Projects...Purpose...and Dreams
By Shelly Thompson
When I was a little girl I always wanted to own an old building...some day...in the way off future when I grew up. My hearts desire was to own a tiny piece of history...with a story, that I could add my own story too. I grew up and my life took many journeys, but after many years...just when I was about to bury that 'old building' dream....the opportunity to own an 1875 bank building arrived. With encouragement from my family, my husband and I took the plunge...we bought the bank. Literally. We became the owners of a vacant old bank building in historic Walnut, Iowa...right on Main Street! This wasn't just any location...it was a destination. Walnut, Iowa is known as 'The Antique Capital' of Iowa by a governor's proclamation even!
In addition to writing and reading way too many books, I enjoy painting, building, and attempting to reuse anything I find discarded (that now included an old bank building). Imagine my sheer happiness, when I landed in the Iowa mecca of old and amazing stuff! Not only did I get my old building dream fulfilled, but God had placed it squarely in the middle of a historic downtown, with brick lined streets, victorian houses, amazing people, and more vintage and rustic treasures then my heart ever dared to hope for. I had moved way beyond my alley collecting days growing up on 5th Street. (You can click here to read that journey!)
What I didn't realize as a child is that what I thought was 'my' dream, was actually a dream that God had placed in my heart (Psalm 37:4). From a Father to a daughter. And while I can see His creativity in me...like Father, like daughter...I love when He paints the sky and colors the trees and the ocean so they are absolutely breath taking. His desires...in my heart.
I now get to writes book, journal, traverse about the Midwest locating amazing finds and collecting their stories, as God continues to write my adventure journey with Him. I've learned everything can have a purpose. There is no scrap that can't be used for something. And that's...how I live my life...collecting stories and thanking God for accompanying me on the adventure of a lifetime!
Here's a sample of a few fun things we've done...our projects with purpose...starting with a renovation of a room in our 1875 bank building and then onto our 100-year-old fixer upper in Des Moines (soon to be available for sale!) Restoration is at the heart of my passion. A gift from my Heavenly Father.
In addition to writing and reading way too many books, I enjoy painting, building, and attempting to reuse anything I find discarded (that now included an old bank building). Imagine my sheer happiness, when I landed in the Iowa mecca of old and amazing stuff! Not only did I get my old building dream fulfilled, but God had placed it squarely in the middle of a historic downtown, with brick lined streets, victorian houses, amazing people, and more vintage and rustic treasures then my heart ever dared to hope for. I had moved way beyond my alley collecting days growing up on 5th Street. (You can click here to read that journey!)
What I didn't realize as a child is that what I thought was 'my' dream, was actually a dream that God had placed in my heart (Psalm 37:4). From a Father to a daughter. And while I can see His creativity in me...like Father, like daughter...I love when He paints the sky and colors the trees and the ocean so they are absolutely breath taking. His desires...in my heart.
I now get to writes book, journal, traverse about the Midwest locating amazing finds and collecting their stories, as God continues to write my adventure journey with Him. I've learned everything can have a purpose. There is no scrap that can't be used for something. And that's...how I live my life...collecting stories and thanking God for accompanying me on the adventure of a lifetime!
Here's a sample of a few fun things we've done...our projects with purpose...starting with a renovation of a room in our 1875 bank building and then onto our 100-year-old fixer upper in Des Moines (soon to be available for sale!) Restoration is at the heart of my passion. A gift from my Heavenly Father.
The Gathering Room
This is the before and after photos of The Gathering Room. When we purchased the bank building in 2004 it was in severe disrepair. And while it was almost a gut job for The Gathering Room, it was worth the hard work. It is now a cozy, warm, inviting space with new life after almost 149-years-old. It's hard to believe, but over 2,000 women have visited The Gathering Room since 2017 when we opened this space.
The Dining Room of the 100-year-old fixer upper
This is the before and after photos of the dining room in our 100-year-old fixer upper in Des Moines. This home was purchased out of an estate sale a few years ago. It had set vacant for over two years. I wanted to give the dining room a New York theme. There was a lot of work to be done to bring this room into this decade, yet still leave the 100-year-old charm.
This is the before and after photos of the dining room in our 100-year-old fixer upper in Des Moines. This home was purchased out of an estate sale a few years ago. It had set vacant for over two years. I wanted to give the dining room a New York theme. There was a lot of work to be done to bring this room into this decade, yet still leave the 100-year-old charm.
After - Removing the carpet involved taking out about one million staples! The original wood floor underneath was in pretty good shape with some pet issues. Once cleaned and sanitized, it was sanded, stained, and coated with sealer. Removing the cupboards opened up the space dramatically. The wood from the cupboards was reused elsewhere, and the light fixture was repurposed. .
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I love a fireplace in the dining room, but there was not enough room to create a real one. Using an iron 1878 fireplace surround and faux logs, I was able to create a fireplace that kept the charm of the room and added the ambiance of a fireplace without taking up too much space. The fireplace sits on a long bench that we purchased years ago from an Amish school. It had been used for the young children to sit on while reading. I love that it had history too. Adding some boots and a sign with vintage books made it look like it belonged in the space.
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The Main Stairway of the 100-year-old fixer upper
The stairway was in really rough shape. Once we removed the carpet and one million nails...the wood was in really rough shape. However, after repairs and sanding, the stairs came back to life. The beautiful railing just needed a little stain and some wood oil. I decided to paint the stairs white. We also did ceiling repairs and painted the entire room and ceiling. The carpet from the living room was also removed and floors sanded, stained, and sealed.
The stairway was in really rough shape. Once we removed the carpet and one million nails...the wood was in really rough shape. However, after repairs and sanding, the stairs came back to life. The beautiful railing just needed a little stain and some wood oil. I decided to paint the stairs white. We also did ceiling repairs and painted the entire room and ceiling. The carpet from the living room was also removed and floors sanded, stained, and sealed.
A Smaller Project