Tuesday, May 3, 2011

My con list

I'm trying to be really responsible and thoughtful about the decision to buy a new house. I'm trying to not let my life long dream of living in a Victorian make me impulsive and unrealistic. Most importantly, would purchasing this Queen Anne house mean we wouldn't be able to afford parochial school too? If that is the case, I think I would have to choose my children's education over dream house. I really did not like my experience in the Portland Public Schools system...and back then it wasn't underfunded. And the intimate size of a parochial school makes me reticient to start them at public school and then switch schools. I changed from Irvington elementary to parochial school halfway through third grade and I feel like it took me until 6th or 7th grade to really fit in. When you are with the same kids for 9 yrs your form a tight bond, not unlike a family, that can be hard to break through. And Lord knows I'm not cut out for homeschooling!
I had been vacillating on whether or not I should go on the Irvington Home tour this month, but now I think it would be a good idea. I need to know whether or not I'd be content in a 1920s Foursquare or a large Craftsman. Something that has an old kitchen that is still modern enough. I fell in love with this kitchen on the Kitchen Revival Tour last month.
My house wish list included the following:
  • A garage, or at a minimum, off street parking.
  • Original woodwork that had not been painted over. (I can't handle another stripping)
  • A butler's pantry. We have a lot of china, crystal, and silver that need to be stored close at hand
  • A fireplace in the master bedroom.
  • A sleeping porch.
Of course not all of these bullet points are must haves, I was just reaching for the stars to convince Mr. W that we really ought to stay in the Laburnum Bungalow, rather than moving. The Tabor Victorian only has the first two items, but is that really a deal breaker for me?
Here is my list of Cons (in no particular order):
  • Why don't the pocket doors from the parlor to the drawing room open?
  • Where are the french doors from the drawing room to the dining room? Are they in the attic or do we have to buy new ones?
  • The same with the single door from the drawing room to the back hallway. If there is no door, would I be content with a portiere here?
  • We'd need to buy interior shutters for the polygonal bay windows, potentially all the west facing windows.
  • There is no coat closet.
  • There is no butler's pantry, we'd have to buy a large china cabinet for the dining room.
  • I'm positive the stained glass windows in the dining room aren't original. I can't decide whether or not I hate them, especially since my dad was not hired to do the work.
  • There is no breakfast room and we can't fit our dinette table in the kitchen. Could we put it in the so called solarium, but would it drive us crazy to carry our meals down the hallway all the time? Alternatively would we hate having the table in the family room with the fireplace and the tv?
  • Ants on the kitchen counter tops and ladybugs in the bedroom.
  • How much to insulate the attic?
  • How much to add a gas line? Mr. W can't live with that electric stove.
  • The jetted tub and steam shower are not necessary for us, certainly don't need two toilets. I'm not sure whether I hate this bathroom layout.
  • I don't like the shiny brass and floral porcelain fixtures.
  • The furnace needs to be replaced soon.
  • Eventually I'd want to re-do the kitchen.
  • Now that I know there used to be a tower, I'd want to restore it and the missing cresting.

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