Have I told you about my house?

Over a year ago my husband & I decided to take the plunge into the Vancouver housing market. By housing I mean house. We currently own a loft-style condo but it seems to be shrinking as the years go by. We have a 7yr old daughter so space is a precious commodity within our four walls.

Since we have purchased our 1928 East Van house, we have gutted it, hired a draftsperson, a contractor and purchased stocks in Valium. But it's been worth it.

In the above photo you can see my family last summer tending to the weeds that overtook this neglected lot.

In this fab aerial shot, you can see the new metal roof and front windows (sills are yet to come). The stairs are staying where they are with new tile cladding and rail work. Of course the house will be painted once complete -- maybe a misty North Shore blue-gray. Time will tell.

In 1928 rooms were small.  Since we are coming from loft-living, we decided to maintain that sense of space by keeping the main floor as open as possible. The family room, bathroom and study can be closed off, but after eliminating the chimney, the rest of the main floor is a delight of openness. The living room and kitchen now run together creating a view corridor through over-sized glass doors, which open onto a new deck, to the North Shore mountains. Delicious!

Upstairs our daughter gets the best room with an enviable walk-in closet. That said, hubby's and mine is just perfect for us with its charming angled ceiling and nook-like walk-in closet area. Then there's the bathroom. First off there IS a bathroom upstairs now. Previously this was another bedroom. For obvious convenience, we sacrificed the additional bedroom for a marbled, glassed-in shower and all the convinces of a modern WC. We also have a sizeable walk-in closet here since space permitted. Also, part of our goal with this reno is to maintain our minimal lifestyle where possible. In this case it means including built-ins, therefore eliminating furniture.

The basement isn't getting a makeover just yet. We are simply happy to have a space to store stuff, do laundry and for me to paint without impeding on day-to-day living.

Although our to-do list is still long, including selling our east-Van loft, we are anxious for our move-in date to arrive... later this Spring.

I'll keep you posted!