I am so tired or ordinary - boring - basic - my neighbor did... my sister did... my friend did... etc. etc..
You are you, your home is yours. You have a personality, your home has potential. Stop limiting yourself by what your neighbors/friends/family say. Let's take a look at your home, let's add personality and personalization. Let's make it extraordinary! We aren't staging for a re-sale here peeps!
I love homes with personality. When I walk into a home that is builder grade - it feels basic - boring - soulless. That is not what I want in my home or my client's homes. I love older homes that are dripping with personality. I love new homes that are built to reflect the homeowner's lifestyle and personality. Too many homes feel like they ticked off all the boxes and left it at that. Tick. Tick. Tick. Done.
Why do homes look out dated in 10/15 years from when they were built or renovated?
ANSWER: When they were built/renovated they just chose all the same materials and styles that were popular then, without any personalization.
Now, there is nothing wrong with trends and being aware of them. Trends do dictate what we like at the given time. However, following only what is the trend can quickly leave your home feeling boring and then dated.
I was recently in a beautiful custom home that was around 15 years old. The clients had recently purchased it and were seeking to do a renovation. The home had tons of character and a wonderful layout. However, when the home was built, tuscan style was all the trend and all the finishes were flat out (Americanized) Tuscany - but - here is the kicker - the Realtor told the sellers they had to redo the kitchen to get top dollar and they redid the kitchen in... Modern Farmhouse - WHITES. This resulted in a total mash-up of design that just didn't work at all. Now - I agree the old kitchen did need to be updated, but doing a modern farmhouse white marble kitchen when all the rest of the home was Tuscan and travertine... well... bad advice. Now they either have to redo the whole home to match the kitchen, redo the kitchen, or try to somehow blend the two.... Easier said than done... What I would have done if I were advising the sellers, would have been to update the kitchen with a cleaner - less trendy style. More of a chef's kitchen, less of a modern farmhouse look. I would have replaced the outdated ornate dark cabinetry with something lighter and cleaner but still in the warm wood tones with clean concrete counter tops. I would have then cleaned up the lines in other parts of the home as well. Gotten rid of faux finishes and installed cleaner light fixtures as well as painted to achieve a cleaner less Tuscan look. The home had amazing structure and character inside and out.
One of my pet peeves is when old historic homes are renovated with no thought to the original character of the home. That does not mean that the home has to be restored to original, I just don't like it when the home is stripped of character and you can't tell on the inside if you are in a 1900s victorian or a 1990s ranch. People! Look at your home's potential and do that - don't just try to force a trend onto your existing structure. You can use a trend for influence - sure, but don't force it! Just don't!
I love this image for so many reasons - clearly you can see influences of modern farmhouse in this design - but it doesn't feel "theme" The clean fireplace surround, but with the original brick behind it updates the space while still keeping the personality. Clean lined built-ins bring in warmth without being fussy. This is a look you can do in a bungalow without it looking out of place.
Mix things up - use your home's style, your personality, and creativity to bring out your home's full potential! Think outside of the box or let me help... ;)
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