I wasn't looking for a house. In fact, I had just moved into an amazing, historical loft. I loved that loft. It had previously been a factory and boasted all original floors and windows. It was close to the city, which was important to me, even though that meant a decent commute to work. Patrick and I were dating at the time, and we weren't intentionally looking at houses, moving in together, any of that. We just started seeing all these houses and properties we loved. So even though it hadn't been a part of the conversation, it became part of the conversation.
My beloved loft
We decided to casually start looking for houses. Definitely nothing official. And definitely nothing outside the city limits. We were solid on the fact that we wanted to live in Cincinnati. So when our realtor included Liberty Township (where I worked) in the search, I got a little angry. She clearly wasn't listening to us or hearing our needs. I fumed a bit until I came across a farmhouse built in 1900, located in........Liberty Township! It was just five minutes down the road from Patrick's sister, Emily, also my friend. I could tell the house would need some love, and oh how I wanted to be the one to bring it to life again.
There was an upcoming open house. Patrick was scheduled to work at the firehouse, so I enlisted Emily to go with me. When we got there, she said, "I've been here before!" She had looked at it years ago when she was house hunting herself. I fell in love. I wanted this house. Patrick asked only one question, "Do you love it?" When I said yes, even sight unseeen to him, he said we'd buy it. Don't worry, he did go see it before we signed any papers.
Patrick and I made improvements bit by bit over the next few years. There were disasters, like removing baseboards and having the plaster walls crumble all around us. Animals: raccoons, snakes, and groundhogs to name a few. And yes, I'm talking inside of our house. Me coming home from my bachelorette weekend to find Patrick and his friend, Alex, standing next to a wall with tools and a huge whole in our wall. And there was so much love, too. Babysitting (my then only) neice and nephew there. Sitting on top of the garage to watch fireworks from all over--the house sat on top of a hill and we had such a great view. Finding an engagement ring in my stocking. Making this house our home. I'll never forget the memories we created there.
Patrick would never see this house reach its full potential, reach our vision for it. And, I did continue to pour love into it after his death. Like I mentioned before, I did it with the help of many firefighters all over the area, family, and friends. I know he would be proud of the work that went into our home the years I lived there without him. Especially since I made sure our bathroom ceilings got painted gold...his one requirement. Check out all the before and afters for the place that helped me realize my passion for decorating and design.
Family Room before + after
Kitchen before + after
Sitting room before + after
Sunroom before + after
Entry before + after
Dining room before + after
Full bath before + after
Half bath before + after
Guest bedroom before + after
Exterior before + after
Deck before + after
Primary bedroom deck before + after
My style has changed and evolved over the years, and I've honed my skill and craft when it comes to decorating. And while there are so many different choices I'd make about this house now, I love this project for what it was: a marker in time for some of the best and worst years of my life. To take a snippet from my last blogpost: Why the Name 2nd Story?, it's not just about pretty spaces. It's about the transformation. It's about taking risks, going bolder. Truly living your life. Chasing the beauty and joy in life, starting with your home.
Obsessed with before and after pictures? Check out my blogpost: Read This Blog if You're Obsessed with Before + After Pictures.
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