The House That Wasn't Next

When the Scandinavian Harrison left the workshop, I thought I knew exactly what would take its place......The Lawbre.

It's one of the rarest houses in my collection—a one-of-a-kind custom build from the 1980s. I'd already spent time creating design mockups and thinking through its restoration. On paper, it was the obvious choice. So, I walked out to the garage to bring it inside.

Instead, I came back carrying Victoria's Farmhouse.

It wasn't a decision I had planned. In fact, I don't remember thinking about it at all. I simply reached for a different house. That might sound strange, but I've learned not to ignore moments like that. Some houses are ready before I am. Others need more time.

The Lawbre has been quietly waiting, and I have a feeling it will continue waiting a little longer. Not because I don't know what I want to do with it, but because I haven't quite figured out what it wants to become. That kind of hesitation used to frustrate me. Now I've learned to trust it.

Creative work has its own timing. Sometimes ideas arrive fully formed. Sometimes they need weeks—or months—of quietly taking shape in the background before they finally feel right. The Lawbre is still doing that.

Victoria's Farmhouse wasn't.

As soon as I set it on the table, I knew I'd made the right choice. The exterior needed a little attention, but it already hinted at what it could become. The interior, on the other hand, was another story entirely. Every room had been painted in bold jewel tones, each reflecting the vision of someone who had loved the house before me.

It wasn't calling for a complete reinvention. It was simply asking for a fresh beginning. I've learned not to rush houses that aren't ready. And I've learned not to question the ones that quietly insist it's their turn.

The Lawbre will have its moment. When it does, I want to begin with confidence rather than obligation. Until then, Victoria's Farmhouse has taken her place on the table.

Sometimes the next story chooses you.