OUR NEW HOME

Well, it's been nearly five months since Kansas City became our home...again.  I wanted to wait until things were pretty much in place before I posted pictures for you.  David and I always wonder what people say when they leave our apartment as it is soooo different from the way most of our friends live.  I imagine they're saying the same thing we say when we leave their large (but beautiful) homes, "I can't believe they want to live in such large space".  The reality for us is, of course, our time in Paris influenced us more than we realized, although we had already downsized several times before the Paris move.  Paris just confirmed to us we didn't need more, we can be just as happy and content in less.  Now, that said, sometimes the idea of a little bungalow does draw me...I'd like a little deck/patio and a tiny yard and I'd love a fireplace (which you just won't find in an old apartment building).  But our little apartment (1300 sq.ft) really is pretty perfect for us.  So, here it is...

Welcome to our home!

Here's the inside of our front door-the living room area is on the right as you enter - the gold framed mirror we bought at a Brocante in Paris

Sofa wall is across from the front door-picture on the wall is a print we brought from Paris and had framed

From this pic of the living area you can see the breakfast area

This little wall is left of the kitchen bar-the table and candelabra are antiques we bought in Paris

Across from the previous wall is this little space-the  drawing is of the American Church in Paris given to us by the church when we left-we had it framed here-it's signed by the artist and dated 1931-the prayer chairs are like the ones we saw in our favorite churches in Paris but we bought them here from an individual

Back to the front corner of the living area-the mirror we purchased soon after arriving in Paris at a little antique store near the apartment with a money gift from our sweet Sunday school class in Plano-the windows run along that wall and lead to a sunroom across the front of the apartment-Lovely!

This sideboard is across from the kitchen bar and stores Christmas dishes and David's mother's china-the little child's chair to the right belonged to the preschool department of the church we both grew up in-I love it!

I love our breakfast area-as soon as the weather permits, these windows get cleaned-they're the only windows (I think) that are the original, others have been updated.

Kitchen view from the bar

Not the kitchen I wanted, you know I love white cabinets, but this is very nice and I've adapted!!

Great stove/oven and I love the original brick

Back to the front of the apartment to the sunroom off the living area-here's my desk-the plant stand will hold a big fern soon-the view of the park across the street is lovely-when it snowed this winter, it was absolutely lovely looking out

Here's a cozy little sitting area-we bought the painting at our market in Paris right before we left-those windows see into the living area which keeps that room light

This old sliding barn door leads from the kitchen to the laundry room and a back door to the garage (the ladder is decorative..it needs decorating like a wreath!)

Combo washer/dryer but large and new so not bad-cabinet to the left is great storage

Here's David's study, small but nice space for him with original brick walls and two windows so plenty of light

David's printer and map of travels

Still David's study-door goes to the breakfast area-the bookcase belonged to David's dad and we've had it our whole married life-the Eiffel Tower tapestry above it David got at an antique store inParis

Between David's office and the guest room is David's bathroom-his because it has a nice walk-in shower and my bathroom has a tub

Guest room

Sofa sleeper for guests-there's also a nice closet and a dresser for storage and a tv (when we don't want to watch the same thing!!)

In the hall between guest room and our room is my bathroom

Not your typical US bathroom but living in Paris helped us  realize what's really important to us and what we can live without (although the tub water pressure is BAD and we're talking to the management company about that)

Our room faces the front and has the original brick walls too which makes it soooo cold...the North Pole!!!

Everywhere are reminders of places we've lived and places we've visited

Well, that's it.  It's a little hard to show you our home in pictures...come and visit!