Friday, May 21, 2010

by popular demand - i give you the house (at least from the outside)

people keep asking me to see The House. i suppose it's mostly because i keep talking about how it's crumbling around us and we have to tear it down and how i've generally been going on (undoubtedly to all of our dismay) about moving. this evening, it was gorgeous and sunny, so i took a lot of photos, so i give you, for now, the outside...

this would be the bit with the crumbling bricks.
made, via the miracle of lightroom, to look far more romantic than it actually is.
so much for that intentionally balkan look
the house - this is the bit we're going to keep.
it used to be the barn.
the inside of the barn/garage - where my eventual shop will be.
this bit is the barn/furnace room/garage/workshop
my new blue room will be upstairs in here. - 100m2. cool.
on the left - the garage/workshop bit
on the right - the original house.
we're tearing it down. 
this was originally a barn.
we learned from our neighbors that the owners they knew
did the improvements slowly.
which explains the 7 different ceilings.
the view from the back yard.
that middle bit will be torn down.
and we'll be building an addition instead at the end of the part on the left.
this is why it's good to have a guy you think of as your architect.
the best bit of the house as it currently is is this terrace.
however, we'll be tearing it down.
but it will make a magnificent greenhouse
the garden - loads of goodies planted here.
yes, there's a flag pole.
we're thinking of designing our own flag.
this barn belongs to the house next door, but was sold to them by the owner of our house in 1971.
we're renting it back for now. eventually we want to buy.
beautiful red maple in the garden.
it stays.
they left a dozen rhubarb plants. yay!

22 comments:

Ju said...

What a found this farm house is. I love the detail of the first picture.
To many happy years in there. :))

Anne said...

I love it! Thanks for sharing this little photo tour. It looks like it has loads of potential. :)

Elizabeth said...

Thank you for sharing your new place with us. Without a doubt I will be following how this place will turn into a your home.

Have a lovely weekend.

Char said...

it will be great to watch your journey - i'm sure we will be handholding, tear sharing and laughter sharing participants. :)

Tara Thayer said...

i am so happy for you, julie.
is sabin living her dream come true?
are you out in the "sticks" now? or, as my charming mother in law would say "out in east jesus"?
it looks like a labor of love...and it looks like home.
best wishes there...
xo
tara

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

What a lovely place. And such a big blue sky!
Home!

xxx said...

Wow... i would like to have your problem of this home ;)

and yes the photos look very romantic.

best wishes for the future
Robyn

Marilynne said...

I can see why you bought it. It has so much room and so much charm. The addition will be all your inspiration and we look forward to hearing its story too.

Joanna Jenkins said...

Seven different ceilings?!?! I guess they really did take their time building it. Wow.

What a fabulous home you'll have when this is done. Thanks for the "before" pictures. I know I'll enjoy seeing the progress.

LOVE how you planted your tomatoes in the soil bags! great idea. And what a wonderful and huge outdoor garden you have going. Now I have garden envy.

Have a fun weekend,
jj

Anonymous said...

Totally charming. Thanks for sharing these pics. A lovely place.

kristina - no penny for them said...

wow, it's huge! lovely light - and 100 m2 for your new blue room!

the terrace already shows your touch so well: lovely... wishing you loads of energy to keep on transforming this house into your dream home.

Zuzana said...

It looks great! I can see the incredible and endless potentials.;)
Have a lovely weekend,
xo

Anonymous said...

oh...the country life! and all that space to work with! Where will you be residing when parts get torn down?
i'll love watching the transformation!

Anonymous said...

I had to show these picture to hubby since I knew he would fall in love. He wants to know what kind of roof is on the barn! That's a construction guy for ya! :-)

Eliane Zimmermann said...

yawn, looks like a loooooot of work and it also well looks like a pearl-to-be... may the power be with you!!!

will said...

Have you watched the Cary Grant and Myrna Loy movie, "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House"? Or, "The Money Pit" (1986) with Tom Hanks and Shelley Long?

Trina Y. said...

love it! love it! love it!
Trina
www.mommeville.com (blog)

http://howtobecomeacatladywithoutthecats.blogspot.com said...

What an undertaking! It's going to be fun watching it develop!

Suecae Sounds said...

I really do like the first one. Lightroom ftw!

paris parfait said...

So much possibility - looks like a wonderful place. But where will you live while you tear the main house down??!!

Bee said...

So glad to see these. And you MUST design your own flag! YES!

That rhubarb will come in handy. Rhubarb crumble, yum.

Anonymous said...

Oh! It's perfect! It's just exactly the type of place I have always imagined myself living "when I'm all grown up". Space, old buildings, character. It makes me SO happy to see that someone is getting to actually LIVE that dream.

Don't be surprised if I someday arrive on your doorstep....sleeping bag under one arm!