Out With The Old, In With The New

I haven't been over to my grandparent's house for about a year and a half. I remember the last time I was there I took a bunch of photos and video, did a final walkthrough, and said my goodbyes. And then I came home and wrote this post. I heard through the grapevine that it sold awhile back and that the new owners had started remodeling it. A few months ago my mom told me she took a tour of the house. I immediately asked if she could arrange a showing for me to see it too. Thankfully the new owners are super nice and today I finally got to see all the hard work they put into it. It was weird walking into that house for the first time since under new ownership but it had to be even weirder for the homeowners to welcome in strangers. I'm so glad they did though. Thank you thank you! Some houses are just a place to live and then there are the homes that become part of the family; this one was always the latter. I loved every change they made. I don't have a bad thing to say about any of it. I really thought it would be sad to see it completely re-done (because I'm extremely sentimental and sappy) but it wasn't at all. It was exciting to see it modernized. They took down all the crazy wallpaper, ripped up the carpet (who knew the entire house had beautiful hardwood floors under there?!), gutted the kitchen (they took down a wall so the kitchen is open to the dining room and added a wall to create an office), and added a deck.   It's so much brighter, fresh, and more open! Of course I loved the redesign of the house and all the cosmetic work but what really made me happy was to see them use the living room as the focal point of the home. It was always a more formal area as I was growing up that got use but was more of a walk through space more than anything. I always thought it was the coolest house even when it was outdated.  And I always hoped that one day someone would see the potential it had and was able to do something about it. I'm so happy for this family and I wish them as many wonderful memories in that home as I have. Thank you for giving it a new life.

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I tried my best to include a before photo for each room. More before photos can be found here. 

The front yard sure has changed over the years. 

Front door modeling. 

French doors on the right lead into an office. That used to be part of the kitchen. 

I love how you can really see the nice built-in now. Before it just seemed hidden.





Formal dining room. My picture from today came out super dark but I assure you the wallpaper is no more. 





Looking into the formal dining room. There was a door on the right leading into the kitchen. Now that entire wall has been taken out and is open to the kitchen.



The eat-in area beyond the burners is now an enclosed office.

The House on the Lake

 

Last week my mom told me my grandpa's house is now on the market. We all knew this was coming. We've had a year to prepare ourselves. I thought I was fine. It made sense to me. There is no reason to keep it if he's no longer living there. But now that it's become a reality, it's hard to believe. My eyes started to burn the minute I saw the post on the real estate website. I immediately felt a deep sadness wash over me. I practically grew up in that house. It's been around since my mom was born. Maybe even before that. That house is family. The best kind of family because it doesn't judge or argue or have expectations. It's just there, whenever you want to swing by. But soon it won't be, and that's just crazy to me.

At least half of my childhood memories trace back to that house. Swimming in the lake with friends for my birthday every June. Watching fireworks on the dock on July 4th. Having dinner with my grandparents. Thanksgiving. Christmas.  Anniversaries. House sitting with my mom when my grandparents went out of town (which was often). Catching minnows in the lake. Running in the thick, springy grass. Hunkering down in the long hallway during hurricanes. Playing hide and seek with my cousins. Watching The Price is Right and Young in the Restless. Taking photos by the hibiscus bush. Listening to my grandpa play the piano. Helping my grandma bake banana bread muffins from scratch. Discovering old photographs at the top of a closet and looking at every single one of them with my cousin. Keeping my grandma company as she gardened. Helping Marie fold clothes. Walking on the fallen tree in the backyard. Playing dress up. The way it smells; so incredibly welcoming and cozy. Sheet forts. Skating/Rollerblading for the first time. Sneaking cookies from my grandma's strawberry shaped cookie jar. Talking to my friends via AIM (because my grandparents had a computer AND internet and I didn't). Coloring on the kitchen table. The cookie and the bass. Skinning my knees multiple times in the drive way. The trundle bed. Feeding the ducks stale bread. The little green bananas fresh from the tree. "My room." Being afraid of the attic. Looking out the back windows toward the lake during rainstorms. Powder toothpaste. OUR WEDDING. Etc. Etc. ETC.

When I stopped by there last weekend, I took photos. I mean, I always take pictures when I'm there but this time I wanted to really remember the things I loved so much. The details.

Guest bath wallpaper/Oven

Dining room wallpaper/Light fixture

Kitchen wallpaper/Pantry (I just love the curve of the shelving. Pantries were better back then. Also, there is a little cubby for milk deliveries. It used to go through the pantry but has since been covered up. The cubby still opens from the outside and is used for storing other things like cat food! Ha.


75% of all my childhood photos were taken on that property.
My 'Dear Photograph' post back in 2011.
And then there are these:

OUTSIDE

INSIDE

   

Some of my fondest memories were made here.
Thank you.
I will always remember and miss you.