Well, the appraisal and inspection went through without adding new complications. That pretty much means we will be closing on the house by the end of the month. We want to me moved in by June. I figured I would post about it and share some photos.
It's in NW OKC more or less at the corner of Counsel and 112nd in the Willow Creek Estates neighborhood.
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| it needs a paint job. |
The yard is Rye Grass. They probably did that to increases curb appeal because it's green no matter what, but you have to reseed every year. There used to be a big tree in the front yard (I saw some old photos) but I bet one of the ice storms brought it down. Structurally, the house is rock solid. No foundation problems, no interior issues. It has good bones.
I'd like to give the front walk and steps a bit more curb appeal. Not sure how though. The little tree and the hedge are just out of control huge and we don't like them. Maybe a patio or fresh walkway.
We'd like to extend the roof line down the driveway so my folks will have some covered parking. Have to see if the HOA will let that happen.
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| this is the floorplan |
The house is cavernous big. Well over 3k sq. ft. The back section is an attached apartment the original owners (we are the second owners) built for a grandmother. That's pretty much our use for it too.
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| Front Living Room |
This is the front living room. The photo is taken from a raised entryway. We want to re-tile the entryway and redo the entryway closets. Those book cases are not built it, they just look like it. They will get moved, likely into the spare bedroom or the dining room (which you can see through the opening in the back of this picture.
I'm thinking a large sliding barn-door to seperate the dining room (which will likely be my office/man-cave). Alternatively, a door hidden as a fake bookshelf. A window seat for that window is something I want to do for Mo. Otherwise, this room will be the main living room with the TV and such.
In this photo, of the den, you can see the entryway tile in the bottom left corner. It's gotta go, as do the ugly railings. The 1970's lighting in the left corner of the den is as good as gone. We may or may not redo the brick of the fireplace, but the shelves need to be redone with a new stain. The wooden pillars will likely be removed. I'd also like to open up the wall into the kitchen. The door to the right goes into the living room of the apartment.
Here you can see the apartment living room and the doors. I'd like those door replaced. One option is hidden door made to look like a wall or bookcases. Maybe a sliding barn door. Not sure, but something that serves are a better boundary to the apartment. My folks need their privacy and so do we. I'd like to take out that wall in the back. It creates a pointless hallway and I don't like hallways.
The kitchen is decent sized, but the cabinets and counter-tops need some love. The appliances are very nice, we just need a microwave and a refrigerator. Mo really wanted a flat-top stove and this kitchen has that. Someday, we want to completely redo the kitchen, but for now we are going to stain the cabinets. There is a doorway on the left that goes into the laundry and to the garage. There is also a half-bath there. I like the big window on the right, but it goes into the apartment. The french-doors on the window are cheap and don't close and I'm not sure what the future fate of that space will be.
You can see a door through the window. That is the external entryway into the apartment. It's important that remains. We may have to wall up the window to offer my folks a place to hang coats and have an real entryway. It's not a huge deal, but something to think about.
This is looking from the kitchen toward the den. The door on the right goes into the formal dining room. That wall will almost certainly be walled up to create more counter space (and because there is no reason to have a door into my office from the kitchen). The little table and bookshelf there is going away soon too. There's just no need for it and just about anything would make more sense.
This is the dining room. I was aversive to getting rid of the built-in hutch, but neither Mo nor I like it. I'm not sure anyone does. Plus, we don't have good dishes and don't care if we ever do. Then, Mo and my mom thought this would be a good 'man cave' space for me. I though that was cool, we never formally dine or have any interest in ever doing so. So, The hutch will be taken out and a wall put there. I'm thinking a door to the left of the hutch so I can access the half bath. Then, redo the wall so the laundry space is better. The door to the kitchen will be walled up because it will serve to offer more counter space. I'm also thinking I may cut the room in half (or so), to make a space for a pantry. Not sure. Lots of options, but it's a big room and I don't need that much space.
Here is the master bedroom. It's nice. The curtains will be changed (and hung correctly). Repainting is almost certain. That door is smaller than a standard door. Moreover, I think it used to just be open to the bathroom. We may change it, I'm not sure.
This is the master bathroom. Behind the picture is the shower and toilet. Through the door is a closet. There is also a closet in the bedroom...so lots of closet space, but no tub. It's weird.
This will likely be Jojo's bedroom.
Hopefully, a future nursery when Mo and I try for another baby. For now...spare bedroom, storage, play room? Basically, whatever Mo wants to do with it.
This is the fourth bedroom of the main house. That window opens into the living room of the apartment, not to the exterior of the house. We are going to turn it into a doorway and let this room be an office space/spare room for the apartment. My folks need a little more space and a room for computers and such. This will do that. I'm thinking the doorway from the main house to this room will become a sort of 'secret door' made to look like a picture wall or bookcase. Still accessible, but not obvious or noticeable.
Here, you see my parents entry into the living room of the apartment. Not much in the way of a real entryway. You can see the kitchen through that window. Really not sure how to deal with that space. It's weird.
Although, the apartment living room is probably the best room in the house. It has a great view of the backyard and has a very open feel to it. When we redo the flooring (pergo throughout) it will get rid of the mismatched carpet. around the corner to the right is the rest of the apartment.
The kitchen/dining area is a little small and funky. Not sure what can be done here, but my dad is pretty clever. That closet has the water heater so it can't really be used as a closet. That's kinda my issue with the apartment, not entry space to put coats and such. It's goofy. I know there is a solution, just haven't figured it out yet. Ultimately, it's not my problem. It's my folks space and they can damn well do whatever they want with it.
This is the apartment bedroom. It's bigger than the picture makes it look, but it's not huge. The doors on the right go to a closet and the bathroom. They are thinking about making the back wall (to the right of the window wall) into a patio door that opens onto the side lawn. That way they have their own private small yard. I think it's a great idea. I don't have any real say in the interior of the apartment, that's their business. If it changes the exterior, Mo and I have a say, but we are totally on board for the patio door and side lawn. I think it will look good and give my folks an added sense of privacy. An exterior space they can do whatever they want with. It's a good idea is my point.
The back yard of this house is just nuts. It's well kept and pretty. Dad and I want to rebuild that shed into a usable workshop. Those two stone areas are neat, but I'm not sure what function they will serve. The large flat one will make a good space to work on things until the shop is built. The other...I have no idea. It may be removed to offer more running space for Jo. The deck is nice too, but the wood is old and badly sealed. A few of the trees are in bad shape and need to be taken down.
That ivy has to go. Maybe a fence or something around the electrical pole (decorative but will keep Jo away from it). That tree is tilting badly and need to be taken down. I LOVE the stone walkway. I also want to enclose the AC unit in something a bit more decorative.
That swing is massive, and old, and showing it's age. We may cover the deck and almost certainly get a new swing that takes up a little less acreage. We want to fence up the rest of the yard too. Part of what you see is the neighbors yard and in the back is the green belt. We still want to access the greenbelt though, so a fence with gate is likely. The wood of the deck needs to be replaced. Maybe with something a bit more durable. I'd also like to extend the roof a bit to make sure my folks have covered access to their door. Because it's Oklahoma.
Well, that's the free tour of the future Casa-Medders. It's big and we have about a billion projects. There is literally not one room that doesn't need some kind of work. But, we have time and we are patient. It takes time to make a house a home.
