Jan 24, 20202 min read

THE CARRIAGE HOUSE

HI EVERYONE!

It has been A WHILE. I took a substantial break from blogging, and to be honest, I feel great about it. Blogging is not my favorite platform. I feel overwhelmed by the pressure to produce valuable content week after week. I would write a post, and then wonder if people cared, or if the subject was relevant and helpful.

Writing is not my favorite way to express myself; I feel most comfortable on video. I love the impromptu nature of stories. I'm not a planner, not a scheduler, and am usually flying by the seat of my pants. On top of it all, blogging and balancing a career as a designer is damn near impossible. I tip my hat to all of you that blog regularly and have a day job.

I'm not sure how this blog will evolve, but with the purchase of The Carriage House, I need a permanent place to document the projects we're working on!

So let's end my hiatus by starting there: THE CARRIAGE HOUSE

WHERE: Located in Albany, NY, 2-hours north of our primary residence.

WHY: My husband accepted a new job working for the New York State Senate that will keep him in Albany. We considered renting an apartment, but we decided to buy one instead. The property prices in Albany are relatively low, and the rent is high. The plan is to improve the property, use it as our second home, and from there, we will either rent it as a long term income property or sell. At present, we do not plan to sell our primary residence, but I also don't have a crystal ball to predict the future.

HISTORY: I haven't dug too deep yet, but The Carriage House was built in 1871 and belonged to a large townhouse that abuts the property. The home was "restored" in 1978. I use air quotes because much of the character was removed from the apartment, so that will be one of the biggest design challenges. The other substantial obstacle will be finding ways to bring more light into the living room.

As for the plans, well, that's an entire post in itself. However, I wanted to share the real estate photos with you as well as a few changes we've already made. And if you haven't seen it yet, there is a tour of the entire apartment saved to my Instagram highlights.

This weekend we plan on doing A LOT of demo, which I'll be documenting on stories!