I have been thinking a lot about home lately. I have written a couple posts previously about what home is to me and you can read one of those here. But the way I am thinking about home these days is a bit different. It is more about the physical home and how Chris and I make a place our own.
If you have followed my blog for awhile you know that I have lived in a few different places over the years and this past summer we found ourselves in the semi-odd position of not having to live in any particular place for Chris’s job. He travels and can do a lot of work remotely so the powers that be said we could live anywhere.
That was a bit odd and set us to thinking about where we really wanted to live. We always wanted to end up back in North Carolina, Chris always wanted to live in the mountains and we love being able to “see” water so we ended up in our little piece of heaven in Connestee Falls.
The second week we were here we attended a Welcome Newcomers Breakfast and met two lovely couples. Now sometimes when you meet people you meet them and go away saying “Well, they were nice but I don’t think we will be fast friends.” Other times you meet for the first time and you leave saying “I really like them!”. That was the case with these couples and I am so grateful.
But what does that have to do with home? Well –just that everyone has a different home that suits them. I have been in both of my new friend’s homes now and I have to say I absolutely love them both. One friend (shout out to Marci) has a beautiful home with stunning artwork and original paintings displayed so beautifully it is almost like being in an art gallery. Her home is very relaxing to be in and at a recent party at her home I was struck by how simply being able to view wonderful artwork created by her father and her talented husband made me feel so wonderful. I am no expert in art but I do know that I loved what I saw. Add to that with knowing that Marci herself is an artist in her own right who does botanicals and I can’t wait to see some of her pieces displayed.
Then there is Lali who is a wonderful mixture of so many things all wrapped up into one tiny little package. Lali treated us to lunch at her home and while each of us is doing some kind of renovation to our “new” homes I loved the feel of Lali’s mountain home. She and her husband have lived oversees in some pretty wonderful places and so each room displayed a part of their travels to Zimbabwe, Vietnam, India and more. Once again it was like being in a museum with wonderful wood carvings and artwork that originated from some pretty amazing places. Lali also has a lot of family pictures displayed in their loft and to me that was what said home. Sitting in recliners, watching tv and seeing the pictures of loved ones would definitely make me smile.
When I come to “our home” I see us. It is a comfortable place for us to be. The decks on the front and back are what I have always dreamed of having. The antiques that we have inherited fit in and even though we have less space here and things are a little more crowded than I would like them to be I feel like it is a good representation of us. It is a home that you can come into, kick off your shoes, settle in on the couch and have a nice chat. It fits us like a warm sweater on a chilly, rainy fall day.
So tell me – what does your home say about you? Does it reflect who you are and is it a comfortable place? Don’t forget to Comment for a Cause.
By the way, I finally got my beautiful red door at this house! 
31 Comments
Leave a commentI love your new house, especially that red door! You are living the dream, Beth Ann, and I can’t think of anyone who deserves it more!
Miranda, you are so sweet! I don’t know that I deserve anything but Chris has worked hard to get us to this point and I am happy that we are living someplace where we both want to live and stay. Thank you for stopping by!
Good morning Beth Ann. Perfect, well deserved and along time coming. Please tell Chris hello.
Thanks, Mary. I feel so blessed and do not take any of this for granted. I honestly don’t. We have had our share of ups and downs over the years and I am so happy that we are someplace where we feel like we can call home for awhile. Chris says hi!
It’s funny that everyone has their own sense of home and what they like. Makes life interesting.
Yes, it does. And each “home” is just perfect in every way. Home is where my loved ones are but the physical home is a good think to feel comfy in as well. Thanks for stopping by!
And you have a wonderful home and a BEAUTIFUL red door!
Thanks, Sara. It fits us so well!
Beth Ann – you are so sweet. Thank you for the “shout out”! I love this home here. Like you, we pinch ourselves each morning and silently ask “how did I get THIS?” The red door is fabulous and I’m kicking myself that I forgot to see it and your kitchen when I picked up the door opener the other day!
I KNOW! Right? We have the same feeling every time we come home. And it is feeling like home now which is a very good thing. Thanks for stopping by!
When friends (new &/or old) visit our place, the word that is heard most often is “cozy” and that is exactly the feeling I want for our little abode. A 100+ yr old rural Midwest home, filled with handcrafted, gifted items evoking many sweet memories. Looking forward to an opportunity to share moments in your “nest”…………………
I can totally see that your nest would reflect that –can’t wait to have you come visit me as well!
We loved visiting with you and Tom in your ridge home, Doreen. We felt totally at home gathered around that beautiful kitchen table. Thank you for welcoming us.
We’ve always felt that our place is a gift given to us by the Lord and to be shared. So glad/thankful our paths have crossed in the “real” world as well as the cyber!!!!
Is that the door repainted red or a totally new one? I know your history with doors.
You sound absolutely content in the mountains of North Carolina. Just viewing the photos you’ve posted, I can understand. This feels like a homey retreat. And the bonus is meeting such wonderful people already.
My home definitely reflects me and my appreciation of the past and artwork and all that is comforting. I hope you’ve felt at home the times you’ve visited me. I felt right at home in your Mason City abode.
The door was repainted here with fabulous results because we had a really great painter who knew what to do. It is a retreat exactly and that is what we want to offer anyone who visits us. Comfy and restful—-living life fully with no stresses. Or as stress free as life can be. 🙂
Love the red door!! And, I would say that our home does represent us well. It is decorated in taste, but with LOTS of boy pictures! 😉 It’s clear what is important to us! Hugs!
That does not surprise me at all. Pictures are some of the most important things in our house as well and my office shows my favorites including my North Iowa Bloggers!
Your door is great – no bubbles! Our home says “laid-back, country and unfinished!” There are lots of upgrades needed at our house, just waiting on time and money. It seems that if we have one, we don’t have the other. 🙂
Love the red door. From a Feng Shui perspective the color will draw abundance and luck into your home. My home is everything to me. I was married at home and Cole would have been born at home if my Mom hadn’t felt so strongly about a hospital birth (I think she said I’ll will kill you myself if you don’t get to the hospital to have that baby —a midwife was all she could take). When Joe died one the first thing I remember saying is I want to go home. The home I live in now was built by Joe’s dad and has more issues and quirks than one can imagine from 5 boys all making repairs and changes over the years. But it’s mine and its sweet. I’m sure that someday I’ll move into something smaller and more manageable. And I’ll be sad to move on but as you know “home” is the heart you put into it.
It takes the people in it to make a house a home. From what I have seen, you two have definitely made this one yours. I too love the red door. I couldn´t take much with me when we moved to Spain but I am surrounded with my daughters pottery and paintings I have collected over the years. My family photographs are scattered around the house and I do feel at home.
I bet your home is lovely. I am realizing that I really don’t need “stuff” as much as I thought I did. Even my beloved teapot collection will someday go by the wayside and that is okay. But for now I will just enjoy my cozy home and hope that it will be a great place for friends and family to come visit me.
LOVE the red door. That’s on my to do list, I want a cobalt blue door!
Thanks, Mary. I finally got a good looking red door and kitchen! 🙂 Cobalt blue would be amazing on y our house!
Love your home!!! Your red door is awesome! I feel that any house can be a home but to really be a “home” it has to reflect who you are (or you and your significant other). I like to be able to have things around my house that are apart of who I am. This can include pictures, art work,etc. The most important thing about our home is that people feel welcome there.
Totally agree with you on this! I hope people do feel welcome when they come to our house–that is first and foremost!
I only get notifications of your posts once, maybe twice a week. I’ve missed a lot!
Yea—that is what I hear from others as well. The publicize feature is hit or miss as well. I have given up trying to figure it out. Just stop by anytime. I will leave the light on!
I thought maybe you weren’t posting as often while relocating. See you soon!
Nope—I think my notifications have been wacky. I am still around, definitely! Trying to catch all the comments that went into the spam folder. My apologies.
And you’ve covered the eastern half of the U.S. while doing it! LOL