We Bought a Home!

Last week we got the official word that our offer was excepted on our dream home! I didn't let myself really fall for this house, but now I am swooning. We are coming from a historic home to new construction. What I loved about the house was all the little touches the builder put on it. We were lucky enough to happen upon a spec home built by a master carpenter. He worked with an interior designer to make a one of a kind home. Mixing traditional and modern elements. It's a little of where we came from...a craftsman bungalow to where we want to go...a modern family home.

In our last house you stepped right into the family room. I have always wanted something more formal. A place to take off your shoes, hang your coat, and drop your keys. This really feels like home. Hand-scraped hardwoods are going in this week.

I love all the details in this house. Below this beautiful ceiling is an area to put a small bench to wait for someone to pick you up or take your shoes off if it's raining.

The spindles are painted white now and the railings are a darker wood with a gray hue. I can't believe that I have a railing...a two story home! We could never afford this house in California. Truly thankful.

This kitchen is going to be the place our family spends a lot of time. A great place to make meals, cookies with Sawyer and have family gatherings. The backsplash is going to be white subway tile with a herringbone pattern above the stove (swoon). It's hard to tell from this photo, but the cabinetry has a slight gray hue to it. It's really unlike anything I have seen and is throughout the house.

Since the builder is not finished with our home we are lucky enough to pick some of the finishings. My favorite item I have a hand in choosing is the slab going in the kitchen. I really want two different stones or materials to be involved. One on the island and the other on the rest of the kitchen. I like the look of marble, but not the upkeep. I'm thinking Bianco Romano granite to get me close to the look I am trying to achieve. I'm not sure about the other material.

Stay tuned for more photos on the house or check out my Dream Home Pin board for now. I'm posting like crazy getting ideas for decorating. Tomorrow I get to meet with the Interior Designer to go over finishing touches. I am so excited to see the progress made on the house. I feel so lucky we get to live here.

Oregon Exploring: Japanese Gardens in the Spring

My parents flew Sawyer out from California after we had a little time to settle into our rental house. We wanted some time to setup a totally empty house. Thank goodness we did. Our stuff was a week late so we slept on an air mattress and our couch was another blow up mattress. Baby proof...yes, but certainly not toddler friendly.

We took my parents and Sawyer to the Japanese Gardens in Washington Park. It's such a peaceful and picturesque place to be. I have never been, but it was definitely on my to do list for exploring Oregon. I want to go back every season (I am especially looking forward to Fall).

Day dreaming

Sand garden
I had visions of my toddler running through the middle of this, but thankfully I was wrong. What a job to rank the garden. Wonder if they are hiring?

Sawyer loved the gardens meandering paths, but the koi fish were his fave.

That face, those curls!

I love the light pouring in from the trees.

Waterfall with all that lovely moss. One thing I am not used to...all the moss in Oregon. I love getting lost in it.

This is where you enter. Well, hello there.

The Japanese Gardens are a must if visiting Portland, Oregon. My next quest if one for food. I am REALLY, REEEALLLLY missing Mexican food. We have tried places in the Portland, Oregon area with no luck. Southern California is full of yummy Mexican food...house made chips, homemade salsa, guac...bean and cheese burritos! Ok, I'm making myself hungry. I'm missing a good hole in the wall. The last place I tried in Oregon made me sick. Please, any suggestions are welcomed from locals. Otherwise, I am on my own and on the hunt!



Hours / Directions

Addmission
$9.50 Adult
$7.75 Senior (65+)
$7.75 College Student (w/ID)
$6.75 Youth (6-17)Children 5 and under free

Home Tour - Our Craftsman Bungalow

We've been in Portland for a two weeks and everyday feels like vacation. Maybe that's because we have been exploring our new surroundings. If you follow my Instagram you can check out some of our advantures. I intend to share all about our new city, but first I want to give you a tour of our home in Orange, California.

We sold our 1922 craftsman bungalow after deciding to make the move to Oregon. We grew up in Orange and LA County. Our family and friends are all in the area, but there was something missing. The weather is pretty sunny most of the year and for two people who love the rain and cold weather it was depressing day after day. I know how nuts that sounds, but it's true. I love many things about California, but it was time for a change. We fell in love with Portland when we visited in October. It's such a pretty place to be.

I bought our home when I was single and worked on it for years. I met my husband when I lived in this house, I was pregnant in this house, and this was Sawyer's first home. It's sad to me that he won't remember the squeaky floors and charm that only an old home has. I'm confident our new home will be beautiful and I'm excited to move forward in a home that will better suite our family. So, let's get on with the tour!

We felt like we were living in a small town in Old Towne Orange. I loved that we could walk out our front door and within minutes we could be in the center of downtown.

This porch was everything. I added adirondack chairs to our front porch for long summer days of watching Sawyer play on the front lawn.

Walking into this home for the first time...it was love at first sight with this archway. I liked how it repeated above the built in buffet with all it's charm and details. I used to have a bunch of candle sticks setup in the fireplace before sawyer started crawling. I thought they might get used for baseball bats eventually if I didn't baby proof.

We had so many fun times in this dining room. Family gatherings, friends, dinner parties and games played here. I plan to do another plate wall in our new house. I collect them from places we visit and Anthropology sales...they always have the most interesting designs.

When you walked into the hallway there was a room on either end and a bathroom in the middle.

It took me many swatches to get the right taupe color for our master bedroom. I've never been into browns for decorating, but my husband leans towards those tones. I do love a dark bedroom though. I have thoughts of going more extreme in the next house. I had accents of green throughout the room for a pop of color. Our chandelier was a steal at Home Depot for around $100. My husband wanted a fan (much more practical...I do agree), but looks I won on this one! Wahahaha. In my next house I want a ginormous chandiler in my kitchen...hmm or maybe one in my walk in closet. We shall see!

I remodeled the bathroom in this house. It was pretty small, but I got it all in. I used black and white tiles to really make a statement while staying true to the style of the home. You can't see it, but the tub is cast iron with a rain shower and a claw foot tub handheld shower head. The rain shower was an upgrade and well worth it.

Sawyer's first room. I will always remember it...even if he won't.

Coming from an apartment to this kitchen was huge! It did, slowly close in on me, but I loved all the original cabinets. The counter height was low, but perfect for all 5' 2" of me. I added a drawer dishwasher since a normal dishwasher height was the same as my counter top. This was a good solution to the problem. I put vinyl tiles on the floor to give the room an added retro flair.

Before pictures. I wish I had more to show of the inside, but images were lost in various ways over the years.

Looking out my kitchen window this is what I saw in the backyard. My washer and dryer went on the patio and the blue door opened into a large detached bonus room. The garden in the back was WILD!



I tore all the patio cover down and added a laundry room and bathroom to the back house.

I used the area in between the two structures for an intimate dinning area. I replaced the old blue door with a period style wooden door. I also added a 100 year old stain glass window to the laundry room.

This laundry did not exist before I moved in. It was a must. Having my washer and dryer outside didn't make sense to me.

The yellow structure on the left is all that was left of the garage. It had wooden floors and was probably an old carriage house. The city let us knock it down since it was only a third of the original size and very unstable. The structure on the right was a huge bonus room. The backyard had a pool in the '70s and this room was built as a rumpus room.

I had a 2 car modern garage built, but finished it out with an all wood farm style garage door. Since we had so much driveway I went with stamped and stained concrete. It was a large expense, but worth it.

Enter the man cave. The place where video games and office work happened. It also doubled as a guest room.

This bathroom turned out so goregous. I am still in love with all the marble and hope I get some in our new house. That or I will have to add it. I had this bathroom built from scratch. It was huge with a walk in shower and bench seat. I also added a 100 year old stained glass window, pedestal sink, built in cabinetry, and wainscoting.

We created an outdoor living area with an outdoor couch, fire pit, TV and built in BBQ. This was heaven in the summer. Great for outdoor movie nights and s'mores.

Hope you enjoyed the home tour. We are just starting to house hunt in Oregon. It's so exciting to see what our money can buy out here. I can't wait to get out of our rental and start making a new home. So many new memories to make!