The staircase that leads upstairs is on the other side of the wall that has the stove and microwave on it…
Here’s a view from the first landing, down to the first floor…
Kit-Cat loves being upstairs…
…and I’ve gotta say, I’m really enjoying the whole two-story thing too. I grew up in a two-story farmhouse in Minnesota, and being up higher than some of the trees around this place definitely brings me right back to that time.
At the top of the second landing, you can either go to the left, or go straight.
The room on the left is going to (temporarily) be Kev’s office…
(Sorry I didn’t get a wider angle on that one!) Here’s a photo that shows the opposite side of the room, looking back at the door…
(Note to self: use your wide angle lens next time you shoot this room!) There’s a closet on the left, and a small (full) bathroom to the right of that. It’s a completely blank slate and it’ll probably stay that way until we turn it into a room for our little one next year. (Insert warm fuzzies HERE.)
The door to the master bedroom is at the beginning of the long hallway. Once you walk through the door, there’s a closet for our washer and dryer on the left, and then our walk-in closet is on the left after that.
The master bedroom is nice and big, and because there are windows on three sides of it, it’s filled with natural light from sun up to sun down. Yay!
My favorite windows to look out of are the ones in the corner of the room, on the far side of the bed…a.k.a- my side of the bed. You can see a couple little chunks of the lake from those two, and I spend several minutes getting lost in that view every day…
Thank you for letting me sleep on that side, Mr. Palmer.
The master bathroom is….interesting. We’re assuming it was one of the reasons nobody bought the house all these years.
I was standing in the doorway when I took this photo:
The toilet is inside the door on the left, the (teeny) his and hers sinks are directly across from each other, and the shower is behind the sink in the middle of the photo. There’s a tall window on the wall to the right of the shower. (On the front side of the house)
We’ll have to make it work for now, but in the future, we’d like to add on a master bedroom/bathroom, laundry room, and a kids room downstairs- on the back side of the house. Then we’ll use the two rooms upstairs as offices, and do something different with the bathroom(s) up there too. Maybe just pull out one of the vanities in this bathroom and install a tall storage cabinet in its place instead? Maybe reconfigure the two bathrooms completely, so that there’s only one bathroom that leads off the hallway?
Who knows.
We’ve got time.
Kit-Cat says so.
Nice layout…uh but those sinks…!! LOL I know you guys will do something great with it!
I’m already in love with the new house and it’s potential. CANNOT wait to see what you do with it! <3
Fun Fun!!! Can’t wait to see what you do. Is there a basement?
Oh, how exciting your new house is! The kitty cat is the happiest! Higs,
FABBY
I am so excited that I get to see this transformation from the beginning…I came late to the party for the old house. Kit Cat seems settled enough. How about the dog child? And isn’t that Kevin’s friends house out yoru favorite bedroom windows?
I actually like those little sinks… less counterspace = less junk all over the place! Pretty house all the way around.
Love the trim work! Can’t wait to see the layout downstairs. I like the openness you seem to have with the kitchen, and I assume dining area? Can’t wait to see what you guys do with it! Though I feel a little like a kid whose parents made her move. *sniff sniff* “I still liked our old house, mom and dad.” 🙂 I know you’ll make this one completely awesome too!
I just recently moved into a “new to me” house. My friends and family encouraged me to move in and THEN decide what I wanted to do and in what order. I’m SO glad I did because there are a LOT of things I want to do (like outside lighting) before tearing out the eyesore that I originally thought was most important.
Live with it for awhile. You may find that other things are more important than a tiny sink…..but WOW, ARE THEY TINY! LOL!
BTW, that is a BEAUTIFUL house! Sounds like you got an INCREDIBLE deal! 🙂
You have a lovely new home………..I have been following you for awhile now and sneaking some of your designs for my home, I know you will have this new home decorated as great as you did you old place. Second floor has been waiting for someone like you two to come and tweak it into a “Kevin and Layla Design”! Enjoy!
That is a great house. Love that view including the rooftops.
Our cat is 2 years old…we just moved into this house 4 months ago. Each morning she goes upstairs and runs from room to room. She ricochets off the beds and has a great time. Sounds like a buffalo up there!
If anyone can make that bathroom work, you can! This is not a knock on your or anything…just curious on your take on things…but do you miss living in an “old-ish” house vs living in a “new-ish” house? I ask b/c I live in a new-ish home and long to live in an older home with more character. Everyone thinks I’m cray-cray for wanting an older home. Did you move into something newer b/c the older home was driving you nuts? Or just something different? Am I nuts for wanting older? 😉
Hi Jenn!
Now that we’ve lived here for almost awhile, I can honestly say that I don’t miss living in our old place, but I wouldn’t be opposed to living in an old house again in the future! I love BOTH and look forward to making this place *feel* like an old house in the years to come! 😀
I love those big old two story houses. Yours looks great.
I”ve been enjoying the tour, thank you! 🙂 I kind of like how the stairs are tucked behind that wall. It doesn’t look so easy for moving things around that corner upstairs though. The bathroom sinks are a bit odd so I think you’re right on why others passed it up, but if anyone can see potential and transform a space into something pretty spectacular, it’s you guys! Looking forward to seeing the changes you make.
P.S.-I love these pics of Kit Cat too-he seems really happy in the new house.
Congrats! Love this statement:
Thank you for letting me sleep on that side, Mr. Palmer.
Love all the new possibilities you now have to loose snooze over. Oh my gosh! How thrilling and just exhilarating?!? Fav photo? Last little kit kat toe through the rails. I know there is a proper name for them but it escapes me at the moment and I don’t want to leave the page to google he he.
Congrats and thank you for sharing.
Layla . . . I was so thrilled to see the interior of the new house but I got REALLY excited to see KIT-CAT! I’ve missed seeing him and Max! You guys are going to do amazing things with this house and I can’t wait to see! Sending many blessings to you and Kevin! 🙂
Layla, it’s gorgeous!!! I’m worried about one thing though: are you going to paint those beautiful stained banisters? Please say no. (love you anyway, even if you do!)
Hi Susan!
I’m thinking we’ll probably switch out that bannister with something a little more kid-friendly in the next couple of years. I saw one on Pinterest that’d I love to try to replicate! 😀
Wonderful view from the bedroom! That master bath is definitely a little weirdly configured.
If I was planning on making an addition, I would add a bedroom, bathroom and laundry downstairs, and convert the whole upstairs to a master suite with a bathroom, so that you can take advantage of the view 🙂
We have a 1.5 story house, which means that tehnically, there is an upstairs, but for the most part, it’s contained under the roof, with a bump out at the back for my husband’s office and the remainder of the room being our home theater. The advantage you have with having the office space upstairs and the rest of the living area and bedrooms downstairs is that oftentimes you never need to go upstairs – I only go upstairs in our place when its family movie night.
Love your house!
Your new home is beautiful. Its liveable, with just enough projects to keep you busy until next year *smile*. You’re right…the view is breathtaking and your husband’s a gem. Congratulations on your new home. Here’s to many fun projects and a lifetime of making memories with THIS as the backdrop! xo, Kimberly
Oh thats a lot of ‘yellow oak’ to refinish! Can’t wait to see it all cottaged up, at least you have great 6 panel doors and hardware to start but some of those light fixtures need a little TLC! So excited for your new adventure.
The best part of owning a home is….making it your own. Looking forward to seeing more of your new home, AND, seeing how you decide to make it your own….
I’m thrilled for you and the purchase of your new home!! It’s adorable.
But I’m even more thrilled that you decided to keep Kit-Kat!! He looks so very cojntent, secure, and LOVED:)
I love your new home, and that view is amazing!!! I’m very excited to see what ya’ll do with it especially with your little ones room 🙂
Congrats on the new place! Can’t wait to see how you guys add your personal style in! xo Kristin
Definitely no counter space in the bathroom, but the shower looks nice. You were the perfect couple to buy it with all your know how.
Can’t wait to see how you turn the builder blah into cottage cool! Neat house in a neat place- y’all are going to turn it on it’s ear!
So happy for you! It’s nice to live in a nice clean new space until you make it entirely your own. Buy a boat or kayak. Water is very healing. Ann
Love the big windows! I could definitely live with that bathroom.
Love the house. Perfect size. I live in a church parsonage that was built in 1934. Wood floors, funny kitchen, two bedrooms and one bath upstairs and two bedrooms and one bath on the main floor. It is my all time favorite house ever. Yours will be wonderful.
Hi Guys, Love the house! It is so open and light. I’m sure you will make it “home” in no time. btw, what a cute cat! I’m a total cat person and she is a cutie. Have a great day!
I love Kit-Cat! And you’re right, you have plenty of time. Enjoy your new home!
Are those metal roofs I see on all the rooftops seen through you favorite window view?? Is that the standard for your area?
Congrats on the new home and all the best wishes for the future!
Yep! This neighborhood is chock full of ’em! Seems like there are lots of them here in the South. I really love them! 🙂
Congratulations on the adorable new home! I’m very happy for you two and what’s to come in your new nest. 🙂
Your new home is beautiful and I can just imagine all the wonderful things you will do to add to that beauty as time goes by!
Thanks for showing that sweet Kit-Cat!
Lovely. What color paint is that? So nice!
Thanks, Nicole! The walls are painted Algonquin Trail in these photos. It’s a Benjamin Moore color. 🙂
Your new house is just beautiful. I can’t wait to see what you guys do with it. Have fun. Thanks for sharing.
very fun to see the ‘blank’ slate…although I will miss the neon orange ‘before’ shots of your dining room every time you write an update post lol those made for dramatic presto changos!!
Ha! They sure did! 😀
Love the house & LOVE Kit-Cat!!
I’m all for crazy master baths, but yeah that one is weird, I love the shower though! … I can’t wait to see how you’re going to take this very new, very un-cottage home into a warm and cozy palace =D
Layla that view is priceless. The colored house, the roofs and the lake waving hello all makes me feel like vacation. There is really
nothing about the house that would have made me walk away.
Run through the front door for joy, Yuppers! I love moving, and playing with a new home. I think you have made me itchy to start a new project. Just do not tell my Glennie. Love your new home.
It is beautiful just as it is, what a blessing! Have fun making it yours! What project do you want to tackle first? Inquiring minds wanna know…;)
Hmmm…maybe my workspace? Not really sure yet, to be honest! 😀
YOu’ve got some amazing spaces to work with!! I know you’ll make miracles happen here, Layla! Happy Housewarming!
xo Heidi
Congratulations on your new home. It’s beautiful! Looking forward to all the fun things you will add. Kit Kat is a great addition to your family & blog. Love him! Enjoy your new home. You guys are great.
Melissa
Oh congrats to you, Kevin and the fur babies…the new house is adorable and will ever so much more so once you guys work your magic. thanks for taking us along!!!!
Andrea
The house is really quite beautiful now. So whatever you do will be icing on the cake. Again, thank you for sharing. It’s just lovely. I love all the big windows.
Kit Cat looks right at home!
Layla, I didn’t know you grew up in Minnesota. We are expecting snow tomorrow (flurries).
Congrats on your new house, can’t wait to see what you guys do with it.
Jessica
So pretty!
I definitely agree with you on the master bath. I am not as handy as you guys and thats why I read your blog. It would be hard sell for me if I entered that bath. BTW is there a full bath with a tub? If you are going to have little ones( not fur babies) you are going to need a tub for bath time.
I really love the view. Its completely gorg!!!!!!! Happy house warming and I cant wait to see all the transformations.
Yep! That room (with the bath tub) will be perfect for the kiddo! 🙂
Thanks for your kind comment, Nicola- we are excited to share our renoventures with you!
Oh gosh, I am so excited for you guys! Can’t wait to see what you do with this!