A New Project...My Old House

I know I fell off the face of the planet the last month and this is what is to blame...

This is a 1941 Cape Cod that my husband and I just purchased on May 11th near Oakhurst village in Atlanta. It's literally a retreat in the city.

We adore the place and all it eccentricities. It has all the hallmarks of a crazy old house. Three types of wiring. Check. Cast iron sewer pipes. Check. Creepy unfinished basement with breakneck stairs. Check. Yard that resembles a jungle, piano strip oak flooring hidden under carpet glue, teeny galley kitchen, and lots of lead paint. Check, check, check, and double check.

What it lacks in modernization it makes up for in structure, yard size, and location. The main floor is about 1300 square feet with 2 bedrooms and 1 and 1/2 baths. And it has a screened in sun porch! There is a finished attic with a low ceiling that we may turn into a full second story down the road. The attic has an additional room and full bath for a grand total of 3 beds, 2 1/2 baths. The house is also located on an old established street in Atlanta on almost a half acre.

And oh the yard! As an apartment dweller for most of my adult life, I can't get enough of the yard. We've already grilled twice in the few days we've been moved in. My dogs couldn't believe the space was all theirs! The lot has mature oaks over 70 feet tall, two mulberry trees, and the most fertile soil I have ever seen. Jeremy already has plans for a chicken coop and I'm deciding what type of composting system I want to use for the huge garden I have planned.

And the neighborhood! We're 2 miles from my husband's new office, .7 miles from the bars in Oakhurst village, 1 mile from Oakhurst Dog Park, and there are 2 coffee shops within a mile of us. We're also 1.7 miles from the nearest Marta train stop so out of town visitors can simply continue by train from the airport and get much closer to the house.

Anyhow, I plan on having My Old House as a regular feature on here. You can expect lots of before and after shots. Jeremy and I will be doing most of the renovations ourselves with the help of my super handy dad. I'll also give the nitty gritty on where we went to find supplies and the process so if you happen to have your own old house or live in the Atlanta area, you can take advantage of some of our sources.