The Window We Took Out (And Why It Was Worth It)

I know I’m going to break some hearts with this update, but hear me out… it was worth it.

When we moved into Pauline Manor, the very front room of the house was staged as a bedroom. It had a massive window facing the street, tons of natural light, and one of those dreamy views you only get in old houses with big porches and mature trees. A lot of people loved that window, and honestly, so did we.

But we had different plans for the space.

We turned that room into Mike’s movie memorabilia room. If you know Mike, you know how much he loves movies. It’s not just a casual hobby. He’s passionate about the storytelling, the characters, the collectibles… all of it. Getting to carve out a dedicated space in the house just for that brought him so much joy. Watching him light up when a new piece arrives or he rearranges the shelves is exactly the kind of happiness this house was meant to hold.

And now for the controversial part – we enclosed the window.

I know. Believe me, I know. Taking out original features is not something we do lightly. But here’s the thing. That window, while beautiful, faced due east and brought in a ton of heat. It wasn’t hurricane-rated, it rattled during storms, and it was single-pane glass in a room we were trying to make more soundproof, more energy-efficient, and more secure.

More importantly, we needed that wall. And not just for some shelves or a desk. We needed it for the wall. The one that’s now covered top to bottom in an incredible Indiana Jones montage. Posters, props, framed pieces, collectibles… Mike has built the coolest tribute to one of his favorite characters, and that wall is now the showstopper of the whole room.

So yes, we lost a window. But in the process, we gained a space that feels like it truly belongs to the people who live here now. Kind of like when we removed the door in the living room. It’s a little more comfortable. A little more functional. And a lot more fun.

And in the spirit of compromise, I’ll be adding even more flowers outside that section of the house so it doesn’t lose its charm from the street. Because at the end of the day, this house is always going to be about balancing the old with the new, and making it a home that actually works for us.

… But some would say they belong in a museum.