our housing dilemma

Yesterday afternoon the boys and I ventured out to the town where Ryan works.  Have I ever mentioned that he works 40 miles away in a very small town (population 1800)?  I'm not sure why the government decided to build their research station there, but they did. 

When we first moved here, we tried to find a place closer to Ryan's work, but not wanting to buy (Ryan's job is temporary - I explain it by saying that it's sort of like a medical residency, just for a person with a doctorate degree - it's meant to last only 2 to 4 years), we just had no luck and ended up in the closest "big" town about 40 miles away.  It has turned out to be a good thing that we are here because of Peter and the services he has needed and being able to put him in a good preschool this past year.  But, next year he will enter kindergarten and I really think that he might be better off in a smaller school where he would get more attention from teachers, aides, and therapists.  I called and talked to the speech therapist in the small town elementary school and it was confirmed - his speech therapy would be on a one-to-one basis for a longer time instead of in a small group setting for a shorter time as it would be in our current town.  I'd also like to be more involved in Peter's classroom and it would be much easier if we were somewhere where Ryan could just pop home for an hour to watch Ned and then go back to work.

We are also nearing the end of Ryan's appointment - we know he has to be finished by November 2010, so we are absolutely in the last year and a half and that might mean more late hours in order to get things done.  Not to mention the fact that he has never quite gotten used to his commute.  He does carpool most days in the winter, but in the summer he often has to drive by himself, and boy did that hurt with last summer's gas prices!

So, we thought it might be a good idea to try again to find a place to rent in the town where he works.  And today we went to see the a potential place.  On the upside, everything was functional and fairly clean, the house was bigger than where we are now, the garage was ginormous, and the rent is significantly less than what we pay now and we would save a lot in gas too.  On the downside, it was so ugly that I'm not sure I can do it, even for only a year and a half.  There was dark wood paneling in the entire (and fairly large) living room and upstairs bedroom (which would be my sewing space), along with a few random pieces of wall paper, horrible light fixtures, pretty ugly carpet and the entryway had been painted with that sponging technique that is oh so 15 years ago.  I tentatively asked about the prospect of painting and was pretty much shot down (the landlady said she had just painted almost the entire house, including that hideous entryway).  Am I being too prideful?  Should I just suck it up and live with it for a little while?  Will you still read my blog even if you see wood paneling in the background of the photos?  I'm pretty sure the owners like the wood paneling - some sort of rustic appeal - bringing the outdoors in sort of thing, so I don't think we'd convince them to do anything to it.  So if we do decide to move there, does anyone have any great ideas on temporary ways to cover up walls or brighten up dark wood paneled rooms? 

I'd love to say that something better might come up, but based on our previous experience, it probably won't.  The places we looked at when we first moved out here were in such disrepair that they really were unlivable.   At least this place has new pipes, new electrical, is wired for cable, and had forced air heat with a fairly new furnace.  We will do some more searching, but that is difficult too.  All of this is by word of mouth - I suppose they figure if you want to live there, you know someone who knows someone who...it's a little frustrating because we don't really know anyone. Oh, what is a girl to do?

Comments

[Karen]

I'm sorry. Hopefully something else will come up!

[Emily]

I know what my husband would say.. "Go for it! Bite the bullet and live there. Looks aren't everything" But Jess, I totally totally understand how you feel. A girl definately should have that sense of pride in how her home looks... especially if she's the one in it all day everyday.
I guess it depends on how much those pros weigh out those cons. Good luck sista!
P.S. did you go to Lava? How was it?

[Beth]

Oh, I know how the commute can weigh on you. My hubby commutes 50 miles in one direction and I go 30 miles in the other.

My gut reaction is to go for it because in the long run it will be less stress (hubby more often home, less money going out, Peter's school), but I know how depressing a bad living environment will be.

You could hang fabric on the paneling to brighten it (of course then you would have to vacuum the walls), a beautiful wallhanging in the foyer to take the focus away from the hideous sponging (ugh). Or you could do something like this: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/wallpaper/easychange-removable-wallpaper-from-sherwin-williams-055482

Is there a lot of competition for houses in this town? Maybe you could give it a few weeks and see if something else looks good?

[Emily]

That's tough.. but it does seem that there are a lot of positives about moving. Knowing how talented you are, I bet you can make even dark walls look good:)

[Phoebe]

I was thinking fabric over the walls, too.

What would your deposit be? Would the landlady be coming over often? Maybe you could paint the entry and then repaint it back to the ugliness -not that it could be replicated- before you move out, or just kiss your deposit goodbye.

[Michelle]

Jessi, you can do it. You can turn the ugly into beautiful, I *know* it. Think of some bunting, how well it will brighten things up. Have you seen what fabric and starch can do for walls? Just find some opaque (I started to write non-see-through-able!) fabric, get a wallpaper trough and some bottles of liquid starch, and put up the fabric just like wallpaper. It's *extremely* messy to put up, but fun in a finger painting kind of way, and you can just peel it right down when you're leaving the place. Good luck finding something else, but if not, there are definitely options to make *any* place, even a dark-wood-paneled and sponged interior, into a space that you can live with.

[Sarah]

I think you should probably just move. It is only temporary.

We live in a rental house and I just painted without asking. I am not sure I would paint paneling without asking, but paint over sponge paint? I would just do it. The worst thing that happens is you lose the security deposit, right?

[Missy]

Have you checked the other REALLY small towns in the area like Howe or Butte? There may be some cute rentals in those sleepy towns.
I know you guys will make the right choice. If that choice ends up being moving to an ugly house, I know YOU can make it cute.
It's hard though, I've lived in ugly places that I hated and it kind of added to my depression in the winter.
Let us know what you decide. You can tack up (or stable) that paintable wallpaper and make the room any color you want. I think the fabric sounds like a fun idea too!

[Penny]

Oh gosh Jessi, that's such a tough decision but I bet you already know what the best decision is for you and your family. I'll still read if I see paneling in the background because even paneling cannot darken your wonderful style!

[Mom]

Fabric was the first thing that popped into my mind ... and I even might have some ... in the sewing/craft room you could even use some butcher paper and let the boys have a continual art project ... although it might be difficult to retrain them when you move. Going back to the 70's, you could hang "love" beads from ceiling to floor! We could gently staple a light bamboo, cork, or burlap over that dark, depressing paneling.... whatever you decide I'll come and help you brighten up the place... if you decide to move there!

[Anne]

Maybe cling vinyl? I'm picturing big white vinyl circles on the woodgrain paneling. waaaay retro, and easily removable.

[alison]

What a dilema. If you decide to move you could use your favorite vintage sheets as wall panels especially in your sewing room.

We live in a rental than has the same blah beige walls all through the house. I haven't done anything to the walls but I use bright art and furniture.

Good luck!

[LeeAnn]

With the some of the money you'd be saving in rent and gas, I say allot yourself a weekly fresh flower fund. And then only look at the flowers. :P