Monday, March 23, 2009

Dream Houses

~New England Cottage~

When we purchased our first home, it was a large Cape Cod style home. Fairly traditional, but it did have a finished basement with a bath, kitchen, plenty of closet and storage space, a living room with a fireplace and it's own entrance. It was the perfect, private spot for our son when he came home from college and if he wanted to have friends in. There were a total of twelve rooms in that house. When I was working outside of the home, full time, it was a lot to maintain. My husband is pretty good around the house but it was an older home and always needing attention.

So, when we decided to buy a much smaller home, I was thrilled. We down-sized significantly holding yard sales and passing things on to those that could use whatever was up for grabs!

I had long dreamt of designing and building a school house. It would be one large main room downstairs, with bath and upstairs. There would be a large master suite and two small rooms, one a studio for me and the other a den for my husband. However those plans never came to fruition and we were thrilled to be in this smaller cape, which was manageable and bright and we do truly love it here.


~Log Cottage~

I have always been attracted to tiny buildings. Especially those that hold some interesting bits of architecture. I imagine them as cozy living spots or studios where creative juices can flow boundlessly. Last night I announced to my husband that I thought we should sell most of our earthly possessions, sell our home, simplify our wardrobes, buy a piece of land on a private road and I build a TINY house. One that would have just what we truly needed. A snazzy kitchen with a compact dishwasher, a gas stove, a small refrigerator and as much storage places as could be cleverly designed into the project. There would be a full bath with an apartment sized washer and dryer. A narrow short few steps up would be the master suite- minuscule by any standards but it would have what we needed and there would be as much storage as possible. Only those most precious decorative pieces would be out, keeping the landscape of our little home neat, tidy and, most important, easy to maintain - giving us lots of time to illustrate and tie flies.....

I really had it all beautifully pictured in my head. There would be window boxes filled with bright colored annuals and a small herb and vegetable garden close by. I continued trying to sell my idea to my husband by announcing that there would be no mortgage, low property taxes, low utility costs and very low maintenance. He could retire and we could travel to Lucca, he could fly fish as much as he wanted and we would have endless, lazy days together.

We pondered this for a while over a glass of wine and after going back and forth, pro and con...




~Sleeping Loft~

I will always be attracted to a sweet dwelling, a place where one can dream, live with only what is truly needed and holds some storybook quality. I love illustrating little spots such as these- imagining what it would be like to have a cozy nest where the days are long and the nights are sweet with the sound of the peepers~ while reading in a warm, comfortable loft.

Do you ever think of a major downsize, going off the grid and creating a more simple life?




21 comments:

  1. a tree house comes up quite often.

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  2. I share with my love all the time about finding an old small barn, church, school house etc... Somewhere quiet living off the land. He smiles, knowing yard work, or gardening is not my thing. Of course I was reminded after my little project this weekend. smile...
    I love your photos of your dream homes! Enjoy my friend! xoxo

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  3. P~ Ahhh... yes! A tree house- where only a select few would dare to tread- or climb!

    Joyce~ I suspect that you may become quite an accomplished gardener after this latest project!

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  4. Hi Debra you are the winner of my painting giveaway, so send me your Mailing info , so that I can get it on it's way to you!

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  5. Ah, yes, the "carry on" bag lifestyle. As we age, that will become a reality. A good thought, but to be honest, I would probably need more space....where would all my clothes and shoes go!! lovely pictures, Debra!!

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  6. We downsided from a enormous house in the city to a small farmhouse off the grind and living a more simple life.

    It is sometimes hard work but in general it's amazing. You really start living with the seasons.

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  7. Oh Thank you Karena~ I do love that painting and know of just the spot for it~
    I will show you her new home when all settled-in!

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  8. Ina~ There would have to be lots of storage for such things-! The down-sizing is like a clean slate. Only the most precious survive...

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  9. M~ It's lovely, isn't it? We are having a big sale this summer and will say "so long" to even more 'things'... Anyone need anything???

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  10. I do love your paintings so much! I share tose dreams of a wonderful small place....and though my church is larger - it has few rooms. There is wonderful space for me to spread out and organize and produce - but not a million rooms to overwhelm. I am in Heaven........but I still wish for that long and winding road sigh.....

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  11. Ah, I would love to have a little glass conservatory/studio. It is good to get rid of excess and pare down. I was able to do that last time I moved and love the feeling of getting organized, etc.

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  12. Mary~ Yes, your lovely church. Sort of the same idea as my school house dream. Must be very calming there.

    Anne~ That would be lovely- what about a little illustration of that conservatory???

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  13. This is a beautiful post Debra - your home is lovely as are your sentiments!! A year or so ago the Seattle Times ran a story about a contractor who specialized in homes 1500-2000 sq ft, with built in murphys for guests, lots of built in storage etc with the idea that less is more and a green emphasis. The article said that in the not that distant past, the average home was less than 1000 sq ft.

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  14. L~ I am going hunt for this story. I have folders of small homes~ with some very smart storage and built-in elements. Tidying-up the carbon footprint.

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  15. Yes... I do think of downsizing to a loft in the city... with no yard work... maybe a rooftop garden or patio. But since I custom designed our home... and our kids would be devastated if we sold our home... I'm not going anywhere.

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  16. Yes! You would have many to answer to. The thought is very welcoming though, isn't it?

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  17. I am loving my cape cod, for now... but in the future, I'd love to live in a cottage by the sea :-)

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  18. Debra,
    I love the loft space and also the blue gingerbread house. I agree that small is beautiful.

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  19. Since I was a little girl I have dreamed of re purposing an old barn and making it a huge open living space where the entire upper portion is the master bedroom. -e

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  20. Debra,
    I think about it ALL THE TIME! LOL! Thanks for coming by the blog - so good to hear from you, and what a lovely blog!

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  21. Thank you so much for your sweet comment on my blog.

    I love Tiny Houses, someday I'll have one in the middle of a field of wildflowers. Specific plans, haha.

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