Wednesday, July 19, 2006

The "New" House

I love old houses. I am not sure why... maybe the workmanship, maybe the quaintness, maybe the creaky pantry door. I would really love to live in a restored house from 100 years ago, but on this latest move we managed to go back only to 1969. A brand new house is beautiful (and clean), but there is something about going into your home and finding... discovering... things about it. A small surprise dreamt up by owners past, like the rather interesting shelving system for the utility closet? In our previous home, we "found" a stovetop made with cast iron burners and fell in love so much that our endeavors to purchase a stovetop for the "new" house have fallen short of "yippee"!

The "new" house contains much of its original character, so my stove and oven are small and YELLOW... and the floors were laid to match. Yes, I said my floors are yellow. Well they were... that was the first charming quality to be updated. The stove and oven are next! But I won't be removing the crown molding found around the house, or the charming plate shelving above the cabinets, or the beautiful cornices on each window, or the lovely built-in made to match. (Now if only I could figure out what those darn light switches do....)

I think it is special to remember the character of a home - anything old really - even if it is in need of updating (or plain old removal!). I thought I would share a few of my discoveries in making my introduction to the house.

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