“That’s the plan”, I said. That was my response when we decided to move and rent a place for six months while we searched for the perfect home to buy. It didn’t last long…whoops!
If you follow my Instagram, it’s no secret that we’re moving to Arizona. I have been story-ing up a storm (if you will!)! Not only are we moving back to the homeland, we are moving to one of its more rustic little corners. There’s one stop sign (a stop SIGN) in the entire town and people still ride their horses to the saloons. I think there is a Dairy Queen and a Circle K – the two commercial hubs of the town. I wish I was kidding! Also, did you know that a R.U.I (riding under the influence) is a thing?. It’s true – no riding those horses after a few martinis . Embrace it – I have! We are excited to be closer to my family as well as having a little project – our new home.
Saguaros for days! We are so excited to have an infinite (not really, though) number of cacti on our property! Photo Courtesy: Douglas Eggleston, Remax
I thought I would introduce my new series dubbed, “Our Santa Fe”, with a little introduction to the cool space we’ve discovered. Built in ’94, it’s a Santa Fe style home on an acre of land. A far cry from our current condo life in Boston, it will certainly call for a change in pace of lifestyle. So, what happened to the “plan”?
As I mentioned, we initially set out to move to Arizona and rent for six months while we searched for the perfect home. That was the plan. I changed it literally the next day – how unusual?! So, what happened? While back in Arizona on a trip visiting my mom, there was a certain house that peaked my interest online. I thought “how harmless is going to take a look?”. Well, if getting your spouse (who hasn’t seen it in person) on board and putting an offer in the next day is harmless, I’d say not very (wink)!
Yadda, yadda…we closed on the home this fall (P.S. Sky loves it! Fwew!) and are already in full swing with a few renovations. I mentioned the home was from the 90’s, right? What I haven’t mentioned is that this home was rarely used as a primary residence and was perfectly maintained…in the 90’s. While the home needs some TLC, we are working hard to maintain a lot of the original character. That’s what we fell in love with, after all! It will be a labor of love that will take investments of both time and patience. We really want to choose the right paints, discover the right furniture and shower this home with some love and some detail.
We might not ever get out of our bed in this master! Photo Courtesy: Douglas Eggleston, Remax
So, born now is “Our Santa Fe” where I’ll share our plans, experiences, emotions (tears) and DIYs on the blog to update you all with the latest and greatest. But, first, comparison shots are in order so let’s see the space in all of it’s 90’s glory! I’ll share some interesting facts along the way!
We were immediately sold on the outdoor spaces in this home. I can’t wait to sit under those Moravian star pendants, star up at the saguaro-filled hill and cozy up by our chimnea and water feature. Photo Courtesy: Douglas Eggleston, Remax
News to me – Santa Fe and Territorial style homes have been around for over 100 years! Started during the Pueblo Revival, pioneers of the Southwest began this architectural movement in the 19th century. It’s mostly seen across New Mexico and Arizona. Inspired by architecture of the early Pueblo Natives, the materials and structure help repel the wretched heat of the Southwestern summers (about that heat…).
Typically you will see Santa Fe buildings with a flat roof, wood structure accents and often times a little courtyard. Our home has been modernized with some corrugated metal accents on the windows and the back patio which making for a funky, folky flair. Another huge aspect of this home is it’s enchanting entrance. The driveway is insanely steep (hope I can keep our car on it) but there are winding Saltillo tile steps that lead to the courtyard and to the front door.
While I’ve struggled to keep the Cacti alive in this Boston climate, there will be no shortage of desert plants. We’ve even got the desert weeds (so posh)! The desert landscape stole my eye – we have so many Saguaro cacti on our land I can’t even handle it. Sky, in particular, is excited for the bird and wildlife watching we hope to experience. Now to work on my bird calls…
The previous decor was very classic Southwest with lots of color. I love me some color and we may use some very similar shades but toning it down and moving them around a little. Photo Courtesy: Douglas Eggleston, Remax
The kitchen will definitely be our biggest overhaul. Bring in the new countertops, new cabinet finish and new appliances! Photo Courtesy: Douglas Eggleston, Remax
The interior has a ton of windows with the same Saltillo tile throughout (can I get an “amen” for no carpeting!). There is also a TON of color (as you can see above!). By that I mean the walls and the toilets (green, red and ivory). While we will obviously have color, we are going to start fresh and slowly add a few splashes. The entrance and living room is probably one of my favorite spaces. I am dying for one of those chilly nights when we can light that fire with a glass of wine and relax (yes, it gets chilly in AZ!).
Warren has visited and, obviously, approves of the house. Oh, and this rug we snagged in the closing deal.
So, there is a little sneak peak. What are we going to do with it? Follow along as we update the various spaces and make this home our own (spoiler: the interior paint has already been changed!).
Okay, so I don’t do well with sunny shots but this is the only photo I have of us after we closed! Photo Courtesy: My Mother In Law
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