In case you thought my house was perfectly set up already for a before and after photoshoot due to the magic powers of blogs, it isn’t. :) But I’ve been working on getting settled in so I’ll share a bit of the behind the scenes for you with my cell phone pics.
Someday I know these rooms will come together and I will make sense of what goes where. But for now we are living in the moment and getting to know what it’s like to just *be* here. A house doesn’t become a home when it’s perfect, but it becomes a sanctuary when you let yourself live in it. So that is exactly what we are doing!
I had to laugh because my little entertaining cabinet looked like this the other day.
And now it looks like this. My 15 year old son set up his own little vignette in the corner of our living room. Ha! Style + function? (Guess I need to work on installing outlets for his computer near his own desk! Although the unintended benefit of this arrangement just might be more family togetherness so maybe its a perfect corner for a functional space)
My daughter Courtney and I have hung just one thing up on a wall so far, the mirror above the console. I have no idea whether or not it (or anything else for that matter) will stay there long term, but at least setting a few things up makes us feel more like we are making progress in getting settled even if we decide to change it all down the road.
We’ve been really enjoying the view and even took a little walk down on the beach by our house to get a close up look at the area. I think the view of the ever changing sky is going to spoil us forever.
Jack and Lily love playing in their new yard and going on adventures in Seattle. We took them on a little trip to Alki Beach and they had so much fun.
We take the ferry to church, you can’t beat the ferry for a beautiful commute.
Back in the house, as we unpacked the kitchen stuff into our little 1950s kitchen, I set up my flea market rattan shelf in the adjoining dining room to serve as a temporary holding place to put the overflow. Sometimes my stuff just ends up where it wants to be and I end up loving it. Just seeing things you love again makes you feel more at home.
And of course, it’s not a home until the coffee station is set up.
Jack has been making himself right at home, he was nervous at first but now he’s really comfortable hanging out in the new house. But if you have any doubt of that, this should clear that up…
I’ll be sharing many more updates on the house and our plans and inspiration for each room as they evolve! For now, we are just really enjoying “getting acquainted” with this old house.
Some of you who follow me on Instagram may have seen a few of these photos. Click here to follow along if you haven’t yet! :)
Sources:
Leather loveseat, blue tufted ottoman, trellis patterned arm chair, coffee maker (ours is an older model), mug drying rack, wood chevron cabinet, wood mirror, glass cabinet (taupe)
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When you have your family around and things you love you can make a home , home you love anywhere anytime, every time Forever! Love the views from your home .How do you get any work done surprises me.Just sitting and gazing out of the windows would be lovely .Enjoy and God bless.
It’s true what you say about just seeing your things makes it feel more like home. I needed that feeling when we first moved in the house just felt different, like it wasn’t ours. Just placing things around randomly for now and giving them new function made me feel at home a lot quicker. The living room was the first spot we wanted to put together because it’s where we hang out together at the end of the day. Hanging a simple picture or wall decor even if we weren’t sure if we would move it later, these things made a big difference in how we felt in the new space. I can’t wait to see how this space evolves, I’m glad your family is getting acquainted in your new home.
Thanks for sharing!
Lilly
Thank you Lilly, it does take a bit of time and puttering around to make a house your own, doesn’t it?
Thanks for the update. I hope you know we all love hearing what you are up to, even if it’s just regular, everyday, nothing monumental news. And seeing the dogs and your kids is always a bonus!
Barb
Thanks so much Barb, I’m so glad you enjoy these little updates! :)
Yes, the ferry to the KP is why we want to move to West Seattle too- I like the colors of your cozy room. They bridge between the soft and stronger color wheel.
Thanks! :)
Love your thoughts and inspirational ideas so much! I am putting together a “coffee station” in my home and am wondering where you got the metal rack that holds your coffee mugs.? Thank you!
Sure, it’s from World Market! I love it!
Oh, yes, that sky will likely ‘spoil you forever’. :) I live in the south end of Seattle, in a tiny, tiny house that fit my budget 11 years ago (and still). One of the major selling points for me was a broad territorial view of trees, tree tops and sky, including summer sunsets. Standing in my picture window with a mug of tea, gazing out, on a Saturday morning, or lounging on the love seat watching the ever-changing clouds as the light fades in the evening are priceless. I can see the street and my neighbors just below, which keeps me happily connected to them, but the open view beyond makes my 900 square feet feel like a palace.
A view really does make your space feel so much more spacious and interesting, doesn’t it? Enjoy your little space with the view!
Love the picture of Jack on “his” pillow! And I appreciate seeing things in a relatively undone state. It’ll be fun to watch it as it evolves.
I’m looking forward to seeing how you apply your considerable talent to making this home a reflection of your personality, family, and lifestyle. I do have a wee concern, however, that Retro Renovation fans far and wide would weep to see that iconic mid century jewel of a master bath succumb to gutting. I, however, would take it like a big girl and continue to follow you! How can I not love such a woman of faith, authenticity, and a dog lover to boot?
Thank you for being so gracious, Bev! I certainly don’t want anyone to weep over my decorating decisions :) that’s a big responsibility, but do appreciate that you’ll continue to follow along anyway, no matter what direction this house goes! :-D
I love the honesty of this post! Thanks for sharing!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
Hi Melissa- is your home in West Seattle?
Jack is such a cutie. Love his messy face!
In June we moved from Louisiana to Oklahoma. After we had been in our house for a week a woman I met told me she took off work for a week and had her new house set up and in order in 5 days when she moved. I ‘ve heard other people say the same. It seems I’m just now actually really settling in here. Glad to hear you don’t rush through the process either.
I think the furniture looks great … classic and fresh. And the rest of your photos remind me of vacation pictures. Looks like you’re having fun.
Hi Melissa, I’m glad to see that you and your family are settling in. I think your family room looks so nice and cozy already! I love that your reinventing everything you have and making your spaces work for you. To me, that is the fun part! Rearranging and Redecorating! I think your house has already become your home even without any projects. I’m looking forward to seeing more! :)
Well, thank you Maria! It is really nice to make our house feel more like home before we do anything to it, just so we can make sure we are doing what is necessary and appropriate and that we don’t miss something we might have preferred! :)
Your new home is beautiful and I love the pictures of the dogs. Please tell me more about your coffee maker – that seems like a really, really good one and we LOVE our coffee. Thank you.
Love getting a peek into your life….kids, dogs, etc. Happy for you that things are going well in Seattle.
I gotta tell ya, that Jack has won my heart. How in the world could ya ever get mad at that face!?…Too cute!
Must love dogs ! Your fur babies are beauties ! I think you can start a blog just about them !
Popped in to see what you were up to, and I see the new book! The cover is lovely. And I’m sure the inside is even better!
Thanks for stopping, Shannon, and yay, I just shared some peeks at the inside of the book today!!
Everything is coming along nicely, love the floors…. and what a wonderful view you have.
Hi Melissa,
What is better than walking to the beach from your house and taking a ferry to church?? You must be so happy settling into your new home. Of course, you’ve already styled it so beautifully! I’m so excited to follow your journey of making this new place your HOME.
xo,
Shauna
Melissa –
Do you know why I love visiting your blog? Well first of all you have a great name, but mostly it’s because you see the beauty in everyday life, and you are so down-to-earth and real! I also love your taste and although I don’t have the time or money to dedicate to making my house completely ‘my taste’ right now, at least I can live vicariously through you! Plus you always emphasize how it’s a process, a journey, to make a house a home, and I love that perspective. Thanks for the inspiration!
Melissa
Aw, thank you! That was such a great encouragement. Thank you so much!
What breed are your dogs? Are they Golden Doodles? They are SO cute!