Part 1: Home tour Opendoorstudio from The Vintage Bazaar

My interview with Katherine from The Vintage Bazaar in Chicago 

Copied from the Vintage Bazaar blog 2012  ... I have added photos to the original post for you to enjoy!

KATHERINE

9

  

First of all, your house is amazing. But I want to talk about how it was literally picked up and moved from one location to another at some point? I saw them do this with a house in my neighborhood when I was young. Totally surreal experience! Why did that happen?

Back in 1991 when we purchased our home, we loved all of the qualities of the 1930s cape cod but LOVED the fact that it seemed to have a “new” basement.  It was not until our elderly neighbor dug up the local news clipping highlighting our home on wheels that we realized its history.  In 1981 it was purchased for one dollar, put on wheels and moved to its location.

It reminds me of the 1940′s childrens book written by Virginia Lee Burton entitled “The Little House”.  I often show and tell visitors our little house’s story and say … ours was the Poster Child for the book!

I have been able to collect  more information over the years.  The former owner would frequent the vintage sales in my front  “secret garden” to share tidbits of information.

our "secret garden" front yard, through the  wooden door arbor we created from an old door.

   I  have found out that it was located only about 1/2 mile from our home and was rescued to make way for a strip mall and local grocery store. At the time of the house move they also moved our town’s implement shed, so that serves as my studio, our garage and storage space.

When folks stop by, they often tell us about the parties they went to in our home, they talk about it having been a two flat just years before we purchased it. 

Our bathroom AFTER the remodel, I designed the room and the tile floor.

The " new"  shower carved out of the closet, tile purchased on Ebay

 Repair men who come to work on our home say they know all about the electrical and plumbing in it. Seems it was built by a renowned builder that made a name for himself in the older sections of Naperville.  This was his home, and you know what they say about the home of a builder: never completed and short cuts all around!  

Look for part 2 of the 3 part post... later this week.