What No One Tells You When You Fall In Love

French dining chairs used in an elegant farmhouse setting, all done on a budget
We have lived in our home for about 25 years now. It’s hard for me to fathom that the years since I fell in love…have gone by so quickly! I fell long and hard for this house the minute that I laid eyes on it. This is what I mostly fell for…

French farmhouse style dining room with budget decorating ideas
The fact that when you walk in the front door, you see the pool and the yard behind…
This house should have been on an episode of Fixer Upper and would have qualified as one of the worst! Back when we purchased this place there were no digital cameras, and the only photos I have are not the best. Suffice to say that it was kind of gross…brown shag carpet, broken white tile, flocked and foiled wallpaper, one bathroom had a purple toilet and sink. Need I say more?
white designer kitchen done on a budget by refacing cabinets with new doors and more
We liked the layout and knew that we could add on to it when our budget allowed…
We did all of the work ourselves…as in DIY ourselves:~}. For more pictures, info and some different shots that might inspire you…check out THIS post that I wrote last Spring…
white built in refrigerator with repurposed cabinet doors in a kitchen done over time and on a budget
No one ever told us how difficult the process would be! We worked bit by bit and project by project on this home…but we fell in love and took our time…
restoration hardware french bar stools

The bar counter in the family room looking into the kitchen, where we sit for casual dinners and for morning coffee. I like to mix meaningful family pieces into our decor, but sparingly…

white french style kitchen
ideas for designing a kitchen that you'll fall in love with

Everything looks nice and fresh now that the holiday decor has FINALLY been put away and my organizing and de~cluttering continues. I spend a lot of time in the kitchen and having it clean and simple makes me happy!

mason jar chandelier
That Mason jar chandelier with the color pop is somewhat unexpected and always a topic of conversation when people first visit. Sometimes I think that I’m ready to change it out for something new, but I follow my own vision and it’s staying {for now:~}
Kitchen and dining room ideas with fresh flowers

I took photos today because it was cleaning day and I have these gorgeous flowers that I purchased from Trader Joes in a white ironstone pitcher sitting on the table…

beautiful flower arrangements

I had no idea what the large flowers were that look like cabbages, and a couple of my Instagram friends told me that they are Flowering Kale!

farmhouse elegant dining room

On the sideboard I’m keeping it simple as well with fresh eucalyptus and a few favorite French pieces…

floral arranging in a shabby chic style on a farmhouse table

Simplicity with relaxed elegance is just so enhanced by a beautiful floral arrangement in the room…

dining room with a view
If you fall in love hard for a home and make it yours, take your time to make it just how you want it to be. It’s so worth it and I wouldn’t trade this place for anywhere else.

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11 Comments

  1. Love your beautiful home! I hope one day to have one so lovely! Hope it's sooner rather than later, I am 58!

  2. Calypso In The Country says:

    I see why you fell in love! Your home is gorgeous!
    Shelley

  3. nancie anderson says:

    Beautiful home and I believe when you do all the work yourself that it means so much more. I feel their is more connection in someway!

  4. Vanessa B. says:

    I love your home!Fixing it up yourself makes you so much more appreciate! At least, that's what i found to be true of my own home 🙂

  5. Sylvia Cook Photography says:

    What an amazing transformation!! You should be so proud, it's gorgeous!

  6. YES, I could easily fall in love w/your home, it's lovely.

  7. DD's Cottage says:

    Gorgeous home with such style and coziness! Love it Janet!

  8. I can honestly tell you that of all of our 6 homes that we have owned, the last home we owned in Florida that was on a lake was my fav!…the floor plan was great and similar to yours when you opened the front door all you can see is the pool/waterfall and then the lake…it was something that I looked forward to each time I came home from work. I love North Carolina, but miss the fronds of the palm trees swaying in the breeze and the herons coming to visit near the water's edge….Love your home Janet…always has such a most charming feel and says it is happy!!!

  9. Sheila Irwin says:

    You did SUCH an amazing job! I love your home and how you've styled it – it's beautiful. And I could so relate to this post as it sounds like my house was about as bad as yours! I have hesitated to share "before" pics on the blog or IG, not only because they are bad, old and not done on a digital camera, though that is all true, but the house was just so awful! Orange shag carpeting, if you can believe it! Oh, and a pig sty in the backyard as well as a master closet that previously had a dog living in it! We have re-done most of the inside at this point, but our backyard is still dated and in need of a major overhaul which is feeling daunting right now. Any pointers on how to re-do a pool, hardscape and landscape without breaking the bank?!

    Sheila
    http://www.maisondecinq.blogspot.com