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For me "right" is an older home that is pretty much still the same as it was originally designed and meant to be. If possible I even like to have some period furniture since the sizes and such just always seem to work better with the rooms. I can't do new houses, I like something that has been lived in. I also try to avoided houses that have been remodeled, if I wanted all new stuff I would buy new. Pretty weird, huh?
I wasn't sure how I would be with my current house since it is pretty new, 1949. While I can't say I love it, it is good and I have adapted. It has a huge solid window (mid-century modern feel), natural redwood trim and windows, oak floors, funky colored bathroom tile and knotty pine paneling in one bedroom all in excellent shape.
We always laugh at the home shows cause it seems EVERYONE says they want big rooms, bright and airy....Since I like old, original homes I guess I am more of small, dark and cramped type
My philosophy is that a house is a place to sleep, eat and go to the bathroom. Everything else is optional.
Oh, I really wish it was so easy with me. We were house hunting for years and then decided to build because we couldn't find ANYTHING we liked - within our budget, of course.
Our house is a small post and beam with floor to ceiling windows everywhere except for the northern side. It is filled with light and you feel as if you live outside. When you are in the entry, you can actually see right through the great room and back out into garden. It is definitely not a house for everyone, but I think it has tons of personality and character.
My wife and I bought and remodeled a victorian home the first 20 years of our marriage......a wonderful labor of love. We then spent years looking for a home in the country and was dismayed, not finding anything we wanted. We then bought a few acres right outside of town and custom designed and built our own house.
I like it because it is one of a kind, with many, many special things that no regular builder would take the time and money to do. I like the radiant floor heat, fireplace, 17' ceilings, huge two level vinyl deck and pool, my 28'x40' garage with two doors, whole house automatic generator, central vac,etc,etc.
I like the deer and turkeys and wildlife that abound. We built it 8 years ago.
When we sell in 3 years, someone will get a great house.
There is a real satisfaction designing and building your own house. You know where every stud, wire and pipe is, and why. You put 3 times as many receptacles, etc, just because you can. You go the extra mile in ways no one will know except you.
We recently bought our future retirement home in Florida, and although it is very different, it felt like home to us. We did not know why, then it dawned on us.......subtle things that were similar in the two houses....the way the kitchen was designed, the tall ceilings, etc,etc. It felt "right" on a subconscious level. Strange but nice.
Our has had zero personality 25 years ago when we bought it - we had a housefull of young sons and no money....here is a picture of what the house looked like when we started (just beginning to plan out the new yard) - with time and a little money and hard work any house can look homey and inviting:
For me "right" is an older home that is pretty much still the same as it was originally designed and meant to be. If possible I even like to have some period furniture since the sizes and such just always seem to work better with the rooms. I can't do new houses, I like something that has been lived in. I also try to avoided houses that have been remodeled, if I wanted all new stuff I would buy new. Pretty weird, huh? I wasn't sure how I would be with my current house since it is pretty new, 1949. While I can't say I love it, it is good and I have adapted. It has a huge solid window (mid-century modern feel), natural redwood trim and windows, oak floors, funky colored bathroom tile and knotty pine paneling in one bedroom all in excellent shape.
We always laugh at the home shows cause it seems EVERYONE says they want big rooms, bright and airy....Since I like old, original homes I guess I am more of small, dark and cramped type
LOL, we sound JUST exactly alike!!
There was a house we almost bought before finding this one, and my Realtor looked at me like I was NUTS because I kept telling her it was "too new" (1944). Still, it had a lot of space and some unique features so we considered it. As fate would have it someone bought it out from under us, basically, and that turned out to be a good thing.
The house we bought is so charming to us. It exuded a warm, welcoming feeling from the moment we set *** in it. Number one is the huge, raised front porch. There are transoms above several windows, 10.5 foot high ceilings, a window box seat in the parlor, and lots of quirkiness overall. There are these odd open storage areas up near the ceiling that are original to the house but weird enough that we've never seen anything like that before. The one above the hallway goes all the way across from one bedroom to another. The house has mysterious little "things" that make it special.
Even though it was remuddled quite a bit we still love it and are working to put it back the way it was.
Another house we looked at before buying this one was one street over, about the same age (ours was built around 1915), but it was completely stripped and re-done and looked on the inside just like a new house. My Realtor couldn't understand why I hated it. She kept saying "but it's old!"! She was a sweetheart but absolutely CLUELESS about old houses and kept trying to show me those ones they build that try very hard to look like old houses (on the outside mostly) to blend in with an older neighborhood but are NOT old at all.
Our has had zero personality 25 years ago when we bought it - we had a housefull of young sons and no money....here is a picture of what the house looked like when we started (just beginning to plan out the new yard) - with time and a little money and hard work any house can look homey and inviting:
(snipped pics for space)
Gorgeous... what a garden! I love the flowers against the white fence. What is that purple plant right up front with the long pointed blooms? I have that same thing growing here I think but I have no idea what it is!
I can't wait until the day comes that we have money to replace the chain link fence with white picket. Yours is metal, right Either way it looks fabulous.
Fierce - the purple plant is an annual salvia (there are hundreds of salvias (sages).....the fence, gate and porch railings were built by my husband - the fence was the first fence he had ever built.
Cattknap,
Great Job!! I know the effort that takes.....very rewarding!
Frank D.
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Character's choice is yours
We were house hunting for years and then decided to build because we couldn't find ANYTHING we liked - within our budget, of course. 
The house has mysterious little "things" that make it special. 
She was a sweetheart but absolutely CLUELESS about old houses and kept trying to show me those ones they build that try very hard to look like old houses (on the outside mostly) to blend in with an older neighborhood but are NOT old at all.
Yours is metal, right Either way it looks fabulous.
