Living back in Cedarville was fun. The girls enjoyed the free and unlimited access to Nana and Papa, enjoyed going for walks in the country and on campus. Ben and I both enjoyed cooking with my dad and being able to leave the girls home sometimes when we needed to run errands. And, we certainly enjoyed the cost savings! I was blessed to spend even more time with my precious grandma who was living at the nursing home in Xenia. She passed away on June 23, and I already miss her so much. She meant the world to me, and I can't wait to see her again one day.
God was so good in leading us to the perfect house back here in Columbus. And when I say "perfect," I mean "perfect for us" because this house is a bit of a trainwreck. It's 65 years old and has been a rental for the past 10 years. It needs a lot of TLC, but we love it. We love the town, the fact that it's urban with a small-community feel, and its great school system (Bennett will be starting kindergarten next month!). We love the brick street we live on and all the character in this old house. We love having a big backyard full of shade (my dad is really trying to sell me on bringing the chicken coop up here). We have already made so much progress on this house, but still have a long way to go. I thought I'd post some "before" pictures. These are the original listing photos for the house. I will try my best to update with "during" and "after" photos as I can.
Exterior of the house. It's a 1950s cottage/modified Cape-style home. Not a lot of curb appeal but Ben and his dad spent hours clearing weeds and trimming trees so it's already perking up a bit (photos to come). I have dreams of having this house painted Colonial red. First priority is a new roof, however.
The living room. This was the main part of the original house and included the kitchen. I can't imagine how small it must have felt. We've already repainted and replaced the carpet (photos to come). It's actually kind of an awkward space now. I'm dying to get a piano since, for the first time ever, I finally have space for one.
View of the living room looking back toward the front door. The renters' furniture was somewhat hideous.
This is a pretty good view of the addition on the back of the house. Not sure what year it was added, but we think it's pretty old. The hardwood under this carpeting was basically disintegrating. All this carpet has been ripped out and replaced with new hardwood (photos to come). We believe the brick was the original exterior of the house. Not quite sure what to do with all that hearth space; it seems wasted. Having this much openness in an old home in this part of town is rare, and I don't take it for granted!
The entire back of the house is floor-to-ceiling windows that let in the morning light. Ben always wanted a sunken family room; I always wanted a fireplace in the dining area. Even though we were kind of "taking what we could get" in Bexley, we got both of those things! I have a lot of work ahead of me trying to shine up that copper fireplace hood. Another item on the list- replace that light fixture and move it to where it's- oh, you know- actually above the table area.
View of the addition from the kitchen
This kitchen. What can I say. Great, functional layout and those giant windows look right out to the swingset in the backyard. For the first time ever, I can tell my kids to go outside and play- without me! But the finishes- yikes! I'm happy to say the floor is gone and the cabinets have been professionally refinished (photos to come).
The laminate flooring! I found an extra box in the attic and couldn't even give it away. Oh, and that light fixture cover has been ripped down as well. I hated it with the fire of a thousand suns.
Looking into the backyard. These counters also have to go, but that's more of a "phase two" project. "Phase two" is code for "when we're no longer hemorrhaging cash from phase one."
The half bath. Part of the original kitchen apparently. Border has been removed but weird stenciling is still intact, waiting to be painted over.
The basement bedroom which has become our playroom. This room has already made a big transformation. Can't wait to post the photos!
The master bedroom. The renters had a cat in here named Lola who couldn't be let out of the room for fear she would kill their other cat. So basically this room is haunted by a demon cat. Notice the shiny ceiling. A lot of the ceilings in this house were inexplicably painted with high-gloss paint. It took a lot of flat white to calm things down.
The one and only full bath. Probably the biggest sacrifice we're making to live here, next to lack of closet and storage space. This bathroom is actually pretty big and since the girls are so little, sharing isn't too difficult, but if I'm being honest, yes, I very much miss having my own master bath.
The girls' room, formerly the home of the cat who might get killed if the other cat got out. This sweet little cape-style room is on a floor of its own. We were able to rip out this carpet and restore the original hardwood underneath. And of course, it's been painted pink (photos to come).
Not the best photos of the backyard, but we are thrilled to have such a big one in an area where space is at a premium. We have a double lot and a ton of space for the kids to play. I am desperately seeking a big playhouse for this yard but have yet to find one that doesn't cost an arm and a leg to move! The grass was probably two feet tall back here by the time we moved in and things were in pretty bad shape. Ben has put a lot of work into cleaning it up, and we are looking forward to landscaping it and spending a lot of days and nights enjoying it!
Having a hard time keeping my eyes open right now- rare for me! I will post progress pictures as soon as possible!
