Loving an old house

“Old houses have baggage.” — Candace Olson.

I laughed when I heard that.  It resonates with me because I have loved, and worked on, a 100-year-old house, for the past 20 years.

What were we thinking?

It certainly didn’t have curb appeal – look at those bushes!

A year after we moved in, I realized that the house looked just like the sketch I drew as a kid over and over again.   And, it closely resembles the doll house my dad and brother built for me.

Years later, I know why we bought it.  We needed to leave our mark on something.

A few years later.

Home as a haven from the world

When so much of the news is doom and gloom, I clean the house; move a piece of furniture; rearrange my ceramics collection; and, buy fresh flowers.

Redesigning my nest gives me the illusion that I have control over what is going on in the world.  It’s comforting to have a home that is welcoming.

What is your idea for holding the world at  bay?

Finding the “perfect” house

I stayed up late reading “Life Would Be Perfect If I Lived In That House” by Meghan Daum.  It’s a funny and poignant look at her home search.  The underlying message is that we can’t have perfect but we can have pretty darn good!

Have you ever obsessed over a house or region of the country?

Squirrel Decorating

Last fall, branches were trimmed from the giant Oak Tree next door.

The squirrels have returned.  They are frantically trying to create a new home in the crook of the tree, while the wind wails.

Have you ever noticed someone making themselves crazy, trying to make a room perfect?  What results is a room that doesn’t reflect the homeowners’ personalities; OR, the room is abandoned, out of frustration.

The warmest, most inviting rooms evolve over time – not carted out of a store.

Let’s not spin into a decorating frenzy, like the squirrels.

Do parents influence your decorating?

Growing up, I never realized that my parents were pretty hip in their decorating choices.  Check out the original mid-century modern furniture and accessories in their living room.  This was taken the day of my grammar school graduation.

To this day, I like rooms with clean lines and just a few accessories to add a touch of warmth and personality.   However, I will never have peacocks on my living room walls!

How did your parents or older adults influence your choices as you were growing up?

Early influences shape our decorating taste

When I was a child, a copy of Better Homes & Gardens was always on my parents’ coffee table.  I would pore over the floor plans for hours, pondering the architect’s terms and their meaning.  At the age of eight, my dad made me a dollhouse from a BH&G plan.  I still have that house; it’s made out of plywood, with a center handle made to resemble a fireplace chimney.  Mom filled with the house with small versions of iconic design treasures, including a bright red Arne Jacobsen egg chair.

I  ended up buying a home that closely resembles the prairie style doll house.  And, I still enjoy the modern classics, mixed in with a touch of Asian and Prairie style.

Those early influences can play a great part in the design direction we take later in life.  We can embrace or reject our parents’ values, accept some of their ideas, and forge ahead on our own design path.  But sometimes, those early memories surprise us when we least expect it.

Enjoy your home, before it’s gone.

After staging a home recently, the client noted that she wished she had made the changes years earlier.  The house not only looked different, but felt different.   While her praise made me feel good, I also felt sad at her wistful comment. 

I started thinking about how so many of us put off projects or changes until they are forced upon us.  Let’s all re-commit to fully enjoying our homes while we’re in them.  If you can’t afford a renovation, make small changes that you’ll enjoy everyday:  new paint, clean windows, soft pillows, comfortable throws – whatever makes you feel good and enhances your nest.