As I’ve been organizing things in my current home, I came across some pictures of the first home my husband and I owned. We had lived in apartments and even my in-law’s basement (which wasn’t as bad as it sounds), but this was the first home we could really work on. And boy, we didn’t mess around. I bought about ten gallons of paint even before we signed the closing papers. My DIY-juices had been bottled up long enough and I was ready to go. I was so hot to work on things, we cracked open the primer within 30 minutes of unlocking the door for the first time. I didn’t even take before pictures, which I really should have! So, I thought it would be fun to share those pictures here, so you can see how my style has evolved and notice some things that have stayed the same. (The pictures were taken with a flash and are scanned from photos, so they are pretty lousy. Just hang in there with me.)
Almost all of the furniture were hand-me-down and yard sale pieces. You can see that even in 2004, I loved blue & white, antiques and had a slight European bent.
This was the family room…
If you’re really observant, you might notice the buffet back in the corner is the one that’s in my dining room now…painted. I put a brush to that piece as soon as my mom assured me it was okay. (My mom and dad bought it at an antique store when they were first married, so I felt like it was off-limits.)
I loved the blue on the walls. The color is called Bluestone by Eddie Bauer from Lowe’s. I still like the color, but I’ve definitely leaned towards lighter walls these days. Still blue, but a paler blue.
My kids cured me of all of the knick-knacks everywhere.
And here’s the one bathroom in the 1000 square foot place…
I went with Ink by Martha Stewart from Sherwin Williams. (Am I the only one who remembers the name of the colors used in a home they lived in seven years ago?) I ended up having to repaint in a lighter color later, because the blue pigment ran down the wall onto the white tile in the shower. Yikes!
The kitchen was where we did the most work…installed a spray-painted free chandelier, recessed lighting, under cabinet lighting, refaced the cabinets (our first major woodworking project), installed the cherry floors, new hardware, new faucet, and I went to town on the decorative painting.
I still have those chairs…
They belonged to my husband’s great, great-grandparents and are probably about 100 years old. It’s about time to retire them from regular use. They’re very petite chairs and are sturdy, but they’re starting to creek a bit.
Ah, yes. The red room. This was Red Bay from Sherwin Williams, which is still one of my favorite reds. It’s a lovely rich red color and I had been waiting to paint a room red ever since my mom insisted I keep my bedroom walls white and I would be happy with red curtains…a 12 year old’s wound that couldn’t be healed except by painting a bedroom red when I owned my own home. Thanks mom.
I made all of the bedding from scratch. And, yes, you can feel sorry for my poor husband who had to memorize the pillow puzzle I created. I was much fussier in those days.
And here’s the guest room…
My scanner was giving me a hard time, so this is the only picture I have to share now. It was my “neutral room” with mostly shades of white with touches of black. It’s the room where I displayed my first antique typewriter and used antique linens on the bed.
You can see I still have some of my antique dresses and they’re in my family room now.
And that’s the grand tour. Four rooms and a bathroom and that was it. Teeny tiny, but a place where my DIY energy was unleashed and it really paid off when we sold our house quickly (and for a nice profit) in a housing market that was on the down turn. I was sad when we sold that house and all of love’s labor that went into it and the memories of cramming 35+ teenagers into that place for monthly hangouts. I had just learned to really love it when we had to sell it. Believe it or not, it’s taken longer for me to find that kind of affection for our current home, but I’m almost there.
Anyway, it was fun for me to look at these pictures. I can see how much my tastes have been refined and also how I’ve been consistent in some of the things I love and am attracted to.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this little trip down pre-Miss-Mustard-Seed-lane.
58 Responses
Thanks for the old house tour!!! Love seeing how your style has evolved!! Really enjoying your blog, just found you recently via Pinterest. Thanks!
Ms. M I really like your curtains in your dining room. Can you tell me more.
Thanks
Lisa
your first home was gorgeous! i love what you did then, and you are just evolving.
THAT was awesome! I love the evolution. LOVE it.
So fun to see your first home!
Well, it was 2004, I am SURE your home got lots of ooh’s and ahh’s, as for the time and certainly for a first house I think it was wonderful. I mean didn’t people just love red rooms and decorative painting, I know I did, and of course you had a knack for putting everything together then as you do now.
That was fun, it’s great to see how you’ve evolved over the years, but I can definitely see your current style peeking through in the old house. I may share some of my old pics someday, or maybe not ha ha.
I love the changes you made and have evolved to now……Just beautfiul……Fun story…..
So fun to see your pictures and how your style evolved! You certainly have refined your taste and it’s lovely!
I had that Waverly red fabric, several prints, plaids, checks, toile and floral in my LR at my house before moving to my condo here. Great stuff.
I don’t remember you wanting to paint your room red! Really? Mom
Yeah, in the Herndon house. I wanted red walls, but you bought me red curtains instead. You let John paint his walls gray, though. 🙂
this was a treat to see. A good reminder on how we evolve and styles change but some things stay the same… certain pieces we keep and transform. Very fun post!!
Enjoyed this… thanks for sharing your history. Funny how some things change and stay the same.
I loved my first home. I painted/wallpapered every room, made all the curtains and bedding. I made beautiful gardens and winding pathways. And had three of my children in that home.Those are the things that endear us to a home. It took me a LOOOONG time to love a house like that again. I only come close when I put blood, sweat and tears into making it my own. I am glad for paintbrushes and trowels to soothe the longing beast.
I enjoyed seeing the different rooms and style phases that you went through. While the rooms full of color are sweet, I really love the colors that you use in your house now, it is all very well tied in together and they look very fresh and inviting. Thanks for sharing your trip down memory lane!
A big lol to the pillow puzzle…have to admit I do have a bit of one going on there…although I have reduced it a bit recently! I think many people like the same shades as they did a few years ago , we’ve just all lightened up a bit since then! 🙂 I had a blue room similar.
There Is nothing better than memories. You have grown so much with your creativity. Must feel amazing : )
I wish so bad I had pictures of our first few homes.
Our style has evolved, too.
I think it’s so amazing to see what stays the same and what changes over the years.
I smiled when I read that you guys crammed 35 teens in that house because we have so many of those same memories.
When we were in seminary, we lived in a 600 sf home and used to have small group there each week. I housed 8-9 high school girls each week, and we loved it.
Oh the pillow puzzle! Very American … I want this too on our bed, but my husband is really not into it :-).
Loved reading your stroll down memory lane. Also loved seeing how some of your furniture and you design has evolved. 🙂
Ahh, that is what we are doing now–renovating a 950 sq. ft. townhouse (with one bathroom too.) After years of raising our family of four children in large homes, we love this! Thanks for sharing.
I like your comment regarding the bed pillows because when I saw that picture I said “geez, that is a line-up of pillows”! Thanks for sharing the pics…so neat to see the transformation of what was “in” and your amazing talent. We are in our fourth home–moved about every 2 1/2 years–and each one we put our stamp on. Some more than others. We have lived in a builder grade brand new townhome, builder grade single family home (both required our “stamp”), our DREAM home which required paint, and our now 1960’s tri-level which has required a bit of everything but had alot to offer as well. (My favorite place to date–not just for the home’s “liveability” but what our surrounding area has to offer for our girls.) Fun memories. I actually keep a HOME photo album for just before and afters of rooms and outside work since our second home.
Now that was fun. I still have a red wall. Loved it 10 years ago…back when my family was reluctant…now that I have a new vision in mind they’re not wanting me to change it! Ugh…but…just like the red…a new color will mysteriously present itself…I’m thinking v-e-r-y soon! Ha!
So your realtor didn’t make you repaint your walls into bland neutrals? Those were the good old days.
Dear MMS, Thanks for sharing those delightful photos with us! Wow, it’s always fun to see how our tastes evolve over time. I love where you are now but it will be interesting to look back in 5 years from now to see how you’ve refined your look. You have a great eye for color. Hugs, Anne Boykin
It should not have come as any surprise – you were already wonderful!
You know… you are one of the few people (maybe the only one) who could decorate a whole house for me and there would not be a single thing I would want to change or remove. That never happens for me. I think that’s why I feel such a kinship with you. You’re working harder than me, though. 🙂
I love how our personalities come to the forefront as we mature. You have taken pieces that have meaning but made them your own by using them in different rooms or by painting them. They look great and the rooms have matured beautifully.
Isn’t it interesting to look back and see how our taste and style has changed.For me it changed when I started to blog and saw the photos of my home that I thought looked so beautiful.Looking at my photos made me realize it was not my style so why was I living that way.I still love vintage items always have always will.But I love how my home is pulled together now.Love your vintage dresses they are lovely!
xx
Anne
Your first home was cute. I can see how your decorating has evolved. I love your style and this blog. I am currently working on my second home. My first home had a lot of mauves and blue with wallpaper in the kitchen with hearts on it, blue and mauve ones! I even picked that wallpaper out myself!. I can’t believe I am admitting that, but yes, I did! I am really happy that my taste has evolved since then!
Loved this blast from the past. I agree . . . fun to see where you’ve been, what’s changed and what’s stayed the same!!!
I love your blog, and I love your former home! I, too, went and found pictures of my first home to see how things have changed. I loved my little cottagey home. I went wild decorating, too, because I had waited so long to finally have a place to call my own. Those are certainly memories to treasure. Times were so simple then. My husband and I didn’t have two nickels to rub together, but it didn’t feel that way. Twenty-three years later, our house is a bit bigger and nicer, but for me, nothing will ever compare to that first home we could finally call our own. Thanks for sharing your memories so I, too, could remember my own!!!
The spare room is my favorite; I love the dresses. Also love the pewter and silver plates against the bathroom’s dark blue. Too bad it showered when you did. And, my husband also has a pillow puzzle to solve if he surprises me by making the bed ~ I never knew what to call it ~ ’til now! Happy Homecoming ~
What a wonderful post! Isn’t it fun to look back.just to see where we have come from. Helps with the ‘where you are going’ too I think. Your first home was lovely & even in the scanned photos you can see the love, time & energy that went into every detail.
Pillow puzzle hahaha! I am more laid back about that too these days. Ironic being uptight about pillows!!
xo,
Kelly
I love how we can notice how our style has evolved – some people never change a thing in their house and everytime someone comes to my house they comment “oh you changed that, when did you do this?, is that a new color?”
Change is good! Nice flashback 🙂
Tara
Not being able to go into a furniture store and say “I want this and I want that” is a good thing in my estimation. It leads you to be creative by buying things you can afford and fixing them up. You had a wonderful home, even then!
Love your style, I have an old kitchen table with formica top, just wandering if I can paint it and what paint to use.
Sincerely,
Elda.
LOVE it! I still remember every nook and cranny of my first home (and I’m quite a bit older than you…shhhh!) Thanks for the tour! HUGS ~ Judy
That was a fun house tour. Thank you.
Thanks for hte trip down memory lane. Taking my own now. 🙂 I remember a neighbor behind us when i was growing up. She had professionals come paint her home every few years, THE SAME COLOR! Didn’t get it as a young elementary gal and still do not. Absolutely not how mom ran our home! Glad my style has evolved over tons of army moves into quarters. Stenciling costs us a few times but husband never complained. Now we are settled mostly but still learning to love this home. Almost there.
Your husband memorized the pillow order? Man, you are one lucky lady. I go behind my husband and “correct” the order almost every day! The days I don’t correct are the days I made the bed. 🙂
I really love seeing how peoples decorating change and evolve. Thanks for sharing!
I enjoyed seeing these pictures. But even more, I enjoyed seeing your response to your mom’s comment. You remember that you couldn’t paint your room red and that your brother got to paint his gray. Ha! Sounds like something my daughter would say. : ) Made me smile.
Wow… you’ve come a long way, baby! Love to see how your style has evolved! I have a question for you. I have been on Pinterest to find Easter ideas and I see on Matthew Meads’s boards a lovely rabbit template. He references your site to get the template from, however, when I click on the links I’m back to his site and I can’t seem to pull it up on your blog? Any ideas as to what the issue is?? I would love to have that template for next year’s Easter table!! Thanks so much!!
Wow, The bathroom are amazing!! 😀
Love those days! Getting our feet wet & loving the feeling of freedom to choose! So happy you are still enjoying those family pieces, what a beautiful change painting them has been!
Thanks for this!
ha ha those were the days 😉 country was so big then now its cottage with a french twist ;). but see how ahead of the times you were, you had a bread board collection even then. my husband would never let me paint our walls any color other than off white which is actually ok with me. my style today is much cleaner but rustic but i have 2 dogs so casual is very important.
PLEASE share how you did that wonderful, beautiful awe-inspirting floor!!!!!! I would like to do my very old butcher-block dining room table……Pa-lease share!!!!! 🙂 Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!!!
Such a delightful trip down memory lane. I like the blue walls and how you still stay true to your love painting.
That was fun to see how your style has evolved over the years. I really do like the guest room and I see the style you have now is more like that room. I also have a room with a red wall and hate to think of it as outdated. I really like it!
That reminds me so much of MY first home… and no, you’re not the only one who remembers paint colors. 🙂 I had Denim 5 by Laura Ashley in the bathroom (dark blue like yours!) and my red room was Mandarin Red by Sherwin Williams.
I remember the name of the first paint colour I bought to use in my first rented flat “Tivoli Gold” In 1973 !! The landlord wasn’t too thrilled …
Love it. Had a giggle at the red room story, 🙂
I remember the names of paint colors. I loved looking at your pictures. I have a corner piece very similar to the one that is in your dining room of your first house and I have been contemplated painting it. Any suggestions?. Mine just serves as a decorative piece more than anything. No real storage in the bottom that’s worth mentioning.
Love your blog and always look forward to furniture feature Fridays!!!
Marilyn C.
Loved looking at your decorating “history”. Were the skis in the corner from Germany? I have some that look similar, and got mine from an old ski hutte that belonged to a German friend. I love them because of the memories attached.
Marian,
It is fun to revisit our past. Sometimes it makes us wish time stood still. It is fun to see what you used to have and what you feel you will keep forever.
I also remember a couple paint colors. Popcorn – like unbuttered white popcorn and Vanilla Tan- a bisque color with touch of peach, very light. Both colors were used in homes with open floorplan and without door casings to stop one room and start another. In our current home each room can be it’s own color.
rick
I love your dining room table! Do you know who makes it? I’m having a hard time finding the right one for my family.