Living Large In Small Spaces - Joy In a Little Bungalow

Tenth post in the series

"Living Large in Small Spaces"

I'm happy to welcome Sue of the blog Impromptu as my guest today.  She and her husband live in a delightful bungalow that boasts a cheery blue front door and a white picket fence. However, it's not just the house that impresses me (although the transformation of their home is amazing), it's the verve with which Sue lives life in their little bungalow. I'll let her tell you all about it. . .

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When Nancy invited me to write a guest post for her series, "Living Large in Small Spaces", she asked if I would expand on the focus of Impromptu which is JOY. 

Well, it's a mindful decision I make on a daily basis; to be joyful, to see the beauty and good in all things and to indulge in what brings me pleasure, be it reading, writing, gardening or crocheting.  Life in my little bungalow; my real life dollhouse, is the centre of my JOY. 

front garden

back garden

The Decision

We lived in the country for eighteen years and loved every minute of it; the surroundings, the quiet, the privacy, a pond for swimming, and all the space - just a little under 2 acres.  What we didn't love was the commute to work every day which was over an hour each way.  Two plus hours on the road, five days a week.  We were exhausted, and we weren't getting any younger.  It was time to think about a change.

entrance

living room

The Move

The commute  wasn't the only issue.  The kids had moved on from college to jobs in the city and their sporadic visits weren't enough.  I missed them.  And once my son got married, we knew grandchildren would be coming and we didn't want to miss out on a single minute of that! So that was it.  We started looking for a small house that would be close to work and a reasonable distance from the kids.  We went from 3,400 square feet to 1,150 square feet of living space!

dining room

kitchen

The Adjustment

Sticker shock I think is what they call it!  The area we chose was very expensive and the only way we could afford to live there was to buy a 'fixer' (we were mortgage free and wanted to stay that way).  But it was only 10 minutes from work, we loved the small town feel, and it was right by the lake with shops, restaurants, you name it, at our doorstep!

my office/craft room/studio

master bedroom (crown yet to be installed)

The Work and the Bliss

We found our little bungalow after 3 months of searching.  She was in terrible shape, but we fell in love regardless - plus we could actually afford her; all 1,150 square feet of her.  She had very little storage, lots of charm, and needed a ton of work.  We gutted the kitchen and bathroom, replaced all the windows and doors (garage doors included) and landscaped the front and back garden .  

The basement remains untouched and is currently being used for storage.  We haven't decided whether we will finish it or not; it would be nice, but we really don't need the space.

So the hard work is done!  I feel like the house appreciates all the TLC we've showered on her.  "It feels happy in here", guests have told us more than once, and I agree.  It's a happy little house. 

guest room

bathroom

Thank you, Nancy, for inviting me to share my story.  I enjoyed looking back on the journey and the experiences of the last five years.  It's a wonderful thing this blogging community and I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your friendship and warmth.

Sue

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Thank you, Sue, for sharing your charming home and life with us.  

To see more of Sue's wonderful cottage (including before and after photos of its aforementioned transformation), the gardens and her creative talent, visit her blog Impromptu. 

Joy In A Little Bungalow was featured here

Join me next Saturday for another post in the special series

 Living Large in Small Spaces

See more home tours in the 
Living Large In Small Spaces Series here.

From the comments I've received on this series, many
people have been encouraged by the homes and lives shared here.
If you live in a small space I'd 
love to feature your story, too.

Send me an email and let's collaborate.
(See the "Contact Me" page for my email address.)

Amaze Me Monday    The Art of Homemaking   Tweak it Tuesday   

Wow Us Wednesday   Home and Garden Thursday   

Share Your Cup Thursday    Home Sweet Home   Feathered Nest Friday