What Does a Young Designer Look for in a Starter Home?

Mass hysteria.

As if planning a destination wedding and a local non-reception reception along with running a store and building a brand were not enough, I thought it would be fun to house shop!




The process began last year with a really, really, REALLY stunning bungalow. We're talking deep, dark wood everywhere, a gorgeous fireplace, original black and white tile in the bath, wood floors throughout (no carpet- hooray!!). Because it was the first home we looked it, we were slow to act and less informed than we are now and it got away. But, now that we are getting married next June, the hunt has become somewhat of an unhealthy obsession. Good thing our agent, Sue Gieske is ah-mazing.

We've also looked at a Spanish Revival, a Victorian, a Farmhouse, another Victorian with a really neat mansard roof and 10' ceilings (and kitty pee-pee galore), and I am sure there are others I have forgotten over the year.

For a young couple, I think we might be a touch unusual because we don't want something that has been done by someone else. We don't want something new, and in fact refuse to live in something built past 1960. Nor do we want something large. Granite and stainless just are not our thing, and we'd generally prefer to keep it original than replace it with something new, wood floors are a great example.

What we really want versus what we can realistically do has become much wider apart than what we thought. We love charm- built-ins, arched doorways, dark wood trim, the little touches that homes built today seem to lack. We knew there would be a compromise made and have come down to our essentials.

Must Haves:

- 2 car garage. The man needs a place to tinker with his motorcycles
- 3 beds: one for a guest bedroom, one for an office/ craft room, one obviously to sleep in!
- Wood floors. So much nasty lurks in carpet.
- Some yard space: this is probably the biggest compromise we'll have to make. We'd love a large lot for my gardening and for....chickens. Who, by the way, are really entertaining pets. We've had them before. But, being a starter home it seems like either you get a nice home with no yard, or a nice yard with a home that needs A LOT of work. We're all about sweat equity, but we have to be realistic.


Think back to your first home- what was it like? Do you remember looking for home? What were some of your criteria, if any? How much of what you wanted did you get and how much had to wait until your next home?

Sharing that kind of info is wonderful anecdotes for those starting out, like me!