The Pumpkin House...


Try this.... squint a little and picture the chimney painted green.... Doesn't it look like a giant pumpkin?

Luckily I like pumpkins... this is our new house.

It's 80 years old; the average age of the residents in the luxury retirement community I manage - and completely as sturdy and interesting.

Edward has worked tirelessly removing every centimetre of lath and plaster, knob and tube wiring, and seriously ridiculous wall paper, leaving a home with possibilities stifled only by the imagination.

This house has stood for 80 years with no exterior insulation, no stove venting, precarious plumbing; but lots of 'living'... it was built back when a 2x8 was actually 2 inches by 8 inches, not today's lame excuse for lumber. Even the engineer and inspector had wistful expressions when they emerged from the access panels to tell us that the house is more solid than anything built in the last 50 years, with rarely seen stability and 'amazing' lumber.

In spite of the children's objections, we shall attempt to save the 'Disturbia" forced air vents, custom doors, and as much of the hardware as possible...

We are currently accepting suggestions for exterior paint colours ...