Creating a Charming New Cottage

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In July, I shared that we bought a house and would be moving.  Well, we did it and I can't wait to tell you all about this new adventure!  
Unlike the last house, this one is a single floor.  So much better for a gal with vertigo and bad knees.  
But, before going any further, let me clarify a few things:

  • There will be LOTS of posts about making this little house our new home.  Please keep in mind, the updates will not be fast and furious since we're retired aaaaaand....I believe bad knees were already mentioned.  Wink-wink!

  • It was a rental property.  In other words, we are (and will be) dealing with lots of 'landlord specials'...affectionately nick-named by our daughter.

  • We have down-sized and I don't mean it's a 3 bed, 2 bath, 1800 square foot house.  No, this is just a little over 900 sq. ft.....Did I mention 'dowwwwn-sizing'?
  • I want to create a home that is cozy, relaxed, and welcoming while incorporating practical elements. The focus is on comfort, not grandeur.

  • I've always promised to "Keep it Real" and share the good, the bad, and the ugly.  Trust me, there will be plenty of all 3!
That being said, let me give you a preview.

The bathroom was in need of some work.  Long story short?  It turned into a full reno.  We suspected that might happen and were prepared for it.  We had an amazing GC and the bathroom is beautiful.
Is there more to do?  Yes, there is...see that cabinet that needs painting?  All of the details will be shared in my next post.  Right now, I can tell you doing a complete bathroom renovation long distance can be a challenge, but we did it!

The kitchen now has all new appliances.  You may notice the dishwasher that was to the left of the stove in my previous post is now replaced with a set of drawers.  That's right, no more dishwasher in this little cottage.  
All the details will be shared in an upcoming post.  Trust me, there were 'landlord specials' that had to go!

The green paint in the living room is now a distant memory and we are working on decorating this space.
Pictures still need to go on the walls and we still need to shop for furniture - not much though, since it's a small space.  Once again, all of the details will be shared in an upcoming post.

But there are more important things to share...

There are flowers, sent to us by the sweetest friends to welcome us to our new home!
Aren't they beautiful?
One of my oldest friends sent me this:
How special is this?

And, just a few days ago, I received a call from one of my Fiber Arts Group friends.  She said she missed talking with me and decided to call to have a chat. 
That made my day!

How lucky are we to have wonderful friends thinking of us?  What's the saying?  
My heart is full! 🩷

So, my friends, this is the first installment on the new cottage. I'll be back (hopefully soon) with all the details on the bathroom:  Where it started, where it is now, and the plans for the future.  

I'll see you soon!


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Comments

  1. Patti @ Pandoras BoxAugust 29, 2025 at 2:26 PM

    Welcome to your new home! We had a summer cottage with 900 sq ft and it was so easy to decorate and clean - you will enjoy it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnnAugust 31, 2025 at 8:41 AM

      Thank you so much, Patti.  We've had plenty of big houses and now it's time to down-size and embrace getting rid of all the 'stuff' we don't need...and I've definitely got better things to do besides clean!

      Delete
  2. Joanne August 29, 2025 at 2:50 PM

    Congratulations on your beautiful new home!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Gail @Purple Hues and MeAugust 30, 2025 at 7:34 AM

    Congrats on your new cottage. Ann! Sounds like you are having fun with your awesome project! I think it was a great idea to do away with your dishwasher. I never use mine - except for storage, lol! Enjoy!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnnAugust 31, 2025 at 8:45 AM

      Thank you, Gail!  That dishwasher was also tiny.  Believe me, it's a story to tell later, but I'm not missing it at all!

      Delete
  4. Two Chicks and a MomAugust 31, 2025 at 8:16 PM

    How fun decorating and putting your own touch on the cottage! Looking forward to seeing the results.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Kim September 2, 2025 at 8:00 PM

    Congratulations Ann! It's a beautiful new cottage and I can't wait to see you make it your own. Happy you loved the flowers. Glad they showed up in one piece! Haha!! xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnnSeptember 3, 2025 at 8:19 PM

      Thank you so much, Kim.  Those flowers were survivors, even after being in a UPS truck all day!

      Delete
  6. SimSeptember 4, 2025 at 5:46 AM

    Congratulations on your move! :) I hope you are settling in well! Hopping over from the Tuesdays With A Twist linky

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnnSeptember 4, 2025 at 9:02 PM

      Thank you so much.  We are getting settled although I'm finding downsizing is a process.  I'll have to share more about it in an upcoming post!

      Delete
  7. MichelleSeptember 4, 2025 at 6:44 AM

    Congrats on your move! I’m excited to see your cottage evolve. We moved to Albania! (Unfortunately our house hasn’t sold yet.) We are in a condo with an elevator - also bad knees here.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnnSeptember 4, 2025 at 9:04 PM

      Thank you, Michelle.  Evolve, it will!  Albania?  My goodness!  Glad to hear you have an elevator.  I'm sure your knees are very happy about it!

      Delete
  8. PaulaShort September 6, 2025 at 10:17 AM

    Congratulations on your new home! I can't wait to see updates.
    Visiting today from Will Blog For Comments.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnnSeptember 7, 2025 at 8:11 AM

      Thank you, Paula.  There will be plenty of updates!

      Delete
  9. Melynda@Scratch Made Food!September 7, 2025 at 11:22 AM

    Lovely and comfortable! One of my features for SSPS #377

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnnSeptember 7, 2025 at 7:28 PM

      Thank you so much, Melynda.  I appreciate the feature!

      Delete
  10. Jennifer WiseSeptember 8, 2025 at 1:19 PM

    Congrats on the move. I'm sure the remodeling will be exciting--how neat to see something brand new take shape! Thanks for sharing this post with all of us at the Will Blog for Comments #68 linkup. See you next week at #69. Hope you have a great week.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnnSeptember 9, 2025 at 10:55 AM

      Thank you, Jennifer.  The 'to-do' list keeps growing, but we are looking forward to making it our own!

      Delete
  11. Donna @ Modern on MonticelloSeptember 9, 2025 at 7:54 AM

    Congratulations Ann! Can't wait to see what you do with your new home.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnnSeptember 9, 2025 at 10:57 AM

      Thank you, Donna.  There are many things to do so we'll be busy for a while!

      Delete
  12. Jennifer AdamsSeptember 9, 2025 at 1:39 PM

    Can't wait to see all of the details, featuring you at Wednesdays in the Studio!

    ReplyDelete

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