Last night marked the end of an era.
When I first started sharing my home almost a decade ago, I had just moved into a builder-beige house with very little extra money for decorating. It was the tail end of the recession, and I had just lost my job. So the funds for furnishing our new home were slim to none.
I had a 1-year-old baby and plenty of time for projects. It was also the beginning of the rise of the farmhouse decorating style.
Remember pallet projects? I found pallets on the side of the road that same year, and they kept me busy for years to come! (I think one reason the farmhouse style took off at that time was that people's bank accounts were hurting, and it's easy and cheap to build furniture in that style.)
One of the first projects I built was my farmhouse table. I'd received a circular saw for a birthday present and saved up for a Kreg Jig. I convinced my husband that I could build a table for only $100 plus the tools. And he agreed to spend our hard-earned money on it.
Click/Tap the images below to shop this space:
So my first big DIY project was born out of desperation and resourcefulness. The build was a success, and I quickly found more ways to add DIY furniture and home accents to my house.
I loved that I could create a beautiful home for my family with some lumber and a few basic tools. It marked the start of a DIY season and the beginning of this blog, which now provides my family with a full-time income so I don't have to DIY everything anymore. (Thank you for being here & supporting us!!)
But when we moved into our current home, I knew it was not a farmhouse-style home.
I'm a big believer in listening to your home and decorating within the style of home you have. There are some exceptions to that rule, but I knew my original 1990s, traditional Cape Cod-style home wasn't the right place for my beloved farmhouse table. (Or the matching bench or my DIY media console either.)
So last night I sold the farmhouse table and matching farmhouse bench to a dear friend whose home better suits that style. I couldn't let the table go without styling it for her one last time. (I'll be selling my media console next, once I find a replacement.)
So, to honor the last 9.5 years and the fact that this table started my whole DIY journey, I set one final spring tablescape and captured its raw, rustic beauty.
It has served us well.
I'm so glad it will move on to another family who will love it and gather around it as we have.
While this is the end of one era, it's the start of another. This past year I've been learning and figuring out exactly how to decorate this new house of mine.
I've loved watching the rise of the "grandmillennial" style because it really suits this 1990s home.
When we first moved in, we felt it had a "Home Alone house" vibe, and that pretty much sums it up. Lots of wallpaper, lots of fancy trim work and lots of patterns. (By the way, 95% of the walls in this home were wallpapered at one point and have since been painted over. So we'll just be returning to her roots.)
I'll soon share more about my take on that traditional style and how it will evolve in my home in the years to come.
But for now, I'm holding a moment of silence for the table that started it all and helped me build this online space that has become a community. Thanks again for being here!
Dining Room Sources:
Crystal Glasses – from my great-grandmother | Woven Chargers | Gold Flatware | Cloth Napkins | Table Runner | Speckled Eggs | Ceramic Egg Crate | X-Back Dining Chairs | Entryway Hooks | Round Mirror (not available) | DIY Table Tutorial | DIY Bench Tutorial | DIY Buffet Tutorial | Grecian Bust Planter | Faux Potted Mini Orchids | Plates on the Wall – antiques | Other Faux Flowers – local | Block Pattern Blue Pillows | Pink Windowpane Throw Blanket
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