Our House Journey - Part 2/5
Continuing the story from the last post. Part one is here
What was initially a perceived blow to us became a huge blessing.
After our landlord informed us that they were moving, we didn’t know where to go. We had planned to rent out their basement apartment for the next 3-5 years and save for a down payment. Their decision accelerated our own plans to start house hunting for our very first home.
At first we looked at condos by K’s work, but those were pricey and meant living amongst students which has its unique challenges as you may imagine. So we broadened our search further away from our ideal quadrant.
I had a vision! I wish I captured the before photos of this little kitchen! But this was our first big renovation project and I was so so proud of it!
There, we found a little townhouse in the sweetest neighbourhood for the same price as a condo. Many people saw the place but nobody could look past it’s dated floors and dubious bathroom. But I saw big windows, a walk out basement, and a balcony.
Here it is, my vision come to life! I learned a lot during this reno but most importantly, I caught the decor bug baddddd.
We put down our offer, won the house and paid our friends in pizza and beer to help us move. Our dear parents of modest means chipped in and we were able to remodel the kitchen and the one bathroom we had.
I was armed with a paint brush and a dream to make this house into a home. And thus my love affair with DIY and home decor begun. Chalkboard paint, Facebook Marketplace and the dollar store was my best friend. Not a square inch was left untouched. I couldn’t afford decals let alone wallpaper so I hand carved stamps and stamped my walls. We couldn’t afford to buy furniture so I went dumpster diving. (My feet are currently propped up on the same chair I got in a literally dumpster as I write this.) And that was the beginning of thekwendyhome before there was this account.
I hand made rubber stamps and stamped on these designs because I didn't have the budget for wallpaper! I wish I had a final product of this room but you're going to have to trust me it was cuteeee.
Those two chairs pictured below were dumpster and roadside finds and the copper blanket ladder was a diy that left their mark on me in the form of blisters.
The chairs we've had in our first townhouse here in the rental captured by @janetkwan
We thought we would be happy here for many years but life is never linear and we left that home sooner than we thought.
I’ll continue the next post. Part one of this story is here.
Thank you for reading and for being here.
Love,