I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. One of my very favorite things about blogging is the community that you find out there in blogland. Whether I’m looking for inspiration, advice, or encouragement, that community is always out there, ready to help. So it makes me very happy whenever I can repay the favor and pass on a little of my experience.

I got the sweetest email from Jenny in Tampa last week. She and her husband have just bought a 1918 historic foursquare in the heart of Tampa, FL. She told me that she had stumbled upon my blog and had gotten lost in the archives, and was excited to find a new resource to help them along in their restoration.

So of course, I asked to see the house!

As you can imagine, I was hooked immediately. I basically replied with GIVE ME MORE!! And so she did…and it was glorious.

This house is just dripping with character. I mean, it’s got a pink room, a vintage clawfoot tub, and a huge porch…3 of my favorite things! According to Jenny, they bought the house from a woman who had owned it since 1951. She and her late husband had raised a family there, and she is so excited that a young couple is buying the house with that same goal in mind. Jenny and her husband will be only the third family to own the house in its 97 years. She even managed to snag a few photos from the previous owner taken in the 1950s…

These new homeowners have a long road ahead of them, as they will be doing most of the work themselves, along with Jenny’s father-in-law. They’ve got some big issues to take care of first, like adding air conditioning, updating all of the plumbing, and shoring up the sagging foundation. And then there’s the fun stuff, like ripping off layer upon layer of wallpaper and touching up the plaster.

I can’t wait to see this house progress into something absolutely beautiful. I might just have to plan a Tampa trip! Thanks so much for sharing with us, Jenny!