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I’ve been dreaming about our future home lately. Well, to be fair I’m always dreaming, thinking, planning, and talking about it, but I’m especially thinking about it now. We came by some land the other day that was very promising and though nothing will come of it, it instantly got me into planning mode. Haha does that happen to anyone else?
I know I’ve said bits and pieces here and there, but I don’t think I’ve fully stated in one place that our ultimate dream is to build a custom home or hire contractors to renovate something to our liking.
Titus and I have wanted this since we got married (6+years) but it just hasn’t been a possibility yet. We’re hoping that after we finish fixing up our current home (our 2nd one) we’ll be able to do it. Of course, this process isn’t easy (so I hear) and it would really come down to the right land, the right finances, and God’s timing.
Related: Goodbye, First Home
So why did you buy the home you’re in now? I talked a little bit about why we moved from our first home here. Simply put, we really couldn’t stand the layout of that home. Especially with a kid. We had taken something “ugly” and fixed it up ourselves so we knew we had a lot of equity in it. The market was good and with much prayer, we decided to sell. It was one of the best decisions we made! It gave us the extra financial boost to finish paying off debt so it really was an amazing investment in the end.
Related: How We Sold Our House In Less Than 48 Hours (Above Asking Price)
We knew the second home would not be “the dream” yet. So we were again looking for something outdated in a good neighborhood that we could fix up and hopefully once again, reap the benefits when it comes time to sell. Don’t get me wrong, The home that we’re in now is a good home and it’s really good for us for now. I could even see how it’d the last home for some people and we’re putting lots of love and care into making this a nice home for someone else in the future. But in the end, if it’s not a wooded lot then it’s not for us!
We both dream of space (1 acre), privacy, and trees. I know it’s “meant to be” because Titus wants views and nature as much as I do. What a dream it would be to look out my backyard and see trees. I’m not complaining (too much hehe), but what I see now is an instant mood depressor. But we did find a better solution for that…
Why build? I don’t want to say I’m picky…but I sure am confident in what I like and it simply doesn’t exist where I live. I’m not interested in new builds or someone else’s version of an updated home. It makes no sense to me (personally) to buy a “nice” home just to rip out everything they’ve done to do what I want. Because not only are you paying for the house, but you’re paying for someone else’s updates! And then you’re paying to do your own. I know that custom building is not the cheapest option, but in the end, I think you get more value for your money…if you’re “picky” like I am hehe.
That’s why we’ve always been drawn to outdated homes where we can pick what we want, but honestly, we’re just so tired of constantly doing home projects or having them hang over our head on top of normal house maintenance. It was fun when we were young and had no kids, but now, with a growing family, T’s full-time job, and my business, it’s just not really possible or even all that desirable anymore. I still love doing home projects and sharing them with you all…just certain ones. Like decorating, repurposing, designing, and final touches. Not things like drywall, wallpaper removal, demo, etc. I love to show transformations and before & afters on my blog, but constantly having to do home projects takes away from when I could be writing more helpful fashion posts. My first true passion! 😉
That’s why building a home or having contractors renovate something for us so we can still get what we want but not have years of projects hanging over our heads is THE DREAM!
If you have any insight/wisdom into this whole process please feel free to share! But now that you may understand a bit more of why we want to build, let’s get into the fun part…the design!
My Dream House
Ultimately, French Country Cottage/European is the style I’d like to have. For my exterior, I imagine something below. Of course, these are just “dream” plans and I know they’d change. Plus, we would want to keep our build “affordable” and the more peaks a house has the more expensive! It sure is pretty though…
Building an all brick house is pretty expensive too. But I don’t want siding. Perhaps the more realistic (ahem affordable) dream would be brick and a mix of board and batten siding.
I want a lot of the same elements that we put on our house now. White brick, window boxes, shutters. A cottage garden.
And no, I don’t plan on designing it myself when the time comes. I think a designer or architect would be invaluable.
Another reason(s) why we need more outdoor space:
I dream of a secret garden.
A nice space for our garden beds that we love doing so much.
A beautiful courtyard for quiet moments, reading, and tea. I imagine lots of pea gravel, lavender, boxwood, roses, and ivy. A dining table for al fresco dining. And hosting our big families. 6 siblings on my side…8 on Titus’! Not even mentioning spouses and kids…
Have you heard of Patina Farm before? It’s a lot of my dream house come to life!
Interior
I like the ranch layout and open floor plan of our current home so keeping that would be nice. I’d love to have pitched ceilings with beams. And of course, lots and lots of windows and natural light. Yes to a fireplace in the living room and lots of warmth and charm!
I’ve been able to get elements that I like in my homes here and there, but this build would just be another level because we can only do so much ourselves! I’d love some “wow” features. Things that take it from “builder grade” to custom home! Like a show-stopping fireplace, amazing built-ins, or something of the like.
I don’t want 3 garages or a crazy big house but I do want a big kitchen, big living room, big entryway, nice size office/studio, and a big master bathroom.
I’ve always wanted a kitchen island, sunroom/dining room combo, and a breakfast nook. All those eating areas might be a little overkill though haha. But whatever, I’m still dreaming. 😉
Oh, how I already know that my dream bathroom will be way way out of budget.
I could live without a pantry. A laundry room. A storage room. Fancy upgrades like two ovens…but I don’t think I could live without a big entryway/foyer. It’s silly really. It must just be because I’ve never had one. The one we have now is an improvement over our first house, but there’s still not enough room for a bench or even a chair. Which I know, some people have no entryway!
And well the basement, who cares. As long as it’s cozy and not a dungeon I really don’t mind.
I don’t even really care much about the bedrooms either. Nice, cozy, and basic is good with me. Sure, I loovee the idea of an amazing master bedroom in theory, but the reality for us is that we don’t actually spend that much awake time in our room anyway. It would just be wasted space! I’d gladly put the money and space elsewhere.
See? I’m easy. 😉
Ah well, I could keep going but it’s probably best for everyone if I don’t haha. I think one key to happiness is being content with what you have, so though I daydream, I also need to go think about all the things I love about where I’m at now. 🙂
Feel free to drop your thoughts in the comments in you have experience with building or serious renovating!
Some of the projects we’ve done in this house so far…Kitchen, Living Room, Exterior, Master Bathroom, Entryway
