The Hopkins House

A new, charcoal-colored roof was put on since this picture was taken. Cute!

Yesterday was the day! Our new house keys are jingling from my key chain and I can't help grinning from ear to ear.

WE BOUGHT OUR HOUSE!

I have some photos to show you all. I took them on the day we first went to see it, so the family before us was still moving out... don't mind the mess! Also, I'm missing photos of the bathrooms (one finished, and one unfinished - needs a toilet and sink), the laundry room, the dining area, and one of the bedrooms, but I'll show those as I decorate them.

We've set our official move in date as the 14th, and will be spending the next two weeks painting the walls (I want a light and fresh palette, rather than brown, orange and lime green...) and setting up house.

So come on in for the grand tour!

I need to take a picture of the living room ceiling... it is awesome. Its an ornate, white textured tile - looks like a tin ceiling, but I think it is plastic (the house is from the '40's, after all). Will and I love older houses with tons of character, and this house definitely has character!


See the silver Texas stars going around the ceiling? Our realtor (a Texan) loved them and was happy to tell us that they come with the house. The stars at night, are big and bright, deep in the heart of Texas!

Haha, don't worry California and British peeps, Will and I are not Texas converts. I'll be removing them, but seriously... they crack me up.

My studio... the best room in the house. It is actually supposed to be the master bedroom as it is the biggest room, but we figured since this will be the most used room, where all the drawing, crafting, and computer working will be, the large space is necessary as a studio! The window looks out over the backyard, so I can work while the kids play. Also, the doors going into the room have clear glass windows, so I'll be able to see into the family room and the hall, even with the doors shut.

The walls are wainscoting... I love wainscoting! I'll be changing the brown to a light robin's egg blue. I can not wait to decorate this room!

Gracie wanted the room with the window seat, so this one is hers. She also fell in love with the clouds on the ceiling, so I'll be keeping that up. But those shiny wood walls... I'll be painting those a soft pink (her request) next week!

Annelie wanted the room with the chalk board walls. YAY, she can finally have a room she is allowed to scribble all over!

The half-finished train table is staying, so I'm pretty excited to turn that into a double sided play surface for their train set and fairy dolls.

The previous homeowners were very happy we have kids... they left a whole bunch of things behind, including this little playhouse, which Gracie decided to call Strawberry Cottage. We plan on giving Strawberry Cottage a couple coats of paint, moving the big shed next to it over to the corner of the yard, and planting a children's butterfly garden in its place. Gracie can't wait to have her own garden of flowers.

Big backyard! This picture doesn't even show how great it is. The previous family left us all sorts of stuff. In addition to Strawberry Cottage, we have a pirate ship swing set and slide, a metal arbor, a garden swing, a tricycle (Annelie's favorite) and a soccer/football goal (Wills favorite). Can I just tell you how much I love the previous homeowners?

I love them. Very much.

And here is our street! Will and I were so excited to find a house we loved, at a price we could afford, in such a great neighborhood! The girls will be going to an award-winning elementary school, and there is a huge neighborhood park and skate park just two blocks away.

So what do you think of our new house? I can hardly believe it is ours!

xoxo,