WELCOME HOME?

The journey begins with buying a house.  Even with the complexities of home purchasing now, the actual buying part is the simplest piece of the process.  You see, you simply purchase the house but the trick is making it into your home.  Your home becomes your personal thumbprint of style and character.  New and old it's a challenge.  Those who build a house have to go through the process of picking all of their finishes and designing the bones of it from day one.  With time you add your own flair: pictures, paint, carpet, rugs, furniture, etc., all of which will tailor it to your style and needs.  I find the process is that much harder when you purchase a previously owned home.  Someone styled it to suit their needs and personality.  Some things you love and others you'd love to redo.  The formula of every House Hunters episode shows someone walking into a home and automatically ripping it apart and visualizing how they could make it "work" for them.  Home is where your heart is...where memories are made, families gather, friends visit and you dwell. 

My home buying process wasn't an easy one.  I was in Texas and had a tight timeline to move to Ohio.  I left the searching process in the hands of my family whom I love and trust.  They were the ones walking through and tearing it apart.  I never stepped foot into my home till after it was closed.  My husband tried to FaceTime me in but it isn't the same.  I didn't have the option of walking through 10 or so more homes to determine it was THE ONE.  No option - it was my house.  So now my journey is to make it my home.  It's a beautiful house...I really do love it.  However, it was like the equivalent of an arranged marriage.  I didn't choose it...it was selected for me.  With that being said, I think it was a wonderful choice and I know a lot more than just choosing a place makes your house a home.  It's how you design it that makes it YOURS!

The layout of our home baffles me.  I think what baffles me most is visualizing how I am going to piece it together to make it my own.  I know the rule of thumb is to just LIVE in a home for a while and see how it works for you.  This theory is a beautiful one; however, I am a doer, a visualizer and most of all a creative thinker.  I can't just be in a space and let it go.  I need to move stuff around, hang stuff up and try and make it work right from the starting gate.

In our previous home it really was a no-brainer.  The home was open concept and it just wrote it's own story.  Here requires thinking and a thoughtful mind.  Since the home is a Cape Cod style, the main bulk of the home is on one level.  The bulk of our 3,000+ sq. feet is on the main floor...oh em gee that's a lot of home and a lot of thinking to do.

What further complicates the process is seeing how the previous owner laid out their home.  What worked for him doesn't work for us.  For starters, we have kids! His finishes are pristine but white carpet with kids? NO! Flat finish walls? NO! Secondly, my husband and I have our families nearby so we need a formal dining room large enough to fit all of us.  What was the dining room for the previous owner just doesn't work for us.  So now imagination really comes into play.

I can honestly say I am in "attack" mode with the wallpaper.  The same stripe pattern is everywhere in the home.  My mom finds it charming and feels it is a designers dream.  BUT I CANNOT STAND IT.  The whole home is warm tones and I love cool.  The home seems so formal to me and I need cozy and lived in.  I want that perfect blend of chic and casual.  So here begins the process of "how do I make this my own?"

Well y'all, you are about to see!