Now. . . And Then: Marianne of Haven & Home

 

 

Blogger:  Marianne of Haven & Home

 

 

 

Now:

 

 

 

 

And Then. . .

 

 

What makes me cringe when I look back:

Oh how I wish I had a some pictures of the apartment I lived in during college and the years after college. They would certainly be good for some laughs...and I thought I was really onto something at the time. However, the only pictures I have on this computer are from right when we moved into our current house. The picture doesn't show all the cringe worthy traits of the old spaces- perfectly matched furniture sets, meaningless knick knacks and DIYs that look like DIYs. (I have nothing against a good home project, I just hope these days they look more professional than back in the day). One thing the picture does portray is our original furniture (other than the chair) that had zero meaning to us. Which brings me to the next question....

 

What I love most about my home now:

Everywhere I look now are objects, pieces, pictures that are unique or meaningful and I love that. While we still have hand-me-downs that I would love to change out one day, our furniture has been bought over the years and is either one of a kind, unique in some way or comes with a story. When I look around (almost) everything feels like us. Even though my list of things to work on is still quite long, I find our house comforting and welcoming and that is what makes a house a home.

 

The biggest influence on my evolving style has been:

The biggest change occurred when I first entered the business and started working for another decorator. Her knowledge and experienced really influenced the way I looked at design. She introduced me to so many styles, increased my appreciation of quality and antiques and really taught me how to mix styles. Now that I am on my own, I study magazines, blogs and books for inspiration and ideas. I love to read the interviews and learn why designers chose what they did, what the thought process was behind the space and details I might have missed flipping through quickly. It is easy for me to get into a pattern, personally or with clients, so I try to continual seek out different styles and figure out what I can take from them. I know in 10 years from now pictures of our home today might me cringe (just like with clothes), but I also know I will still have some of the same pieces and those will be with us for a long time.

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A huge thanks to Marianne for participating in the series this week.  She has a lot going on, including expecting her first baby any day now!  Check out her work (and her nursery progress) here.