IT’S hard enough to keep a two-up, two-down clean and tidy.
But try living in an old church!
Priscilla took to TikTok to share a video tour of her very unique home[/caption]
She and husband Morton live in this 154-year-old church[/caption]
She does her arts and crafts in the “cemetery studio”, but they don’t actually own the graveyard[/caption]
Their bedroom sits on the East altar in the church[/caption]
Luckily, homeowner Priscilla thinks that the messiness of her unique abode is “part of its charm”.
She shared a video tour of the 154-year-old property on her TikTok page, kicking off with the “cemetery studio”, where she creates her arts and crafts.
“There is a street that separates us from there,” she said.
“We don’t own that cemetery, we don’t take care of it, but in here is the wonderful world of glass in the studio.
“And I believe in showing warts and all, you’re gonna see some messy areas, but that’s part of the charm!”
She then took the camera into the bedroom she shares with husband Morton, as she said: “That’s our bedroom in the East altar.
“That’s the snuggle nest where we should watch movies up on this big wall.”
However, they spend most of their evenings in the West altar, where they’ve created a cute TV room.
“Our bedroom technically starts from there and goes to there, but I kind of consider this whole room my bedroom,” she said.
When it comes to decking out her home, Priscilla is all for getting items from all walks of life – including the local skip.
“These chairs I saved from the dumpster, I need to upholster them,” she said.
“They’re called bustle chairs.”
They’ve also made use of some of the church’s original features, including the pipe organ, which forms part of a makeshift bar.
There’s also a tiki room, and another organ she got for free from Craigslist, and a Wizard of Oz area because “there’s no place like home”.
Priscilla has various places in the church to work from when it comes to her painting, writing and crafting, and is even making a forest out of 20 feet tall papier-mâché trees.
There’s a dining table that stretches across 20 feet, and even more organs.
What are the rules for living in an old church?
WHILE the idea of living in an old church might be appealing to many, there are some things to keep in mind.
Firstly, how do you find a church that’s available to buy?
The Church of England has a list of closed churches that are up for sale and can potentially be converted into homes or business premises.
But you can expect to pay a lot for such a unique property – with prices sometimes going into the millions.
Before buying, you should get the church assessed, preferably by an architect, who should know about local regulations and rules.
You will also need to get the correct planning permission from your local council.
While the historical charm, massive interiors, high ceilings and natural light are several of the pros of living in a church, there are some downsides too.
Such as the cost of keeping it heated, the rules that may be in place for conversion, and insurance costs.
For more information, visit the Adrian Flux blog.
“I don’t know how many we have!” she laughed.
Their kitchen is a “work in progress”, as she showed Morton making some lemon curd, before lovingly adding: “Without Morton, none of this would happen.
“This is a dream come true.”
Other unique rooms in the property include the “hot cocoa room”, and the “library room”, which also houses a bed where her sister sleeps when she visits.
“As I said – warts and all! I never go through and clean something to show you.
“You’re going to see it as we live in it.”
Their son lives with them too, in a self-contained 2,400 square foot basement in the church, complete with two-bedrooms
And one of the most exciting places in the church is the bell tower, from which they can see over the whole of their small village in Pennsylvania.
“We have about 10,000 square feet of living space, on five different floors,” Priscilla said.
“So we got enough room. Two basements. One awesome one that our son lives in.
“One creepy that is going to hopefully become a glass studio someday for me.
“Maybe, maybe not. Who knows?”
“This place is my dream,” one person commented on the video.
“I swear I’ve seen your home in my dreams….!”
“It must be AMAZING at night with all of your beautiful lights!!!” another gushed.
As a third mused: “The house is beautiful but cleaning… must be a nightmare.”
“Nope! Robot vacuum, we don’t really get dust,” Priscilla replied.
“Definitely spend less than 2 hours weekly cleaning.”
Priscilla also rescues homeware bits from the tip – like these bustle chairs[/caption]
There are numerous lovingly named rooms, such as this library room[/caption]
And while it’s messy, Priscilla insisted it’s “part of its charm”[/caption]
