I have always enjoyed styling houses. When I was in my teens I used to love changing up the look of my bedroom. I remember going through a terracotta/Mexican stage, a Japanese stage and an apricot stage.
I remember loving looking in to Nanna's pantry where all her cans were so neatly stacked all around the walls of the pantry and her linen closet with neatly stacked piles of towels and facewashers. I also loved to rearrange all Mum's bookcases and shelves and also loved organising her cupboards and pantry. I just used to use any pieces that we already had in the house to create the look I was going for and I think I did a pretty good job.
As I got older and started looking into buying my own house with my husband, I loved nothing more than to browse for hours in new build display homes. My Mum used to come along too and we would ooo and aah over the big new clean houses with gorgeous new furniture and fixtures. I always thought that I wanted one of these pretty new houses. I was (and am still) a bit scared about old houses because I always think there is a chance they could be haunted.
However, as I have matured and been through one and now two house renovations, I have changed my opinion.
Now when I go into newly built houses of friends, I am not excited. I see, the same walls and same floors and nothing I haven't seen a million times before. I don't know if it is because I am married to a carpenter or what, but I have a whole new appreciation for detail. It is the workmanship and bespoke features that really speak to me these days. I notice if the skirtings are not joined correctly and if the plaster has bumps in it. I love anything that is built-in like bookcases, seating and ledges.
That said, I am still scared of some old houses and would never buy one that "felt" weird when I walked in. But most of the time, once they have been renovated, that feeling goes.
As for the style that I want to achieve with our extension... well that too has evolved. In the first renovation it was about keeping the period feel but in a modern way. Now it is not so much about the period (but I still want to match the corince etc) details but it is more of a transitional design. To me that means classic design that has been brought into the today. Other hints that I like to throw in here and there include, minimalist, coastal, hampton / lakehouse.
I just adore Hamptons style but I also love touches of other designs too. I also love anything with nature and texture like decorating with shells, stones and branches. I don't like too much colour but an coming around to more coastal colours like blue and navy. I used to hate blue but I think that stemmed from the 90's style of blue and yellow/terracotta. Remember that combination?
I wonder how my style will change in the next 20 years.
Anybody else had a big shift in style over the years?
Cheers,
Nat
I remember loving looking in to Nanna's pantry where all her cans were so neatly stacked all around the walls of the pantry and her linen closet with neatly stacked piles of towels and facewashers. I also loved to rearrange all Mum's bookcases and shelves and also loved organising her cupboards and pantry. I just used to use any pieces that we already had in the house to create the look I was going for and I think I did a pretty good job.
As I got older and started looking into buying my own house with my husband, I loved nothing more than to browse for hours in new build display homes. My Mum used to come along too and we would ooo and aah over the big new clean houses with gorgeous new furniture and fixtures. I always thought that I wanted one of these pretty new houses. I was (and am still) a bit scared about old houses because I always think there is a chance they could be haunted.
However, as I have matured and been through one and now two house renovations, I have changed my opinion.
Now when I go into newly built houses of friends, I am not excited. I see, the same walls and same floors and nothing I haven't seen a million times before. I don't know if it is because I am married to a carpenter or what, but I have a whole new appreciation for detail. It is the workmanship and bespoke features that really speak to me these days. I notice if the skirtings are not joined correctly and if the plaster has bumps in it. I love anything that is built-in like bookcases, seating and ledges.
That said, I am still scared of some old houses and would never buy one that "felt" weird when I walked in. But most of the time, once they have been renovated, that feeling goes.
As for the style that I want to achieve with our extension... well that too has evolved. In the first renovation it was about keeping the period feel but in a modern way. Now it is not so much about the period (but I still want to match the corince etc) details but it is more of a transitional design. To me that means classic design that has been brought into the today. Other hints that I like to throw in here and there include, minimalist, coastal, hampton / lakehouse.
I just adore Hamptons style but I also love touches of other designs too. I also love anything with nature and texture like decorating with shells, stones and branches. I don't like too much colour but an coming around to more coastal colours like blue and navy. I used to hate blue but I think that stemmed from the 90's style of blue and yellow/terracotta. Remember that combination?
I wonder how my style will change in the next 20 years.
Anybody else had a big shift in style over the years?
Cheers,
Nat
Nice post Nat. One of my daughter's enjoys fiddling around with styling - I'm hoping she's going to help me out in our new home. When started renovating, more than 10 years ago, we were aiming for a French provincial style, on a very small budget. Now we are going for modern Australian. I don't know that it's my taste/style that has changed, more working with what you have. I love country, barn style but it would look ridiculous in a brand new off-the-shelf home. I think you've really selected a style that suits your house so much.
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