I love it when I feature a beautiful single wide remodel and people actually doubt that it’s a true mobile home. Yesterday’s post, “A Magnificent Mobile Home” did just that. I was even emailed asking if the interior photos were really from a single wide! I assure you they are.
If you follow MHL, you know that after I feature a home I ask the owner a few questions. I am certain it’s the best way to share the “been there and done that” experience and know how of the homeowners. I also think it gives us a little more insight about the featured homeowner and how and why they did certain things. Miss Geneva of “My Heart’s Song,” a wonderfully entertaining blog has been gracious enough to answer these questions with complete honesty and thoughtfulness, so sit back for a minute, read this interview and then go to her blog and enjoy ALL the great things there!
The Interview
Name:
Buzz and Geneva
Location:
Texas
Model/Year/Manufacturer/Size:
Coronado/2001/Fleetwood Homes of Texas/16X80
Two bedroom/two bath with the bedrooms at each end.
Years Lived In:
One year…We started remodeling in January of 2011 and actually started moving in on February 1st 2011.
My Favorite Style:
I guess you could call our style Eclectic. During our 43 years of marriage, Buzz and I have always enjoyed decorating with antiques. We enjoy the way they give our home character, and we’re usually on the same page when it comes to collecting (which gets us into trouble sometimes). Nearly everything in our home came from a Thrift Store/ Flea Market/ Auction or Garage Sale and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
My Inspiration:
We get a lot of inspiration from blogs like Mobile Home Living, but our taste has really evolved through the years from reading decorator magazines, visiting unique shops and homes, and now Pinterest has opened a whole new world to us. We really get inspiration from just about everything we see.
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| Master Bedroom Collage |
Favorite room/place in the home:
We truly enjoy every inch of our home, but I think Buzz would agree that our two favorite places are our Master Bath and Kitchen because they look so dramatically different from when we started, and reflect our personal style.
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| For complete details of Master Bath remodel go here. |
Biggest Challenge so far:
When we first purchased the house, we knew there was water damage in the sub-floor of the Master Bedroom, but when we ripped up the carpet we realized it was much worse than we had thought. Instead of a small repair job, we decided to replace the entire sub-floor. If it hadn’t been for my brother helping us, we would never have made our 30 day target for move in. Thankfully, the
rest of the house was in good shape … when it came to the sub-floor anyway.
What Friends Say:
I’ll admit that our friends were a little concerned for us when they found out we had purchased a used mobile home. However, without fail, they have all said…”This place looks just like you guys” “It looks just like a new home”. One of our favorite reactions to the remodel came from our neighbor, who had
looked at the home before we started working on it and had even thought about buying it herself. The day we invited her in she just kept saying “OH MY GOSH” as she entered each room. It made us feel really happy!!!
Biggest Embarrassment:
For me personally, it’s the underpinning and yard. However, I will say that the yard has improved 100% if not more during this past year… and a garden just takes time to mature. Once our plants mature, they will conceal the underpinning, so my sources of embarrassment should disappear. “:o)
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| I don’t think it will take to long at all! |
Proudest DIY Moment:
Buzz and I both agree that our proudest moment was when we added the texture to all the walls. Buzz had the vision way before I did… He took every piece of trim off the walls, around doors, windows, ceiling etc and used MANY tubes of caulking to fill in all the seams, then we taped and bedded everything. After the texture had been sprayed on and dried, we were struck by how much
the mobile home looked like new a new home. It was like night and day! Of course if we ever move this house we’ll have some patching to do, but it will still be worth it.
Biggest Indulgence:
Our Roof! After living in the house for a few months, we dreamed of a steel roofover, but it just wasn’t in our budget. Then God intervened and after a bad storm came through our area, our insurance company gave us a check & the amount allocated for the roofing repairs was exactly how much we needed to have the new roof installed. Our home is so quiet, the utilities are down at least 30% if not more, plus we no longer hear that rumbling noise when the wind blows.
We Love It!
Best Advice:
Of course, if you’re buying a used Mobile Home, you’ll want to do a thorough inspection to make sure it is in good condition. Especially, check that flooring…“:o) Once you do buy your home, make it your own! Add all the personal touches you would in any other home… you’ll be surprised at how comfortable your mobile home can be.
Sources of materials/supplies for remodel:
Perma-Roof from Southern Builders
Allure vinyl flooring, carpeting, paint and painting supplies, appliances, shower enclosure, ceiling fans and all lumber came from Home Depot and Lowes Home Improvement stores
Ceiling light fixtures, curtains and some accessories from Ikea
Wall light fixtures, cafe door in master bath, and other small fixtures came from Restore Resale Shop (habitat for humanity)
Wonderful photographs and complete steps of how each room was remodeled is on her blog. I have read quite a bit of it and there is so much more I can’t wait to get to. Recipes, visits to beautiful gardens, blogging tips and so much more. This blog is for anyone! Geneva has an eye for beauty and whimsy and she knows how to share them in an entertaining manner. She even includes inspiring quotes (which is a favorite of mine) with her gorgeous photos.
All in all, your gonna love My Heart’s Song whether you live in a mobile home or not. She is an inspiring and intelligent woman and I am honored to call her my blogging friend! Thank you, Geneva for giving us mobile home owners the inspiration and information to know what is possible with our homes. It isn’t WHAT you live in, it’s what lives in you!
As always, thank you for reading Mobile Home Living. Please like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and do all the other things you do when you like a blog. Have a great day!
