A Lovely Craftsman Home...

Last weekend my cousin, Kirsten, and I journeyed to Idaho to attend the Memorial service for one of our dear Aunts. As we took the back roads through Duvall and North Bend to avoid the Friday morning work traffic, we reminisced about family reunions with our large extended family. 

One of our dad's brothers, Ozzie, and his wife, Shirley moved to Idaho many years ago with their children. Regretfully, too many years had passed since I had been to visit them...and now a visit for a sad occasion. My uncle, a WWII  hero, left this earth a year ago, and now his lovely wife has followed. Shirley was a warm, loving, kind, and gracious lady...always with a smile and sparkling blue eyes. Her faith in Christ was unshakable and she lived it out by loving her family and friends, and through her years as a nurse and many acts of service.

Aunt Shirley, beautiful still at 95!

I was anxious to see my cousins and get reconnected with them and their families. Thankfully, one of our cousins, Sharon, invited us to stay in her home so we had many opportunities to talk, laugh, and even cry together. We so enjoyed spending time with her grown children too! I got to stay in her delightful Norwegian guest room, with red and gold walls, a rosemaling border, and many treasures from Norway.

After the Memorial service on Saturday, we had the chance to visit with Sharon's brothers John and his wife, Tracy, and Keith, and his wife, Vikki. Sharon, knowing how I like unique houses, twisted John and Tracy's arms into letting us stop by to tour their home. John and Tracy are gifted artists...expressing their talents through design, wood, art work, upholstery, and paint as they crafted a lovely Craftsman style home. Yet both of them are so humble...not wanting to draw attention to themselves. 

Their house blew me away! Everywhere I looked  it was evident that thought, an artistic eye, and skilled carpentry and craftsmanship had come into play. I only had my iphone to take photos (of course!) but they graciously allowed me to snap away. As I look back at the photos now, I realize how much I missed!  I will share with you just a token of the design and artistry I captured that day. 

Entry posts:

Front railing created by John's brother, Keith...so much talent in the family!

The side of the house...

The backyard gate...

Our lovely cousin, Sharon, giving us a tour of the garden...

I got a kick out this...Grebnets Farm is our family name, Stenberg, spelled backwards :).

The back porch...see the creative railing?

The Norwegian welcome sign...

The beautiful and colorful kitchen...

The custom edging on the countertop...

John's custom and artistic cabinetry...

The adjacent dining room ceiling...

Even the place to hang keys and purses had artistic work!

Custom sideboard...

Tracy's lovely upholstery work on the dining room bench...

The custom painted and hand stenciled hall way...

The recently completed bathroom...note the custom cabinets and woodwork. 

Tracy said, "Are you really taking a picture of the toilet?!" Yes! I love the woodwork!

The backside of the entry that faces the living room...

Just had to show you the detail of the cabinet doors...

The living room ceiling...I got so distracted I forgot to take a photo of the living room...sigh.

The beautiful entry...

Hard to imagine that this was just an ordinary house with sheetrocked walls and builder basic trim when they purchased it, and now it is filled with custom crafted artistry everywhere you look. Amazing! I did not even get photos of the watercolor portraits John has done...such a gifted artist. Our Stenberg family has several gifted painters and artists....that gene passed me by, believe me! I'm just proud to be related to them! 

Sorry, John, I know  you said to keep this low key. I tried...I really did try! Thank you both for allowing us to drop by and letting me to take photos and post them. Love you, cuz!

The older I get, the more I appreciate and cherish the wonderful legacy of faith and unconditional love given me by my parents and their extended families. Their legacy truly does live on and inspires me to be more like them. If  you don't come from a family with a generational love of faith in God, then be the first...let it begin with you and those you love.  Go and love on your families! Warmly, Gracia