God is good (all the time)! Our prayer to have housing when we get to Boston has been answered. We will be living in military housing on Hanscom Air Force Base - which is a totally new adventure for us since we've never lived "on-base" at any other duty station we've been assigned to. As much as we've liked finding our own place to live in the past, we simply didn't have many (or any!) options this time around because it's so incredibly expensive there.
Before you hit up the floor plan and limited (unprofessional) pics from the website below, I'll share some pros and cons for this future abode of ours.
Pros:
+ 1900 sq feet...the most we've had in the last 4 homes was 1500 sq feet
+ Air conditioning!!!
+ 3 bedrooms with big closets
+ Upstairs laundry with a sink
+ Double sinks in both upstairs bathrooms
+ Tons of storage, including a mudroom...never had one of those
+ Attached 2-car garage (quite convenient when loading a toddler in the car during a blustery nor'easter)
Cons:
- Interior unit of a four-plex, which means we share walls on both sides.
- It's "builder basic", and by thrifty government standards that means linoleum, cheap carpet, chalky white paint, boob lights, and discount laminate
- Very limited natural light on bottom floor
- Tiny kitchen with no pantry
- Carpeted dining space
- Awkward layout on bottom floor - Where do you float a couch in this place??? Especially when you want it to be across from a TV cabinet???
- Limitations/restrictions on painting, putting nail holes in walls, changing hardware, and updating fixtures
Overall, more pros than cons. But, it will definitely be a major decorating challenge! (see pictures below...)
Bottom Floor
I'm thinking I'll definitely switch the "dining" space with the "great room" space next to the kitchen because the table needs to be close to the doorway of the kitchen vice around the corner and through the woods.
Top Floor
The Kitchen
View from Front Door
Looking in to Dining/Living Space...
Exterior Elevation
Any thoughts, friends? I've been lying awake at night rummaging through furniture layout ideas in my head. Once we get there I'm sure we'll have a better idea of where things should go, but I'm a wee bit of a (mega) planner.
Anyone else ever live on a military installation? Most of our friends who have, say they love the close-nit neighborhood feel, so we're really looking forward to that part of it. Oh, and they have an indoor splash pad and some awesome parks for some crazy cool progressive park parties (like progressive dinners, minus the food and wine). After all, that's the way we roll most days...
Are you allowed to make cosmetic changes at all? Like paint?
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it will be so much easier to decorate in your head once you're standing in the space. I feel ya though on the obsessively rearranging in your brain. I do that all the time - usually in other people's houses. :o)
Glad you guys will have a roof over your heads and made it safe and sound.
Kristen, you, no doubt will transform mundane into awesome just by moving in with all your sweetness and creativity and all your marvelous stuff! We'll also continue to pray that an end unit with windows all down the side comes available before move-in day. I can't wait to see your posts related to your new Boston home in the coming months!
ReplyDeleteLove, mom
Kristen,
ReplyDeletePeel and stick wall paper. You can find it at any dollar store, or you can go fancy and get it at BM stores (2 rolls for about $60). I'm in the military and when we moved to RI following 2 years overseas, it was great to spend $10 making my 3 girls happy to finally be able to decorate their rooms (rental). When we move, I peel it off and no repainting required.