Where does the time go? It was one month ago today that we were officially moved into our new home {above photo}. Zack and I had been searching dozens of rental homes to make our own and nothing seemed to stand out, until one Sunday afternoon while on a walk outside with friends. We stopped, looked up, and this beauty was in front of us.
Talk about love at first sight!
A few days later we decided this house would be “the one”, so we signed the lease on Friday, totally anticipating we’d move in the following weekend. Zack and I were just too excited — we started packing that afternoon and by Sunday morning we were out of the apartment and fully moved-in to this house.
I shared photos of our new house here {I can’t believe our moms let a month go by with these silly iPhone photos!}, but now I have REAL PHOTOS for them {and you :] } ♥
The Gussy Sews Room:
SUCH a DREAM come TRUE! When we were getting ready to look for a new place, Zack and I agreed that having a room dedicated just to Gussy would be so helpful. I love that I don’t have to “pick up” each night, that I can basically shut off the light and walk to the kitchen, make dinner, and then spend the evening with Zack in our new home. In our last place, I was sewing in the living room/dining room. It was crazy and it was always such a mess {visually cluttered}, but still, it bothered me to see “work” so often.
I’ve hung some things on the wall, have re-organized things a few times since moving in — it’s starting to feel perfect.
I used this vase of spools on my table at The Creative Connection. It doesn’t take long to run out of thread, and since I sew so often I’m usually buying 5-8 spools of the same color at a time. As they ran out, I collected them until I had enough to wrap with fabric and use for eye candy:
See Gussy the goose down below? Love it, and thanks Mom for giving me the nickname ♥
Having so much natural light is such a blessing. Our last place had 3 windows, but our new home has 22. Hah! Thankfully some are stained-glass/decorative, but it’s still a lot of work to keep track of which are open, closing the blinds, etc. :]
Hubby’s Office:
Zack totally loves having his own place to be, and I’m sure he sits in there and rolls his eyes that I have a sewing room and an office, but… He understands and is so supportive of all of this. I’m waiting for the day when he buys a recliner and a flat screen and I then have to pull him out of this room… Tee he he.
{Zack, you would never do that, right?}
You can see a tiny sliver of his desk…
My Office:
I showed this photo a few weeks ago when I shared “where I blog“. The living room furniture has been re-arranged since then, but you can still get a feel for my Gussy office. This room is one of the walk-through rooms to my sewing room — thinking it was originally a small sitting room?!
Living Room:
We absolutely love the colors in here! The hardwood floors are gorgeous with our red couch and turquoise chair. Love it! This room is pretty much “center” in our house. Everthing extends on and on and on to the left and right.
When I’m on the couch I can see into our bedroom or the dining room. I’m pretty sure our bedroom was originally a Study. It has two built-ins and a 5′ wide pocket door. More on this room, later!
My parents had a mantle in my childhood home and now I have one, too. It’s the best, so perfect for decorating {and hanging stockings!} The fireplace adds such detail to the room…
Dear all 22 windows, thanks for providing such great natural light so I can photograph our new home.
You can see part of the large pocket door that goes into our bedroom in this photo:
Front Entrance:
Remember my fall wreath post? It’s still on the front door, it still looks great and I still love to photograph it :] Another great bonus to this house is the giant front porch. The house sits about 6 steps up and the porch is, well, amazing. The weekend we moved in I was able to stop the mailman and introduce myself. I told him I work from home and will be piling packages a few times a week on the porch, if that was OK.
I know, I’m a nerd… But having a front porch with private access to our home was so necessary. Anyways :]
When you first walk into our home this is what you see:
We have a main front door and then a little vestibule area, then another front door. Both have glass, both weight 3,299 lbs. Both are gorgeous doors.
Straight ahead is a mirrored door that is our front hall closet. To the left is a gorgeous original-to-the-home stairway that leads to the upstairs floor {which is rented out}. Also to the left is a second door to our bedroom {there’s also a pocket door to our bedroom}. And, to the right of the front hall closet is the kitchen.
Whew.
Dining Room:
This room is to the right when you first walk in the house. {The living room is to the left when you first walk in.}
I love the wood paneling {?} details on the walls, along with the ridged shelves so I can lean frames on it and they won’t slip off. The shelves go all the way around the room…
Hello, gorgeous! Also an original-to-the-home, the built-in buffet:
Off the dining room is a pantry room, which leads you to the kitchen:
Nearly every room in this house has original light switches. Most are “buttons” and you push one for ON and one for OFF.
This particular switch is my fav — you turn it left or right and it makes a loud {click!} sound before doing it’s thang.
Bedroom:
This room, along with the living room and my office, has gorgeous, perfect wallpaper. It’s a textured, linen-y paper and it’s in perfect condition. Yeowwwwwww!
Wallpaper isn’t my favorite, but this wallpaper is an exception.
Here’s one of the two built-ins in our bedroom. We use them for blankets, towels, and obviously my headbands/jewelry. Hah! We do get the entire basement for storage, but these things are all used daily and weekly, so I’m trying to be content with them showing through the glass doors.
It doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful, right Nester?
What are your thoughts? Do you have any decorating tips for us?
One thing we have on our “must buy soon” list is a large, cozy area rug for the living room. The entire house is hardwood except for the bathroom and kitchen. We added a creamy/beige rug to our bedroom {it’s half under the bed and on an angle} and it’s perfect.
Also on our list is another chair for the living room, a new dining room table {because it’s currently in my sewing room as additional workspace}, and another desk for my office.
We love our home ~ thanks for enjoying it with us :]
i love the house! how incredible is all that wood?!
Gussy, it is fabulous. You know I adore old houses and yours is AH*MAZING … no matter what you do, your house will be gorgeous! When you have that kind of architecture, decorating is a less significant side note. The house itself is beautiful all on its own. You make me MISS MY OLD HOUSE so much. I think I’ll go eat a pumpkin scone to console myself. xoxo
I am really realizing that less is more in this house. I have started a “we don’t need this box,” and I’ll probably keep it around just because, but, it’s nice to clear up some of the clutter/decor.
The pictures are awesome, but it doesn’t even completely give justice to how beautiful the woodwork, built-ins and architecture of the house is. It’s totally a gem and in such amazing shape.
So happy that you both found this amazing place. Seems perfect for the here and now.
thanks sassy pants ;]
…so glad you have seen it in real life, too! XO
Seriously, so gorgeous! Glad to see you put the tiered stand from our Much Ado About You table to use! Where did the hot pink lamps end up? :)
Tis gorgeous and I love what you started with and how you’ve made it your own. No tips from me – you could give me some! love the “Spend all your Kisses” sign above the door, by the way. Sweet, Gus Gus!
That’s a Christmas present to Zack and I from our nephews. Sigh — heart them big time :]
Oooooohh. You are SO lucky to have those amazing architectural details. Our old house had those and it was my dream!! It was teeny, so we had to move to one of those new constructions with no character. That’s ok, though! I make my own! Thanks for the tour Gussy!
I LOVE it! gorgeous wood work! I’m so jealous of your office AND sewing space! I’m in the sun room for both but I’ve finally set up a sewing corner and a separate office! It’s beautiful you’ve got to be so happy! Congratulations!
Yay for you!!! :]
GUS! your house is sooo gorgeous and the gussy sews room is my favorite!! and how do you stay soo organized!?! i have fabrics and crafts stuff all over the place in my house!! :(
LOL — I picked up because I was going to be away at The Creative Connection, and I haven’t sewn yet since I’ve been back home. It’s usually craaaaaazy in there!
Oh, your new house is just beautiful! You’ve decorated so nicely and i love all those windows and light!
It’s so sweet, and homey and YOU! I’m coming over…the pictures are too cute to not see in person. Just kidding…I’ll just keep stalking you on the interwebz. =)
Gus, it is GORGEOUS!!! My heart was twinging, it is so pretty. So glad you found it! Can you stay there a loooong time?
gussy! my sweet friend…i’ve been out of the loop thanks to grad school, but i’m so glad i saw this post on facebook!! :) you & zack have the most beautiful home. i love the details & all of it’s charm. it just seems so….well….you & zack!!
it’s so much fun turning a house into a home. we’ve been in our {ho-hum, cookie cutter, subdivision style} abode for 8 years and i’m STILL changing something, painting something, rearranging something. i guess that’s the beauty of it all, isn’t it?? your home is your perpetual canvas. ;)
have fun adding those finishing touches and thank you so much for sharing your lovely home with us!
xoxo
So, so beautiful!!!!!! I love it! The wood work is so nice! That is what sold us on our house. Your house looks so perfect. We have lived in ours for 10 yrs and still have sooooo much work to do, having 5 little rug rats does not help any. I REALLY love your house and hope some day I can come visit you. It is totally possible since I only love 2 and half hours away. We will have to plan something! LOVE it!!!!
Gussy…………..your home is SEW beautiful! Collin was looking at the pics with me. i showed him your sewing room and he said “OMG……..it.is.so.BIG”. Not kidding; this is exactly what he said. Love the wood, the built-ins, your decorating,………and YOU!
Mama Gus
Oh my sweet heavens, that nephew of mine… ♥
beautiful!!! and that built in buffet? jealous. :)
i love that birdcage too!
I love it all! So cozy and welcoming and looks like you’ve been there forever all settled and happy.
xoxo
Emily
You scored so big with this house! It is gorgeous. All that woodwork. All the built-ons. All that hardwood. Oh. My! <3
I L-O-V-E your awesome new house! It’s so Gussy! Love all the original wood and character it has. I’m a little jealous and SO happy for you!
It’s wonderful! I love it. Love the vase on your mantle — where did you get the goodies inside it?
Pier 1, last fall. Amazing stuff!!!
It is gorgeous! I especially love the walls in the dining room. Is that like the pie plating they put on ceilings? Love it! Can I come shoot in all your 22 windows? I have window envy now. ;-)
Love the tour! But the real question is where do you store your fabric? I have no such organization with fabric I wish I did.
I have a cart in the corner that I put it in, as well as a Rubbermaid drawer chest, and a big closet for my Home Dec fabric.
I like to keep things organized but still within reach… you know how it goes :]
The house is beyond gorgeous, Gussy. Good job!
thank you!!!
All these comments mean so much…
i’m moving in, mkay? seriously. i’ll sleep in the pantry room and you won’t even know i’m there.
it’s perfectly gorgeous. & i love all the character…
as for the built-ins in your bedroom – you could find a wrapping paper, or anything with a print you love and affix it to the inside of the glass with tape (so it’s removable and you aren’t damaging any of the original work). or, you could get fun little containers to hold everything so it’s all a little more streamlined…
overall though? love it. i mean, really love it.
How beautiful, the detailing & wood is just gorgeous & adds so much character to your house! :-)
Love it Maggie, it reminds me so much of our home…we have the same fireplace and entryway area! It is perfect!
xoxo~Meg
amazing and gorgeous house gussy!!! wow!!! how do you keep it so clean? how often do you have to dust? :) is that bad that i asked that? i am really curious? We have wood floors and they get so dusty/ dirty so fast. I’m not sure if it is because of our puppy or what? :)gina
oh the dust. we aren’t friends.
we have been swiffering every week. and i’m now noticing that my “lazy dusting skillz” aren’t good enough, LOL! i just think of how the dust is there whether you have hardwood or carpet, but having hardwood makes it easier to see and know it’s clean.
eeek! dust mites. WHY GOD?!
Gorgeous home! I love the natural light and all the wood.
What a beautiful place!!! But that doesn’t surprise me at all – you clearly have an eye for beauty.
I’m in awe that so much natural woodwork has survived – our house has suffered through many an owner who painted(!!) ugly colors (!!!!) over goreous natural wood (!!!!!!!). Stripping layers of paint off the world’s heaviest doors is practically my obsession.
It’s dreamy, Gussy! It really is! :]
I am in LOVE with your new place! LOVE I tell you! If you ever need a house sitter you just call me up and I’ll be there (well not just right away, it does take some time to drive up from Chicago, but still), to stare at that lovely molding and drool over the glass front doors. Oh my are you two lucky to have found that gem!
I love it! Congrats on a great new home with such beautiful details!!!
LOVE IT! Your sewing room is adorable. Loved the tour :)
Hi Maggie! I was not sure how to contact you, so here I am again. I just wanted to let you know that I did a little blurb about you on my blog today!
http://isewlucky.blogspot.com/2010/09/so-many-creative-people.html
I want to come over and hang out!!!
Wow Maggie! It is beautiful! I love all the dark wood and that blue chair and red couch! LOVE!!!! Thanks for giving us a tour of your home and all the work that went in to putting this post together!
You have an adorable home!
maggie, your house is gorgeous! i have no doubt that more joy + creativity will happen in this new home of yours!
I love the character this home has! You’ve done a beautiful job finding the home’s true beauty and making it your own… Just lovely!
I L.O.V.E. your new home! I adore old homes & yours takes the cake! So fun for you & your huz! All the windows you have are amazing! Those will be so nice, especially in the MN winter. Enjoy your new & super cute home! Thanks for sharing the pics! :-)
What a beautiful home! I’m so jealous of all the natural light but glad that you have such a great space to work in! Greetings from central Minnesota!
What an incredible house! You’ve done a beautiful job of making it your own without taking anything away from the character and charm of the architecture.
your home is gorgeous! I love it!
the house is beautiful – so much character!! congratulations on finding your home.
i’m a newbie to your blog and i’ve spent literally hours here today! thank you so much for all of the wonderful advice!
OH i love it! we have very similar fall decor in our town home. :) i love your sewing room!! i am currently doing all my crafts in the living room & dining room so i completely feel you about cleaning up and getting sick of having your stuff everywhere!
What a gem! Your home is stunning. Congratulations on owning a part of Minneapolis history.
FINALLY! Someone in blogland has an old house very similar to ours!!!!!!!!! Ours was built in 1820 and has hardwood flooring all the way through except in our living room and on the stairs. Our staircase actually splits off in two different directions and we have a hidden closet under the stairs as well as a “hidden” pantry off the kitchen. Our attic is an entire 3rd floor but unfinished. I LOVE your house and the way you decorate. I struggle in our home between keeping things true with the old character of the house and yet fulfilling my need for more modern elements.
I hate packing up my crafty mess every night! :(
Love the house! BEAUTIFUL wood! Wow!