The Final Lap

Next week, we are photographing the house that's consumed us for the past 11 and a half months.  Almost a year ago, having just finished our house, and having out 3rd son, we stumbled upon a promising real estate listing a couple of towns over. The new house would be a complete redo and an almost total gut job.

{the new house, before}

Our heads told us to stay put because we were finally finished working on our house and we were so happy with it, but the ever-persistent "gut" said to go for it.  With two boys and an infant...

... we plunged ourselves into a full on renovation:

{we lived here throughout the entire process}

It was truly the fastest year of my life.  The whirlwind we entered into has been exhausting, exciting, rewarding and all-consuming.  Throughout this process, I've felt so excited and happy with how everything's been going, but I've also felt stretched very thin.  I work on doing the house after or before work is over, so our free time has been so limited.  In a sense, it's like I'm slap happy a lot of the time.  All along I've trusted that everything would fall into place and have felt a real peace inside- so I wouldn't say this process has been emotional at all or that I've felt anything but awesome about it- but it's more like my brain is on overload and I just sort of have to shrug or laugh at the amount of work that needs to be done in so little time.  In short, I haven't regretted our decision for even a moment but I am SO ready to relax a bit and have a little more time.

{need more moments like these}

So...  it's all coming down to this next week.  We chose to put this insane deadline on ourselves because it was really important to me that the house be photographed when it's in full bloom...   My house is all about indoor-outdoor living and when you're inside, the outside is right there with you. The outdoors are so much a part of the house's design that we need to photograph it at a time that really illustrates this feature.  It's pretty much why I fell in love with the house in the first place.

We have people coming to stucco the fireplace today and there are a few miscellaneous painting and touch up projects we need to get done.  Curtains are going up, artwork is being hung, and long-awaited pillows and bedding are arriving.  It's so satisfying!!  But also a bit nerve-wracking...  will everything actually get here in time??  I'm sure a few things won't and I don't know what to do about them.  We bought a dining table online a couple of weeks ago from a company in Pennsylvania (with local pick up only) and have not been able to get in touch with them about picking it up.  Without it, I don't really know what to do, but we can't exactly drive up there and knock on the door of the shop without knowing if they're open.   Stuff like that... and there's a lot of it.  To be honest, this is exactly what it's like when working on clients' projects, but the fact that it happens during work hours makes such a difference.  We've been doing everything on borrowed time.

{Christian}

Christian- our six year old- once told me that he liked our old house better.  When I asked him why, he said "Because you and Daddy work too much here."   Made me sad and feel terrible.   (Where do kids learn how to do that guilt thing?!! ;) ;)

Anyway, please send some good thoughts (and energy!!) our way this next week.  Helen (our photographer) will be shooting Wednesday through Friday so we have a few more days for things to actually get here.  Fingers crossed!!!

{To do before next week: stain the house, fix the garden edges, among other things}

We're working out what we'll actually be doing with the photos of our house once we have them, and I just cannot wait to share them.  (I was always that annoying kid who wanted to show my parents or grandparents what I was excited about: "Look at what I made!!"  .. So I guess I haven't changed much.)   I have been thinking of a magazine to publish it and am also playing with other ideas.  This house has been such a part of us, and we've poured so much into it.  We think of it as our "forever" house.  It's not big or impressive, but it's ours and we love it.  I can't wait to share it.


  ps- In the midst of all of this, we're launching a brand-new website.  This blog will be moving.  At this point, it's still up, but when we make the move (any day now) this blog will automatically redirect to the new one at laurenliess.com/pure-style-home    I'll post info on how to refresh your subscription and all of those fun techy details soon!!

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.