The House that Built Us!

Date: December 18, 2020Author: joanneriley 0 Comments

During these times, so many thoughts about home have crossed my mind, as I’m sure it has for all of you. I am lucky enough to have moved into a new house during the pandemic. It was a welcome change for me because we sold our family estate last year and I had been hunting for exactly the right place until I found it. I call it a 1980’s museum. It needs a total redesign and redecoration. What fun!

 Part of what I love about it is that there is a 100 acre organic farm in front and a 200 acre public reservoir behind, just steps away. The other part that I love is that it is a miniature version of the two houses I grew up in. 

 Until I was about 14 years old, we lived just outside New York City,  in a Dutch colonial home. It definitely informed my sense of design because it was so grounded and steeped in tradition. My mother is very stylish and did a lot of the decoration work, although she also hired an interior designer for the challenging living room that was front to back and had a passage to a sun porch. That was my brother’s room because there were 6 of us children and our grandfather lived with us most of the time.

 I would watch from the stairs quietly when the designer came in to the house, so no one knew I was there as he would discuss ideas with my parents. I was maybe 8 or 9 so I am not entirely sure how much I understood at the time, but I definitely felt the impact of everything he and the design did.  The design complimented and respected the architecture’s traditionalism but also had a great mediterranean flair with carved Spanish linoleum tiles. The area was a pass-through, but with two chairs flanking the fireplace, it was also a truly cozy place to sit. It also served as our staging area for the Christmas tree, which was always large and wide, and touched the ceiling, making a grand feeling every year with 6 children’s toys under it at Christmas time. So much about the stability of that house and living in that space stayed with me for many years, even after moving out of New York City, to Western Massachusetts.

 We moved to a 144 acre plot of land where my parents, with the help of an architect, built an amazing house. It was unique and contemporary, and way ahead of its time. We all had our own rooms that we got to design ourselves, which I think is an important element in any child’s life. Of course, we were guided, but we had a lot of creativity and fun in deciding the image that we wanted. My room had black and white psychedelic wallpaper with a hanging desk made of the Spanish linoleum tiles left over from the house in New York. There was also a huge paragon shaped window, directly to the right of the desk, which I would often look out and dream of far away places.  Both of those houses built me and go a long way in explaining my design sensitivities and affinity for both super traditional/transitional styles as well as eclectic and contemporary styles. Both made me feel at home, which meant feeling comforted and creative.  Moving into my new home, it is time to incorporate the two houses that built me and really go all out in expressing my soul’s contentment. It is certainly a wonderful bare palette at the moment and I will be sure to keep you updated along the journey!  I hope your homes are serving you during this time and for a long time to come. Never underestimate the power of a beautifully built environment. Until soon I hope!

Love and light,
Joanne