Pictures of the Past…My House in Key West

Michelle at My Notting Hill suggested I post some pics of my renovated Conch House in Key West after I mentioned it in her comments. Brian and I lived there while he was doing his training for four years. He flew planes for Continental Connection to and from the Bahamas and Miami, Palm Beach and Key West. We would spend weekends with the kids in places like Harbour Island, Disneyworld, Palm Beach and Islamorada. So much fun!

The house was a great find, I found through a co-worker at…of all places…Heavenly Ham! Marie’s in-laws were living in Orlando now, and needed good renters…nice.

Among Eyebrow Cottages and Shotguns in the Keys, a Conch House is, as defined by Wickipedia…

“A conch house is a style of architecture generally found in tropical climates, especially in the Bahamas and Florida Keys. These homes are "typified by a rectangular floor plan and mass with a full-façade porch, raised foundation and tall sash windows with louvers." ^[1] With stylistic roots from the Bahamas, New England and Africa, conch homes blend wood, Gulf Coast, Caribbean and New England elements.”

Our rental was renovated from studs…it had a  great front porch with a swing, and a gate to the left to the back of the house. The master bedroom was up front, and a large living and kitchen addition out back connecting to the deck with seamless double doors. We bought our furniture at Rooms to Go…knowing we would only need it for a short time. To live in a different climate, immersed in a different culture was something I will always be grateful for.

It was a lovely time in our lives :) These pictures were taken with a film camera! Remember those?

Feasting on ahi tuna and caesar salad outside on the back deck

Towards the back deck from the kitchen pass through. The French doors had no center frame, so you could open them up to the outdoors all day. They mostly have crawling bugs there…not flying ones!!

Another deck dinner…or is that the same one?

This was moving day…the DR area

Down the long hallway typical to renovated conch houses, with all the bedrooms and bath off that hallway. Check out the relief of the palm tree on the column adjacent the clock! There was a loft area above the kitchen looking down into the space, with a great wooden ladder.

Another moving day picture…the owner’s lamp and wicker still in the living room. Later I moved it to the master bedroom.

This is the only picture I could find with my orchid wall…this is after a wind storm…I discovered the reason palm trees are shaped like they are; the wind is powerful…even the chairs have even been blown around! There is a night blooming jasmine in the corner of the hot tub area, and when the steam would hit it, the smell…well…so strong and beautiful…I have never smelled anything like it!

My 90’s Living Room in Key West, right off Duval St. I must have had the air conditioning on that day…otherwise there is no way the doors would be closed!! You can see the jasmine through the door on the left, and the ladder to the loft above the kitchen.

When I close my eyes, I can be back there in an instant…