Hi Everyone!
Happy Monday friends! Hope everyone is having a wonderful extended holiday weekend. My mom is in town visiting for a month, and we spent Valentines Day treasure hunting . It was so much fun and super inspiring.
While we were out we ran into the most amazing estate sale which, of course, we just had to go in and check out. Now I have to admit Ive always been really hesitant about estate sales…to the point that I completely avoided them. I much prefer flea markets, yard sales, garage sales, and craigslist. As weird as it may sound, estate sales always made me feel really uneasy. My mom attends them all the time with my grandmother and she’s always telling me I need to give them a try. It wasn’t until I recently read my sweet blog friend Gwen’s perspective on estate sale-ing that I finally decided to. It was just kismet that I happened to go to my first couple with mom in tow.
The home we visited yesterday was absolutely amazing. The estate was built in the very early 1900s at it was filled with the most beautiful vintage and antique furniture and accessories. But the most spectacular part about this property wasn’t what filled the home, rather it was the home itself. It was gorgeous and pretty much completely original and light filled and grand, and complete trouble for me.
I have a confession guys…yesterday I had a mentally emotional affair on our home. As I roamed the walls of this fantastic property I couldn’t help but acknowledge the feeling of envy in the pit of my stomach. As you all know, my family and I downsized from a larger house into our current bungalow with the intent to live in less space. We love our home, and our life within it, but it doesn’t come without moments of questioning. There are definitely times when we feel the space constraints. There are moments when I wonder what the hell we were thinking! Yesterday was one of those days.
This was the kind of property that us old home lovers dream about. The kind of property you want to pass down from generation to generation, and as I wandered from room to room taking in every detail of this house I felt a sense of wanting.
Beyond its beautiful original hardwood floors, coved ceilings, built-ins, original hex tile floors, vintage chandeliers, high ceilings, fantastic moldings and millwork, original porcelain bathroom fixtures, beautiful door hardware, original windows, and welcoming porch I felt the expanse of the home.
The extra space was intoxicating. It was the first time I felt like our little home wasn’t enough. I felt jealous. I felt sadness. I wondered about our journey. Should we continue? Should we jump ship and get back into something larger? I compared what our home lacked to what this home didn’t. I felt all the things.
But that’s the thing about journeys….their roads are often quite windy. I know yesterday was just one of many days along the journey where doubt will creep in. I just felt the need to talk about it. To share with you wall. To be transparent and honest. The say “yes, I get large house envy sometimes.” Its not always easy. There are days that are incredibly wonderful and there are days that are really really hard. There are times when I feel like we’ve taken steps back rather than forward. I know we haven’t, but the envy monster had its way with my heart yesterday.
When we got home I took the time to give our home a mental hug and I felt as much love for it as I did the day I walked into it for the very first time.
Until next time friends…
Xo-Shavonda
*all photos were snapped with my iphone
Gretchen@BoxyColonial says
ooh, what a beautiful house! I have a love/hate relationship with how relatively big our house is, so I understand. Grass is always greener, right? So we bought a 300 sq travel trailer to spend most of the summer in to balance it out 😉
Lilly C says
I actually saw this house as well and I definitely felt the same way you did. I recently moved in a new apartment which has so many positives but after seeing this house I thought alas its still only a apartment with no basement, no multiple bathrooms, no big porch or patio, no two living rooms, no amazing unique doors and knobs, no built in beautiful cabinetry, and the list goes on and on.
However that being said, it was nice coming back to my one bedroom apartment and realizing I only had one bedroom to furnish completely and not 4. I didnt have multiple bathrooms to stock with essentials and decor. I didnt have to spend thousands to buy multiple area rugs because I only have one medium sized living room.
And thats when I realized that yes that house is beautiful and magical and if there is ever another estate sale in that downtown area then you can bet your dollar that ill be there first in line to experience more of the beauty and magic but thats not what I need. I need the pretty and practical reality of a one bedroom apartment.
Also last but not least, I am sure if you had an estate sale you’d also inspire people who hale from mini mansions to want to move into YOUR home because you have such a fabulous and charming home.
kate says
I can relate, too. I’m not downsizing… I’ve never had the chance to upsize! I live in a lovely, but tiny, walk-up in a big city. My dreams to “upsize” seem to get smaller & smaller. 🙂 I did enjoy your estate tour. Thanks for sharing. Also, you iPhone photos came out really well!
Marty@A Stroll Thru Life says
Oh I can so relate. Since downsizing I have been bitten by the envy bug way too many times. I really, really loved our last home and am so sorry we sold it. Oh well, I am blessed with a nice house that many would kill for, so time to have a talk to myself. haha