We live in an old house. Over our many years here the roof has leaked, the windows were drafty, there were rodents and bugs, the water pipe froze, the sewer backed up, various pieces of equipment wore out. So we applied our resources as needed to make the house better and keep it working.
But it is not those things that make our house so wonderful. Our house was well designed at the outset. The rooms are nicely proportioned, they are in good relation to each other, there is good distribution of natural light and air, the structure is sound, the materials are durable and beautiful, and it is a handsome building. It was created thoughtfully.
When we remodeled and added space, we strove to respect the beautiful and good things about the house. At the same time, some parts of the original house were designed for a different way of living, like the kitchen and bathrooms. And we needed a few more rooms to support our growing family.
Even so, we didn’t end up with some of the things that a realtor might expect such as a master suite or a two car garage or a separate family room. Instead we have a home that suits our needs and desires, is a natural outgrowth of its original beauty, and one that some future family will enjoy and make their own.
It is far better to live in a house that we love and that suits our lives than it is to live in someone else’s idea of what a house should be. Our house is perfect, just the way we’ve made it.