The Lettered Cottage

You are here: Home / About Us / Our New House

Our New House

By

We’re in our new house, and now that the internet service is finally turned on, The Lettered Cottage is back in business!

Which reminds me- a few folks have asked if we’re changing the name of our blog. We’ll still be ‘writing about life in our cottage’, so the name will stay same.

Our new house is a 2 bedroom/2.5 bath, two story, cottage-meets-farmhouse style home. It sits in a quaint, rural community (in Pike Road, AL) that Kevin and I have wanted to move to since we first discovered it, in 2005. The house was built six years ago, and was originally listed in the 300K’s. It never sold, and eventually went into foreclosure. We were able to finance it in the 100K’s, and feel so grateful to be able to call it home!

I don’t think there’s a single fixture, finish, paint color, or design element we would’ve chosen if we had been involved in the picking process- and we’re assuming it didn’t ever sell because of an awkward layout upstairs. All those things made it the perfect place for us though, and we look forward to personalizing it (and adding some square footage, landscaping, and a carport) over the next several years. (Note: We’ll be blogging about this inside of the house soon!)

The whole move ordeal was super spontaneous. Long story short, we didn’t think we’d be able to move for at least two more years, but things just seemed to (miraculously) fall into place over the past three months. We were hanging out with a friend on the 4th of July, who introduced us to a real estate agent, who introduced us to a loan officer, etc. etc. etc. It felt sort of “meant to be”, so we just went with it, and kept telling ourselves it wouldn’t be a big deal if it didn’t work out since we really hadn’t planned to move right now anyway.

But like I said, everything just seemed to fall into place.

Until this past week.

Apparently when they say you’ve been “pre-approved” (and that you’ll need to sell your current house in order to buy another one) it doesn’t mean that you’re officially approved. Boy did we sit on pins and needles as we waited for our final approval last Thursday night. Our closing was scheduled for the next day!

I couldn’t get out of that closing office with the keys fast enough! I kept saying to Kevin, “they can’t take it back once they hand us the keys, can they?” Ha!

By the way, that friend that we were hanging out with on the 4th of July was Kevin’s Shoot Fly Shoot business partner/BFF, Josh. Our house is across the street from his house, and the guys are pretty pumped about it.

I think there may be a set of walkie-talkie’s in their future.

Click here to subscribe

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Tina K

    Wow! What a gorgeous home! It sounds like it was all meant to be. Very excited for you too…you guys are SO blessed.

  3. Amy

    How cute is that!!!
    I know you will do a wonderful job of changing it to be even more of what you want, especially the inside.
    What a wonderful opportunity!!!

  5. Bre

    Adorable!!!! Love the new house, and can NOT wait to see what you do with it!!! I try to merge farmhouse and cottage style, so I’m excited for you to the mix the two as well 🙂 Congrats on the new digs!!

  6. Terri

    Isn’t it funny… when you anxiously wait to hear news about a closing on a house that will belong to an amazing couple …. THAT YOU’VE NEVER EVEN MET!!?!?!?!?!?!!!!???… lololololol… I have really been watching your blog… waiting and hoping for a reveal on the new house!!!! WOWOWOWOWOW …. Just beautiful…. CONGRATULATIONS!!! Blessings, Terri

  7. Michelle

    That is AWESOME!!!! congrats on your new home. I know you guys must be crazy busy with the move. Are you all planning on going to the CL Fair in GA this year?

    • Layla

      Thanks, Michelle! We’re not planning on attending this year. We’re up to our eyeballs in unpacking! 😛 Hope you have fun if you’re planning on going. That place is so dreamy! 😀

  9. Amanda

    Am I the only one that thinks the roofline of your new place looks like the one in the headline for The Lettered Cottage? Congrats!

  11. BEKAH

    How exciting! We just moved into an older farmhouse (with not even a little bit of curb appeal! haha we rent!) so I am excited to see what you do here and glean some inspiration from you! Any chance you are working with slanted ceilings upstairs…cause they are really bloggling my mind over here.

    • Layla

      Hi Bekah!
      We don’t have slanted ceilings upstairs, but I wish we did! I love the character they add to a room’s architecture! I would clad them in white-painted wood or beadboard if we had them! 😀

  12. Julie

    I was going to say something about the name too, that baby looks far from “cottage-y”! I can’t believe it’s only 2 bedrooms! I can’t wait to see what you guys do with it (I immediately pictured it painted a different color than latte with latte trim!)

    The good thing is that since it’s so new there’s probably not much that you NEED CHANGED NOW! When we moved into our 30 year old house 2 years ago I couldn’t wait to tear out what little carpet there was and I’m still dying to take a sledge-hammer to the entire kitchen!

    Congrats!!!

    • Layla

      Thanks Julie! The whole community is actually entirely made up of cottage-style houses (wood exteriors, front and back porches, pitched metal roofs, etc.) so we felt at home the minute we discovered it! 😀 And you’re right about being able to move right in and not having to change anything right away. That’s not typical for us! 😀

  14. jeannine Nye

    Well what a lovely looking house, and with the adventure of making it all yours and even better being able to improve what’s already there..Wish you both happiness and joy for all the days that you live there.. cannot wait to see all the changes and interesting ideas you will have within this little darling of a house.. Hugs from across the pond! J

    • Layla

      Thank you, Laura! It is an exciting time…still can’t believe it all worked out! 😀

  17. Kim in Iowa

    You have a LOT of people very excited for you and anxiously awaiting all the new things to come. Enjoy every moment of making it your own! I know I’m joining in the throng of people looking forward to seeing what you have in store for the place!

    • Layla

      Thanks, Kim! We’re excited to document our “renoventures” here on our blog. #GoodTimesAhead 😀

  19. Donna Doble-Brown

    Layla, so happy for you two! the new house looks gorgeous!!!! More good things are in store for the two of you . . . . just believe! sending lots of prayers your way . . . . take care!

    • Layla

      Awww, thanks Donna! We sure do appreciate your kind comment today…and your prayers, too! 😀

  20. Brenda Pfeil

    Hello from Green Bay Wisconsin,
    I have been following you for well over a year and have so enjoyed all you do. Love your taste. Can’t tell you how happy I am for both of you finding your next new “blank canvas”. It will be so much fun to watch the transformation and to see who the Lord brings into your lives to share this darn cute house 🙂 ( ok.. so the word DARN looks like a whole different word when caps aren’t used :-0 )

  22. Diane

    This house was definitely meant to be yours, it went into foreclosure for a reason – it was waiting for you!! Congratulations and here’s to the making of many memories in your new home!

  24. Kelli

    Great house! Can’t wait to see what you do with it!

    On a side note…. I grew up down the street from Aubrie. Isn’t she so sweet? She has always been that way!

    Have fun in the new hood!

    ~Kelli

  26. Lisa

    That little hiccup at the end was a test of faith. So glad it all worked out. The house looks fabulous! So many windows!

  27. Joanna

    Congrats! That is so exciting…and the home (even just from the outside) is SO CUTE!!

    My husband and I have been waiting to close for FIVE MONTHS! There is an “issue” with the zoning of the house. It’s in a small town in WV, so a bank in a big city doesn’t understand that the zoning code for population 5,000 is a little different than population 1,000,000. UGH! But I’m so glad SOMEONE has gotten to move into a new home 🙂

  28. Angela

    Everything about the outside screams “home” & I know the interior will soon be just as welcoming, once you & Kev work your magic!
    Congrats guys! Love it!!

  29. Hayley

    Very excited for both of you! I have followed your blog for a while but never commented. I am actually right around the corner from your new place…first house next to the chapel! Currently staying with my parents while my husband is searching for jobs. Hopefully we will run into each other soon!

  30. Sara

    I love it! After your last post I emailed my husband jokingly asking if we could move and now seeing the house it looks just perfect! Can’t wait to see the inside!

  33. Erin

    It’s so beautiful! I have two (maybe three) different cousins whose families live in Pike Road! It is so cute, I am sure you will love it!

    BTW – one of my best friend’s lives in Prattville, which is super cute too!

    Congratulations!

  36. kit @ DIYdiva

    I vote for tin cans tied together with string… old school.
    Congratulations on the new house, and for getting through that final hurdle with the bank! I know I owe at least twelve new gray hairs to the closing process I went through earlier this year. Really excited to see what you do with the interior (and exterior), Your spaces are always very inspiring.

  37. Amy Blake

    Love the new house and love the neighborhood it’s in! We were just out there having some pictures made this past Sunday. BTW, my aunt is a dental hygenist at Dr. Cornwell’s office right in your neighborhood. If you need a new dentist who’s right down the street, they are awesome!

  41. Renee'

    WOW, what a darling little place. This looks perfect for having a family. I cannot wait to see where your two furry friends find comfortable. What an amazing adventure. I will stay tuned in to see what you all do with this place although it looks beautiful already. Best of luck and my thoughts and prayers are with you and both!

  42. Chaney

    So exciting, Layla! My grandparents lived in Pike Road forever – it’s where I spent summers and Christmases as a kid! So many memories there. I’m sure you’ll love it.

  43. FABBY

    Great! Congrats on your new cottage, it looks wonderful! When we’re young like you we simply love our new house like if it were our new baby!! You’ll have so much fun decorating it. Terrific you have your friend living across the street. Big hugs,
    FABBY

  44. Cammee

    I was shocked after seeing the picture to read that it is a new home, it has such character! And the setting makes it feel like a vacation home! I am dying to get a tour!!

  45. Laure Gill

    Oh, I know that place! Thats so funny that you”d move there, because that quaint place reminds me of Tybee (which I found thru your blog!) Kinda, Tybee on a Lake. My brother was stationed in Montgomery and we read about and visited that neighborhood in 2007 (not sure I should say the name). I can’t wait to read about your adventures…and see the projects! Congrats!

  47. jennifer

    SO CUTE!! I love it! It looks giant! And to live across the street from you BFF (Kev’s) must be awesome!!! Absolutely can NOT wait to see the inside and the progress!!

  49. Richella @ Imparting Grace

    I’m so happy for you, Layla! Now you get to show this cottage some TLC, and we all know just how good you are at that! It’ll be fun to follow your progress here.

    Sounds like this was indeed meant to be, and I pray God’s richest blessings for you in your new home!

  50. Jayni

    What a perfectly adorable house. I cannot WAIT to see the inside–and witness the changes you make.