Before the Changs

Here are a few photos of the interior of house before we moved in. Now, just to let you know, the home was built in the late 1920's. It was updated sometime in the 1970's, which explains the lovely color scheme in the kitchen!

The Living Room

The Front Room


The Kitchen

The Laundry Room

I can't say that it was the most fashionable home, but it was clean and well maintained.

Welcome to the Island!

In the late summer of 2006, Jack and I were driving around the Logan area looking for a home. Searching aimlessly, we found ourselves in an older neighborhood known to the locals as "The Island".
As we drove through the streets of the old neighborhood, my eyes were wide open and my smile stretched from ear to ear! Almost all the houses were Bungalows!
I have always liked the "Bungalow", "Arts & Crafts", or "Craftsman" style homes built in the early 20th century. They are so unqiue with an attention to quality, simplicity, and characteristics inspired by architecture stretching from East Asia to South America.
Jack spotted a "For Sale By Owner" sign in front of a home that once we drove in front of it, I started to giggle and clap my hands!
When Jack started to dial the contact number right there in front of the house, I grew a bit hesitant. Wasn't rule to ask for a tour without an appointment? Plus, the home was obviously older and it was going to need some updates. I did the calculation in my mind:
Updates need money...money comes from employment...Jack is a full times student...my job wouln't bring in enough money...
How was this going to work?
The owner and his wife met us at the front door with kind smiles. They Took us through the home and the property. At the end of the tour we sat down and discussed the details a bit.
The owner and his wife had lived in the home for over 40 years, they raised five children in it, maintained a full garden in the back, they had a small barber shop in the basement, and kept the house in good condition.
At the end of our visit, Jack was 95% sure that he had found the house we were going to buy. I was still unsure.
I was thinking that a newly wed couple needed to live in an apartment first. But Jack insisted that we needed a house and he did not want pay rent again.
The whole process of purchasing the house and moving in went very smoothly. Jack moved into the house in the middle of September. I joined him later, as his wife, in the middle of October.

The Beginning

I have decided that the best way to tell the story of our home's major remodeling is to create a blog all about it.
Here you will find pictures, stories, information, and inspiration...hopefully.
Enjoy!