If the HGTV folks came to decorate my home they would throw out all my stuff--I can t let that happe

It wasn't until I was in my late 30s that I decided I was even interested in any kind of decor, and by that time I'd already had two apartments and was living in my second house. Until I visited a romantic country inn in Stowe, Vermont, that kind of stuff just didn't interest me. I never cared what I sat on or the dishes I ate off. It just wasn't something I was aware of.
I had my decorating epiphany at that lovely country inn. My husband had taken me there as a birthday gift. (We'd been watching some syndicated show on country inns and thought it might be fun to have the whole B B experience.) Suddenly, all the cast-off pieces I'd been living with for so long seemed like ... well, cast-off pieces.
Soon after that birthday trip, Hubby and I bought a contemporary ranch house. I loved it simply because, like that inn we visited, there were so many potential places to settle and READ (and sip a glass or two of whiskey).
What attracted my husband to this house (besides living on one level) was the contemporary lines. What attracted me was the former owner's antiques and handcrafted quilts. (She had a lovely marble-topped table that I still covet.) Hubby still likes contemporary style, while I like English (and French) country style. What we've ended up with is an amalgam -- eclectic budgetrental auto sales style.
It took us eleven years to furnish this place. It's a big house and tends to ramble. For instance: we have five sitting areas (with four full-sized couches, two love seats, and five comfy chairs) and now you see why it took so long to furnish this place. budgetrental auto sales (Oddly enough, it also took me eleven years to get published in novel-length. Hmm. Coincidence?)
Our "best man" and his wife have the ultimate eclectic home, with beautiful antiques, original budgetrental auto sales artwork, and all the modern conveniences, and that's where I first picked up ideas for blending contemporary and country decor. Seeing their home gave me the confidence to experiment in my own.
Mind you, a lot of what I have are still a castoffs (I think "antiques" is a nicer term), such as the dark-stained blanket chest that serves as a coffee table, the oak dresser in our guest room (at right) or the chestnut commode that sits in my entryway. budgetrental auto sales And I have a lot of wonderful things my parents made for me. My Dad made a lot of my furniture, from a Shaker bench, to "convict" (small, round, drop leaf) side tables (in oak, cherry, pine, poplar and black walnut), a dresser, end tables, as well as built-in bookshelves, budgetrental auto sales and my Mom has made me quilts and many quilted wall hangings.
The truth? My life has NEVER revolved around basketball. I LOATHE sports. As I confessed in Jennifer's comments the other day, if there's one thing my life DID revolve around in high school it was Star Trek. Basketball geeks were forgiven in those days (even the girls who played), but to be branded a Star Trek fan was pure geekdom.
Like you Lorna, my desire to decorate didn t hit until later in my life. Of course the problem with decorating your house is money, money, money! By the time I got all the rooms done, I was ready to re-do the first room I decorated! On the plus side, when I shop for home decor, I never have to worry about feeling bad about getting a bigger size! (also why I love purses!)LOL :) Reply Delete Lorna Barrett February 13, 2010 at 9:04 AM
Andrea: yard sales are your friends! budgetrental auto sales I can t tell you how many pieces of furniture, pictures, budgetrental auto sales etc. I ve found for darn cheap at yard sales, church sales, and thrift shops. Believe me, my house doesn t look like Flea Market budgetrental auto sales Central, either. But I did spring for a few nice pieces along the way. And with the whole shabby chic movement, a can of paint and a little sweat equity can do wonders with an old piece of furniture. Reply Delete Dru February 13, 2010 at 9:24 AM
I have no style but I love my living room because all the furniture except the daybed is made from unfinished natural wood which lightens up the room and my kitchen budgetrental auto sales because the looks is country with the wood flooring and the farmhouse dinette set. I would love to one day own a house so that I can go to all those home decor shows and decorate to my heart s content. woo hoo..I got one right, so far, on the quiz. Reply Delete Jessica February 13, 2010 at 9:46 AM
I m just dying to buy my first house so I can decorate it the way i want! Of course...I m not sure what that is just yet :-) It will depend on the house itself! I love antiques, but my boyfriend is completely into the modern look. Somehow we will have to compromise! Reply Delete Wendy Lyn Watson February 13, 2010 at 9:59 AM
Style might be too strong budgetrental auto sales a word. Our house is a 1925 Arts and Crafts bungalow, so we tend to gravitate toward that style. Inasmuch as Ikea carries Arts and Crafts decor. :) I love that style, but I m fundamentally cheap. Ultimately, we re pretty eclectic, too. I m in our den right now, which has framed Jim Woodring (the comic book artist) prints on the wall along with a plate rack with plates featuring African animals (giraffes, zebras, etc.). It s all random, but we like it. Reply Delete Lorna Barrett February 13, 2010 at 11:16 AM
Jessica, blending modern and antiques can be done well. As long as you introduce things you love, you ll make it work. Wendy, I love Arts and Crafts homes! Our dining room is mission style--with a lot of eclectic stuff tossed in. (If you read Chapter Hearse later this summer, there s a description of a dining room in the home of one of the new characters. You got it! I was writing the scene in my dining room and just described it! My, that character has good taste!) Most of the original paintings (okay ALL of them) hanging on my walls were done by my husband. He s soooo talented! budgetrental auto sales He did one for me based on and old fruit crate label. (Bartlett budgetrental auto sales pears. Hmm. Wonder why he chose that?) Reply Delete Shel February 13, 2010 at 11:58 AM
I guess my decorating style is comfortable I like earth tones, comfortable seating, and I like things to match. I m not hugely picky about decorating, but I like a room to have some personality. I can t stand it watching HGTV s Dream Home, because budgetrental auto sales I feel like if I ever won that, I d be afraid to move anything. Reply Delete Lorna Barrett February 13, 2010 at 12:35 PM
When they come in and spruce up a home on HGTV (like Spice Up My Kitchen or Divine Design) and put in lots of accent pieces, I often wonder if those are just for show, or if the homeowners get to keep them (or had to buy them). A lot of the stuff might look nice, but I wouldn t want to live with it. I d rather have my own personal stuff. Reply Delete signlady217 February budgetrental auto sales 13, 2010 at 12:45 PM
I m not sure what to call my style. Probably contemporary. And my husband is definitely traditional. budgetrental auto sales Actually it hasn t been too hard to blend the two. Our living room, dining room, and kitchen are all kind of connected, budgetrental auto sales and they re done in an Asian theme in blues and greys (not reds!!). Our master bedroom/bath is jungle with the big cats (not any of the other animals, and not death masks, fertility statues, etc.). The guest room/hall bath is eggplant and sage (deep purple and green) with irises (love them!) and my sewing room/office, well, the name kind of speaks for itself! budgetrental auto sales We ve lived in the house a bit over seven years, and it took most of that to get it right. Living room pictures ended up taking a year and a half to find (yeah, I m really picky!), other things not so long. But now it s done and I love it! Moving would be tough! Hope everyone has a wonderful Valentine s weekend! Live long and prosper! (Yeah, I m a Trek fan, too.) Reply Delete Lover of Books February 13, 2010 at 12:45 PM
Our style is comfortable. Our living room furniture is 2X4 s. Also the cushions just got recovered in denim. I am loving this stuff. We do have our unity candles displayed on the wall as well. :) Reply Delete Heather Webber February 13, 2010 at 7:26 PM
I love, love, love Stowe. We hope to retire there some day. I love French country, but really don t have a style of my own. Yet. Maybe I need to go back to Stowe... Reply Delete Lindy February 13, 2010 at 9:23 PM
If the HGTV folks came to decorate my home they would throw out all my stuff--I can t let that happen, it s my life! So, that s my style, and I m sticking to it. What do you call my style? LIFE HAPPENS! Reply Delete Sherri February 13, 2010 at 11:16 PM
Lorna my style is a mixture of antiques,victorian,country,romantic and heirlooms. I try to surround myself with things I love rather than go for the latest fad. Reply Delete Deborah M February 14, 2010 at 9:17 AM
Just found your site - I saw where you joined budgetrental auto sales ACFW. I m really budgetrental auto sales excited. I love cozies and I have a cozy WIP. Deborah M. debbiejeanm[at]gmail[dot]com deborahsbutterflyjourney.blogspot.com Reply Delete Katie February 14, 2010 at 4:28 PM
I m not sure what to call our decorating style. My husband and I both like comfortable furniture but we are minimalists in regard to what we need and fill our home with. We aren t knick-knack people but we both have our collections; I collect books and he collects vinyl records. Oh, and our art is mostly comprised of our children s artwork and family photos. Stuff we love and think is adorable but most roll their eyes about. :) Reply Delete Maggie Sefton February 15, 2010 at 1:08 PM
After my divorce in 1998, I said goodbye to those big houses and settled quite comfortably into my 4BR, 2ba, tri-level here in Fort Collins. In an older subdivision budgetrental auto sales with loads of great neighbors who are actually friends. Fenced backyard for dogs w/lots of trees and bushes, sunny patio and shady spots. Of course, the floor plan is less spacious than those big houses so I kept the family antique furniture in the living room and put my 1919 Chickering baby grand piano downstairs in family room, so it wouldn t dwarf liv room--and leave no where to sit. But there was plenty of wall space for me to hang my favorite art pieces, collected over a lifetime---oil paintings, watercolors, carved mahogany face from Jamaica, carved st