Archives for October 2011

This post is part of series called “31 Days to Rebuild Your House and Heart” and I’m writing it to chronicle our rebuilding process after we lost everything in a house fire last December. You can start here and read the whole series. Thanks for visiting!
***Since I updated my blog, I’ve had lots of people who can’t comment.   I think if you click the ‘heart’ instead of the little comment box, it will work.   Will some of you who’ve had trouble commenting try that and see if it works?!  Thanks so much.  If you can’t think of anything to say, just type “I love mullets.”   K?  Thanks 🙂

Most of the time, the lot on which you plan to build will, to some degree, dictate the type of house you can/should build.

I was dying to build this house.

And I mean I REALLY wanted it.   Large porches and verandas and all farmhouse and southern looking.

But our lake lot is long and narrow and not conducive to a sprawling farmhouse.

That’s where a good builder comes into play.   Sometimes you need someone to tell you no.

My builder took one look at this house and said there was no way it would fit.

Then he told me the bad news—-that my house had to stay within a 40×60 parameter.

Do you have any idea how hard it is to find house plans that are that size?

Thankfully, he brought several plans for us to preview the next Monday and we found one that we liked and could change to accommodate our unique way of life.

I learned a valuable lesson.    Listen to the land.   It will tell you what kind of house you need.    Narrow, steep lake lots need lake cottages…….not farmhouses.

We chose this one, with modifications.

But as it turns out, I  really got the best of both worlds.

And maybe it’s just because it’s late but it has just dawned on me that my house is a little bit of a mullet.

Business Small cottage in the front—–Party 3 story farmhouse in the back.

It’s brilliant.   The mullet house.

I love a good mullet regardless of the circumstance.

The front elevation has very interesting roof lines and the rear elevation is geared for maximum lake exposure.

This plan takes full advantage of lake living with abundant outdoor spaces and lots of large windows.

And it’s a mullet——so we all win 🙂

This post is part of series called “31 Days to Rebuild Your House and Heart” and I’m writing it to chronicle our rebuilding process after we lost everything in a house fire last December. You can start here and read the whole series. Thanks for visiting!

It took us 3 months to choose a builder.

Maybe it was because we were devastated about losing everything.

Or maybe we’re just indecisive very thorough.

We interviewed 7 builders, including the preferred builder of our insurance company.

In the end, we chose Larry Anglea and we are SO THANKFUL we did.

He’s been building in our area for 30 years.   He has an impeccable reputation and is the nicest guy you ever want to meet.

What sold me on him—besides his magnanimous personality,   was his house.

I walked into his house and loved EVERYTHING about it.   Every detail was perfect.  I had never seen anything quite like it.

The best builders use all the best subcontractors and they can get them when they need them AND for a better price than you can get without a contractor.

Don’t rush this phase of building.   Your contractor can make or break you.   It is probably THE most important decision you make in house building.

And don’t waste a lot of time on house plans until you find a builder.

They will help you immensely with choosing the right plan for your lot and chances are—they have an architect or draftsmen that they prefer.

I don’t think Larry has ever seen the likes of me 🙂

We got along beautifully though and I’m gonna miss his cheerful boisterous voice on Monday mornings.

He loved everything I picked out with the small exception of the ‘disco ball’ light fixture I put in the living room.

The electrician was putting the ‘disco ball’ up one day while I was in Knoxville and after texting pictures to me, I finally called to help with the height adjustments and heard Larry in the background saying,  “Ask her where she got this thing anyway.”   (I blamed it all on Darlene)

I can’t imagine that there’s a better builder anywhere around.

He endured my tears on demolition day and my obnoxious cheering and screams everytime something new and beautiful was installed.   Which was a lot.

He is meticulous about every detail and does things I’ve never had done in any other house.    He even connects all the gutters to underground waterlines so they drain away from the house.

He’s a genius and I’m sooooo thankful we had the privilege of working together.

*******************

p.s.  I’m slowly recovering from the exhaustion and having a ball fluffing this nest!   I move things here and yon and then move them again.  Should David go in the foyer or the living room?  And where to place the gargoyle-looking foo dogs?

I must tell you that we are down to less than 5 boxes thanks to my wonderful mother and sister.  They are just downright amazing.  (Love you Grannie and Sis and thank you so much!) I just got my washer and dryer hooked up tonight and I’ve never been so happy to do laundry.   I’ve also learned that there is one down side to having large windows everywhere—– one needs to have plans for window coverings which I do not yet have.    (Temporary paper shades are your friend.)

Oh and one more thing—–should we have the 12 days of Christmas this year?   Anyone wanna be in charge of  it for me?   That would entail some organizing and emailing and scheduling the days and getting them ready for me to post?     That might be the only way it’ll happen this year but I’m willing to donate my blog to the cause 🙂

This post is part of series called “31 Days to Rebuild Your House and Heart” and I’m writing it to chronicle our rebuilding process after we lost everything in a house fire last December. You can start here and read the whole series. Thanks for visiting!
It’s been a little over 9 months since the fire.   There are days when it feels like it was just yesterday.

And thankfully, there are days when it feels like a lifetime ago.

Some things can be rebuilt fairly quickly and then there are the things that only time can heal.

Our landscaping was damaged beyond repair.   We lost several huge trees and all of our shrubs and plants.

Our house is complete on the inside but the landscaping is another matter.   We can’t plant a 30 foot tall maple tree or mature crepe myrtles and dogwoods.

Those will require patience and effort and lots of time.

And so it goes with the issues of the heart.

This new house fits me like a glove, every detail built for  how we live our life.

But just like all our earthly comforts, it is tainted with sorrow.  As wonderful as it is, it is still but a shadow of the real thing.

It draws us in and leaves us with a longing for our true home.

We must hold loosely to earthly things and pray that they be used in service of others.

The joy and beauty and comfort they bring to our lives are gifts from our Father, who gives graciously to his children——and always in the fullness of time.

p.s.

We made a little New Year’s Eve wager about when the house would be finished.   My ‘glass is half empty’  husband picked October 22nd and I scoffed and scolded him for being such a pessimist.  Looks like I owe him fifty bucks 🙂

I’ve got 3 things to say to you tonight.
The first thing is—apparently, it’s hard to get internet service in paradise. Hence, no day 6.
The second thing is—-the only thing better than a brand new beautiful house is a brand new beautiful house filled with the smell of bacon.
The third thing is—–it’s a crying shame that there was no video of Kimmie, Grannie, Sister and I wrestling my king size mattress up the stairs because the movers got it mixed up with the guest room mattress. We heaved and laughed and cried and laughed some more and then when we got to the top of the stairs, Stevie was sitting on the screen porch smoking his pipe with a big cheesy grin on his face. I’m not sure if that was the highlight of my day or when the mover accidentally gave me a shiner on the left eye or when we disconnected and reconnected the ice maker under full water pressure.

Every move of everyone I’ve ever known starts out organized and serious and intentional and then long about 4p, it all disintegrates into Sanford and Son.
The only thing different about this move was that it was Sanford and Son from the beginning.

The icing on the cake was when I made my sister stop at the thrift store on the way to the lake so I could buy two chairs for a lil’ reupholstery project.
Some things never change. She thought it needed to be documented.

I’ll be back with pics and tips soon!
xoxoxo,
edie

p.s. thanks so much for all your sweet emails and messages. you make a girl feel so loved 🙂

{I’m bringing it in on two wheels tonight by the hair of my chinny chin chin}

For someone who doesn’t like change, I sure have moved my crap stuff around a lot lately.
Actually, truth be told, my mother, my sister and I have moved my crap stuff around a lot lately.
We’re all tired of moving me.
If there’s one good thing about a house fire, it surely does reduce the amount of stuff you have to pack and unpack and put away.
So, with all this vast experience in moving—-four times in 18 months to be exact—-I thought I would wax eloquent about all my moving secrets.
My tips for moving can be reduced to this: hire movers.
The end.

In just a few short hours, we will begin our new life in our new home and we are on cloud nine!
As a matter of fact, we’re moving in party style. I’ve ordered cake and champagne. Because, really, I couldn’t think of a reason not to?!!
Wish you could be here.
I can hardly wait.

You thought I wouldn’t post today, didn’t you?

That I’d give up and pack or something?   Didn’t you know that Grannie’s coming AND my sister  will be here with all her stellar moving/packing/power tool operating skills?

We got this.  No worries!

My participating in the 31 Days during house rebuilding and moving are so typical of my shenanigans.

I remember well, that during my second year of med school, during finals,  I took up scrapbooking.  Yes, I did my friend.

Apparently, I work best under pressure.

And since we’re still on the topic of finding inspiration, I thought I’d show you a video of some of the spaces in my house that were inspired by my favorite internet design friends.

I’m so thankful for them all.

I remember well when I first found The Nester’s blog.  It was my first baptism into the wonderful world of blogging.   I stayed up nearly all night reading her every post and carefully studying all the pictures of her house.   She’s had such an influence on me and I’m so thankful for her.   I thought I was the only person who made window MIStreatments.   She’s the best.  And her recent ‘book page’ party.  OH MY HEAVENS, at the creativity!

And then I found Jenny at Little Green Notebook , Erika from Urban Grace Interiors ,  Emily from Jones Design Company,  and my own sweet designer Darlene from Fieldstone Hill Design.   I’m also grateful to my two friends, Polly who blogs at Bliss and Bumps and  Julie for their real life homes that were so inspirational to me.

I owe them all, and all of you, who’ve inspired me with your DIY projects and your beautiful homes, a debt of gratitude, for sharing your creative life and ventures with us.

THANK YOU so much 🙂

My house is a melting pot of all you wonderful people and I’ll think of you while I learn to live life here in this wonderful space that I now get to call home.

Please tell me it’s not all a dream!