The new house

As many of you have probably heard, we have bought a new house. We are very excited. There is a bit of work to be done to bring it back to its original grandeur, but some cosmetic repairs in the next few weeks will make it a very comfortable place for us to move into. The house is on the National Register of Historic Places, and we are looking forward to learning more about the history of the house and its architect.

We did learn that the architect that built it, Allen Stem, was a prominent architect in the late 1800's and early 1900's. One year after this house was built, he formed the partnership of Reed and Stem. They were commissioned for such well known buildings as the St. Paul Hotel and University Club buildings as well as over 100 train stations throughout the U.S. including Grand Central.

Here is the house as it looked in 1890 when it was first built. (photo from MN Historical Society)



Below are some photos of the interior. They don't do it justice, but give an idea of what you'll see when you come to visit.

The library


Living room fireplace


Foyer


Dining room


Kitchen


Staircase


First on the agenda is ditching the wallpaper and getting a nice clean coat of paint over all the walls. That, a little floor sanding, and a major cleaning and we'll be all set.

The yard is a bit bigger, with what looks like some existing beds and lilacs all down one side. I'm looking forward to seeing what comes up. We'll be renting our house, so I'll be transplanting the majority of my beds to the new gardens in the spring.


(If you know anyone looking for a place to rent, here's the link to our rental:) http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/apa/988526807.html