"Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do...but how much love we put in that action." -Mother TeresaWelcome to my home! Why yes, the recent snowstorm did get the better of the geraniums and that welcome mat is looking a bit downtrodden. But you know what? My home isn't perfect. And the people who live here, including me, aren't perfect either. And that means that you, my welcome guest, are not expected to be perfect either.
So by all means, come on in and make yourself at home.
Now that you're inside, let's get you oriented.
Behind you, the great outdoors. The stairs are straight ahead of you and the living room is to your right.
Yes, it is snowing in my living room. Get used to it.
If you walk up those three stairs to the first landing and turn around, this is what you will see.
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| The lamp and red chair are from IKEA, the rug from Home Depot. The painting was done by my second eldest daughter; the dresser display is ever changing. |
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| The box is a thrifted find that I painted red; the silver baubles are from Michael's. The books are special favorites of mine for display because of their color and shape but also their subject matter. |
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| Daughter number two sculpted this piece from soapstone in high school. |
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| The IKEA lamp has been kicking around my house for a long, long time, but I am still in love with this lampshade. |
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| Black tray and votives from IKEA. |
When my parents bought the tiny fishing cottage that would eventually become my childhood home, they found this dresser left behind. It was painted a garish turquoise and white, and my father used it to store his tools. Eventually, my mother realized this baby's potential as a solid oak antique and spent a long summer of sanding, scraping and staining, until she had coaxed it back to life.
It's been mine ever since.
This piece does not necessarily represent my current design aesthetic. But it certainly represents me. So I like to keep it front and center to remind me where I came from.
So as part of my home tours, I will give you plenty of sneak peeks into my home's hiding places.
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| Top drawer: candles and candle holders |
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| Second drawer: vases and seasonal decorations |
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| Third drawer: extra mittens, scarves and hats |
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| The back side still has the turquoise paint that once covered the entire dresser. |
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| The door on the left leads to the powder room; the one on the right is the hall closet. And the door straight ahead leads to the kitchen and family room. See the shadow underneath? That is Ranger, my darling dog, sitting on the other side and wishing I would open the door. |
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| Origami bird mobile made for an art project at school several years ago. |
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| Recently constructed Pinterest-inspired display filled with Christmas cards and photos. I still haven't decided if the whole thing is a temporary holiday ornamentation or if I will just swap out the cards for a new look.
Alright, let's turn back to the stairs and go up, pausing on the landing to get a good look at another piece of art and, if you dare, the chandelier that hangs above.
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| Another painting by Daughter #2. I chose the green paint for the front door to coordinate with this piece. |
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| A telltale reminder of my home's 80s origins. This dude's days are seriously numbered.
At the top of the stairs is a small hallway. Until recently, it was only unintentionally decorated with a changing host of temporarily orphaned dressers, cupboards and bookcases. But last month, I decided it was time to up my game and give this little nook some personality.
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| This mobile is a variation on my Christmas garlands, made with paint chips. I chose the palette to tie together the colors in the surrounding bedrooms and bath. |
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| This is my grandma's sweet little sewing cabinet. She used to keep it under the "north window" at her house, with purple African violets on top, and I spent many happy hours looking through these drawers. |
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| A thrifted hammered aluminum tray with votive candle holders. |
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| Top drawer: boxes for pens and pencils. My grandma always kept this drawer full of pencils and I try to keep that memory alive. Looks like I need an Office Depot run. |
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| Second drawer: punchy things. |
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| Third drawer: odds and ends of crafty bits. |
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Want to see the rest of my house? Check these out:
Home Tour: Old Dogs, New Tricks
Home Tour: She Will Move Mountains
Home Tour: Something Old, Something New
Home Tour: Old Dogs, New Tricks
Home Tour: She Will Move Mountains
Home Tour: Something Old, Something New
How completely interesting and creative! I enjoyed the tour immensely and your personality and signature have always been a trademark of your design/style. It was definitely a treat to learn the history behind the artifacts--well done!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! I'm super glad you enjoyed it; I'm working on the next room of the tour right this minute and expect to post in the next hour or so. :)
DeleteLove! What color/brand did you use on the front door?
ReplyDeleteThanks! It's Moss Landing by Behr, and I'm super happy with it. :)
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