Thanks all for the lovely and supportive comments on our new home here in Charlotte. I definitely posted the best of the best when it comes to the house, so I am happy you could see all the potential. So, today, I thought I'd share some of the not so fine moments of the house. Get ready for some real eye sores. Especially from the 80's.
Forest green plaid carpet anyone? Ok, maybe in some cases this could work - basement pub, man cave extravaganza, but in our back hall leading to the playroom? No, no, it's just not the look I am going for. Deciding this needed to go wasn't a hard one for me, but surprisingly, the kids wanted to keep it. We compromised and agreed to get something different to make the stairs "soft". I'm leaning toward a stripped runner in soft shades of blue and green. Who me, green and blue; shocker!
Electric blue tropical bird art. I'll tell you right now, this was one of the biggest turn-offs from the listing photos. I just didn't know if I could handle a bathroom like this for a couple years until we could afford to refurbish it. It was a happy day when we discovered that it was actually just peel and stick art. Phew. Easy fix. If only they could all be this easy :)
80's lightning bolt, zig-zag island. Unfortunately, this isn't an easy fix. We've looked at all the options with this one and how they could fit into our cheap and cheerful kitchen remodel. Unfortunately, we just haven't been able to come up with one. We will be cutting the new granite countertops with a softer, rounded angle to attempt to mask this bit of 80's love. But I (and now you too) will always know it's there. The lightning bolt lives on!
I probably don't even need to mention the appliances - Jenn Air classics. Built in down draft. You know you love it. First to go!
I put together this little carpet collage for you. Yup, different carpet in every room. You can probably guess which room Tessa immediately tagged as her own. You can only imagine the tears that came when she learned we would not only be removing the pink carpet, but we'd be replacing it with a neutral wool griege. The shock and horror of it all. Still not sure she is over it.
We were lucky enough to find a remnant at a local carpet outlet, which we plan to install before we move in. Outlet = Good stuff.
Who's up for a game of good old name that 80's mechanical?
Yup, that is an integrated cassette player system. Jealous? Now, if only I had a spare cassette or two laying around, we could really jam out! Next up, a whole house indoor/outdoor intercom system. Guess I won't struggle getting Tessa up for her 7.45 Kindergarten class! And getting refills from the butler should't be an issue going forward either :) And, finally, an integrated vacuum system. Remember when these were all the rage? Haven't tested ours out as of yet, but I can just feel my Dyson pouting in storage as I type this.
As our real estate agent reminded me, these were actually state of the art at the time. Translation, the previous own really invested in his home at one time. This bodes well for the overall construction of the home, hopefully.
The final installation of the bad spots collage features some of our outdoor challenges. General lack of maintenance left the house with quite a bit of water damage. Rotten windows from a combination of overgrown trees and overflowing gutters and mildew stains galore. Replacement windows are definitely in our future, but for now, we are leaning toward sash repair kits.
Check out that awning over the deck (or as someone recently and kindly referred to it as, the verandah) - it really needs to go, but might just receive a power wash and a couple patches until we can afford a proper covered patio. As I am learning, a good fan makes all the difference in the South.
No, it's not as bad as our Chicago house was, but this home certainly poses its own challenges and projects. Just enough to keep us busy for the next couple of years.
The good news is we've already started work and I've got updates to share, so stick with me to see it all unfold.
until next time,
