks for following along on this journey. 

Katie 

Update - we had to pull out during our option period due to excessive damage to the eaves, 5 or 6 layers of roofing and poorly done additions. We continue to search for a perfect weekend retreat. 

It Was Only A Fairy Tale

Hi friends,

I was sick over the weekend, so I didn't go to the lake with my husband. 

Can we please take a moment to feel sorry for me? 

You can feel sorry for Dixie too because she loves the lake. 

Taking the boat and the Sea-Doos out of the water is usually a signal that summer is truly over. 

(You wouldn't know it with the heat wave we are having.)

On his way home, Bill took a drive around the countryside to look at small properties. 

You can read about our previous searches here and here and here.  

He took a picture of this abandoned home. 

You had me at "Hello"!!

Oh my. 

My heart went pitter patter. 

Story teller that I am, I immediately wove a wonderful tale about this house. 

A little old lady used to live there with one or two cats. 

No more than two, please! 

Sadly, she has passed on to her great reward. 

Her children live in Washington D.C. and don't really care to visit East Texas. 

They know that she would wish that a fun couple with great design aesthetic would lovely restore and take care of the home. 

They sell the home to a wonderful, fun, cute couple for the remaining back taxes.  

I know, I know. 

I have a vivid imagination. 

This fairy tale was not the story. 

A mining company bought the property for a song in 2010. 

They moved out of the area a few years ago. 

Since then the property has been abandoned. 

The realtor is checking on the status of this home for us but she believes that if it were listed by the mining company it would go for twice what they paid. 

Boo!

I'll let you know what, if anything, transpires. 

Have a wonderful day. 

Katie

Don't forget Monday Social #6 is still open. 

Katie