Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Not quite the magical mystery tour

I promised a while back to show some pics of my new house - and because I'm details oriented and like to organise things chronologically, I'm literally going to take you on a tour of my new home...

I've got my little flag on a stick and my microphone, do you all have your sticky nametags? Are you ready? Here we go!
You've just turned in to the driveway and here's the front of my house. It's a federation house, built around the early 1900s. I'm going to check, but I'm hoping it's 1909, because this year will make it the centenary of my home, which would be pretty neat. Like a lot of houses from this era, it's got a sandstone base, and the steps have sunk a little (fixing those is next major job on our to-do list).

Up the steps and here's the lovely front verandah - this was one of the selling points - south-east facing so will be lovely and sunny in winter, but cool in summer. The previous owner had a daybed out here, we're still deciding what is the perfect verandah furniture, so in the meantime the table and chairs serve the purpose.
Into the front entry - love this large entry foyer and the colour we chose for it. Still need to get a great rug for this area. Sometime. Finally we have a spot for the grandfather clock made by husby's dad. And what's that behind the door?
Squeeeee! Love my rocking horse!

To the left, at the front of the house is the spare or guest bedroom.
This is really the main bedroom, but because of the corner fireplace it is a bit smaller than the second bedroom (which we are using as the main) and our lovely antique wardrobes and dressing table wouldn't fit. So our guests can enjoy the lovely windows, windowseat and (non-working) fireplace!
Down the hall, let's stop and admire the thingy above our heads. (I believe "thingy" is the technical term for the wooden fretwork common in houses of this era!)
Our bedroom on the left:
The Red Room (or the Parlour, as Bells likes to call it) on the right - I've flashed pics of this already. Then, one of my favourite things. Yes, the linen cupboard. I love my lovely large linen cupboard.
This is quite possibly the neatest it will ever be. So photographic proof to help me remember how good it looks when organised!!
Next on the left is the bathroom (sorry about the dark photo). It's a good size and has an incredibly deep bath but has no storage except behind the mirror, hence the wooden cupboard on the right. Crazy. That's something else to go on our to-do list. Eventually.

Bedroom 3 is next to the bathroom. This is husby's study. Until two weeks ago, it looked like this:
(Husby has unpacked it now!)

At the end of the hallway is our main living area - kitchen, dining and loungeroom all in one. I love this open plan area. But you'll have to wait a day or two to see the back part of the house. Don't want to wear you all out with all this walking and talking. Please look around, remember where you are, and gather here again at the same time tomorrow for the continuation of the grand tour!

27 comments:

Bells said...

oh this was a most informative and amusing post. You missed your calling as a tour guide I think. I love your house. I admire very much your aesthetic. You have a skill for home style stuff that I just do not have, which makes visiting your house even nicer.

Thingy is such a useful technical term.

I'll be back for the next part of the tour!

Bells said...

ps look how many red towels you've got!

LynS said...

Lovely details - the fretwork and the windows - and a perfect green in the entrance-way. I'll assemble again tomorrow for the continuation of the tour.

kgirlknits said...

oh, it's a lovely home :)

those period details are fantastic - I love the woodwork above the doorways, and the windows with the coloured panels.

so very very beautiful. may you have many happy times there

Caffeine Faerie said...

I am so enamored with your house - its just so gorgeous! And the stained glass windows too. aaah. :)

Donna Lee said...

Please reserve me a spot for tomorrow's tour. What a lovely house. I like older homes. They have character that new, modern ones don't seem to have.

Anonymous said...

The new house looks beautiful. Don't you just love when everything is crisp and newly painted? Congratulations! I'm sure you'll have many happy years there.

Alwen said...

What a lovely house!

I'm afraid my own is furnished and decorated in "Early Jumble".

Anonymous said...

OMG! What a beautiful house. Such amazing details. And your sense of color is divine!

Sarah said...

Oh yes I'll be back for part two - not hard to see why you fell for this gem - I think the verandah alone would have got me :o)

MadMad said...

What, no lunch?! What kinda tour is this?!

Bells said...

Rachel you made me laugh and laugh!

Anonymous said...

I can't believe you have TOWELS TIED UP WITH RIBBON!!! I never would have believed it of you.
I have rocking horse envy - do we get a free ride included in the next tour?

Lynne said...

I adore Federation houses - they have so much character. Yep, the veranda would have won me over too! Thanks for the tour; I'll be back for Part 2.

Linda said...

What a gorgeous house, thank you for showing us around!

Anonymous said...

Hmmm, it's a little busy this tour - think I will push in and get right behind the guide.

Love those step - won't fix them when I move in....ohhhh - nice verandah - day bed - yes - def. Rug? Hmmmm - off to Iowa to check out possibilities, and look at that clock - fantastic. Oh! I have a rocking horse too - they will look good side-by-side and RR and I can have races.....I LOVE my room - look at that windowseat - just ready for me and my knitting - (OH - LOVE the fretwork)and how feung shweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee of them (Notice she's not showing us where she's got the yarn stashed - will never get my hands on that Rowan discontinued yarn now), but HOLY MACK - towels with RIBBONS! I would have thought they would have been in glad bags....hmmm, she's slipping. NICE big soaking bath....ewwwwww! Crap! Look at that mess in the study. Looks like they just moved in or something.

Can't wait to get to the Nigella workshop for lunch. Hang on? I have to wait? Where's the loo????

HOLLYSOP - (that's my word verification) - I might christen the house Hollysop House....

Georgie said...

Im still chuckling at the thought of RR and Donni having rocking horse races....

Its a beautiful home RR, cant wait to see the rest! And the garden too please!

Anonymous said...

your new house is gorgeous!!! love the huge linen cupboards!! and you have so many towels!!!???

DrK said...

beautiful house, very YOU, i must say. ditto what donni said about iowa and the rug. funny :)

Anonymous said...

Re: Verandah furniture. You most definitely need a comfy large cane chair with gorgeous cushions on which to sit with sticks and yarn. :)
Re: Your gorgeous rocking horse. He could be the sibling of mine. :) Lovely to see someone else with similar tastes. OH and I SO ENVY you with that grandfather clock. Not just the beautiful piece itself, but the gorgeous space in which to show it off. It's all LOVELY!! :)

Anonymous said...

Looks like your new house and my new house are pretty much of an age - we have the very same tulip fretwork in our entryway, but ours is stained dark like the rest of our woodwork.

Gorgeous house, beautiful goodies, lurve the grandfather clock and rocking horse. Can't wait for the rest of the tour. :)

Moorecat said...

All I could focus on was the strung-out kitties in the hallway. I thought I had the only set Down Under, 'cos I bought mine in the UK (Past Times, how I miss you!).

My study still looks like your Husby's, after nearly 2 months. It will be the last room unpacked, I fear :)

Anonymous said...

Such a lovely tour, your house is the bee's knees. I had a rocking horse on springs called Dobbin!!!
Oh I have a whole hall full of that fretworky stuff, I even have gateposty things!!!

Michele said...

how nice of you to give us the tour! love the outside room - must be so nice to sit out there and knit.

Anonymous said...

I love your house - love the thingie, love the rocking horse, love the windows...

Thanks for the tour!

Denise said...

Thank you for the tour, what a delightful home you have!

Corrie said...

ooohhhh you've inspired me to do a tour of my new house...will have to do it this weekend! it looks so lovely and I love your super neat linen cupboard!

thanks for sharing,
Corrie:)