Our adventure in house hunting began five months ago while vacationing in Hawaii when we agreedto a one time showing of our home which we had taken off the market in part because an interiors magazine wanted to use it for a feature, and I welcomed the opportunity with much joy.
To our surprise, we sold and seized an opportunity to downsize and begin a new chapter (Hopefully another publishing op will come.)
After months of shopping, we found a humble one-and-a-half story cottage which had been abandoned for years and will require much love in order to come back to life.
Here is a peek:

Since we have already designed and built our dream house, this project will be entirely different, and my goal is to frugally create a peaceful retreat to feed our souls.
Tine Kjeldsen’s Scandi-chic style (minimal yet personal) appeals to me on many levels, and here is a taste of her clean lines and naturally cozy vibe.









We take possession of the new home in three weeks, and it will take months to revive it. There is something quite alluring about bringing hope to a place so very neglected and broken…about bringing light and fresh air to a shelter which suffocated within a jungle of overgrown weeds.
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I will share reflections of the journey with you and welcome all your design help and encouragement along the way…we’re gonna need it!
Peace to you right where you are.

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Please come join me
in this DIY adventure by
clicking here for all my fixer upper update posts!
michele
Can't wait to follow along on your journey. You will do it beautifully I am sure, the images are so calm and serene, good luck!
thanks so much, nola. calm and serene is what i will be aiming for. 🙂
Michele,
Where is this cottage located at…. Down sizing gives you so much charm to become cluttered or simplicity at its best.
I bet it will be that home of your dreams when it is completed and you are moved in.
Congrats on the perfect find.
Xx
Dore
thanks, dore! it is in the same sleepy little town in northern illinois where we have lived for 16 years. i will try my best to keep it simple. it is half the square footage and acreage of the old place, and since i parted with half our stuff, it should be just the right size. the master bedroom has a vaulted ceiling which i have always wanted!
Very nice, at the same time rustic and modern.
hi paloma! i am ready for more modern in my life!
What a wonderful new adventure you are embarking on -how wonderful to bring a home back to life, breathing light and love into spaces that have been forgotten. And I'm sure you will do a beautiful job with it. The inspiration photos here are lovely. To be sure it won't be a walk in the park, but I bet in the end that you will have gotten so much more than a home out of the journey. Can't wait to see what you do! XOXO
the new place has been completely neglected so there will be gutting inside and i will have to hire gardeners again, but we are up for the challenge. i am especially happy that there is privacy on all sides of the house even though the lot is less than an acre. so if i decide to live with a lot of weeds, the neighbors won't know! thanks for your kind words, jeanne!
From the sneak peak it looks really cool! … and I love Tine Kjeldsen's style – it's so serene and beautiful and so you! This is gonna be fun !… at least from this end. I know ya'll have a lot of work to do…
Cindy
the exterior is very low key, and the yard is a jungle, but jungles can be fun when you have never lived in one! thanks, cindy. a sense of humor will be needed!
Michele-
I cannot wait to see what you do! I know it will be beautiful. I love the stone.
Teresa
xoxo
thx, teresa! the stone is one of the only things that doesn't need to be replaced! 🙂
Your new home looks and sounds to be more of a cottage lifestyle which I love the most. Tine K has been a long time inspiration for my Sea Cottage style with the uncluttered, open white spaces and dark rustic wood touches. It is a peaceful palette that you will find sanctuary in as I have. Blessings to you Michele.
a cottage lifestyle is definitely calling. thank you, friend. sanctuary. one of my all-time favorite words. 🙂
Wow, congratulations, Michelle!!!! Your style and Tine's rooms really speak to me! I'm looking forward to following you on your journey!
xo
Holly
thx for joining me, holly. your kind words and uplifting spirit always cheer me.
Yes, LOVE eveything at TIne K! I wish they were here in the US. I'm sure you will make your new home beautiful.
Yes, LOVE eveything at TIne K! I wish they were here in the US. I'm sure you will make your new home beautiful.
i knowwwwww! dying for tine k to end up in USA shops. tempted to convince them to hire me to spearhead it. 🙂
Well yay! Good luck with the work to come. Enjoy!
merci, karen. where's my sledgehammer?!?
your new place is already alluring. congratulations!
oh boy…alluring? how about full of potential? thanks!
Hi, there, my friend!! This is exciting news!!! Congrats! I'm already loving your new cottage – charming stonework. Don't be a tease now…..share more, please 🙂
Lots of luvvvvv, L
i will share soon, and truth be told, the stone is really the charming part. think gut job!
Michele, I've been anxious to get over here to say CONGRATULATIONS:) Wow, now the fun starts, right? The little glimpse is just enough to get us all excited about what's to come. LOVE your inspiration here! Yay!! xxL
thanks, leslie. it may not be a blogworthy abode, but hopefully i can breathe new life into it. 🙂
Michele I can't tell you how excited I am for you. The spiritual program at Moody will add a wonderful balance during your transitional time. I've personally discovered that all the 'letting go' and upheaval during a relocation can open up our heart to new ways of being in the world. And I can see you tapping into your well of creative and spiritual energies in the following months; I look forward to hearing all about it!
P.S. loved the peek at your new place.
hugs from
your fellow peace seeker
Leslie
i am sure the timing of the program and the move and the reno is divine, leslie. thank you for upholding me and joining me on these journeys. i love the peace you bring to the web. xox
Congratulations michele
– as always, your words are a joy to read
and they nourish the soul…
Your house plans tug at the heartstrings
… it will be a tranquil, happy place for sure, xx
oh rebecca, thank you. your blog and work will be a great guide as i tackle the project. xox
Is that a stone chimney?? Congrats to you!! We've been house hunting as well. We need a specific kind of house due to my mother coming to live with us. I want something more charming than a high ranch. I'm crossing my fingers for a big old house with a garage that we can turn into a little apartment for her. There have been two on the market in the last year that I would've loved but we weren't yet ready to list our house. In another couple of weeks, it should finally be ready. I'm hoping that's when the house that's meant for us is ready to be put up for sale. : )
~ Wendy
http://Crickleberrycottage.blogspot.com/
hi wendy. best to you as you wait for the perfect arrangement for your family. i wish you strength and endurance for the days ahead.
Hello there pretty lady! It has been forever since I have made a comment, that doesn't mean I haven't been following your incredible blog! This post is insane… love everything!!
Sending much love your way!!
-Des
… I'm so excited for you and your new adventure!! I can't think of anything more dreamy!!!
I need your design guidance and all your talent for getting the mix just right! Thx for the support, pretty lady.
Hello lovely! I saw a glimpse of your exciting news just before my family and I went on holiday and I have been meaning to pop by ever since to say a big CONGRATULATIONS! What an exciting chapter you have coming up. From the little peek, the new place looks enchanting, even if you want to rip out the inside ;). The Tine K inspiration is perfect for a peaceful haven. Bet you can’t wait to get the keys and have at it with the sledge hammer!
I am slowly coming out of the fog of almost 3 years (and counting) of poor sleep, demanding babies and stressful house moves, so I hope to be online more soon and follow your journey.
Love to you, sweet lady!
Meera xx
Simple and sophisticated interior design. I'd love to live in a house like this.