Sunday, January 26, 2014

How I Found My Style Sundays- The Everyday Home

From My Front Porch To Yours- How I found My Style Sundays- The Everyday Home

Hello Everyone!
My name is Barb Garrett and I am the overworked, underpaid writer
and creator at The Everyday Home.
Barb Garrett with The Everyday Home
I also love what I do with a passion...sharing "everyday" ideas to
for living a simple life.
Thank you to Pamela for having me as her guest.
She asked me to answer a few questions, so here I go...

1) What is my decorating style?
This one always throws me for a loop. My style has evolved through
the years, and one day I hope to figure out an exact name for it.
What do you get when you mix Farmhouse with Traditional with
English Country and a love of Charles Faudre?
You get The Everyday Home.
I have always said I need at least 5 homes, one for every style I love.
I guess some would call it “eclectic” but I have always thought that
word sounded so raw and uncertain.
I prefer to use the term “heartfelt.”
So...my style is “heartfelt” :)
My favorite room is definitely our Kitchen.
From My Front Porch To Yours- How I Found My Style Sundays- The Everyday Home
The farmhouse-style beckons back to my childhood where I grew up on
a large agriculture farm in NC.
From My Front Porch To Yours- How I found My Style Sundays- The Everyday Home
It's also the room that has received the most sweat equity since we
moved in. All DIY projects.
From My Front Porch To Yours- How I found My Style Sundays- The Everyday Home
You can take the tour of my home HERE.

2) How did you find your style?
My style has been greatly influenced by our travels.
Being a military family we have lived all over the Country, and was
blessed to enjoy 3-years abroad in Europe.
I think I found the style which spoke to my heart there,
more than anywhere we have ever lived.
Several of our antiques were purchased there...
(cheaply I might add!)
Two of my favorite pieces are this drop-front desk...
From My Front Porch To Yours- How I found My Style Sundays- The Everyday Home
...and this Antique-Bed-Turned-Bench which my
Flemish neighbor crafted in his 300-year old barn. You went into his
barn and chose a bed from the dozens and dozens of vintage beds which he
had stockpiled, and then he turned it into a literal work of art.
From My Front Porch To Yours- How I found My Style Sundays- The Everyday Home
You can also see some of the Blue and White Transferware I collected
during my travels thru England.
From My Front Porch To Yours- How I found My Style Sundays- The Everyday Home
3 - What has been your most treasured find of your home?
Moving around every 2-3 years, we unfortunately lost items
along the way. It was always a gamble when
our entire household was packed up and carted away to
an unknown storage center and then shipped all over the world.
A few years ago, I opened a large suitcase I had not used in years,
and discovered a group of manila envelopes.
I started crying. Literally.
Standing in the middle of the attic,
bawling like a baby. Those manilla envelopes held
assorted baby pics and travel pics which I thought I had lost.
So without a doubt, that is THE most important "find" I
have made in my home in a long time.
From My Front Porch To Yours- How I found My Style Sundays- The Everyday Home
4- What tips do I have for creating a beautiful home?
This is a tough one for me, actually.
I could give you the boxed answer like "let your style grow organically"
and "utilize magazines and blogs, etc, to help you discover your style."
But you know what? That is someone else's style. The problem
with someone else's style is that it is never quite your own.
So, instead - let your home speak to you. Every home has a
personality and if you try to force a style that doesn't fit you will
never love it.
Collect things YOU love, and not things that you see
everyone else collecting - particularly trendy things.
Don't be afraid to be original. If you have a passion for purple
feathers in black polka-dot vases, then by golly go for it.
Finally - and I mean this from the heart...
do NOT let Blogs and Blogger's Homes make you feel like your
home or your style is not as good. Remember that it is our job to
offer creativity at all levels and share the best of what we offer.
(If you saw my house on a day-to-day basis you would tsk-tsk.)
Laughing
My style has evolved over the last 30 years.
I look back at pictures 15-20 years ago and cringe.
Don't be afraid to let your home evolve as your life does.
When someone walks into your home, let it be a reflection of YOU and
your family. Not someone else's home.
So that's a little bit about me.
Thank you again for letting me share this with you.
I would love for you to visit me at The Everyday Home or
follow me on my Facebook Page.
Most of all - I wish you blessings.
Until we meet again...
xxoo, Barb
Thank you Barb for sharing pieces of your home with us today! It is always fun to look back thru the years and see how our homes have changed. You have turned your into a stunner!

15 comments:

  1. Love this home!!! Definitely click the link to take the home tour. Full of beautiful treasures and ideas! Thanks for sharing such a lovely place!

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  2. Oh I so enjoyed Barb's words of wisdom and the pics of her gorgeous home. I love her style, it's updated and trendy, but very unique and "her."

    I am going to give her a visit now too. I love this featured share, Pamela. I hate to ever miss it, one of my fav reads. Thank you for sharing Barb with us today!!

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  3. I so look forward to this feature every Sunday morning with my coffee. Today I was not disappointed. Luv Barb's style. Her collected look speaks to me. Always stunning. Thanks ladies.
    Happy today.
    Hugs, Gee

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  4. What a great feature! It's great advice, "Just collect what you love". That approach is working well for me.
    I had a moment when I read that you found your baby pictures. How wonderful!

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  5. Oh I love Barb's home and I love her. Such a precious and dear friend. She is so genuine and so real, and has more talent in her little finger than most of us do in a life time. Hugs, Marty

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  6. Wow a treat to get a glimpse inside. I will be hopping over for another look. Thank you for sharing.

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  7. Barb has such a gorgeous home....it was fun to learn more tidbits about her. Her words of wisdom on finding your style are brilliant too :o)
    ~Des

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  8. Thanks, Pamela! I love Barb's no nonsense approach to decorating and her thoughts on finding your own style. I have to check out her blog...her home is beautiful!

    XO,
    Jane

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  9. Hi Pamela,
    Barb was a great choice to feature. Love her home. So gorgeous. That antique bed made into a bench WOW! Love that piece. Simply beautiful.
    Kris

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  10. Pamela,
    Another beautiful home tour!!

    Thanks so much for stopping by and for your kind words!!

    hugs,
    Debbie

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  11. Barb, you are SO right about not trying to make someone else's style your own. I did that as a young woman and ended up regretting it. I LOVE the choices I have made for our home now. This was a great post. I, too, have wondered about how some bloggers always have PERFECT rooms etc. Now I realize, nothing is perfect.

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  12. What a beautiful home, every room is just gorgous .Oh my, choosing a bed from the dozens of vintage beds and having him turn them in to art, how special that would bet? Barb's bench is just stunning! Great tour. thank you!

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  13. Love Barb's style and beautiful home...great feature Pamela!!

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  14. Love the story about finding the photos. How wonderful! I remember seeing the bench on your blog a while back and love it! Bless you for being a great military family!

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  15. Hannah, I love your kitchen. Especially the blue painted brink and server hanging on the wall -- a girl after my own heart.

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I love when ya stop by so leave me a comment if ya have some time! I always try and respond but sadly enough sometimes I am unable to return the love due to noreply blogger status.