It’s hard to believe how much I have changed over the last few years! I can’t believe it, but I no longer want stainless steel, granite or hardwood floors in the new house. I have concluded that these changes are due to age, life experiences and perhaps, most importantly, wisdom.
Ten years ago when my husband and I settled into our new home (above), we were so excited! After all, it was a dream house for both us. With a custom build, I literally picked out everything about this house from the roof down. It was a decorating dream for me to choose every single detail.
It was a beautiful house and a wonderful way to start our married life together. We had granite on every countertop, stainless steel appliances and hardwood floors throughout. After all, those were the decorating standards considered on-trend, and I certainly followed what was popular without exception.
But something happened along the way. I fell out of love with all three! Basically, I was in love with the idea and how beautiful it all looked together in the thousands of pictures, magazines and articles that I scoured for inspiration. No matter how beautiful in pictures, the reality is these products are not for everybody!
Granite?
For me, the granite was expensive, pretty eye candy, but frankly cold. In the winter, sitting at the bar in the kitchen was like resting on a block of ice. And then there’s the upkeep too of cleaning, polishing and sealing. Really fun things to do with your free time! But it was very pretty.
Stainless Steel?
Stainless steel, what was I thinking?! I fell out of love with stainless steel quickly. Actually, I hated it. A pain to keep clean and keep free of smudges and streaks. The kitchen sink looked great brand new, but quickly became well, not so attractive! The kitchen was full of stainless steel, but unfortunately it just wasn’t for me.
Hardwood Floors?
How could I not love hardwood floors? Well, I do but discovered a few things about them. Before Charlie (our dog), I did love them. If you have pets, you know it is almost impossible keeping wood floors from getting scratched. Inevitably, the scratches show up in the poly and are very visible. Pets and wood floors are not always the best combination!
I also discovered that if you throw a hot plate down on a wood floor that it will leave a mark, no, actually a gouge! Surprisingly, our wood floor marked up pretty easily. I always thought of hardwood floors as being, well “hard.” But I learned they are not impenetrable. They scuff, dent and scratch!
Ten years later, we are at a familiar place. Once again, we find ourselves in the middle of building our dream farmhouse in the mountains of Virginia! Without a doubt, I am not the same person I was 10 years ago. Ultimately, living off-grid in our tiny cabin during this build has changed me forever! I am no longer a buyer of “things” just because I can.
After living in 144 square feet for over a year, I have realized that I can live with so much less! My perspective and the decisions made on this build are totally opposite. At this point in life, I have new priorities and expectations. There is no longer a pressure to have the kind of home that we see in magazines or on HGTV! Now, it is more about function, practicality, comfort with a little design style thrown in.
Falling Into a Trap
I believe a lot of us are tricked into believing that magazine-perfect homes lead to happiness and contentment. They don’t! The mentality that bigger is always better. It’s not! Don’t get me wrong, I still love decorating, but this time it is purposeful, buying only those things that have a function or will provide comfort! The beauty of down-sizing is forcing you to keep only what you need, but also having less space to decorate.
This Time Around
My kitchen cabinets will no longer contain place settings for 12 or 20 water goblets! The bathroom vanity drawers won’t be stuffed with products that I never use and that take up valuable space. The formal dinning room that we used only a couple of times a year is out, as well as extra bedrooms for company that rarely came.
For two years, we methodically sketched out plans for the new house with our style and comfort in mind. Rooms that we will actually live in, but in a compact, more simple way.
So there won’t be any granite, stainless steel or real hard floors in the new house, but I’m okay with that. In fact, I’m thrilled with the new choices we are making. Because it fits the lifestyle we want to live in this rural, mountain setting, it’s black appliances, HD laminante countertops and vinyl plank flooring all the way!
Every day on the mountaintop is a beautiful gift that we have been given! The goal of farmhouse life for us is simple. A cozy home filled with special moments, simple pleasures and love!
“By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.” Prov. 24:3-4
Sending you cozy, farmhouse wishes,
Lover Darlin’
