Sunday, January 18, 2015

How I Found My Style Sundays- Mystery Guest


How I Found My Style Sundays- From My Front Porch To Yours
It has been two years since I started "How I Found My Style Sundays" and can you believe that I have not yet shared how I found my style!? I know, pretty crazy.
Welcome Sign-How I Found My Style Sundays- From My Front Porch To Yours
Spring Porch

So welcome to our home! Our current home is our third.  We spent 5 years in our first home and I was a new wife, a new mommy and trying to find just what my style was or if I even had a style. Back then I leaned towards anything nautical and beachy. After living in Baton Rouge for two years I grew to love all things french and decided that was the direction I wanted to go.
SW Whole Wheat-How I Found My Style Sundays- From My Front Porch To Yours
 We moved back to Texas and I started on my mission to transform our home into French Country. I chose darker, rich colors for the walls and warm tones for everything. 
Olympic One Classic Khaki-How I Found My Style Sundays- From My Front Porch To Yours
Living Room
After about two years I decided that our home felt like we were living in a cave with all the dark colors and lower ceiling heights. Our Baton Rouge home had 14 foot ceilings and oh how we miss those. Anyways, I went on a mission to lighten and brighten things up. The walls went from SW Whole Wheat to Olympic One Classic Khaki. What a difference just changing the paint color made!
Farmhouse Laundry Room-How I Found My Style Sundays- From My Front Porch To Yours
Laundry Room
Once the lighten and brighten up project began I started seeing myself bringing in more pieces that leaned towards a farmhouse feel. 
French Farmhouse Kitchen-How I Found My Style Sundays- From My Front Porch To Yours
Kitchen
Our kitchen makeover 2 years ago pretty much solidified my style. I call it French Farmhouse with a vintage flare. 
French Farmhouse Kitchen-How I Found My Style Sundays- From My Front Porch To Yours
I love things that tend to have a little fru fru and bling to them but then also a simplistic side. I am a sucker for vintage pieces like the old bread box and porcelain cow bank I found last summer while antiquing in Atlanta.
French Farmhouse Dining Room-How I Found My Style Sundays- From My Front Porch To Yours
Dining Room
Now that I have a solid direction for our home I am slowly transforming each space.
Dining Room chalk Board-How I Found My Style Sundays- From My Front Porch To Yours
French Farmhouse Bedroom-How I Found My Style Sundays- From My Front Porch To Yours
Master Bedroom
Some of the farmhouses touches we have made thru out our home include simple things like planking our bedroom wall and fireplace. A lot of times it is the simplest and smallest things that make the greatest impact in a space.
Vintage Family Photos-French Farmhouse Bedroom-How I Found My Style Sundays- From My Front Porch To Yours
My most treasured items in our home are not things I have bought or found. They are old pictures of loved ones that I enjoy displaying. 
Rolling Pins on Wall-How I Found My Style Sundays- From My Front Porch To Yours
They are pieces passed down to me from relatives like a rolling pin that was Mr. Front Porch's grand mothers and an old milk can that my grandfather had. Those are the items that I hold most dearly.

As far as tips and tricks for having a beautiful home and finding your style, my best advice is to utilize sites such as Pinterest, blogs and magazines. I started a binder some 13 years ago that I would place all my inspiration pics that I tore out from magazines. I still have that binder from back then and the funny thing is is that if I looked thru it I would have realized my style all along! The pictures I saved back then are just like the ones I Pin and save today.
Once you find your style do not be afraid to let it evolve and grow, possibly in a totally different direction. 
Cross Buck Wainscoting-How I Found My Style Sundays- From My Front Porch To Yours
DIY Crossbuck Wainscoting
Also do not be afraid to tackle DIY projects head on! If it means teaching yourself how to use a miter saw like I did last spring then by all means you put on those safety glasses and get that project done! You can do anything you set your mind to do. Mr. Front Porch and I never would have imagined almost 6 years ago that we would have tore up flooring and laid down new or ripped out our kitchen back splash and created a new stove top hood but we did and we have never regretted one moment of it.
Chalk Paint Painted Fabric Chair-How I Found My Style Sundays- From My Front Porch To Yours
Chalk Painted Fabric Chair
You do not have to spend a lot of money to achieve the look you want. Look for pieces that are similar to what you are looking for and then transform them into what you want. I can not tell you how many pieces in our home I have purchased second hand and made into beauties and they cost a fraction of what they would have new.
Toile Euro Shams-French Farmhouse Bedroom-How I Found My Style Sundays- From My Front Porch To Yours
And even though I am a huge fan of repurposing and buying things second hand I also believe that some things you just have to splurge on to pull a space together like the custom toile Euro Shams I had made for our master bedroom. It may require saving some but in the end it will be well worth it.

When shopping do not just buy something because it is the latest trend. Look at it and ask yourself "Is this something I will regret not buying and wish I would have?". If you say no then put it back on the shelf. If you are not sure bring it home and if it is still sitting in the shopping bag days later take it back! 
Also go thru what you already own and decide on what you want to keep and what you want to get rid of. Ask yourself if it is something you would buy today. If yes keep it. If the answer is no then sell it or pass it on to somebody who would love it in their own home. 

My most important tip is to not worry about what other people think of your home! I had a neighbor once who came over and looked around at our home. She point blank asked me what it was I was trying to accomplish after seeing issues of Coastal Living on our coffee table and other beach items on display. She went on to tell me how her mother was a designer in Florida and that even the vacuum marks had to be in the same direction or it was just not the right way to do things. I can not tell you how many years those comments held me back from enjoying our home and how much those comments held me back from enjoying having friends and family over. I was always worried our home was not good enough. Please please please do NOT let somebody do that to you! As long as your home is filled with love and things that make you happy then that is all that matters!

Thank you for visiting is listening to How I Found My Style! As I mentioned earlier, I have been doing "How I Found My Style Sundays" now for two years now. It has been a weekly feature and I am grateful for all those who have stopped by to visit and share with us their style. I am going to be taking a little break from it but do not fear it will not be going away completely. I have decided that "How I Found My Style Sundays" will continue but just on a monthly basis. I will be inviting bloggers over to share their style the second Sunday of every month so if you are a blogger and interested in participating be sure to contact me.

Tomorrow stop back by for the faux brick wall reveal!




26 comments:

  1. So nice to learn your style insight. Your home is lovely. You have done an amazing job making it beautiful for you.

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  2. I love your home Pamela - and all your treasures make it so special!

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  3. Love your home and your style. You pay attention to detail so beautifully and I adore your vignettes.

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  4. LUV, luv your home Pamela ,and all the 'Frenchy touches' you have added to please you!! I look forward to every posting you do :)
    Big hugs, Gee

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  5. Pamela, your home is warm and inviting. It's a place you would want to sit down and visit with friends or family and a good cup of coffee. I love French Country and a twist if bling.

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  6. It was fun hearing about how YOUR style evolved!!!! Your home is so beautiful....it has been fun seeing all the changes you have made! Can't wait to see the brick wall!!!!
    Happy Sunday!
    ~Des

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  7. Love your home Pamela and your blog!

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  8. We are kindred decorating spirits, Pamela! I agree with so much of what you said! Decorate for yourself, DIY when you can, but splurge when necessary! My first house was a pastel, beach bungalow and my second is a more rustic, country beach cottage ~ style definitely evolves. Your home is beautiful and with so many fabulous touches, thanks for sharing!

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  9. Words of wisdom! I love your style and you have definitely found it! My home is such a mix it doesn't even look cohesive right now. We are hoping to move to a larger house this year where I can spread out my love of beach items and angels. I know...they don't really go together and now my husband is calling me his "beach angel". I like that!

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  10. Pamela, your style is lovely. The fact that the personal items with a story mean the most to you says a lot about you!

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  11. Lovely home and so well decorated.
    Audrey Z.

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  12. I love your home and blog, and love hearing you say not to worry about what others think of your home. That's refreshing.

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  13. Loved reading about how you found your style, Pamela! Your words really rang true for me too as I read about how your syle has evolved through the years. I just love your home. Beautiful!

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  14. You have done so much, Pamela - I especially love how you transformed your looks with boarding on walls - makes it look entirely different.

    It's neat to finally learn more about you! Thanks for sharing!

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  15. You have a beautiful home, Pamela, and I just love your style! : ) I had to hear stories about the former neighbor you talked about. When I had my interior decorating business back in NY I could have cried when a client had told me that a well known interior designer in the area told her to throw all her stuff out and start over. It made her feel horrible. I told her I would never tell anyone to do that, but rather I work with them and their stuff. I like to think that I made her decorating experience a positive one.

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  16. Pamela you know how much I love your style and beautiful home! Your bedroom with that fabulous planked wall is a favorite of mine!

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  17. Great advice, Pamela! It is so important to love your home and embrace the style that suits you. Your home is absolutely gorgeous and it is clear how much of "you" is part of it. Jane

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  18. Pamela, your home is beautiful and it tells your personal story. I love that about interior design. Thanx for sharing. Jo

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  19. I totally agree about not letting others make you feel bad. I learned the hard way that you should decorate with what YOU love. I once greatly admired the style of a friend. I loved her home and tried to copy everything she did. Well, after doing alot of work, spending alot of money I wasn't happy. It wasn't ME. So, I went back to what I/we love for our home. I never follow TRENDS either. Thanks for sharing your style with all of us. Your home is just beautiful!

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  20. So happy that you are the surprise guest!....loved reading about how you found your style and you certainly have arrived at the French Country style you love so much....You have created a gorgeous and loving home for you and your family...I truly enjoy following you along with your many beautiful and creative projects.

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  21. Thanks for the home tour! Your home is charming.

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  22. Pamela, I love your home, warm and inviting!!! I have to say when I visit a home, I have never noticed the vacuum cleaner marks!!! Your touches are lovely.

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  23. Such encouraging words. Thank you for the inspiration and to go ahead with what I love in my own home, and not try to please every one else. New lessons learned here today.
    *Smiles*

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  24. Love your home. I too love country french. Your home is beautiful. May I ask did you refinish your kitchen cabinets or purchase them. Im in the process of updating my kitchen.

    june

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  25. What a fun post, and seeing how you've evolved your style. I love your style by the way and I can't believe the person who would say such silly things to you. I'll bet your coastal decor was beautiful too. Thanks for sharing YOU! Blessings,
    Patti

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  26. I can feel the warmth of your house. It's a love touch from you. Luv it.

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