Buy my house?

The Anniversary Home is officially on the market!

In fact, we have our first viewing this afternoon. I did a special tidy/clean last night, bought some pretty flowers and made sure to leave all the lights on this morning when I left for work. We'll see how long before my enthusiasm runs dry and I'm scrambling last minute to throw junk in drawers to make the house look decent. 

So friends, if you know anyone who wants to buy a beautiful Victorian farmhouse in Pennsylvania, please send them my blog or email. I'd be happy to put the hard sell on them tell them more about this fabulous house.

I mean, who wouldn't want to live here?

This vintage style Victorian with wraparound porch was the original home of the Mayor of the town and located in a great school district. Recent updates have made this home comfortable and inviting. New designer kitchen with Thomasville cabinets, farmhouse sink, over-sized center island, high-end stainless steel appliances, granite and new hardwood floors. Formal dining room adjacent to kitchen with tall pillars defining the space. Formal living room with hardwood floors and gorgeous wood pocket doors. Climb the grand, rich wood staircase to the second floor featuring a large main suite with a wall of windows, second bedroom and library / office with full hall bath. Third floor features two additional bedrooms, both generous in size and rich in woodworking. Existing stable barn, prime for renovations as family annex and currently acting as storage and two car garage. Home features hardwood floors throughout most of home, new roof, new gutters, new chimney capping, new carpets, new sand mound, well tank, etc.

Bye bye 70's carpet!

Fair warning to any Victorian home restoration aficionados: you're not going to like this post. But it had to happen.

Yall, our floors were nekked. Stark nekked. And I just couldn't take it anymore. So I caved and got carpet. The shame. (For a historic homeowner.) But so liberating. (For anyone who wants to live with modern amenities.)

Let me back up. You do remember the hot mess that was the existing carpet? The green, floral, 70's mess?

It had really overstayed its welcome. It had to go. As did Mr. B's back in the process of ripping it up. (Note to others: if you or your husband have any sort of back issues, save yourself the $100 and get the pros to rip it up. You'll ultimately spend more in ER visits, prescription drugs, chiropractic visits and lost days of work. I promise.)

I thought the floors underneath were passable. But once it was all up and gone, it was clear they weren't. And again (recurring theme here!) I couldn't afford to have the entire second and third floor floors refinished. That would cost an arm and a leg I just wasn't willing to sacrifice. Plus, the hardwood floors were noisy, drafty and dirty.

So, the carpet solution made sense. And you know what? I'm really okay with it. I've tried to stay true and original to the home as much as possible, but this time, well, I win.

I'll post pics of the carpet when its installed next week. (Hopefully the same day as the table delivery!)