A New Coastal Style Home

A new home is exciting, and scary, and challenging, and expensive!  I am so excited that we have sold our small condominium in Florida, and have moved into a wonderful new (to us) home. We all buy or rent a home, whether its an apartment, condo or house with some expectations of what the might future hold. Our very first home in Ohio was purchased with family in mind. When we sold the home we raised our children in and downsized to a high-rise condominium it was the first time we didn’t have family in mind, we were doing it for the two of us. Both of our children no longer live in the town we raised them in. With this up-sizing in Florida we once again have our children and their families in mind – this is where we plan to see our grandchildren grow-up. As we spend more time in Florida we knew we needed more square feet to make a special place for our children and their children to come.

The one thing I really love about my community in Florida is that it has such a wide variety of home styles.  There are Mediterraneans, Victorians, Craftsmen and more, but I have always been particularly fond of the Coastal style homes.  I know I would love to live in the low country of the Carolinas with all of the lovely homes there, but that isn’t where we live, so I am lucky to get to live in a home styled after them.

Our new home is all on one floor with a huge wrap around front porch and a small back porch.  All of these pictures are “before” pictures, just as the house has looked as we moved in.  I can’t wait to get to work on the “after” and be able to share all of the changes and how I will make this house “our” home.  The furniture on both the front and back porches came with the house, and I know they will either be sold at the local porch and yard sale or painted and have new cushions added, but it has been nice, right from the beginning to be able to sit out on my porch.  Two previous owners have lived here and this is one of those houses I always say “needs love”.  The house has great bones, but hasn’t been given any of those extra touches, like crown molding, stone countertops or even a nice tile backsplash. We are so very fortunate we were able to find a home with a one bedroom apartment built above the garage.  My parents are aging and it is time to have them closer, so we will be moving them in.  I am so happy that we will be able to have my parents so close, but this staircase is going to need a lot of work, beginning right away with these sad little hanging impatiens.  They will be replaced this first week!  I am thinking Boston Ferns will be the best choice for our climate and the location. This brick walkway divides the backyard and will be re-worked also, but for now, the first order of business is to remove the roses that line the walk.  They make the yard look even smaller.Okay, so the truth is, I was so anxious to get rid of the rose bushes that I cut down half of them before I got around to snapping pictures!  This shows a little better our cute little back porch, though.  The other half of the roses are gone and sod will be going in soon!  I can’t wait to show you all the progress I am making!

Stay tuned for more posts showing off the interior of the house!

I will be sharing this at the following link parties:  The Charm of Home:  Home Sweet Home | Northern Nesting:  Share Your Style