two year home tour

Brooke Frontiera
Apr 30
2 min read

exactly two years ago we decided to flip our live upside down and move to this tiny lake house. we had our concerns and excitements and with such a big transition for us, the first year blew by in kind of a blur as we settled in.

it was April 2023 that we packed up the last of our things, said goodbye to our home and friends for the last 9 years and headed up to Brooklyn, MI. staying true to a lot my experiences, this transition was a bit of a roller coaster ride for me while on the other hand Bob doesn't seem to be phased...sounds about right.

settling in with the neighbors wasn't hard because we've been coming to this spot since 2017 when we bought our cottage [that we now live directly across the street from]. we knew we'd be missing our friends from Cincinnati but there were also little luxuries we didn't know we'd be adjusting to...

more hippie than suburban

things like not having enough space for a water filtration system means orange rust everywhere...goodbye white clothes + linens. living off a dirt road and no air filtration system means dust in every crevice, all the time. inhabiting a cottage built in the 1940's with zero concern for comfort or energy efficiency means long, cold, drafty winters. we got to experience in real time the things we've grown accustom to that we took for granted. my suburban side truly appreciates them and I will be getting them back in my life.

here's some super before pictures that showcases the 1940's vibe

glad we moved

although these things do impact our day to day living it's not the end of the world and we're still so glad we made the move. being on the lake during the summer weekdays and walking to the property are probably our favorite things. forrest agrees too, he's living his best life as self proclaimed 'president of the hello committee' making sure he doesn't miss any action around here.

the home tour

we absolutely love the smaller size house and the freedom we've gained from not having to maintain as much home. we love our evening walks and chatting with our neighbors...so many great people around us. although the winters are a little rough for me it's like a different world when there's no one around for the season and I'm grateful to experience it.

still the best things for me are the projects around the home. it's even more fun now because the scale of anything I get into isn't nearly as daunting. I don't think it will matter where I am I will always find a way to make, create and get messy...with these hands...it's how I put my love into where ever we call home.

here's a little walk thru of our home + some links of the different projects I've shared about.

new flooring closet install boho bistro table, finally using our patio furniture, starting the loft wall headboard, sewing studio, mini split install