Restoring Our Old Farm House - No. 6 The Guest Room

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Several people have asked to see the front of our house and since I am looking at the guest room today, it's a perfect time. The guest room is on the front of the house and underwent several major changes during the renovation. Here is the exterior of the guest room today...
...and this is how it looked the day we started cleaning out the house...
 You'll notice we had two front doors. One leading into the living room and the other leading into the front room, aka...the guest room, which we removed. The room had no wall space. It had the door leading outside in the middle of one wall, double windows in the middle of two walls and another door in the middle of the fourth wall and no closet.
This is me, 10 years ago, on day one of our house journey...flattering, huh? Funny. We walled in the door behind me and relocated the old front door into my bathroom, leading to the laundry room.
I had a few masked bandits as side kicks! Look at those dirt dabber nests above the door.
Here the room is empty. The door leading into what is now the dining room was right in the middle of the wall. We moved the door to the far left of that wall and added a closet to the room. Old homes are not famous for their closets.
As you look through the doorway today, you see the location where I was picking up trash.
This is the iron bed I slept in while growing up.
I searched and searched until I found a match. It's not exactly the same bed, but pretty close. We don't have overnight guests very often, outside of our son and grandson, but when we need to, we just push the beds together and have an instant king size bed for our guests. I think two twins are much cuter than a big giant king size in a tiny room.
We reused all the original solid wood doors throughout the house and ordered new working hardware that was similar to what was original to the house. All the hardware was rusted to the point of being useless. So we updated, but kept the feel.
Mark used molding to create these crowns for all the doors and windows throughout the house. It was a lot of work, but it's the little touches that make it special.

I hope you are enjoying this tour of our restoration. Only two areas left to share.. the bedroom and bathrooms.

Here's a Heart Rock for our Pocket:
For nothing is impossible with God. Luke 1:37

Wishing you God's best,
Elaine 


Join me over at:
Feathered Nest Friday
Shabbilicious
Funky Junk
Rooted in Thyme
Finding Silver Pennies
Dwellings-The Heart of your Home
Cedar Hill Farmhouse
Coastal Charm
Cozy Little House
Knick of Time
Savvy Southern Style

11 comments:

  1. You must have the patience of Job. I could never do what you do. Hubby wanted to buy an old fixer upper for years and I always shot his suggestion down. It looks like so much work but you make it look so easy. You also have a great eye for decorating! I'm so impressed with your farmhouse and I love reading all the updates. Thx for sharing. Have a blessed weekend! -Bev

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    1. Thanks, Ms. Bev, you're so sweet! Believe me none of it was easy and we will probably never do it again. We were just too stubborn to give up. We really did have a good time and are really enjoying it. It was worth it. I always enjoy our visits! Thanks!

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  2. This is seriously amazing. Your house renovation posts inspire me so much to see the possibilities in an older house. Mine gets me pretty down sometimes thinking of all the work that still needs to be done...but then I see these posts and they give me hope!

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    1. I've seen your house and it adorable! So much character. That's what I love about old houses, they have such charm and history and are unique. Who wants a cookie-cutter house? Just take your time and do it the way you want to. It doesn't have to please anyone but you. Thank you, my sweet friend!

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  3. This a wonderful room. I like the twin beds. I have a pair on antique twin beds that are currently at my daughters house and her boys sleep on them. I like the idea of pushing together for a King sized bed. Your house renovation gives me hope for my house too...just like Alice ^^^^ mentioned above...I hope to see it all done ONE DAY!
    Your home is beautiful.
    I wonder why they used to put 2 front doors on old houses back then? I see that a lot in Texas. I wonder if it's common in other places too.
    I enjoy reading about your renovation story.

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    1. I think the two front doors may have had something to do with ventilation since it gets so hot here during the summers. I grew up in an old house with two front doors. In fact, one was in the bedroom I shared with my two sisters and my grandparents house was the same style with two front doors. I guess they run in the family! It's always good to hear from you, Patricia!
      Talk to you soon!

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    2. I live in Alabama, my grandparents house was built in 1932 with two front doors. Had asked that same question many years ago they told me it was to keep house cool. The front and back door were in line with each other on one side and the 2nd front door lined up with a window. In their house one of the windows on the sides of the house lined up as did the interior doorways in each room. Big old trees around the house and covered front and back porches, old timers version of air conditioning. Now that I’m older I’m really impressed by their ingenuity.

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  4. I'd love to be a guest, your guest room looks wonderful! Love your doors and the trim work, so much charm. Thanks so much for sharing at AMAZE ME MONDAY...
    Blessings,
    Cindy

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  5. Thanks, Cindy, for the opportunity to share!

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  6. LOVE everything you've done! A lotta lotta work but obviously so worth it. I could live happily there as I know you're doing! Not really anonymous...just don't have a blog, but love to lurk, er I mean, look.

    Anne Nonymous

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  7. Hi Elaine, I absolutely love your remodel! Your blog is so inspiring :) I have the same "type" of house as yours and have been slowly fixing her up. Would you happen to know what they call this style of home? Thank you so much and keep up the awesome work!












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