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Many terrible things happened in 2016. In fact, a garbage fire is still the most accurate description I can think of for the year overall. The delay of our new home in North Carolina was one of those things but certainly not the biggest. We moved from the home we lovingly fixed up in Florida at the end of September. It sold quickly and we were out of there far faster than I expected. I didn’t talk online or even in person about the home we had made an offer on, mostly because it felt completely unreal that we would actually get to live in it. We made an offer on that amazing home in September, one that was contingent on our house selling (which it did) and so things began rolling. Once again, buying a home wouldn’t be a walk in the park for us and we lived with family for 3+ months until getting the keys on December 18. If the closing on our home were a movie it would be one rife with drama, last minute emergencies, and comedy (the 90 year old courier lost the keys so we didn’t get the keys to our home until after we closed, then they didn’t even work on the doors). On top of it all our moving company was booked out past Christmas so my picture perfect idealized holiday with the family (complete with our own decorations and all of the wrapping paper I bought 50% off at Target last year) so that was another hurdle to overcome.
I shopped like mad for a few things to make our kids feel at home for Christmas, and thrifted my way to the finish line. I even found a 9 ft artificial tree at a thrift shop for a steal, it was the floor model at a retailer. Things did come together in the end and as much as I hate to admit it, it was better without all of our STUFF that would have been all over our house. In fact, I started wishing the truck would never come as living with less was working out pretty well.
On to the home itself, as I know many of you have been dying to learn more about it and see if it would be as groovy as the last home. For better or worse this home is NOT a fixer upper like our Florida home. (full home tour and before/after in this post) While shopping for homes we toured the models in a brand new build neighborhood, something I was against completely, but this neighborhood was a bit different than most. The exteriors were Charleston style and each home had a distinct look and feel, plus they were all different color combinations. I can’t stand the communities that are all brick or beige with no character but as far as new builds went, this hood wasn’t too bad! The models were spectacularly staged (as they always are) with beams and accent walls, amazing cabinetry, and the bathrooms were TDF. The biggest draw for me to this community were the floor plans, they offered a garage with a full apartment on top that would be perfect for my home office. If I could do that I was sold. The neighborhood is also less than 10 minutes away from my husband’s parents.
We found out the features we loved most in the models weren’t even offered in the new builds (so annoying) but the realtor said the model we walked through was going to be sold. My husband stuck his hand out and said “write a contract” and that’s how we bought the most amazing (model) home in the neighborhood. I didn’t talk about it much because I was too afraid the deal would crumble or someone would say “nevermind, we decided not to sell” or worse yet, the numbers wouldn’t work and we would have to start over. Buying our fixer-upper was a huge hand up in “moving on up” for our next home purchase. It was the best thing we ever did financially and I LOVED living there and making it amazing. It also lead us to our new home, one that has about 0 things we can complain about. We have actually found a few things and when I said them outloud I wanted to smack myself. Complaints included not being able to run all three showerheads at the same time in our master shower and the house being too large. I do want to legitimately complain that it took 2 days to clean the house. We have 6 toilets (1 half bathroom in my office) so I will be cleaning toilets like they paint the Golden Gate bridge, by the time I clean the last it’s time to start over again) OK I’ll shut up.
The best part of this new home is that I still get my own office. The model was the sales office and the builder turned the 2 car garage into an amazing finished office, bathroom included. It has an entry door and enough space to really let me run with my photography and video work. I’ve been unable to do things to the scale I wanted due to space and this has solved those issues completely.
It took us close to a month to fully unpack the tractor trailer’s worth of items (really, should have just burned it all!) so here is a look at the home as it is now. Steven and I still say to each other “do we really live here? How do we live here?
Entryway
Dining Room
Steven’s Office
Living Room
Kitchen
Downstairs Golden Girls Guest Room and Guest Bathroom
My Home Office (former sales office and located where an attached garage would have been)
Heading to the 2nd floor…
Upstairs TV Loft
Activity Room
Boys’ Room and Bathroom
5th Bedroom and Bathroom
Upstairs Laundry Room
Master Bedroom, Bath, and Closet
3rd Floor Man Cave
There are many things I miss about our old home. What we gained in square footage and newness in this home we lost in outside curb appeal and beautiful scenery. We no longer have the cul de sac to play in but we are a block from a large green space and we chose to move to a community so the kids could have playmates. These days they play after school in the green space and they’re much happier when they have friends. I’m sure one day we can make the best of both come together but that won’t be anytime soon.
I’m hoping to finally get back to work here and on my other website now that the dust has settled and we are comfortably in the new home.
This is so gorgeous! Congratulations!! I am drooling over the loft, activity room and master bath!!
Kim, your home is gorgeous. When I think of the stories you shared about your childhood, I tear up a bit at seeing just how far you’ve come. Thank you for your cloth diapering advocacy and for helping others be able to diaper their children in a safe and healthy manner through the #FlatsChallenge and #GivingDiapersGivingHope. I know you’re not a believer, but I hope you don’t mind my saying thank you for helping to do a bit of God’s work for those in need.