Houses like my mom's are few and far between here in San Diego. Kenny and I have been house hunting casually for years now, more aggressively for the past year and this is my home hunt dilemma in a nutshell: First of all, San Diego is a ridiculously expensive place to live and if you want to be in the nice, coastal areas with great schools, you really pay for it. I can spend a small fortune to build something similar to my mom's, but I will have to compromise on lot/yard size and a nice mature neighborhood. OR we can spend a small fortune to buy in a nice, mature neighborhood, but the homes are older and we will need to plan on putting money into the home after we move in along the way. We have decided to do the second option because we really want a nice yard for the kids (not an easy thing to find around here). We've narrowed our search to a few neighborhoods we love and now we are just waiting for a house to come on the market that we are excited about. Enter dilemma number 2: I love cottage style homes, traditional homes, Cap Cod style homes, French Country homes. Homes in my area? Mostly Spanish/Tuscan style. Beautiful homes - just not the look I get excited about. SO. We may just be waiting for a while until we find something we love. OR until I cave and decide I love Spanish homes after all. We'll see which happens first!
In the meantime Ellie has informed us that we are NOT moving. She heard Kenny and I saying once again how we are growing out of this house and she said "DAD! You are not a really fat and tall man! There is plenty of room for you in this house!" We got a good chuckle out of that one. :)
The house hunt continues, but in the meantime, I love finding fun homes on Pinterest! (my new BFF)
I don't LOVE this home, but I do love the porch and walk way. I envision it lined with snap dragons.
Wouldn't that be lovely?
Isn't this just the cutest thing ever!? Love the porch, love the windows, love the brick, love the pillars,
love the yellow.
K - this next picture is one I cut out from a magazine that I've had FOREVER. It is a before and after
and I am SO in love with the after!
Heres the BEFORE: (pretty basic and ordinary)
And the AFTER:
Is that not the cutest thing EVER!? I just love this look. Perfect combination of stone and siding.
Isn't it amazing how you can completely transform a house!?
In other news: I had a great day today because I spent the morning at my two favorite stores...
and found some really fun stuff!
Sorry babe. Cereal for dinner this week. Because not only will I be too busy decorating and
organizing to cook, but also because I spent all of the grocery money on decor and organizers. Good
thing you love me, huh. :)
15 comments:
Erin, that Father of The Bride house is in my old neighborhood- it was about three blocks from our old place. Trust me, you would NOT buy there because even though the neighborhood is beautiful, the school district is awful (everyone goes to private school)- that is why we moved, in fact! One thing you can think about is buying a tear-down in an established, coastal neighborhood. That's what everyone does here (Manhattan Beach). Of course, these tear-downs are $1M+ just for the lot...but the schools are great (we'll see about that once A starts going to Kindergarten next year)...and of course, we live very close to the beach. It was a big sticker shock for me after growing up in the Midwest to see nasty 900 square foot termite infested homes that cost $1.3M (as the one we looked at last weekend cost!) Ugh! But that is the price for Southern California Costal living. I so wish we could move to somewhere a *little* more reasonably priced- but obviously with my husband's job, that's just not a possibility. So, we must bloom where we are planted! I love the houses you are using for inspiration- I am new to Pinterest (joined a few weeks ago)- and am similarly addicted! Ha! :-)
Ellie's comment is priceless. Love your parents home - not only for the beauty but the love that abounds in every description you had of it ... I hope someday my grandchildren will love to come visit our home in that way. So special.
Your parents house is gorgeous and how fun to visit and have so much to do. You always have the best posts.
I also heard that the "Home Alone" house is on the market in Chicago! :) The realtors claimed that it hasn't been changed a bit from the movie. Hello 80's flower print wall paper! :) I would LOVE it!
ILoveLucyJean
Erin!
So wonderful to see your comment--it seriously MADE my day...so I figured I ought to come over and comment instead of just being a silent reader the way I so often am! Whoops! I read all the time over here but it always seems to be while I'm multitasking (aka eating my breakfast or lunch!)
At any rate, I have to tell you (tell someone!) I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of my digital Project Life yearbooks from last year. You've drawn me into Project Life, but I haven't found/made the time to sit down and do paper scrapbooking...but I saw that Becky posted about the digital yearbooks she made for her family, so I decided to give it a try. (I'm so NOT a digital scrapbooker!) Anyhow, I think I'm going to love these ones and this will let me focus on scrapping special events and school years--I'm excited for the Project Life kits that will be coming out soon!
Thank you so much for getting me hooked on PL!
By the way, I'm drooling and dreaming over your parents' home. It is gorgeous. Like you, however, I don't think I could do a sand pile. I like the idea of it, but the reality would drive me crazy!!
~ Sarah
I am CRACKING UP at Ellie! Love that girl!
you don't want to move to Fallbrook do you? I know of a house for sale there that is A.Mazing
http://1738winterwarmdrive.epropertysites.com/
look at the backyard photos. The outside isn't your dream- but the yard is!
Yo, the text under some of the pictures on this post are CRAZY!?! I can't read it. Is it me? Is it you? (please say it's you, I like watching you problem solve) Just thought I would tell you. AND, can I move in when you find the RIGHT house? I love all the pictures!!!!
I love cottages too, Erin! That green house is stunning. I'm loving your comments about growing out of your house. We are getting ready to move into a 1200 sq ft house. With three kids. We are out of our minds. But, we're moving to a super small town and that was the only thing available in our price range. I hope you find your dream home soon. I follow you on pinterest and I love looking at all of your boards. You have great taste! Have a good week!
I can't wait to house hunt even though it can be so stressful, but that is a long way off for me. Still in the trying to make an apartment my own without anything permanent. Blah!
Also is it sad that my heart skips a beat if I even see a Container Store bag? I LOVE that place!
I also cut out the last house you have posted from BHG magazine! Too funny. I love houses with big porches - it was a must when we built our house. Good luck with the search.
Oh how I love all these adorable American houses! There really isn't anything like these homes in Australia, I am very jealous that you can even try to find a house as beautiful as in those pictures Erin. Good luck with your search, I am sure the perfect home is out there somewhere for you.
Oh and I absolutely adore Father of the Bride, I can't count on my fingers how many times I have watched it! That house has always had a lot to do with my love of the movie. I went off googling after reading your blog and found an amazing blog....
http://hookedonhouses.net/
I love the movie/tv homes section!
print above and under the photos is crazy for me too Hopie!
just can't stomach this blog anymore -- the time, money, energy and hyperfocus on one's own children, shopping and the attainment/decoration/organization of a house --
what truly matters?
AGREED!!!!!
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