Morrisnm3's Profile

I grew up in the suburbs of DC and swore I would never move back and never raise a family there. I hated the sterility of big-box shopping centers and the auto-centric culture which had me on the school bus for 2 hours a day and my parents commuting about the same to work. I've softened my perspective now that I'm in my late twenties and can see that the suburbs can make sense for families and that some suburbs are adapting to include better transit, non-big box shops etc. As millennial and Gen Yers age, I bet we'll see a greater mix of choices than the baby boomer's mass exodus to the suburbs.
My personal choice is small city life- I own a house with a big yard but I can still bike to work, walk to local shops and my future children will attend great public schools that they can walk to. But again, it's up to the communities to adapt to the demands of the next generation- less driving, good schools and a sense of place.

I have a similar house built in 1910 and this gives me hope and inspiration that my house will one day be this awesome.

Have you thought about using bed risers? They're cheap, easy and fairly stable way to do this, albeit not the prettiest. I used bed raisers on a make-shift kitchen island for a year and never had any stability issues and did no damage to the floors or the dresser. Hope that helps!

I immediately recognized that "monticello yellow"!
It's a great day trip for those who live in the DC area to visit monticello. The gardens are also worth the trip if you're looking for some outdoor inspiration.
Excellent post, AT!