Maldoff Family: House Obsession

I am obsessed AGAIN.

It first hit me after we got married and started looking for our first house. Dreams of granite countertops and large spa bath tubs danced in my head. Oh, the books I would read in that tub and the meals I would plan out but never cook....ahhhhh.

It's back, with a vengeance.

Our Friday nights used to involve wine, take-out japanese, and a movie.

Replace "movie" with "House Hunters" and actually not much has changed. You know it's a good night when it's International.

The trick is to limit the wine to about a glass and a half. Otherwise, the House Hunters raving begins. Or at least it did for me last weekend.

You know the yelling involved when you watch a scary movie? Actually, I don't watch scary movies since it will frighten me for years afterward, but you know what I mean.

"Don't go in there!"
"He's got a knife. Run!"

House Hunters raving is the same, but relates to serious life decisions and such.

"Don't pick the dilapidated farmhouse in Italy! Idiot! The construction will take years!"
"One bathrooom? Are you kidding me?! What are you thinking?"
"You moved to Urugauy not knowing anybody and not speaking Spanish? Are you crazy?"

Marc picks up the remote & the wine. "I think you've had enough."

Hey, we can't control our passions, right?

I realize this is boring for some. So much so, that you could fall asleep with potato chips in your hands.

That's my boy.

And with the passion to move into a new place, comes the realization that we need to fix this joint up before we can even think about selling.

We finally took down the 80's white vertical blinds that plagued the back screen door. I wish I had a Before pic. They were BAD. Up goes the Lowe's Allen & Roth curtain rod and some old Pottery Barn outlet curtains that were sitting in the closet collecting dust. Pretty right?! Worth $17 fo' sho.

Aprons have a perfect hanging spot in the hallway. Thank you Heather Hucks for letting me copy you. They were sitting in a drawer doing nothing.

Lesson from all of this- I have a lot of stuff. Use it.

Question for you- What is the empty space that home builders put along the staircase? What are the purpose of these spaces? I struggle with this area. It's not finished. Marc said it looks like what you would discover if you found an old pirate ship. Not the look I was going for! I do love my map. I got it at a local store called Bebe Gallini's in Cornelius. It's a $3 sheet of wrapping paper that I cut down to fit one of my old frames. Looks like the real deal!

The guest room is finally suitable for guests and not just exercise bikes and old tv's. Come on over!

I found an old shelf at this adorable shop in Davidson called The Tuscan House. I go there every couple weeks and always end up finding a treasure. Perfect for family pics! But, first rule of house staging is to remove all the family pictures, right? That's the best part!