Once upon an evening, in July 2022, Two love birds walked down Concord Street in downtown Orlando. With tea in hand, they strolled down their familiar hometown street and stumbled upon a cottage. The property was having an open house, and for fun, Holly & Mikhail walked inside. The 1925 house was charming and had character. The current owner walked the couple throughout the home and to the backyard to introduce the expansive garden. She shared stories of how she and her husband enjoyed having soiree's and inviting new friends in for celebrations and as they admired the garden, shared that they were now wanting to retire and hand off their work so far to an owner with more energy. Holly; with no shortage of energy and vision was immediately inspired. They went home and in very short order, she illustrated her vision, then proposed a plan to Mikhail. The couple's first post below in December of 2022, shows Holly's rendering of what she hoped the house could become. Stating:
"I want it to be the most inspiring house in Orlando, the most photographed, and a place people from all walks of life travel to just to catch a glimpse"
To Holly's surprise, Mikhail agreed, and within just a couple months, they took ownership, and started to make the plan a reality. As with most historic homes, it was full of surprises, and not the fun kind. Nearly 100 years, and changes in ownership left the house in a fragile state, and the floors & walls were full of surprises like wood rot, mold, and hundreds of shortcuts from previous contractors that left the house unsafe and in general, a hazard. Everyday brought new issues and costly repairs. Tackling one job after another, leaving no stone unturned. The couple completed task after task until the home was meticulously restored, and elevated to a degree only the naked eye can appreciate. Fast forward to today, and the couple has proudly made their dream a reality.
