OUR FIRST HOME {Chateau Dattoli: Part II}

Oh friends! JD and I are just over 30 days from moving into our very first home! Every time I see our yard with the builders sign saying sold; it just makes my heart flutter. Today's Instalove Friday: a peek into our first home! I thought today would be a good day for the second part of Our First Home. Let's do this, shall we?

Just a sec – {happy dance!!} So many have asked about following along on this journey with us so here's the second part of hopefully a sort of "tour de Dattoli" as we go through this process. I have to admit that this has been sooo incredibly exciting for JD and I. We really, really just got so darn lucky in finding this lot and our builder. We hope you find a little excitement in this too : )  For the most part, here's what she's 'gonna look like!

And there she is! Isn't she just a beauty! We really wanted a 2-story, with lots of bedrooms – but we are super happy to have this, until we can afford our dream home with a full basement and 3 car garage and lots of yard. We can't have it all right to start with, so we compromised on the basement and extra garage for a gorgeous house and large yard.The exterior will be natural limestone in grays and whites all around the garage, front door and first set of windows. The rest will be horizontal, and vertical "siding". All of the trim will be a crisp bright white, and we are nixing shutters – we just aren't fans. Our front door is going to be beautiful! It will be a crisp white, with nearly all Tuscany glass – with matching Tuscany glass sidelites. Eeep! We are so incredibly blessed.

There's been quite a few changes to the plans and lots of little extras: like the sun room, moving the fireplace, changing the kitchen up, and changing the garage from a 3 car to a 2 car with an extra bay. It's technically classified as a 2 car garage, but we will be able to fit almost 4 in there – and JD will still have lots of room to tinker.

Because so many changes have been made; here is a simplified version of the above.

I know, I know… it's a lot of space. Everything is very open, spacious and there will be so much natural light from all the windows. The space is an open living concept, and is truly a big reason JD and I loved it so much. The garage is a little bit intense, but it gives us plenty of space to fit our cars and his squad car in; plus give JD plenty of room to tinker and organize all his manly stuff. As you walk in from the garage our laundry/mud room and little powder room is right off the garage. I just love having these close to the garage so JD can wash up before tracking oil or dirt into the rest of the house. Coming into our home from the front door is the foyer, you see the big open-living room, and the giant floor to ceiling stone fireplace in the corner; then to the left will be the kitchen, and dining room and lots of large windows. I truly love all the windows in our home, the sunlight streams in, bathing the whole house in sunny goodness. From the dining room will be (EEEEP!) 2 beautiful white, all-glass French doors that open to a very large, cathedral ceiling sun room. (I think I just fainted.) A sun room, me? I'm in heaven. I am planning to take over the sun-room as my Girl cave; and the all new Cassandra Dattoli Studio and Shop. A tour of which will go live as soon as it's all completed. The sun room leads off to our covered deck. The larger of the two extra bedrooms will be a guest bedroom for any visitors chancing a stay with us and they will have their own bathroom just across the hall, so they feel right at home. The smaller bedroom – will be the future home of a nursery, should God bless us with a little Baby D. Our walk-in closet is a little ridiculous – it's basically another bedroom. But we wanted a space to store all of our items in an organized fashion as well as have a little space for me to get ready and spread out my makeup and girly items. I am simply smitten with our master bed and bath. I am in heaven with the size of our bathroom and our tall ceilings. An oversized corner- jetted tub will sit snugly in the corner for me. JD has his oversized shower with custom seating and it will be completed with wrap ceramic tiling and custom clear-glass doors.

Our lot, with the foundation being laid. Not exactly the most exciting event in the world; but everyone and everything starts somewhere. : ) We have plans and have chatted with our landscaper about a nice path, adding in some trees and a design upfront with lots of plants and flowers. JD has already given me the go-ahead (thank you babe!) to plant my peonies in front along both sides of the driveway and of course lots of pretties next to our stone mailbox that goes up soon. We've met most of our neighbors and couldn't be more excited to live in this beautiful neighborhood. The house to the right of us, is a new build and the builder is looking for buyers. If your in the area and want a crazy Greek and Italian for neighbors – check us out!

As of today – all the inside walls are covered in primer and ready to be painted. The stone-masons are laying the stonework on the fireplace today. Oh sweet friends; we are just over 30 days from our close date – and we couldn't be more excited!

Read part I, here.

Happy Friday lovelies!!