…and definitely where the HEART is!
I have been married to the Army for almost 14 years now and have seen quite a few places in this world! I met my husband while he was assigned at Fort Stewart, GA (Hinesville, GA ) and we moved to Ft. Knox, KY shortly after we were married. Our first home was military housing. I wish I had pictures because I had NO idea how to decorate a home. I was a brand new bride and knew NOTHING about home making or decorating, but I tried my hardest! My poor husband is such a trooper and loved me through it all! Anyway, I had just quit my job so we could move, and my husband was a young Captain at the time. We were not rolling in much dough so I learned real quick how to be a thrifty shopper. Also being military, we did not want to spend a lot of money on home decor because you never knew what size home you may move to next, and most importantly you never knew if your household goods (home decor accessories and furniture) would be lost or damaged during a move. I had my two daughters while we lived at Ft. Knox and fell right into being a stay at home mom and I became domesticated!
We moved from Fort Knox to Kingsport,TN and bought our first home. I guess this is when I really began to develop an interest in home decor. We bought a home and did quite a bit of work on it ourselves. My husband bought his power tools and quickly learned how to lay wood floors and hang crown molding. Maybe the crown molding was not as quick, seems like that took awhile, but he IS a perfectionist! The transformation was incredible, and the pride we felt for doing it all ourself was enormous!! We were very proud of our home and that pride fostered something inside of me. Having a beautiful home that we created and raising our family in it was the icing on the cake for me. I was hooked on having a beautiful home!! I wanted to be a Home Decorator!
Two years later, we moved to the Washington, DC area, we rented a blah house, complained the whole time of “what we would do if it was ours”, and for some reason I thought I would decorate the house in primitive-Americana decor style. We were only going to be in the area for one year while my husband was going to graduate school and I thought , why not? I found out real quick that was not my decorating style! But I wasn’t sure what my decorating style really was either. But country home decor was NOT it! Now I am not knocking Americana style, it fits alot of people and that is what is important! I have to say that I would admire the homes of my friends who decorated their homes that way, it just felt so warm and inviting, but in my home, it just did not represent who we were! We were a lively bunch that had our eye on the future! Not only that but we were young, “hip wannabes”, and living in a wonderful metropolitan, urbanized city! When your home does not reflect who you are, you can feel it! Everytime you walk in the door, you FEEL it!! I have to laugh at that design mistake, it was the worse one I ever made!! But I learned from it! And WE MOVED ON!!
We moved to Seoul, Korea next. We were there for 3 years and it was the best place ever to develop a decorating style! I fell in love with furniture from Thailand that was available to us there. We bought a few pieces and went from there. Thailand is one of the best places ever!! Also the best place to buy furniture, and I mean QUALITY furniture for a bargain. I would love to sell furniture from a vendor in Thailand! If you have the chance to go, you HAVE to go to Bangkok and Phuket. We would move there in a heartbeat! I could just go on and on, we LOVED it so much!
Korea was a great place for Asian and contemporary design. I love contemporary, but sometimes for ME, it can feel cold and “young”. I was about to turn 40 and beginning to see myself in a different way, realizing I needed to become a 40 yr old, but not in an “old” way! So I decided to merge my traditional decor with some contemporary decor, and I came up with what represents us!! Not too young, but not grandma-ish either! Not too cold but very warm and welcoming!
After our three years in Korea, the Army thought we needed a little piece of “paradise” and moved us to Hawaii. What a great experience! We actually rented and lived in 2 different houses the two years we were there. The first was in the ”burbs” and the second was in a great small beach town (Kailua). So with two different types of homes, I was able to explore the tropical and “beachy” home decors. I have to say that living in Hawaii burnt me out on the red, gold, and sage green color combo! It was EVERYWHERE!!! And it was in my house!! It was our last home in Hawaii that I began to realize that I really could put a house together! I had the most people comment on our home and the design of it. I began having people ask me to help them decorate their home. I began reading more and watching more home decor shows than before. I was hooked years ago, but I realized I was NOW obsessed with anything that had to do with home and decor!
During all of this, my husband was perfecting his power tool skills. He had done quite a few projects and was feeling pretty stoked himself. We found out the Army was going to move us to Florida, and we decided it was time to buy a house! My husband is able to retire in 2014 after 20 years, and we are planning to stay put so our daughters can live some of their life in a “stable” environment. We are so excited! We FINALLY get to paint and decorate our home, and make it what we want!! Goodbye to complaining of everything wrong with our house, no more daydreaming of the day we own our own home, no more making due with what we have, no more buying home decor accessories for one house that you probably have to get rid of at the next, and good riddance to paying someone else’s mortgage!! HALLELUJAH!!!!! Eventhough my heart was in each home we had, I did the best I could do with each move, I made sure my girls were settled and everything ran smoothly for the homefront, but there was always something inside of me that wanted more. Don’t get me wrong, I am VERY grateful for the military lifestyle, the friends we have made, the memories that we share, and our adventures around the world. I would not have it any other way!
I finally can say “Honey, I’m Home” and feel it!! I have a home that reflects who we are and we can RELAX now . We are taking one room and one project at a time and pouring our heart and soul in it. Today, we feel pretty “house proud”! Today we feel like we can “settle” down and plant some roots in this wonderful community we call HOME!!
Here are some photos that represent the heart of our home- the FAMILY room area. This is where we spend all of our time when at home, and this is where Hayley and Gabby hang with their friends! This is what makes me HAPPY!
Oh and so you’ll know, the 2 cute chairs and ottoman pictured in the family room are from La-zy Boy. Yes that’s right, La-zy Boy. I thought La-zy Boy only sold recliners for grandpa too!
