The Powells' New House

Another break from our travel blog to share a few interior shots of Lindsay and Derrick's new house! Since they live in Sicily, Jeff and Deb went to look at houses for them, and found this one in northern Illinois. Only two hours away! Closing at end of January! Yay!

Bonus for beer lovers: Mickey Finn's is only about 15 minutes away!! (sorry - Jeff and Deb forgot to bring me, Gumballhead, along for the ride. How dare they! I demand a return to Mickey Finn's to have my portrait taken!!!!!).

This is a beautiful place, and we were very excited to find it. The kitchen, breakfast room, and family room stretch across the back of the house, with its nice, big privacy-fenced back yard and patio. There is also a formal dining room on the other side of the kitchen. As you can see, it also has really high ceilings (9' or more, I forgot to ask).

Plenty of room for kids and doggies to run in the back yard, which backs up to an open field. The patio is big enough for parties.

The interesting staircase opens onto the foyer (shown below) but also has a back stair going from the midway landing down to the family room in back of the house. I can imagine the kids playing "chase" in circles up and down the stairs!

Bonus room above garage. Could be a good exercise room - I'm thinkin' Wii, Guitar Hero, etc. Or a play room for little ones. Or, maybe a bedroom for two little ones, and the bedroom with a "stage" could be a play room! (see below)
Below is an interesting bedroom - light filled with three big windows, and an interesting platform on which to place a princess bed (maybe with curtains around it, like a stage????).

Sorry my pics are so dark - I tried to photoshop them, but apparently didn't get them bright enough. I am not, thankfully, the family photographer! Below is the foyer, with a couple of really interesting details - an arched niche in the wall that you first see when you walk in, and a stepped tray ceiling. As you walk in the front door, to your immediate left is a den with a triple window, and a formal living room off to the right. Beyond the niche on the right is a formal dining room - to the left across from the dining room is a hall to the garage with a half bath, and the stairs. Straight back is the family room, with the kitchen off to the right.


Nice, roomy master bath with good natural lighting.

See you soon, with pictures of Brugge, Belgium, part 2!
~
GBH