A Home of Our Own: Installment #3

Drum roll please...

I believe we are actually buying a house for real! We went to see another move in ready house with an in-law apartment on Sunday. We put in an offer, and they accepted it! The home inspection was yesterday, and things are just rolling along. I know there is a long way to go and there is a chance it still might fall through, but I can't help myself from planning furniture purchases and arrangement, and decorating ideas galore!

Have you ever seen the furniture arrangement tool on Better Homes and Gardens website? It's pretty amazing. http://arrangearoom.bhg.com/arrangearoom/ I was drawn to it because the house we are buying has an awkwardly shaped living area. It's beautiful, but tricky to arrange because of glass walls and a big brick fireplace. So here is what I came up with so far:

The measurements are not right yet since I actually have no idea what the real measurements are, but it's a start.

Even if for some reason this house deal falls through, this arrange a room tool and I will be spending some time getting to know each other!

The Hunt for a Home of Our Own: Installment #2 ~ A Haiku

Move in ready house

I do not think is for me

Sunday more to see

The Hunt for a Home of Our Own: Installment #1

Crazy as it sounds, we actually put an offer in on the first house we went to see. It was pretty much everything we were looking for. It was a two family, but with the feel of a single family. It was built in 1900 and had front porches and character. 


I could see us living there, and it would have been a smart investment for the future. But clearly, since we are still on the prowl for a house, it didn't work out. There was a cash offer from an investor, and they took that instead of our offer. *sigh*

So it's back in the saddle again. I just got home from a showing with our buyers agent, who also happens to be my brother in law.  Since Mr. Kate Moriah is worked to the bone at UPS, he is not available for showings (or for anything) during the week, so brother in law/realtor Adam and I went without him.

The listing describes the house we went to see today as a "diamond in the rough." They weren't lying. It has AMAZING potential, but needs so much work. I am left with more questions than answers. How much house is too much house (2500 square feet)? How much of a nightmare is all of this work going to be?

And most importantly... do I really want to knowingly purchase a home with a collapsed pool which is home to "several frogs, a snapping turtle, & garter snakes"?????

Ikea Insanity

Ikea insanity. I think that says it all. 
Here is my haul from yesterday's Ikea trip:

After a couple of hours of putting together the table and the red storage unit, here is my office nook so far:

It's a work in progress, I still need to paint the shelves I bought white, hang those up and finish accessorizing. 

It is unfortunate that my husband doesn't share my "artistic vision." He hates everything about the whole office nook. He thinks the lamp and the chair don't "match." Technically, he's right. But it's supposed to be a mix of modern and old. I hope when he sees the finished product, he starts to trust my artistic vision a little more!

Next project - Paint, hang and accessorize shelves and sew pillows for the couch.

Anxiously Awaiting Ikea

After an embarrassing number of hours spent searching online for a desk, finally, my decision. The Ikea Melltorp table.

I've been craving a desk/work space for a while now. We in the market to buy our own house, and we are planning to get some new furniture then. But at the rate it's going, I think it might be a while. So, I might as well enjoy the rest of our time here and make the space as usable and as visually pleasing as I can.

We don't have a lot of space in our rental 1/2 duplex. Currently, I do my work on the kitchen table. It usually looks like a mess because there are papers, office supplies, the printer, and other work related debris spread all over it. It's not the best way to work, and it's not what the kitchen table is meant for. 

We have this chair that is part of the living room set that I hate. I've been trying to convince Jason that we need to get rid of this chair for months. 

He still isn't on board, but I'm getting rid of the chair and I'm going to make that area my desk nook. I can't wait to finally get rid of the ugly and have a workspace of my own!

Today, I'm anxiously awaiting Ikea. Tomorrow, the space transformation begins!