Once upon a time, a curious couple named Kansel and Letel decided to take a little drive and see about a hobby farm they saw advertised for sale…
They passed many a horse-dotted pasture along the way…
…and tucked just fifteen minutes away from the interstate, they came upon the lovely little house they had read about…
To the right of the spot they parked their car, they found a small arbor covered in muscadine vine…
And as they made their way around the back of the house, they discovered the driveway they came in on conveniently wrapped itself all the way around and shot straight back up to the main road…
They also found four old outbuildings speckled across the backyard. Visions of a radiant-meets-rustic guest house and a coop full of pretty chickens began dancing in Letel’s happy head.
But after discovering the big cinderblock building to the left was positively swarming with hundreds of carpenter bees…
…they scurried up to the front of the house, and made it inside the porch without incident. Kansel entered through the porch door on the left side of the house…
…and Letel entered through the porch door on the right side of the house…
Inside, they found a beautiful blank canvas…
And outside of it, they found a one heckuva peaceful view…
Moving through the window-filled front door, they stepped straight into a small-yet-tall foyer…
Like moths to a flame, they moved forward into the hallway, and looking back at the foyer, they discovered a wall full of built-in cabinets…
On the front left corner of the house, they found hardwood floors, covered in a large carpet remnant, and an original fireplace, covered in a thin layer of white paint…
On the front right corner of the house, they found more hardwood flooring, another original fireplace (not shown), and another 15-pane french door, complete with original glass doorknob…
Attached to that room, and located in the midde of the house, they found more hardwood flooring, another fireplace (that someone had obviously attempted to “modernize”), and more high ceilings…12-footers, Kansel guessed.
Through the hallway, and in the middle of the left side of the house, they found another room with hardwood floors and a fireplace. This room, however, had been outfitted with a drop-ceiling at some point…
Connected to that room, and located in the back left corner of the house, they found more hardwood flooring, another drop ceiling, and some wild wall paneling…
Through door #1 in that room, they found a large, semi-updated bathroom. Through door #2, they found a long enclosed porch, which stretched all the way to the other side of the house…
Directly in front of the back porch, they found the kitchen…
White-painted metal cabinets lined both sides of the room, and an enormous tiled-topped island floated in the center. It was apparent that this room had also seen some “modernizing” over the years, but I’m pretty sure Kansel and Letel had the same feeling about what could be done to that sheetrock, if one was equipped with safety gear and a sledgehammer.
The ad that initially lured them to the place read…
But in the end, the feel of it was definitely what captivated them the most…
Moral of the story: Go out and stare at something pretty this weekend. Because sometimes, going out, is really going in.
Note: There was a real estate agent present during our visit, and although we loved the place, we’re stayin’ put at TLC!
…for now.
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jan
Oh Layla!!! Just what I want. What county? Is that near Jemison? Love love love.
Comeca Jones
Looks like a place I saw on the way to Canton its beautiful! Looks like our Texas Hill country.
Kelly
Oh Layla! Love your gift of storytelling! Fantastic photos and I wanted to sink right in and help remodel! But my first thought… how many women are now going to name their kids Kansel and Letel!!! I bet someone does! Very clever and loved the whole story…
Beth
That’s beautiful! It looks like Pike Road to me. We would love to find something like that…just with a little bit less work needed. I am not sure we could tackle all of that with a 2 year old hanging around! I am sure we would all stay outside most of the time if we had some land like that.
Liz
It has a lot of charm and potential for sure, but the whole time I was reading this I felt like a kid whose parents are trying to tell him they’re moving. I don’t want to go! Glad “we’re” not moving yet. I still want to see what else is in store for the lettered cottage!
Leah
That place would certainly be beautiful if you waved your magic wand over it, Layla!!
Micayla
I’m so disappointed! I was positively drooling to see what you would do with such a beautiful canvas. The flooring on the porch…*swoon*
tiffani
It’s beautiful..where is that?? Our home is on the market and if I could find one like that I would be ready to move in! Thanks for sharing.
Layla
Fitzpatrick, Alabama! 🙂
nanne
fitzpatrick is where we used to go to buy kegs in high school :)!!!
that’s a great house & is probably not too far from montgomery. if you want it, hope it works out for you–it is definately your kind of blank palette.
nanne in indiana by way of alabama
http://twosistersonesummer.blogspot.com/
stefanie
what a perfect peaceful place!!!! worth the visit!
Sarah Teske
How fun! What style of house do you call that? I love the roofline/front porch. You don’t see that house style much in my neck of the woods.
Kelley
I have been waiting for this post Layla!
The “one” is still out there…..you just haven’t seen it yet.
xo kelley
Debbie
Oho so much potential in that place!! Just want to get my hands on it and go crazy : )))
Funky Junk Interiors
My heart was pounding! I wanted this to be yours! Darn it anyway… 🙂
Donna
emily @ the happy home
ohh, you’re so making me want to leave los angeles. that is STUNNING! i think that porch is just looking for some lemonade.
April
I love spaces like this, you can dream big on what they could be 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Kathy
My heart was pounding as I read through this and drooled over the pictures! I just knew that either you were going to say you bought it or that someone had hired you to fix ‘er up for them! Beautiful place. Someone will have a lovely spot once it’s fixed up.
Stephanie
I love it! It’s going to make someone a wonderful home.
Beverly Palmer
Here’s my take on this. That house is one of those that I wouldn’t be able to get out of my mind. It would haunt me until, at last I would have to go see it again (just to make sure that “feeling” wasn’t a fluke). I could live on the front porch alone and the back room that stretches the whole length of the house, well that would just have to become a screened in back porch! I only saw it through your pictures and I’m already imagining what could be done with it. I COULDN’T imagine what you and Kevin could do!!!!!!
Irene
That place was beautiful. And only for $125K? Sheesh! I’d move there in an instant.
Patti
Letel, you and Kensel should grab it! $125k for all that space and awesomeness? It’s a steal and I could only imagine what you two could do with it!
Meg milam
I’m kind of dying for you to snatch it up and to watch the work begin!
Simply Complex
I’m not sure what things cost in your neck of the woods but HOLY COW, that is a great price! I think I want to buy it in case I ever move that way.
Al
I thought for sure, you were going to set up shop there. You had me going for awhile 🙂 That was fun. Thanks for the neat fixer-upper house tour!
http://www.skylarkmanor.com
Jenny B.
You had me on the edge of my seat… I was so sure you were going to say you bought it! 🙂
Felicity @ Our Little Beehive
I grew up on a gentleman’s farm (is that north for hobby farm?) and have been dying to get back ever since I left. I wholeheartedly support a move, especially if it involves chickens 😉
Belly B
Haha you can definitely turn this into a book 🙂
Belly B
http://www.bforbel.com
kelly
Aw man…you had us all thinking it was going to be the next Lettered Farm….(although I still think you need to buy and move the little church down the road to redo!) Beautiful place..$125 would get you started, but I don’t know how much more it would take to make it look like it should…but I KNOW you guys would have it looking fab-u-lous! It is a great canvas to paint your magic on.
wendy
Layla,
Even though I think you could make the house beautiful, I didn’t see it as the Palmer’s home. I invision something with more of a Mermaid Cottage style feel. Something with a rocking chair front porch with a screened room in back. Although I have to admit that Screen Porch had your name written all over it.
I loved the story and felt I was right there with you. Did you and Kevin ever consider flipping houses or having your own staging company?
Rie
$125,000?! Now that’s a steal. Lots to work with in that house. I thought for sure you bought it!
Diane@InMyOwnStyle
This house has your name all over it – it is perfect. I was so hoping you were going say at the end you were going to buy it. Perhaps you will win the lottery and will be able to call it home, if not I am sure a place like this is in your future.
My best- Diane
Melinda
What a lovely setting. Know it could be wonderful with the work of two sets of hands that have worked wonders at TLC. Nice to know that in blogland we can all be neighbors whether we stay or move : )
carol
Wow…that won’t last long.
Josette
Letel,
I can see the wheels turning as you guys walked through this property. What a great place.
Holly
I was holding my breath throughout this entire post… keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that you guys had purchased this beautiful home. As I continued to read, I was so sure you guys had bought it!!! I can only imagine what it could look like under your wing 🙂
Tracey
Beautimous and with your names written all over it!!
Sara
I’m with everyone else. I found myself already dreaming what you two could do with it!
Erin
Buy it…you guys could make it a fabulous place, and inspire us at home while we watched. You have inspired me in so many ways, and thank you for always putting a smile on my face. You have taught me to love what I love, and do what I want…and to go with it. You are both an inspiration.
Linda
It could be SO beautiful with your ideas and work but I kept thinking …. “What about the babies? Will they have time to do all that work on the house and adjust to a new family at the same time?” And also thought … “Oh Kansel! Don’t you dare leave Letel out in the country alone to cope while you are off on a gig!!!”
Sorry guys, but that is what I thought.
Cottage By The Sea
I don’t know, I think you should buy it. Sounds like a match made in heaven to me and selfishly I’d love to see what you’d do with it.
Janel
YOU HAVE TO GET THIS HOUSE!!!! Omg, it is wonderful, meant to be yours I think…..
Janel
You could have barn sales there too!! I can’t believe the wonderful seaside charm right there in the country!!!
Sandra
I really expected to see you put an offer in at the end of the story. The floors are gorgeous. It seems to have a lot of potential through the pictures. You guys will find something soon.
geri
I Love my Kansel and Letel !
Just say the word and I will follow your cookie crumbs to this beautiful
farmhouse with my hammer,paintbrush, moving sliders, and a bottle of Aleve. hehe
Only all of us could get so excited by your pics , start decorating and renovating
in our mind and dream of packing it all up and moving right on in.
Kansel and Letel you would make these wall sing, never mind talk.
MINUS THE BEES of course.
love your adventures you share with us.
happy weekend.
Kristen
Way to make a currently drab home in need of LOTS of Renovations sound spectacularly CHARMING! You do have a way with words and pictures!!!
Libby
If you are looking for someone to give you a permission slip to leave The Lettered Cottage, I am doing it now! Besides, YOU are what makes The Lettered Cottage special, not any specific place. Will be interesting to see what God holds for you in your future!
Rhonda
You have such a gift for story tellin’ and fixin’ up fixer uppers!! Thought for sure you guys were gonna work your magic with this one too 🙂
Kris
All I could think of was..BUY ME! It spoke to my heart and would sell it all here to have that some day. Not the right time now, but some day!
Aron
What a fabulous post! I am drooling at the ease that this home could be brought back to its original beauty. The floors, the ceilings, the fireplaces, THE doors, the hardware, the porch, the LAND and for $125,000! My jaw dropped when I saw that. Of course I live in California…
IAMSNWFLAKE
Is that really the price tag for that beauty? Down here in Bs Aires you could hardly get a so-so two room apartment. If only I was younger, I’d be flying over and make it my home. It has such potential!
Beth
As I neared the end, I was saying out loud “PLEASE TELL ME YOU BOUGHT IT!” I could totally envision it transformed by your combined magic!! Too much work? Too far out in the boonies? I hope you tell us why you passed it up!
Tiili
I couldn’t have walked away!
Jami at freckled laundry
Oh, heavens!!! That is pretty much my DREAM home (with a few renovations, of course)! Oh, the potential of that place. I hope you reconsider & put an offer on it so that I can live vicariously through you on this one!!! This has TLC all over it.
The molding, those doors, and layout…*thud*