The moment we had an accepted offer for Fern, I began envisioning us living there, how it felt to be in each room, what we would be using each space for, and what our priorities for going Victorian were. I became the client, therefore asking myself “what are the priorities? how will you use the space? what level of quality material do you want?”
First and foremost the priorities for our family: a space that allows everyone to grow physically, emotionally, and creatively, and a space to connect as husband and wife.
After living tiny for two and a half years we see the importance of everyone having their space to feel comfortable and space to grow within. After multiple attempts to try to fit a bedroom for everyone in the home, we quickly realized this “put walls up to give everyone space” way of thinking was not working for how we envisioned living our lives. The idea of everyone being able to close a door to get away just didn’t fit our family values or goals. While we value alone time very much, maybe a dedicated space for alone time outside the bedroom will fit as our children grow.
Within the walls of our home, the original builders blessed us with two identical bedrooms at the top of the stairs, directly across from each other. This symmetry was something very typical in the Victorian Era, therefore something we wanted to keep. This meant two children in one room and two children in another, or if they choose to all share a room and play in another.. great! Either way the children have two very large rooms to lay their heads at night and store their most valued things.
The next problem we ran into, the dip down double roof lines. For some reason, we cannot figure out, there are two roof lines, at two different heights. Almost as if there were two houses that were sandwiched together. These roof lines ended up taking up 300sqft of space, when you consider where you cannot walk anymore. We wanted to get all the bathrooms and bedrooms upstairs and with this roofline issue, we continued to struggle. I am pretty sure I even looked at Kenny and said, “lets just fix this house really nice and sell, this is not the Victorian for us.”
Well, after looking around I found the term modern Victorian..Ummm.. Modern + Victorian! Yes! Yes! Yes! This screams Our Hygge Home! Thank you Pinterest!
There it sits.. a beautiful black Victorian Home with a modern addition..Gorgeous! That is it! I jumped with joy, called the lumber yard and got the specs ready to go. In typical fashion, Kenny was in Montana, out of service when I made this realization of what our home should look like.
By tearing off the back roof, this allowed an additional 300sqft to utilize. We could finally accommodate bathrooms off of the two kids bedrooms, while achieving a spa-like spacious master suite.
At the end of the hallway, there is a doorway that leads into the back half of the house. Something came over me one day when we were walking through the house, I piped up and said, “What if we walked through this doorway and it was the master suite.”
Complete silence filled the air.. Kenny looked at me like I lost my marbles, thought for a moment, and says, “that is a bougie master suite!”
As we laughed and chatted more I reassured him we needed to continue thinking like Victorians in a modern era, besides Victorians were the original bougie after all!
A few deep breaths later, it was decided the entire back portion of the home would become the master suite.
As you walked through that hallway door I wanted the room to feel like a spa! We had watched How to Build a Sex Room a few months prior and the takeaway that both of us got, create a space that allows you and your spouse to connect and shutdown the to do list. Viola! What better way to connect than in a spa-like atmosphere.
Every project has its downfalls and mistakes along the way, but we have truly found that if we make decisions with our priorities in line we do not regret or second guess what we have done later on. There is also a level of discomfort that comes along with any remodel. Whether the second guessing, or displacement of your family, I just encourage you to focus on the why & the discomfort will seem a little more comfortable.
Priorities are in line... now onto the goods!!
Stay tuned as we begin Fern's (our Modern Victorian) renovation.
I'm hooked! I can't wait to see what you do with that place :)