A Trip Down the Decor Memory Lane

Hey there, my friends! I thought it would be fun to take a trip down Memory Lane today - a trip back in time to see how my decor taste has changed over the years. And I'm apologizing in advance for bad pictures - I didn't know a thing about photography and had a cheap-o camera. Plus let's face it, some are over 30 years old. :o) So, are you ready? Let's go!

Let's start with college/early marriage days. We basically had hand me down furniture and posters or cheap artwork on the walls. It was fun starting off our life together and to be honest, I didn't know a thing about decorating.  Seriously. I was surprised shocked when we went over to a friend's place and her kitchen was all coordinated. What?!? You can be coordinated?

The art was jungle animals, the couch from one of those cheap furniture places, the side table from my Mother-in-law...wish I still had that, lol and the lamp was one I made. I think we had a jungle theme going. Sort of.

Then we went from an apartment to a duplex, bought a waterbed (remember those?), my father-in-law made us a coffee table and suddenly I felt grown up.  From there we bought our first house, my FIL made us a wall unit with shelves for the TV,  I wallpapered, we added bifold doors to the laundry area and had our first baby.

Artwork was wooden cutouts

Artwork was still framed prints or some kind of homemade things. I felt good about our little house most of the time unless I visited bigger, grander homes. Then I would long for nice art, a bigger house, traditional furniture.

A couple of years later with 2nd baby on way. The flowered couch got recovered many times then the brown couch came in and took its place for awhile. I wasn't fond of it. 

Several moves and rentals later, we finally bought the house of our dreams and the decorating bug bit hard.  I would have loved to have access to a premier auction website, where you can bid on auctioned pieces, like this auction fine art site, to find some nice pieces of art. How nice it would have been to be able to find great pieces of art that would last us our lifetime.

Instead, I had to find things in stores - I bought metal trays, nicer framed prints, plates, and a Victorian/Hunting themed look emerged. Our house was pretty traditional/formal and flowery. Honestly, not us at all but who I thought we should be.

Chair I bought at a garage sale

The formal dining area was an office area for awhile. Like our Charlie Brown Christmas tree?

Metal tray for art on the back splash

plates and prints on wall behind the guys

Then I hit a wall. I was tired of the stuffy, formal look and wanted a more inviting and comfortable look. I inherited some nice antique furniture that needed a spot in the house, the kids were teenagers and I wanted them to feel like home was a good place to hang out.

So I got a comfy, slip-covered couch, the coffee table was replaced with an old toy chest, gone were the crocheted doilies and flowery things. I was finally realizing my home needed to reflect who we were, not somebody else and their home. We're not formal, traditional people. We are easy going and informal. Our house finally started to reflect that. I also started painting which has given us several wonderful pieces of art.

"Memories of New England"

"Exploring His Limits"

These are pieces that have special meaning to us, as fine art should be.

Then we bought the farmhouse. It needed help. And I saw the opportunity to finally decorate in a fun style that reflected who we really are. As a second home, I've been able to try things I would have been afraid to try in the city home. Like painting the cabinets white and adding a chalkboard wall,

A farm table with mismatched chairs,

Comfortable, nothing is too precious, furnishings,

Thrifted and made over furniture,

A serene and uncluttered bedroom,

A fun and colorful outdoor space,

And soon a bathroom with a piece of furniture as the vanity.

The artwork on the walls have evolved to my paintings and wood signs,

but it also has metal signs,

And thrifted pictures. I guess some things never change. Lol. Except now they have a similar theme. :o)

What about you? Has your taste in furnishings and art changed?

Come back Friday to see the porch makeover. Maybe you caught the sneak peek above!