Fibermania

A Home Fit for a King or... My Prince

Our new home-to-be in Chattanooga, Tennessee

We are signing the papers (contingent on selling our house) this morning.

We had a list of must-haves for the house that we would buy. One was that it would not be cookie cutter, meaning that it would have a personality different from the crowd. This Tudor design is the surprising choice, as I would never have guessed that we would fall in love with such a traditional design. The all brick exterior was high on our list, as was the established landscaping. It is kind of grown up and a tad starchy, but you know I can use a bit of starch.

A corner bubble tub was high on the list and who would think that it would come with a house like this? Brand new, and one of three full baths in the house. Four bedrooms and several other extra rooms make this a 3000 square foot blank canvas for my decorating.
And it comes with a koi pond! Can I be dreaming? Oops, no koi in there yet, but the pump works great and there is a teeny waterfall at the top and a pot of water lilies already growing. The front yard has a fountain and lots of brick work defines the plantings.

The garden has many lovely established specimens, including azaleas, holly, dogwood, a red climbing rose in bloom, hosta, clematis, and wisteria. I am so thrilled! Twin ancient oaks grace the front yard and a Japanese maple, hydrangea, and a fig tree too. Where is my desired magnolia? At the nursery waiting my purchase, but there is plenty of room for it.

Our street ends four houses down, in a cul de sac and what have we here? This is Lake Chickamauga, a swollen stretch of the Tennessee River, with a private dock for our use. Dave had water on his list, thinking of a stream or creek, but got a gonzo lake instead!

I guess there will be a boat sometime in our future. And fishing rods too. I will be happy to cook the catch up on the grill or in my new kitchen,

a spiffy new neat as a pin galley design. All electric, so there will be an adjustment from cooking with gas. We'll eat on the deck or in our fancy schmancy grown up dining room.
Or out in the screened porch.
So many choices of places to be!

My studio will be on the main floor but I will have a downstairs dyeroom. There are two family rooms and a formal living room besides. We cannot believe this will all be our new stompin' grounds. Speaking of grounds, the woods are dense as a jungle across the street and the mountain rises behind us sans neighbors. The other homes on the street are grand with driveways that are totally vertical. Good thing winters here are gentle and short.

I am about 12 minutes from the Chattanooga airport, which has only four gates. I will be able to work easily from here, and it's a good thing. I have lots of shopping in my future!

TJMaxx is at the bottom of the ridge and IKEA is in Atlanta, only 2 hours away. Hobby Lobby, Michael's, AC Moore and Panera, all down the street. Plenty of Mexican food and downtown, Porker's BBQ. Art abounds and I will find my muse here. You can count on it.

Our house in IL is still waiting to make someone as happy as it made us, so until then, we are just hoping to move this June or July...