i have a surprise bungalow for all of you.

actually this house was a surprise for me, too!

see, i walked next door on Sunday to go check in on my neighbors and see how they are coming along on their house.

remember, the big yellow?

it is now the big green!

it is looking gorgeous, inside and out. i can’t wait to share all of the fabulous details the new homeowners have poured into this house. it’s going to blow your mind. at least it did mine. just a few more weeks and this beauty will be done!

in the meantime, my sweet neighbor called up her old neighbor (who also happens to live in old towne Orange) and asked if i could feature her house.

she said, “yes.” so, today we drove over and i took a peek.

oh holy moly. i think my jaw was in the locked open position for the whole tour.

it’s in a part of old towne that i dearly adore. most all of the houses are nicely fixed up and the pride of ownership is very prevalent.

even their garden was beautifully done. (i think i need to take some lessons from them on how to have a green thumb)

when we first got there, i was greeted by the homeowners on the front porch. i instantly felt comfortable by the husband and wife duo.

we chatted for a bit and then they welcomed me into their home.

i was amazed by the amount of space i saw when i first entered. from the outside it looks like your classic old towne Orange craftsman. as soon as i walked through the door, i could see the amount of time and love that had been poured into it.  not only was the house meticulously restored, but it was made into a better version of itself!

the living room was full of beautiful textiles

and old furniture (look at that old scrubbed pine coffee table! drooling!)

the more we entered, the more i loved it. of course, it wasn’t too hard to love, since the wife and i have similar taste. i loved all of her decorating choices.

even her vignettes around the house reminded me of something i would have in my home (or actually have…hello, eggs in a nest!).

what i noticed most about the home was that it had a cheerful, bright feeling about it. it invited you in and made you want to stay awhile. it completely reflected the same feeling of the homeowners: bright, cheerful and inviting!

as we made our way through the house and into the kitchen, the wife and i started talking about design (a subject i could go on and on and on about and i do …i love it so much).

to my surprise, she loved it just as much.

it’s rare for me to find someone who not only loves design, but loves to talk about design so much!

i was thrilled!

we had a great time talking about the different materials she used and our mutual love for repurposing old things.

while we were talking, she shared how she wished she had chosen to go into the design profession.

my heart almost burst. i felt like i had met my long lost twin.

see, i had that same wish and it wasn’t until a couple of years ago that i decided to go for it; to follow that dream.

i told her about some of the design jobs i had gotten. how i used to feel so nervous about going into a field that is so competitive and wondering if i had what it takes (she shared those same concerns).

we continued to walk through her house, talking and sharing while i admired her style and her very obvious talent in decorating (and crafting! look at those awesome pom pom flowers! i want to make some.)

while we were talking, she mentioned she had thought about wanting a blog. a design blog, but she wasn’t sure if she should or where to start.

“um. yes. yes, you should! i will help!” i replied.

and that’s when i stopped taking pictures.

i thought it would be best for her to share the rest of her home on her blog (there are lots more amazing spaces!). her new blog. her new design blog. because she has what it takes and i think she should go for it.

it’s never too late to follow a dream.

as i was leaving, this caught my eye…so, i took one more picture.

my heart was full and happy.

(ps. thank you G & D for inviting me into your home. i was excited about getting to see a beautiful home, what a surprise to also meet two beautiful souls! and G, i’m looking forward to working together. lets chase those dreams!  it’s not too late.)