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The First Video Tour of our Modern Colonial

May 13, 2021

Just about a week after our final video tour of our modern cottage, we wanted to share the FIRST video tour of our new home. (If you missed why we chose this house, you can check out this post!). There are several things we'll be doing before we move in at the end of next month, so we recorded this video tour to document the house as we bought it. It's full of charm and potential...and a lot of squishy carpet. Hopefully this gives you a better feel for how the house flows! We also recorded a talking walkthrough discussing some of our plans (which, if you have been following on stories, have already changed--haha!) that we'll post on IGTV soon! For now, enjoy the tour! (You can also watch it on YouTube right here!)

 

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  1. AH! Congratulations to you all! We're also relocating our family from the Midwest to the Triangle area this Summer! I hope the home & the climate bring you and your family lots of joy. I'm excited to live through your new renovation while working on our own.

  2. I am so excited to see how you make this house your own. It has so many cute areas and I feel like the layout is so much better for you with the separate office entrance and the in law suite for your family stays!

  3. Beautiful home! Any plans so far for the master bedroom closets? Our master bedroom has almost the same set-up with "his and hers" closets on either side of the hall from the bedroom to the bathroom; we are excited for some inspiration!

  4. The house exterior and landscaping is beautiful! Lots of potential for making the interior yours!

  5. It is truly amazing and just beautiful - and the grounds - wow! It is perfect - so very happy for you! I'm excited to see what changes you make! Are you keeping the cherry floors throughout? My house has cherry floors and our kitchen has the dark cabinets as well - I am very much looking forward to see what you do there!

  6. We have the exact same light fixture in our front entry and I have been looking for 2 years for something to replace it with. Cant wait to see what you come up with!

  7. Beautiful! I can't wait to see your spin on it. I wonder how many of your projects I've guessed? Maintaining that landscaping, though, eek!!

  8. Beautiful! We are in the process of moving states as well and your post on your worries and fears are so similar to my own. I hope it feels like home soon ❤

  9. Love love love the architecture, arches, curb appeal, mature trees, boxwoods, landscaping and vines! It really is stately, homey and cozy all in one! What a rare feat! It gives off Father of the Bride vibes! One of my favorite movie homes! What a perfect home for your family! It will be a joy to watch you design the interior to work best for your family! I gathered from your blog you will be updating the staircase, your bathroom and closet, the flooring, the fireplace, and the kitchen! I will be visiting your blog often! How exciting ! So thrilled for you and your family!

  10. I was really grieving when I learned you were selling your home. I got so invested in that place! But gosh, this Raleigh home is gorgeous! I’m a Southerner and this home is just classic and lovely. I cannot wait to see how you update and personalize it for your family. I think it’s just perfect for your home and your business. I hope you and your girls love living in the south!

  11. Stunning house, so happy for you all! I really am am excited to follow you on this new journey!

  12. I love the gardens, what a gem of a house and what beautiful gardens! Wishing you the best in packing, moving and settling into your new home.

  13. So much amazing Julia potential! I wish you all the best as you take this next step a little bit unsure and afraid!

  14. Such a beautiful home, and I know you will even improve upon it. I once had a house built for me and switched up the dining and kitchen. I didn't want to have to walk across the carpeted formal dining when I returned home from work and with groceries, etc. I put in a pocket door for those occasions I had a stranger ring bell or wanted to direct people to living room and not view my kitchen prep yet. I know you are queen of pocket doors and your kitchen will be worth showing off. I hope you got the gardner's name that maintains the shrubbery so beautifully. I am excited for you to get started on your Modern Colonial. I just got over the Modern Cottage after seeing all this potential.(Well, sort of over it.)

  15. Such a classically beautiful canvas for you to work your incredible magic! I love it as it is but know it can be so much more. I have to say that I would never put the kitchen in the front but if anyone can make it work, you can. It will be so much fun to watch it transform into a Modern Cottage masterpiece. Enjoy!

  16. It’s really lovely ☺️ magical, this house has much more chance to be high end looking than the previous home I think :)

  17. this is hiarious. i didn't read the part of this blog post where they asked for feedback on the video editing

  18. I'm so excited for you all! Thanks for taking us along this journey again. Can you share what year this house was built (or renovated)?

  19. It’s just so beautiful. I have to admit - I know, know, know you will make it incredible, but it kills me to see the beautiful traditional dining room by the front entry go. You do you, and it will be great, but I am old school and still love the formal dining room at the entrance, and it seems especially fitting for that house. Of course it will be perfect in the end...just wishing there was a way to magically make square footage appear in the kitchen area without affecting the front dining room. :)

  20. Wow! What an amazing house!! I love it already and can't wait to watch you guys put your stamp on it! Best wishes in your new home and town.

  21. So happy for you and family ! This looks like the campus of a prestigious Eastern college! Perfection!

  22. I am filled with excitement for you. I see all the good bones inside and the outdoor areas feel magical to me and a little bit fairy tale. It's going to be fantastic. I can't wait to see you all in there, happy, settled and creating more beautiful spaces. Here's to new chapters tackled with new wisdoms x

  23. Love it! So curious about the shutters. we have shutters and i have a love/hate with them. they do help block out light but they also block out so much light! haha. excited to see what you choose. thanks for sharing. so happy for your family. what a beautiful home

    1. We have a love/hate relationship with ours (that came with the house), too. I love them in the bathroom because you can allow air flow and light while retaining privacy and on the side of the house that looks at a neighbor but we've been slowly replacing them. We used blinds that have vanes inside of two sheer panels and that seems like the best of both worlds. Plus, ours are motorized which makes it so easy to change the light and privacy. Can't wait to see what you do!

  24. I love it! The grounds are beautiful and I can’t wait to see a pool in the backyard.

    So many projects to do, I can’t wait to follow along.

  25. Wow! Congratulations! So gorgeous! I can't wait to see how you make it your own.
    However, my ears are bleeding from the music accompanying your video. This is not the 10,000 meters at the Olympics--the drama isn't necessary.

      1. In the past I have only ever loved your houses AFTER you completely redid them, but this house is an AMAZING canvas already!! I am so excited to see how you make it even better considering you've taken some pretty sad houses and turned them into absolute showstoppers. This house, to me, is already a showstopper (especially from the outside), so I am beyond excited to see you transform it even further.

  26. Gorgeous & still a lot to put your mark on!

    Piece of advice for someone who lives in the Raleigh area - hire the previous owners' garden/lawn maintenance service ASAP. It takes a LOT of work to keep the landscaping looking like that in this climate. I'm positive they had a regular professional service and landscapers are difficult to find around here right now.

      1. As someone who inherited mature landscaping including quite a bit of trimmed hedging, this was my first thought too!

  27. I’ve loved all your houses but the one thing that really stood out to me in this video of your new place is how much sunlight streams in! It is so much lighter and brighter than your other ones (I just rewatched your final house videos of your last 2) and that makes me love it so much! I’m sure it will be a great place for you all!

  28. The house looks amazing! I’m so excited to see how you decorate and renovate. Wondering if someday you might consider posting a full video tour without all the cuts to different angles? Was a bit confusing for me to tell where we were in some of the spaces. Would love to see how all the rooms flow.

    1. Hi Katie, I'm sure once they move in, they'll do an actual walk through inside and out (like they did with the current house). Like you, that's the best way for me to get a really good feel for how the house flows.

    2. I agree, I was very confused by all the cuts, rotating, and quick movements. The house is beautiful, though, and it will also be easier to understand the layout once rooms have furniture and don't all look the same!

  29. Safety and security have always been important to CLJ, so to all CLJ followers, can we NOT ask about floor plans and where exterior doors are located? My goodness. Some followers already know the exact address. This is not okay. They are showing so much of the new house already and its been less than a week. Lets sit back, let all the fun information of the house unfold, follow the journey and enjoy the show. xoxo

  30. Lovely home! I normally get a little motion sick on your videos with the swiping around the corners --- seems too fast. And the cuts make it a little hard to understand the flow of the house. Your videos have definitely improved the past few years, though. Keep working on it!

  31. It’s so beautiful and I cannot wait to watch the changes you have in mind! I have a question about hardwood floors upstairs... is it loud when you are downstairs? We are really contemplating this because of my husbands allergies but I’m afraid of the noise. Thank you!

  32. While obviously not yet your style, this home is VERY HOMEY. It just *feels* like a cozy loving warm place to raise a family.

  33. I love this so much. I grew up on the East Coast and never really appreciated this style since I saw it all the time. I’m already enjoying you helping me see this architectural style through new eyes.
    I can see exactly why you bought this house. The office space could not be more perfect!! And the idea of guests being able to stay in a guest house instead of in the main house is amazing...And that walled garden instead of a typical backyard is breathtaking! Your girls are going to love it, there’s so much scope for the imagination there.

  34. Wow! So stunning. The exterior is a dream! I can’t wait for another ChrisLovesJulia bathroom renovation! So happy for your family!

  35. Wow, this house was meant for your family. I can't wait to see what you in each space. I found myself imaging where you might place the music room (the formal front room or upstairs on the landing, somewhere else?) and just finding places for each little nook. The guest suite and separate studio space were made for you.

  36. SO FUN! I caught myself whispering out loud "Greta's room maybe?" at one point! hahahaha We are ON. THIS. JOURNEY. with you! <3 Thank you for sharing!

  37. This is so beautiful and timeless. Congratulations on this new chapter in your lives. I hope it provides the balance your family needs to be healthy and happy. ~ Blessings

  38. I love it! It reminds me of the traditional red brick home I grew up in. So beautiful. Did you see recently how Jen @makingprettyspaces redid her front hall stairs from curved to straight? I thought of that right away when I saw your front hall :) But i'm sure you have great plans for it all!

  39. This home is a stunner! The landscaping is so dreamy. Can't wait to see what you do to make it a home for your family. And a warm welcome to NC from Charlotte! Hope you love it here!

  40. This is so lovely. The brick arches and mature landscaping add so much beauty to this home. Thank you for taking us along for the ride as you move and bring new life to yet another house. Best wishes to the both of you and your sweet daughters.

  41. Colonial in the front but pure English countryside magic in back with the arches and passages and privet hedges and courtyard!

  42. Oh I can’t wait to see you transform this gorgeous house into your style! Amazing property! Congratulations

  43. The house has SO MUCH POTENTIAL! And I am so excited to follow along and watch what you do to it. Thank you for letting us come along on this journey with you and your family!

  44. This is so exciting! I can’t wait to see what you do with the place- not only in decorating but in how you make the spaces flow! I would have definitely bought this gem for the exterior alone but personally would have a hard time making the inside flow (which is my problem house hunting now). I can’t wait to get inspired by what you do with this house! It’s gonna be GOOD!!

  45. This is like a story book cottage (on a grand scale)! The windows, the woodwork, the arches and the landscaping! Today's construction can't equal the same feeling you get from how well done this home is! Although, I'm sure your additions will be lovely! I hope your health rebounds and you get to enjoy the peace this home feels like it has!

  46. I am so excited to follow along and watch you transform this beautiful home. It's elegant now but once you're finished with it, it will be gorgeous! PS... Can you start putting in the pool now so you can enjoy it by next summer? ;)

  47. So exciting!! Unsure of where to get to the guest house/ where it’s actual location is in adjacent to the main home.

      1. That is going to be so perfect for separating work from your home! Which is so so important.

      2. The girl’s Prom and Wedding pictures in your beautiful gardens will be gorgeous.
        Thank you for sharing so much with us.
        You 100% found a perfect home to share with your daughters.

  48. The landscaping is amazing. Makes the home feel like it’s been there 100 years. You found a great one and I can’t wait to follow along.

  49. Sorry wanted to add one more thing. I know how beautiful exterior trailing vines are on the walls of the house, we had some beautiful hydrangea vines on our chimney out our new house, we had two people recommend we remove them. One because of potential damage to the brick, but two and far worse, mice and rats live in them and use them to climb up the house to enter your attic, and we had mice!

    1. I have seen that same issues with so many homes in Pennsylvania. I could tell at one point they were beautiful homes but the vines can deteriorate the brick. And I have also seen insects and rodents climb up the vines and get inside the home. I even saw once where they were able to break a really old stained glass ​window and get in the house.

  50. I love it all and can’t wait to see what you both do with it. I live in traditional Charleston Single house with beautiful trim work and have been surrounded by all new beach cottage builds. I get a little jealous of the “new” but I love what you say about listening to your home and love where you live. I’m looking forward to what inspiration you bring to me.

  51. Thanks for the video. I got chills when you went through the double arches. What does the stairway up on the second floor in the girls hall go to? Did you say when the house was built?

  52. Wow!!! Naturally we need a floor plan! It’s unbelievable ! So happy for you all and I hope your health improves!!

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