A little Background and Before pictures...

From the time I decided I wanted to move back home a few years ago, I also decided that I wanted to renovate and live in my Mawmaw and Pawpaw Cole’s house. Like most kids who grew up next door to their grandparents, I spent an obnoxious amount of time at their home instead of my own, and though I have traveled the world, I have never seen a better Sunset view than that from the Gallery (front porch) of their house. 

This house has a lot of history… a lot of tears have been shed but many celebrations have occurred.

My great grandparents on Daddy’s side, Charlie and Ruth Robertson, built the house sometime in the 1940’s… I still haven’t figured out when. Even my Uncle Bo who grew up in and helped build the house can’t remember the exact year. Pap and Mamaw Ruth had 6 kids: Cassie Ray, Walter, Clyde, Verna (my grandmother), Ivloy, and Herman (the aforementioned Uncle Bo). Unfortunately, Uncle Clyde died in a car wreck in his 20’s, and Uncle Cassie Ray is still listed as MIA in Italy in WW2 (he never came home, but I’ve been told that Mamaw Ruth always held hope that he would…) 4 of those 6 children did have kids, grandkids, and great grandkids. I’ve tried to do the math, and think I have remembered everyone… Pap and Mamaw had 6 kids, 10 grandkids, 22 great grandkids, and so far… 21 great great grandkids.

… and I’m the one who got their house???

It’s a blessing… an honor really to take on this project. I'll be the 4th generation of my family to live in this house as mom and dad lived there while they were building their house. It is a home where so many have felt the love of the Robertson family, stopped by to have a cup of coffee with the Cole’s, and now… well, now y’all can come watch that pretty sunset with me and my dog Rhett and have a glass of sweet tea. 

So here you can tour the house via the BEFORE photos. The demo has begun and already we have discovered some very interesting flooring and wallpaper. It is safe to say, especially after viewing the photos of the bathroom, that my great grandmother was a fan of Pink! 

Living Room/Dining Room

Kitchen (... and yes, I'm keeping the knotty pine original cabinets!)

This room is off the living room, I will use it as a Guest Room

I call this one the "Pink" room... though that will change. In the past this room has been used as a bedroom, but I plan to use it as an office/library/craft space

There's that pink toilet and sink in the bathroom... it is a really nice size bathroom and will be getting a total upgrade! Adios pink toilet/tub/sink!!

This is the laundry room, it was used a a bedroom many many many years ago. I plan to use it for laundry and build in some storage.

This is the "Blue Room"... I plan to use it as my bedroom.

So there is the Before... I can't wait to see and show you the After. More to come in that regard...

As for the house itself and the treasures we found inside... those are stories I want to take time and tell. There are also lessons I am learning in all of this. Correlations of things I am seeing and stories Daddy and Pawpaw told me that are fitting together and making more sense than ever... I want to share those with you as well.

After all, I am one of many in a family that this house is "home" to... it will never be just "my" house... I don't want it to be... just like it has been for generations before me, I want it to be a gathering place where people feel comfortable and loved... just like I always felt when I was there.

Love y'all,
Kacey