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Our 104 Year Old Home: Moving In

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The Killebrew family has moved!

We actually just moved up the road a few minutes from where we were before and are still in the beautiful South Puget Sound area of Washington State.

We have found our dream home and property.  We moved in 3 weeks ago and it still hasn’t fully sunk in – we’re here!

Our home was built in 1912 with wood milled from the property.  Much of the home is still original but in absolutely immaculate condition like the fir floors, beadboard on the ceilings, leaded glass and original window casings, the original kitchen cabinets and brick wall where the original hearth was.

Our home sits on nearly 8 acres complete with gorgeous old cedars and maples, fruit trees, berries, garden area, workshops, guest house, stone greenhouse and a red barn.  I can’t even tell you how excited we are to get our hands in the dirt come Spring and pick fruit come Autumn!

We are the 5th owners of the home and the owners prior to us lived here for 35 years.  This wonderful couple who have now built a home nearby, whom we have gotten to know and have the privilege of calling friends, not only kept the existing home in pristine condition, they also added onto the home and did so with such quality craftsmanship that you would never guess it wasn’t part of the original structure.  Our home inspector said that the entire home was of exceptional build quality.

We owe the previous owners a debt of gratitude for keeping it – and making it – what it is today and we feel so blessed to be able to call this our home.  We plan on setting down roots here for good, look forward to raising our kids on this beautiful property and providing them a loved-filled home they can always come back to.

 

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We have some very exciting plans for our home and property and it’s going to be playing a prominent role on my blog in the future, so I wanted to share our experience with you from the start.

We just moved in 3 weeks ago and we’re still swimming in boxes!  So for this introductory post I’m going to use the pictures of the home’s interior that were from the home listing when we bought it.  So though we may like to, we can’t claim the furnishings in these pictures, they belong to the previous owners.  They have the most beautiful antiques!   

Once we get settled in with our things I’ll be publishing a follow-up post.

The snow pictures at the end of the post however were taken just a few days ago.  The snow didn’t come in time for a White Christmas, but it came two days later which was close enough.  It’s beautiful!

Ready for a little virtual tour?

Then come take a walk down our driveway!

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The three windows on the side of the house are one of the additions – it’s a sunroom that we use as the play and craft room.

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The huge wrap-around porch is one of our favorite features!

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On the left is one of the two workshops and the guesthouse.  One of the property’s several gorgeous huge apple trees is on the right with two Asian pear trees straight ahead.

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Once the previous owners downsized their gardening efforts they built a dedicated garden spot.  Only natural, organic fertilizers have been used for at least the past 35 years.  We’ll be using this area but also largely expanding it to another area of the property.  For our vegetables and some of our fruits, our goal is to be as self-reliant as possible.

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The greenhouse is built of concrete block and was the first thing I made a beeline for when we first walked the property.

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It’s a beautiful greenhouse, very clean and cheerful with great circulation, no odor at all.  On the floor is a trap door that goes down to a massive root cellar (the greenhouse, like the barn, is built on a hillside).

Oh, I’m looking forward to spending many hours in here!

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One of our two workshops with a guesthouse.  You can’t see it from this angle, but one of our projects that I’ll be posting about is remodeling the inside of guesthouse and building a large deck on the top floor with stairs going up to it.  Flower boxes will line upper railings – the views outside are just gorgeous from every angle!

UPDATE:  The guesthouse remodel is complete – check out The Micro-Dwelling Project!

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The back of our home.  Next to the porch are three similar looking trees – those are Italian plum trees!!  Oh, the plans I have for those!

The sports court is absolutely fabulous and it just so happens Todd and I are avid tennis players.

And look at those lights – night tennis, anyone?  Or how about shooting hoops at midnight on a warm Summer’s evening?

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Okay, let’s step inside our home.

Again, these interior pictures are from the home listing when we bought it and the furnishings are not ours, they are the previous owners’.  We’re still swimming in boxes and it’s going to take some time to get settled!

The electric, plumbing and bathrooms have all been updated and the bathrooms are contemporary but with a nice country feel with lots of warm wood.

The kitchen still has a lot of original features which makes it very unique and adds to its character.  The ceiling is the original beadboard and to the left – you can barely see it from this angle – is a brick enclave in the wall that used to be the original hearth.

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The tall white cabinets on the right wall are 1912 original.  We’re going to be remodeling the kitchen (I’ll be posting about it when the time comes) but Todd and I are both sentimental and really love and appreciate old things.  So in our kitchen design we will be keeping these original elements in place and updating around them for a beautiful blend of historic and contemporary.

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The wall oven in the kitchen is an old General Electric oven from somewhere around the late 40’s to early 50’s.  Isn’t it awesome??  It’s in fantastic aesthetic condition and still works perfectly.

The previous owners told us that his mother moved in with them when she was 94 years old and lived there for several more years.  She had always been a prolific and exceptionally skilled baker and continued to cook an bake in their home after she moved in.  They told us, “she said this was the absolute best oven she had ever used.”

If only this oven could speak, the stories it could tell of decades of home-baked bread, aromatic roasts and cookies lovingly made.

I’ve been using this oven almost every day.  I love it and we’ll be keeping it as a second oven when we remodel the kitchen.

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Our dining room.  The stairs going upstairs are hidden behind that wall by the window on the left.  More of that gorgeous original beadboard on the ceiling.  And out of every window you see those beautiful lush cedars and maples.

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The living room is one of the add-ons and we’re still amazed at the quality and detail and at how they so perfectly maintained the old-style feel.  They carried on the theme of the beadboard ceiling and custom-made window and door casings to match the rest of the house.  Every room in the house, except for the kitchen and sun room (brick), have beautiful fir floors.

That antique spinning wheel in the back left of the room…*swoon*.

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Our study has gorgeous built-ins and a bay window.

We’ll be using it as our study and the kids’ school room complete with globes and maps of the world and the American flag.

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The sunroom is another addition to the home.  We’re using it as the play room and general hangout room and two of the walls now feature bookshelves stocked with all my cookbooks.  I love all the wood!

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One of the bedrooms upstairs.  Anne of Green Gables has always been one of my all-time favorite movies and that’s what some of these rooms remind me of.  Our very own Green Gables.

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The kids’ bathroom upstairs.

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Part of the hallway upstairs – original 1912 fir floors.

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The master bedroom is the other addition to the home.  Vaulted ceilings, wood beams, fir floors and breathtaking views from the windows on two of the walls.

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The master bathroom.

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The master bathroom.  Vaulted ceilings and skylight.  Needless to say, our kids take their baths in here – with that gloriously deep tub and surrounding tiled walls that lead to the shower area, it’s completely splash-proof!  (My life has suddenly been made a lot easier)

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We’ve always dreamed of a home and property like this and can hardly believe it’s actually come true.

As I mentioned earlier, we have some really exciting plans in store for our property and look forward to sharing them with you in the future!  In the meantime, we wanted you to become acquainted with it – welcome to our home!

As the final part of our tour, we’re going to end with a few pictures of our property bathed in snow taken just a few days ago.  It’s a Winter Wonderland!

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Snowman building, sledding and even skiing on our property!

Welcome to our home and thank you for joining us!

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UPDATE:  Here are a few pics of our property during the other seasons.  

All images copyright The Daring Gourmet except for interior home pics (excluding the bathroom) which are courtesy John L. Scott. 

65 Responses

    • Thank you, Sandrine, we are too! :) It really is a dream come true and we can’t wait to get fully settled!

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  3. OMG, your house is stunning! It fills a lot of my criteria for our dream house! And you only had to move up the street :) It is going to be so much fun making that house your own; I cannot wait to see what you do! Soooo jealous :)

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    • Thank you, Kacey, we’re so excited! And yes, it was super convenient not having to move far away!

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    • The setting is so gorgeous, Florian! I’m really not sure what I love more – the house or the property!

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    • Thanks so much, Jaden! :) YES, there will be lots and lots and lots of fresh veggies and fruits!!

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    • Lol, Lauren! Hey, as long as you’re willing to help mow those 8 acres (we’ll even get you your own riding lawnmower), come move on in! :)

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  8. Ooohhh I am so in love with your home Kimberly!! I keep forgetting you are a fellow Washingtonian. Being originally from So Cal, these are the things that made me fall so in love with WA. Absolutely gorgeous :) and I can’t wait to see it as you fix her up!!

    Reply

    • Thanks, Bobbi! I know, we’re practically neighbors – you’ll need to come visit! :) You know, one of the amazing things about this home is that it’s in pristine condition – it doesn’t need any work! So nice to have a home that’s move-in ready. We’re just going to be remodeling the kitchen (keeping the really neat original elements) and a couple of the outbuildings need just a little bit of work and reinforcing to keep them in good shape.

      Reply

  9. Congratulations on you lovely home and beautiful surrounding property. May all your dreams come true……Blessings for your whole family.

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  12. Kimberly,
    I made a loud oohs when I saw the GE oven. It is the best ever oven & both my mother & grandmother had one & yes the foods that came from there were unbelievable.
    A neighboring girl was getting married & the baker asked to use either of the ovens; with mother’s Wonderful GE Oven she made an 8 layer wedding cake. Why so many layers? She made a couple of extra layers in case one or two didn’t bake well—SILLY WOMAN. By the time the cake was frosted & the sugar flowers/leaves were applied it was as beautiful as the most expensive Parisian Baker would present. Each of those original GE Ovens are still in the homes with a sworn promise that I can have either (for a price) if they ever decide they don’t want them. Both homes now have very modern kitchens & I’m told they use the GE Oven much more than their new ones. So Girl, DO NOT get rid of this GE Oven, although they now resemble A DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH!

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    • What a terrific story, Barbara, I love that and thanks so much for sharing! I can assure you, we will be keeping this oven :) What’s so remarkable too is the condition it is in, both in appearance and function. It’s the only oven in the kitchen, which just further goes to show how lovingly the previous owners maintained everything. I’m crossing my fingers that you get one of those ovens, too!

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  13. I enjoy many of the recipes that you post, as you are kind enough to provide vegetarian alternatives. But I also truly appreciate The virtual tour of your new home. It is truly beautiful and I wish you and your family many, many years of happiness there. I am also very pleased to see that you’re keeping many of the original 1912 fixtures including the oven!

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    • Thank you so much, Amber, I really appreciate that :) We love old homes, so much character, and there’s no way we could part with the original fixtures. We’ll find a way to design some contemporary kitchen elements around them!

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  14. Congrats on your new home. I must say it is absolutely breath taking. Look forward to seeing more photos as you complete each project. The property is fab.

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    • Thanks, Pam, and yes, there will definitely be more photos. And I honestly can’t wait for Spring so we can start planting veggies and enjoying the property more!

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    • Thanks, Christina! :) Yes, 8 acres is a lot to keep up but we’re no strangers to hard work. Plus it’s so rewarding to be able to see the “fruits” of your labors, the property is so beautiful. And we’ll just have to raise our kids to have a strong work ethic, too, right? :)

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  16. Congratulations! What a stunning home… words fail me! Hope you and your family have years and years of joyous moments and memories in that house. Have a blessed 2016!

    Reply

  17. Your new home is truly beautiful and I wish you joy in it. I look forward to seeing what changes you will make.

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  18. Hi from a very hot eThekweni South Africa – lovely home, all our best wishes for happiness and peace for you and your family for the new year and future! regards Avril and Rai Invernizzi

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    • Greetings to South Africa, Avril and Rai! Thank you so much for your kind wishes. Wishing you and your family the very same! Best, Kimberly

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    • Thanks, Michele! I agree, especially considering I’m originally from Germany where the landscape is similar, there simply is no other place in the U.S. I’d rather be – it’s breathtakingly gorgeous here!

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  20. The house is gorgeous! Congratulations for the move! It seems to be a perfect place for you and your family. It is really big and has everything you might need. We are also moving to a very big and beautiful house soon and my whole family is very excited! Thanks for sharing! Have a great time in your beautiful house!

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    • Thanks so much, Ernestine, and congratulations your home as well! Have a smooth move, a happy year and many happy years to come!

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  21. Sweeeet! Thank you for the invite.
    Congratulations to you and your family. May you have many happy memories in your gorgeous home. Can’t wait to see the next update.
    (Psst: Can I help out in the greenhouse)?

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    • Thanks so much, Alice! :) I would LOVE for you to come help me in the greenhouse!! :)

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  22. Ya’ll are so fortunate to have found an older home in such excellent care!! It would cost a huge fortune to try to build and get the quality workmanship you have!! I love the porches !! Come spring ya’ll will live on them, so you MUST buy some rockers!!

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  23. The previous owners are very fortunate to have found a family so in love with their home to sell it to. It is a difficult thing leaving a home, but after reading your post they should feel grateful your family will now be making new memories and traditions there. Beautiful, love the wall oven, I will have to check back and see what delicious things you cook up in that. Many years of happiness in your new home.

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    • Thank you for your kind words, Sue. We’re becoming good friends with the previous owners, they built a smaller home nearby in an effort to downsize. They’ve been back a few times already and we will be having them back for dinners and garden events, etc. I think there’s a great deal of mutual gratitude – our gratitude to them for having made this such a beautiful place – because of them we have our dream home and property – and their gratitude that it was us who purchased their home and will continue to appreciate and take care of it.

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  25. HUGE congratulations! I grew up in a 100 year-old house and the first one I bought was even older. I love them. Yours is gorgeous and I’m green with envy over every little thing, inside and out!

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    • I’d love to hear the history around your home, Brandy! We’ve always preferred old homes, so much character.

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  27. Have fallen in love with your home and it’s surroundings.
    Don’t suppose you’ve considered a B and B as part of your additions? ?
    Those of us who live in a completely different climate and different surroundings would so enjoy an opportunity to experience what you have so generously shown to us.
    Thanks for offering us a window into your new home and exciting, yet gentle, making it your own.

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    • Hi Brenda, thank you! You know, a B&B (and a restaurant) is something I used to think I’d like to run, but no, we don’t have any plans for one :) I have friends who own one and it’s just too difficult to ever go anywhere for a day let alone a vacation. My husband, Todd, is from Mesa AZ and has always been in love with the Pacific Northwest. He loves it up here as much as I do. That’s probably in part because of his Alaskan-born blood :)

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  28. Name and email address should have been attached to my comments a moment ago. Hope they didn’t get lost.

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  29. Personally, I prefer more of a pastel color palate. The wood in your home is so beautiful that I think it should hi-lighted by ‘framing’ the color. We recently remodeled a 30 year old 3500 sq. home that also has beautiful wood ceilings and oak cupboards in the kitchen and island. I called in a colorist and once we were in agreement as to the palate I preferred, we were quick to agree where to put what color. It was the best investment I made throughout the remodel process.

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    • I’ll bet your home is beautiful, Sonnie! I agree, color is so key to the life of a home. What one interior designer mentioned to us though is that all of the wood in our home has a reddish tint which really limits the colors of paint we can use. We’re still trying to figure out what color schemes to go with in the various rooms.

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  31. Wow, congrats on your new home purchase! What a beautiful property & large house. You are going to be busy (having fun) personalizing your new home! Love all the photos you shared. Congrats again!

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    • Definitely busy, Tee! :) We’re working on a complete remodel of a small guesthouse on our property. Super time-consuming but really a great experience and the end result will be so worth it.

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    • Thanks, Emily! We agree, those original 1912 cabinets are way too neat to get rid of – we’re keeping ’em! :)

      Reply

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Unless otherwise stated, all images, content and recipes are original and are the sole property of Kimberly Killebrew, daringgourmet.com. No photographs or other content may be used without prior written consent.

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