Following along on our journey of historic renovation, you have seen the lessons we have learned along the way. Making adjustments and changes to adapt to the structure or budget, while making the compromise to allow for maximum use of space and comfort for a family of five. Moving into this home was an exercise in downsizing, shrinking our living space by 1,000 square feet. In a way this was refreshing, as we have collected too much stuff over the years that is not necessary for our happiness. We have purged many of these items and have kept only what we truly need.

During this renovation process we have been concentrating on much of the structural and cosmetic nature of the home, and finally in the past couple weeks we are getting to do the reorganizing. One of the gems of this incredible structure is the walk-up attic. Not only can you see the solid construction of the roof and framing of the home, but there is a ton of unused space. We thought we would take most of the space with storage, but after clearing out much of the un-needed "stuff", we have a third of the space to still use as we wish. At the moment,the space is occupied with an arts and crafts table and supplies, a sewing machine, and some chairs the kids can use for a quiet reading space. This space is actually a peaceful one - above the noise of our busy household. As we continue with renovations this space may turn into more of a getaway for the whole family.

Another space that will give us more of an entertaining area is the new bar that we have discussed previously. The current space is being broken down, saving all of the incredible lumber that was used in historic construction to be re-used in building the new bar. Opening areas of the walls and adding a window in the gable of the roof to allow more natural light in as well as raising the roof to make better use of the entire structure. The original stable door, that is still intact, will remain so that we can close off the outside in the colder months. We will also be on the lookout for a woodburning stove to add a bit of warmth and allow us to use the space year round. In the coming weeks, we hope to make some progress on this new room and when it is done, stay tuned for a "bar-warming" party!