Halloween night. The houses are few and far between where we live and the nearest subdivision is a mile or so down the road. So we took our daughter back to my old neighbourhood where she has trick or treated every other Halloween. This was only my second time back since selling my dad’s house in July, so it gave me a chance to visit with some of the neighbours that had been so helpful and supportive while I was getting the house ready for the market.
It was strange watching our daughter going up to her grandfather’s old house, but she seemed okay with it. My wife and I were content to hang back at the road and wait to move on to the next house, but found ourselves invited in when the kid blurted out, “This was my Papa’s house!”
The main floor hadn’t changed much besides some new paint in a couple of the bedrooms and contemporary furniture. It was all very tastefully decorated, but still recognizable. The biggest change was in the basement. Brand new carpet, in a solid, neutral colour, covered the stairs and continued into the rec room. All the wood paneling had been painted, making the space brighter and much more modern. Gone was the huge built-in corner bar making the room much larger. One wall was painted a heritage blue colour which, along with the new carpet, helped to make the room feel warm and cozy. The cumulative effect of all this was absolutely stunning.
My mother, the neat freak and perfectionist, would have approved. I had certainly had a mental picture in my head for many years of what I would have done if I was moving into the house (which until we bought our current house was always a possibility). I had even considered doing the same sort of thing for the “flip.” But what I saw on Friday night far exceeded any of my expectations.
In a sense, being able to see the house again provided some closure. The transition is now complete. This young couple is making the house their home. And they are doing it with style and taste.