Just for fun, I thought I'd show you a few photos of our house.This was taken in 1902, when the house was new. My grandma could name most of the people in the photo, because they were her relatives. The house has been in her family since it was built.
My grandparents moved in after my mom was born, but before her first birthday - 1945 - and lived here until they both died, my grandma, more recently, in 2003.
At that point, we bought the house, and it looked like this. Somehow most of the 'historical' features had been deleted in order to "modernize" over the years. Not much in the way of window trim, the siding was aluminum, and there was a flat roof over the mud-room and part of the kitchen.If that last bit doesn't horrify you, you've never spent a winter in the Pacific Northwest.
Since then, we've done a bit of remodeling ourselves, increasing our living space, eliminating the flat roof, and (we hope) making the house more attractive by bringing back some of its historical roots.
Well, if you really compare the photos, it's probably more "historical" now than it ever was. Make of that what you will.
What can I say? I married an architect. :0)
9 comments:
Beee-autiful!
It looks beautiful. I haven't got my head around how the first turned into the second yet.
Well thank you! We're very thankful to have this house.
From the first to the second picture covers almost 100 years... lots of changes.
They eliminated the roof over the porch, which made it possible to add a window into the upstairs bedroom (top left). They also built out the upstairs over the living room, on bottom right.
When we remodeled, (from the second to the third pic), we didn't change the footprint of the house, but built out the rear of the upstairs, making a full second floor. We also completely changed many of the roof-lines and also put a roof back over the front porch/entry.
We did a lot of updating... new wiring, new windows, new siding, and added things like heat and plumbing to the upstairs.
I love the way it has turned out. And I love that you live in your Grandma's house. How neat!
Oh, that is an awesome blue color! Looks like a great house to live in, too. One of these days I'll come stalk you...
I've lived in a house with aluminum roofing (siding? can't remember) and whew! Rainstorms were RAIN STORMS.
I love the blue color. It's my "happy color". The house looks like a big blueberry :0)
And I love living in "the family house". Maybe over time I'll show some of the changes we've made inside.
Now that I know who the "stalker" is!
That is the coolest thing- living in a house that has been owned by your family since it was built! It is gorgeous- your rennovations have paid off. The flat roof horrifies me, but more for cave-ins from snow than from rain, lol.
It is beautiful!!! Kerry is a wonderful architect. Sheesh, I wish you lived closer. We need some architectural work done on our house!
Julie, you have done a great job. that house looks beautiful.
I actually live in an original "Queenslander" style house. It's about 90 years old but alas has not had much done to it for a loooong time "-(
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